Voice of the Fire by Alan Moore (essential reading txt) 📕

to sell the items such as the boat and cars at a loss, simply because they were used. But the homes generated more than had been paid for them, so he thought it was working out better.

“I will need the names and addresses of everyone you scammed. I know you have a list of them someplace. Either hand it over to Harris, or I’m going to take it from you. And let me warn you now, I won’t be gentle about getting it.” Crumble, even after all she’d made them do, still bulked at the idea of handing over the information. He did it at great cost to himself, and when Saulnier gave Harris the file he had in his desk, the man was sobbing like a baby. He was the weak link in this, he realized. Crumble was the one doing most of the scams. When Harris okayed what she’d been given, she stood up and told them both they were under arrest.

“Wait a damned minute. We both cooperated. We gave you everything you needed. Even things that belonged to us. I’ll not have you arrest us too.” Harris asked Saulnier why he thought he was above the law. “Because we are really good at this. I mean, sure, it was against the law, but we did give them some of their money. That should count for something.”

“It does. I’ve not shot either of you yet.”

Her men came into the room and handcuffed them both. They were still bitching about how they’d helped them when they were taken away. The best afternoon he’d spent, Rodney thought, was getting something to go right for a lot of people.

Rodney had the pleasure of going to the staff and telling them the insurance agency was closed down and that they’d be hearing from the government on whether or not they’d be called in as witnesses. He watched them. Most of them, he thought, weren’t surprised by the closure, and one of them did a little dance when he told them that they needed to turn in any keys they had. Harris told him it would have been difficult for them not to have known what was going on in a place this small. It would be more difficult, she thought, for them to be around town.

“People would have known where they worked and spoken to them, figuring they might be able to help them in some way. I’ve checked, and their employment rate is high. The turnover here is more than most larger companies have.” Rodney asked Harris if they could help them in some way. “Yes. I have it on my list of things to discuss with everyone when we get to my house. You’re still coming, aren’t you? I do have a couple of favors, after seeing Rebel at work, that I think she can help me with at my job. I had no idea she was this powerful, did you?”

“I am as well. She also told me that my cat is bigger than even Shep’s. I’m sure I can tell you that whatever you need from us, we’ll help you as much as we can. You know that, correct?” She said she did and kissed him on the cheek. “What was that for?”

“For not freaking out. For being my brother-in-law. For the hundred and one things that you do for me every day that I don’t know about.” She kissed him again, this time hugging him as well. “I just don’t know where I’d be right now without all of you around me. Not just in my job, but just about everything. You all have saved my life. I hope you know that.”

“I do. But I think you’re giving me much more credit than I deserve. I believe it was Grandda that saved you. We just took you into our hearts to love.” She started to cry, and he didn’t know what to do. Hugging her right now seemed somewhat dangerous with Shep glaring at him. “If you start sobbing, Shep is going to have me for dinner. And I can’t go against him, no matter how big I am.”

She looked at her mate. “Oh, do behave. I’m telling your brother how much I love him and his wife.” Harris hugged Shep, and he calmed down. “All right. Food is on the way to my house for us. Why don’t you follow us there, and we’ll get this thing started? It’s a great deal of money we’re going to have to figure out how to spend. And I, for one, would absolutely love to be able to spend it smartly. Or at least have fun with it.”

Rebel was napping as they drove to Shep’s home. She said she was exhausted, so he stopped on the way over and picked up two gallons of orange juice for her. Knowing that fresh-squeezed was better for her than not, he thought about getting them a juicer so they could make whatever she needed all the time. Smiling as he walked out to his car, he thought this magical crap was beginning to be a lot of fun. Now all he had to do was figure it out. Rodney wondered how much help it would be to their practice too.

Chapter 6

The list that was given to him from the school board looked smaller than he thought it would have been. Heath then realized he’d only been given a part of the needs the school had. His brother Trenton had been given one, as well as the others in the family. They were comparing the lists when Shep stood up and handed them each a credit card. It was from the account now called Special Projects.

“We have to use this?” Shep said it would be easier for them to keep track of what was spent if they did that. “I can see that. However, this stuff that we’re getting, do you think it would be cheaper to build a brand new building? I mean,