“Powell, come here! Quick!” Denny yelled. “It’s our homeless friend.”
A toilet flushed and Powell came hurrying into the living room, zipping his pants. “What’s he want?”
“That’s a good question.” Heartened by Powell’s presence, Denny stood a little taller. “What are you doing here?”
With the blinds drawn and only a television throwing off any light, the house was so dark inside Levi couldn’t see Denny or Powell very clearly. He could smell alcohol, though, and wondered if they’d been sitting around, stewing and drinking.
Men with a few beers under their belts were often more impetuous, or just plain stupid, than others. But Levi had known coming here would be a gamble. He was willing to accept the odds.
Scowling, he focused on Denny, who was right in front of him. Powell stood closely behind and to one side. “Take a wild guess.”
“You looking for trouble?”
“If trouble is what it takes.”
“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” Powell demanded.
“It means I know you guys did it,” Levi said. “I know you started the fire at the farm night before last.”
“No, we didn’t,” Powell argued, but the expression on Denny’s face led Levi to believe he was dying to take credit for what he’d done, to convince Levi that he was as big and bad as he liked to act.
When Denny’s lips curved into a taunting smile, Levi supposed ego had won. “Even if we did, there’s nothing you can do about it, ass**le,” he said. “Not unless you can prove it.”
Levi grinned and kept grinning until Denny exchanged an uncertain glance with his buddy.
“What?” he said. “Why are you smiling like that?”
“I’m just waiting for you to realize your mistake.”
“I haven’t made a mistake,” Denny said, but the satisfaction he’d exhibited earlier was gone. These words came out sullen and dark.
“Yes, you have,” Levi told him. “There’s nothing Chief Stacy can do. He’s the one who faces the burden of proof. Not me.”
“Go to hell!” Denny shoved Powell out of the way and started to slam the door, but Levi stopped it with his foot.
“I’ve already lost everything I care about,” he said.
“So?” Denny sneered.
“So I’m not the kind of guy you want to provoke. Now do you understand the situation a little better?”
“Get your foot out of my damn door!” Denny cried.
Levi didn’t remove it. “Not before I have my say. You set any more fires, or harm Callie or anything that belongs to her, I’ll make you sorry you were ever born.” He shifted his attention to Powell. “That goes for both of you.”
Powell ripped the door out of Denny’s hands. “Are you threatening us?”
Levi didn’t bother denying it. “Yes, I am.”
He blinked as if he hadn’t expected an admission. Now that he had one, there was nowhere to go. He immediately began to backpedal. “Denny was just messing with you, man, making you think we set that fire. But we didn’t. We didn’t do anything.”
Levi shook his head. “We both know better than that, so don’t insult me by lying. Tell me I’ve made myself clear. That’s all I’m looking for today.”
“You can’t come over here like this, trying to pick a fight,” Denny said, but Powell spoke at the same time. “I’m going to call Chief Stacy!”
Levi chuckled. “Damn, those are great costumes.”
They glanced at each other. “What are you talking about?” Powell asked.
“Those bodies you’ve worked so hard to build. They put up a nice front.”
Denny finally rallied. “Get out of here before we kick your ass.”
It was a weak threat, but Levi wasn’t about to let him get away with any more than he’d already done. “I’m not opposed to letting you try.”
“You son of a bitch—” Denny started to come after him, but Powell jerked his friend back.
“He’s not worth it, man. For all we know, the hillbillies in this town will take his side and we’ll wind up in jail.”
“By way of the hospital,” Levi said. “I may not be good at too many things, but I do have talent in certain areas.”
“And if I have a gun?” Denny muttered. “What can your talents do against that?”
Levi lowered his voice. “Either one of you comes at me with a weapon, that takes this to a whole new level.”
“Meaning...”
“I’ll do everything I can to make sure you’re the one who doesn’t survive,” he said, and walked back to his bike.
* * *
Chief Stacy called while Callie was driving, so she had to use her Bluetooth to answer. “Hello?”
“You think that friend of yours is a law-abiding citizen, do you?”
Callie gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. Had Stacy come up with Levi’s true identity? If so, what did it reveal?
“Which friend?” she said, trying to play it as if she wasn’t worried. “I’ve got a lot of them.”
“None of them concern me like the man who’s currently living under your roof.”
“I’ve told you not to worry about Levi.”
“It’s my job to worry. And he’s giving me plenty of reason.”
Slowing, she pulled to the side of the road. She didn’t want the stress of driving on top of having this conversation. “How?”
“He threatened Denny Seamans and Powell Barney.”
She wasn’t surprised. Not really. Levi wasn’t the type to sit by and allow Denny to behave the way he did without reacting. “Who told you that?”
“Denny just filed a complaint.”
“Are you going to arrest him?” she asked with a laugh that said doing so would be preposterous.
This seemed to take Stacy off guard. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because it’s his word against Levi’s!”
“Powell’s backing him up. Said he was there and heard the whole conversation.”
“But Powell would say anything Denny wants. And Denny’s a known liar.”
The volume of Stacy’s voice went up. “I think Levi’s been doing his share of lying, too, Callie. You heard what I told him at your place. My background search turned up zilch on a Levi McCloud from Seattle. No parking tickets, no speeding tickets, no military service, nothing.”