“Billingsworth has made multiple requests to buy land that the club owns, including the one our clubhouse sits on. Now, I can’t go into club business with you but what I can tell you is the answer has been the same. No. We have no interest in selling anything to anyone, least of all someone like Billingsworth. Well, with each denial something new occurs, mostly bullshit things that I’m sure you’ve heard about but now we have this murder.”
“So, you believe that Billingsworth is framing you for murder because this club you’re in won’t sell him land? That seems a little extreme, don’t you think? I mean, not like you guys hold the only land that’s up for grabs.”
Rian shrugged. “You think someone like Billingsworth likes being told he can’t have something he wants? That no matter the money he attempts to toss, he gets denied? His pride would never allow him to simply move on. No, he would look at other avenues to get what he wanted.”
Deputy Weasley sat forward, his forearms resting on his knees. “Man, I get it. You’re in a land battle with this man but that don’t explain why you would be framed for the murder. Why not the club? Why not the leader?”
Rian exhaled before he started to speak once again. “I think I was just the unlucky one to come home late and alone that night. It could have been anyone, really. You know as well as I do that any member of the club that got tied to Brad’s murder would make all of us open targets.”
“I don’t believe that. People get killed every day.”
Rian chuckled. “People might get killed every day but not in this town. Not the town’s golden man. Not over something as simple as beer from the brewery. Don’t you get it? Billingsworth wants to tank our name, make us look like calculated killers, thieves.”
“Now, we've had our trouble with the law, but never against our own town. We want the best for everyone here and this murder, this mark against us could destroy all the work we’ve done. It’s not just Billingsworth involved, Mayor Michaels and Sheriff Rowland are also involved, you’d be a fool not to connect those dots.”
Deputy Weasley remained silent as he looked across to Rian. Rian could hear his heart slow to a calmer rhythm, yet his breathing still hitched behind each breath. He still had questions, confusions... Rian could see it behind the man’s eyes. He knew it was a lot to take in and this was only the start. “Why Lexi? What would taking her do other than bring further attention to them?”
Rian paused for a moment before he answered. “Lexi isn’t just my girl, she’s my soul. That woman is the love of my life and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect her. I can only believe that's what Billingsworth hopes for and that’s why he had Keppel take her.”
Rian glanced down briefly before his amber gaze returned to the deputy. “I either turn on my club to save her and get Billingsworth the land he wants. By whatever means that would be, and my murder charges vanish. Or I stand by my club and lose the woman I vowed to love and protect until my last moment on this Earth.”
“How would you even do that? It's not like you have the deed. Turning on your club doesn't sound like something they'd cooperate with. Why wouldn’t you just tell the police? She works with us, of course we would help find her.”
Rian laughed once more. “Have you not been listening? Your boss is linked to Billingsworth. For all I know, he helped get her taken. Keep me locked up in a cell, get the leverage to use to sway me one way or the other. It all lines up.”
The deputy stood and paced around the furniture as he responded. “If what you’re saying is true, why is this even a choice? You get your freedom and save Lexi, screw your friendship club.”
Rian stood as well, with a quick shake of his head. “If it were only that simple, man. The club is my family as much as Lexi is. I swore to protect them as much as I swore to protect her. I can’t just turn on them, we are tied in more ways than just the patch. Lexi knows that.”
“So,” the deputy furrowed his brows, “you’re damning her to what... death? Because of some stupid land deal gone bad and torn loyalty to some friends?”
Rian stepped closer to the deputy and paused a moment before he motioned for him to follow him outside. He glanced up to the dark sky, black clouds hidden within, looking to the ground as he heard the deputy follow behind him.
For anyone else, the deputy would be right. You would call the police, seek help from others, pray and wait when something like this happened. Yet, Rian wasn’t just anyone and the rules that applied to mere humans did not apply to him. He knew the risk in what he was about to do, not only for the club and for him, but for Lexi as well. Could this backfire and end up with him needing to run from the only home he'd ever truly known? He didn’t know, but he knew the only way to find Lexi, clear his name, and protect his club would be to become the very creature he hid from everyone.
“What do you know about the supernatural?” Rian asked, his question causing the deputy to stop in his tracks. “I mean, really know?” His tone was almost conversational as he turned to face the man. Rian stepped from his shoes
