Total pages in book: 14
Estimated words: 12431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 62(@200wpm)___ 50(@250wpm)___ 41(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 12431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 62(@200wpm)___ 50(@250wpm)___ 41(@300wpm)
I could only provide an answer to one of his questions. “I’d bet the bleach was mixed with water. It dilutes the smell without dropping the potency. If the water is hot enough, it will actually cause the chemical to sink deeper into the soil.” As for the other inquiry, I could only ask, “Do you have any enemies?”
“None,” he answered easily, and I wasn’t surprised; my mate was wonderful and anyone would be lucky to know him. “The farming community around here is tight knit. Many of my neighbors offered advice and assistance.”
“Have you noticed anyone sneaking around your place? Any strangers?” It would take a fucked up type of person to hurt a stranger, but I couldn’t think of any other possibility.
“There was a guy who came around a few months ago,” he answered, tipping his head. “He wasn’t sneaking, but I didn’t know him. He was nice, though; he said he was new to the area and looking for a place to settle. He commented on how nice my property was, and asked if I’d ever be willing to sell. I politely but firmly declined. He shook my hand and said it was nice talking to me, and then he left.”
“And that’s the only time you saw him?”
“Actually, he came back around last week. He offered his condolences about my crops, and offered again to buy me out and ‘take my problems off my hands’. I wasn’t as polite that time; I was frustrated with the situation and admittedly took it out on him. I told him to get off my land, and he said I’d regret turning him down.”
My fists curled into fists on my knees. “That sounds like a threat.” Anger boiled inside me; if anyone dared to move against my mate, they’d face the wrath of the gods.
“I didn’t think so at the time,” he shrugged. “I thought he was just disappointed.” Jersey nodded towards the ground. “But I also thought this was just bad luck.”
“What was the guy’s name?”
“His last name was Hughes. I don’t remember his first name.”
I stood up, retrieved my phone from my pocket, and typed furiously. In the age of social media, anyone could be a detective. I searched the name and the surrounding area, and came up with a list of potential matches. “Are any of these him?”
I flipped the screen to face Jersey, who studied the line of faces. He pointed to a plump, smiling man with a thick gray mustache. “That one.”
“Bart Hughes,” I grunted as I clicked the photo. “He has shifty eyes.” Maybe I was biased, but I immediately didn’t trust him. Especially after I did more digging online, and learned that he was a real estate developer, known best for overseeing the construction of high rises and shopping malls.
“So this bastard just so happens to find himself in Rose Valley,” Jersey snarled, crossing his arms across his chest, “Which is full of undeveloped land that would cost much less than that in bigger cities. He makes an offer and when it’s declined, he decides to use pressure and destruction to try and leave the poor farmer without any other options. I have a feeling that if he managed to get my land, the other farms around here would start having the same troubles.”
“I’m calling the cops.” I hovered my finger over the numbers, but Jersey stopped me with a gentle touch to my hand.
“It’s just a theory. The guy may be totally innocent. We have no proof.”
“Then we’ll get some. I say we install cameras all around your property. Whether it’s him or not, we need to find out who is responsible and nail their ass to the wall.” Jersey’s lips curled into a smirk. “What?”
“You’re cute when you’re worked up.” I felt heat spread from my cheeks to my earlobes, but it cooled when my mate’s expression fell. “Hopefully that will keep this from happening again. But is there anything that can be done to correct the damage?”
“Nothing natural or manmade can fix this, but there is one way.” He gave me his full attention as I bent over to scoop up a palmful of crunchy soil. “There’s a couple of things you don’t know about me; who I am and why we met.” I took a deep breath and laid it all out for him. “I am a demigod; son of Chloris, goddess of flowers and new growth. I came to Earth to find my mate - the one I will love, protect, and nurture for all time. And I found that in you.”
A rush of emotions flashed across his face; confusion, disbelief, and even anger, probably thinking I was playing a cruel joke on him. The only way I knew to prove my words to him was to let him see them in action.