Reclamation (Best Laid Plans Book 4) by Nathan Jones Read Free Book Online Page B

stuff I'd pack along if I was going to head to greener pastures.” He paused. “In fact, it looks like we won't have to add much to what you've loaded.”
    The comment was so offhand, spoken in the same friendly tone, that Trev didn't get it at first. Then he stiffened. “What?”
    Fred rapped the truck's hood with his knuckles. “I want to buy this. By which I mean I'm going to buy this. I'd like to give you one last chance to say yes of your own free will.”
    That knock seemed to have been some sort of signal, because a dozen of his deputies, all heavily armed, abruptly converged on the truck. They weren't quite waving their weapons around, but they definitely had their eye on Trev's family and the crowd of townspeople.
    Most of the men went to the locked boxes in front of the store, where customers could safely stow their belongings while they shopped, and began pulling out fully loaded duffels to toss into the vehicle. Others climbed into the back of the truck and began tossing out a few of the sacks of wheat to make room for their things, also dumping the clothes his family had purchased that they didn't seem to need. Everything else in the truck they kept.
    The men who'd been keeping the peace in front of the store had disappeared inside, and before too long one emerged herding Lucas, Deb, Clara, Max, and the other employees who'd helped load the trunk in front of him at gunpoint. Inside the store the rest were hastily stuffing more duffels with anything of value.
    That seemed like pretty solid confirmation that it wasn't just Trev's family Fred Vernon had betrayed. When the crowd of onlooking townspeople realized it they broke into murmurs of confusion and growing anger, and a few shouted out accusing questions.
    Vernon ignored them, eyes still on Trev. He looked back miserably, unable to find any anger or outrage within the overwhelming numbness that had enveloped him. The man's honesty in returning his silver at the end of the last visit, his hospitality in taking them into his house, his generosity feeding them and helping them get the things they need and load them into the truck, all ultimately served to make this theft seem almost inevitable. Like this was the way the world was, now.
    “I can't believe you decided to rob us after all,” he said, trying to hide his bitterness. “We were your guests.”
    The sheriff's eyes narrowed. “Not robbery. I'm making a purchase, and I'll give you a fair price for it. I'm just not giving you a choice in the matter.” He casually drew his 9mm, not quite pointing it directly at Trev as he jerked his head towards where Lucas and the employees waited near the front of the store. “If you and your family will head on over there, please?”
    Trev reluctantly complied, giving Vernon's men space to continue their work. “Why the pretense of letting us buy everything and load the truck?” he demanded. “Too lazy to do it yourself?” It probably wasn't a good idea to antagonize the man, but he couldn't help himself.
    It was Clara who answered, spitting off to one side as she did. “That playacting was for us, wasn't it Fred? So you could get the truck mostly loaded without tipping off the town that you meant to rob and abandon us, same as you're doing to these poor travelers. Where's all your other deputies, the ones who aren't complete cronies? Got 'em locked away somewhere while you skedaddle?”
    So not all of Newtown's defenders were in on the sheriff's plot. That would explain why the town's defenses had been unmanned. Trev silently cursed himself for not paying more attention to that when he'd noticed it. They'd probably been at Vernon's mercy from the moment they entered the town, but with a little forewarning they might have found some way out of this.
    Vernon scowled at Clara's question, although beneath the fierce expression it almost looked like his conscience was acting up. “The Gold Bloc is about to swarm all over this country, madder than a swarm from a