CHAPTER 64 Chilling


    Liam


    Before heading to the pub, I made a quick detour to Hillcrest and found Sheriff Combs at the dock of


    the clubhouse. I asked the Sheriff to supervise. With him there, no one dared double-cross me, not


    even Dan.


    The ck sling bags used by certain New Salem residents along with the honey and x seeds New


    Salem produced were Dan’s main ways of smuggling our product to designated. points near the big


    cities of the eight West North Central States. The money which the students or the parents made by


    personally dealing to users isundered through Sunday’s offertory at church while the money earned


    from meth smuggled via the honey and seed produce is ced in crates of red wine. The crates are


    then delivered by boat after arriving in Bismarck and Mandan. It was a tedious process, but it was a


    process which never faltered. For years, we followed the same routes and drop points without any


    trouble.


    However, after the numerous revtions among my close friends, people who I considered to be


    my


    brothers and confidants, it became clear to me that mycency would be my downfall. I decided it


    would be best if I step up and not allow Dan or Cris to have the opportunity to literally stab me in the


    back.


    Sheriff Combs was on his CB radio speaking to one of my men who was part of the weing


    committee for my delivery truck loaded with the crates.


    “Contact me once you see the headlights of the delivery truck. Over.” Sheriff Combs was standing near


    the edge of the dock surveying theke with night vision binocrs.


    “Copy that. Over and out.” Radio silence. The Sheriff put his radio back in his holster while he


    continued to peer through his night vision binocrs. I noticed the creases on his forehead. Obviously,


    he was bothered by something.


    “Sheriff, anything wrong?” I asked. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    “I think I saw some movement at the parkside of theke, Sheriff Combs said. He suddenly pulled out


    his radio. “Tanner, everything quiet at your end?” Tanner was one of the deputies. under my payroll and


    had the task of patrolling thekeside area of the park.


    “That’s an affirmative, Sheriff. Just waiting for the cargo to arrive,” Tanner said over the


    radio.


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    CHAPTER 64 Chilling


    “I thought I saw some movement, the Sheriff said. He handed me his binocrs so I could have a look.


    I didn’t see anything.


    “It must have been a prairie dog or an otter. Don’t worry, Sheriff. I’ve got this,” I heard


    Tanner say.


    “Son, you know the drill. Check in every thirty minutes. Over and out.” The Sheriff put his radio back in


    his holster and gestured for me to hand over his binocrs. “I suggest you head back to town for the


    pageant. I got Jack stationed at the pub to make sure them surly. sons of bit ches at the pub are


    behaved. If a brawl happens, he knows what to do. Just be back before midnight.”


    “Just to be clear, Sheriff, if you see anything out of the ordinary, shoot to kill,” I ordered while handing


    his binocrs back. “I promise I’ll be here before midnight to oversee operations.”


    “There are only two ces the people are at tonight. It’ll be easy to spot the good eggs from the rotten


    ones. I’ll call you once the boys see the truck heading out of Bismarck, Liam, he said. “By the way,


    where’s


    your father.


    “He’s at home,” I answered. I saw Sheriff Combs grimace, annoyed my father was acting like he was


    retired. “Don’t worry, Sheriff. My father may be home, but he’s keeping an eye on the CCTV cameras.


    Drink some coffee. It’s going to be a long night.”


    “I already have my thermos ready,” he replied. “Enjoy your night, son.”


    Although I wasn’t going to drink tonight, I had Henry drive me. I needed to think and I didn’t want to


    space out while I was in front of the wheel.


    It was almost ten when I arrived at the pub. When I opened the entrance doors, I was shocked to see it


    packed with people. I noticed Jack, Noah and Lisa together at the bar, but what took my breath away


    was the gorgeous blonde in the yellow fitted dress. I felt the urge to run to her.


    I pushed through the crowd, not amused the people of New Salem weren’t making a path for me to


    walk through. Of all the disrespect that could be thrown my way. My fists balled up as my anger began


    to bubble. These people cowered in terror when they saw my father, but saw me as insignificant.


    I reached down to get my gun from its holster, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me.


    “Allow me, Mayor Cohen,” I heard a low masculine voice say from behind. I turned around.


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    I


    CHAPTER 64 Chilling


    and found Dom had made a path through the crowd.


    He tapped the shoulders of the two burly men in front of us. I knew them to be known bikers who


    caused trouble from time to time and sometimes did some smuggling for Dan.


    “The Mayor would like to pass through,” Dom said icily. The two men coughed loudly and made space,


    extending their arms to make the people move back.


    “Boys and girls, move aside for the Mayor, the biggest of the two said. The others moved


    except for one.


    He suddenly smacked the guy on the back of his head for ignoring his request.


    “What the f uck!” The man eximed, ready to start a fight. He was tall and muscr with dark brown


    hair, ck eyes and wore piercings on his nipples.


    “I said…the Mayor would like to pass through,” Dom growled at him.


    F uck you! Who the f uck do you think-” Before he could say anything else, the two burly bikers


    punched him in his stomach to silence him.


