Bad Boy (Invertary 5)

They scanned the crowd. It was barely nine a.m. and already alcohol was flowing. There were cars parked everywhere. Vans near the road were being unloaded by tattooed men. A stage was being set up near the stream. People were tramping over everything. Strangers were coming out of his home. Flynn clenched his jaw at the sight.

“There.” He pointed to the woman cowering beside his van. “That’s Julia, the production assistant. She’ll know what’s going on.”

They headed straight for her. People shouted out to Flynn, praising him for staging such an “epic party.” Yeah, he was being set up, all right. Even though there were attempts to waylay them, they cut a straight line to Julia. Mainly because the crowd parted like the Red Sea for Matt’s police uniform.

“What’s going on, Julia?” Flynn said as soon as they were in front of her.

“I didn’t know.” She spoke to her shoes. Her voice so quiet he had to strain to hear it.

“What didn’t you know?” He put a finger under her chin and tipped her head up to look at him.

“He called everyone. He told them you wanted to burn the town up. Show them how to live right.” She leaned forward. “I think there are people with drugs in your motorhome.”

Flynn clenched his jaw as he watched Matt morph into super cop.

“You find out the rest,” Matt ordered. “I’ll clear the van.” He disappeared inside.

Drugs were the last thing Flynn needed to be associated with. He never touched the damn things, and he sure as hell didn’t want them in his house.

“What else?” He worked to keep his focus on Julia instead of his rising anger. She was like one of his animals. The slightest scare could spook her into running.

Her eyes welled up. “He booked Royal Flush.”

“Royal Flush?” The name rang a bell in the back of his mind, but he couldn’t come up with anything solid. “I need more info, honey.”

“They’re the band that were arrested last year. Really anti-women. Nasty music. Nasty people.” She pointed a shaky finger to the vans being unloaded. “He promised them plenty of publicity and said you’d pay double their appearance fee if they played today.”

Flynn ground his teeth together so hard he was sure he’d need a dentist as soon as this was cleared up.

“Where’s the weasel?” His voice was cold, harsh, angry.

“Weasel? You mean Brian?”

Flynn nodded tersely.

“There.” She pointed to the fence beside a swath of parked cars. The man was on the phone and he looked smug. Flynn took a step towards him.

Small fingers curved around his arm. Julia held him tight. Her eyes were wide.

“Remember, everything you do will be filmed. Everything. Think carefully. He wants you to blow. He wants to ruin you on film. Don’t play into his hands.” She was shaking by the time she stopped talking. Her hand dropped from his arm and she wrapped her arms around herself.

The woman was right. He couldn’t give the weasel what he wanted. He needed to think. He needed a plan. And he needed to get Julia out of the line of fire.

“Do me a favour,” he said. “Take the donkeys and the goat to Abby’s place. Tie them up on the other side of the house. Then I need you to come back with two cardboard boxes. There’s a duck in the van. She needs to be moved to Abby’s.” He ran a hand through his hair. “And, um, there are three baby hedgehogs in the compartment under the van. I want them safe too.”

The woman stared at him for a minute. She was still shaking, but now she looked dumbfounded. “Duck? Hedgehogs?”

“Babies.” He smiled at her. “Can you do this for me, honey?”

She cast an anxious glance in the weasel’s direction. Flynn pursed his lips.

“I’ll deal with him. You don’t have to worry. Once the animals are safe away from here, you go into Abby’s house and have her make you some tea. Okay?”

She nodded, wary but relieved.

“One more thing,” Flynn said. “You’ll want to start looking for another job. This one isn’t good for you.”

“I know.” Her shoulders slumped further as she headed for the donkeys. The sight renewed Flynn’s need to hit the weasel.