    “Dom, man, my apologies, the biggest of the two said while their friend continued wincing in pain. “I’ll


    take care of him.” He, then, turned to me and gave me an apologetic smile. “Mayor Cohen, I hope you


    enjoy your night.”


    This time the crowd moved back giving me a clear path to the bar. I nodded. my head in gratitude and


    walked towards Jack who had stood up from his stool after witnessing the confrontation. I raised my


    hands and gestured for him to rx.


    I nced behind me and found Dom had stayed back to talk to his biker friend.


    How in the world do they know each other?


    “Liam, you finally made it,” Chip said while cing a ss of scotch in front of me. He knew


    me well.


    “Thanks,” I replied, taking a sip of scotch and rxing a bit. My eyes quickly searched for Virtue, but


    she, unfortunately, was gone. “Where’s Virtue?”


    “She’s in the dressing room freshening up,” Chip answered. “Now that you’re here, we can start. How


    about you finish your double shot and I’ll escort you to the judges table?”


    “Sure,” I answered, agreeing with him. As I sipped my scotch, I noticed Cris was missing.


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    CHAPTER 64 Chilling


    I tapped Lisa’s shoulder, hoping she knew where her husband was. “Where’s Cris?”


    “I don’t know,” Lisa answered gruffly. “He said he needed to meet up with a private sponsor…


    whatever that meant.”


    “Have you tried calling him?” I asked. I took out my phone and called him, but his phone was


    out of service.


    Did Dan carry out his n already?


    “Well? Were you able to reach him?” Lisa asked, downing her martini and gesturing to Chip for another


    one. She didn’t sound too concerned her husband was missing. “Because I


    haven’t been able to reach him all day.”


    “Nope. His phone is off,” I answered. I was about to message Dan when Chip ced a ss of


    bourbon beside me.


    “Guys, Cris is a grown man. I bet he’ll walk through those doors any minute now,” Chip said, -sliding


    the ss towards Dom. I shrugged my shoulders and hid my phone. Chip was right.


    Cris was a grown man and sometimes went off the radar.


    “Dom, thanks for earlier,” I told Dom as he took a sip of bourbon.


    “No thanks necessary, Mayor. Big Mike is a patron of mine,” he replied, cradling his ss in his hands.


    “If it’s any constion, I should be thanking you,” Dom said. My brow instantly furrowed, wondering


    what he meant.


    “Thank me for what?” I asked.


    “For epting us in this town. I’ve grown quite fond of New Salem,” he answered, smiling, but his smile


    didn’t reach his eyes. I was about to answer him, but he turned to Chip. “Chip, where’s Bo?”


    “Over there. He has a date, Chip answered while pointing at an isted table at the side of the pub,


    practically hidden by the crowd.


    I raised my head and squinted my eyes to see who Bo was with. The woman’s face was obscured by


    the darkness, but I recognized the short auburn hair of Cynthia McDowell.


    What?!


    “Liam,” Jack’s voice interrupted my thoughts, “Virtue is already seated up front. I’ll escort


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    CHAPTER 64 Chilling


    Cris to the front once he passes through the pub’s front doors.”


    I drank the rest of my scotch and took onest look at Cynthia who was smiling brightly at Bo whose


    face was within kissing distance.


    All of a sudden, as if on cue, Bo looked in my direction and grinned at me. I gave him a small smile


    before walking toward the exquisite blonde who was waving enthusiastically from the judge’s table.


    The smile Bo gave me was chilling.


    Just like the smile Dom gave me when I thanked him earlier. Both their eyes looked like the eyes of an


    apex predator ready to pounce on its prey.


    It was truly disturbing.


    I felt a hand on my arm and saw Virtue’s smiling face in front of me. My body rxed and I quickly


    forgot whatever it was that was bothering me.


    She looked absolutely breathtaking.


    The mounds of her breasts peeked over the top of her yellow dress, slightly covered by the curls of her


    long blonde hair. Her dress fit snugly on her, graciously showing off her curves while also showing off


    her long legs.


    She


    e wore the dress to perfection and did it effortlessly.


    “Liam, I thought you weren’t going to make it,” she murmured in my ear. She took my hand and led me


    to a vacant chair beside hers. “You and I will have to do. It’s already a quarter past ten and Cris still


    isn’t here.”


    I groaned. I needed to be in Hillcrest before midnight and Cris wasn’t even here


    yet.


    “I’ll take Cris’ ce,” Dom said, sitting beside me. “We don’t want the crowd to be rowdy for


    startingte.”


    Suddenly, Chip’s booming voice came bellowing out of the speakers which surrounded the four corners


    of the pub.


    I sat up straight in my chair and scanned the score sheet on the table. I just wanted to get this over with


    so I could go back to counting cash.


    Before the contestants came out, Virtue took my hand in hers and squeezed it. I sighed as a


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    CHAPTER 64 Chilling


    tingle radiated throughout my body.


    Actually, it wasn’t about the cash… I needed to get to Hillcrest so I could keep her safe.


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