A Powerless World | Book 3 | Defend The Homestead Hunt, Jack (read my book TXT) 📖

back but it took until the year 2000 before they were able to get $100,000 to purchase back 1.5 acres from the city. Four years after that the city gave them 40 more acres and then it took another five years until they released back the last 202 acres and apologized. And to top it off, for the past 100 years that land has been used as a dry dock. Boats were treated there with chemicals and pesticides, and now they have the job of cleaning it all up. Can you imagine that? Having everything stolen from you and having to purchase back most of it, only to find it wrecked. Now you can see why it’s a very touchy subject.”

They rode in silence for the rest of the way. Colby was sure that Alicia was chewing it over. He thought back to his conversations with Dakota. He’d had no idea. It wasn’t like they taught this in schools. It was hidden away, one of history’s dirty secrets that only now was being brought to the forefront.

It didn’t take them much longer to arrive at the Table Bluff Reservation. It was a tight-knit community of homes that were close together. At the center was the headquarters located off Wiyot Drive.

Before they even made it that far in, they were stopped at the entrance just off Table Bluff Road. Numerous trucks had been rolled into position to block off access to both the road and farmland.

At one time he’d known most of the families there. They had embraced Colby as a friend, someone they could trust. Now they were new faces. The young had grown and ten years had turned them into strangers.

Rifles were aimed his way. “This land is off-limits.”

“I’m here to see Dakota Moon. Tell him Colby Riker is here to speak with him.”

They stared. One whispered something in the ear of another. That one walked away speaking into a handheld walkie-talkie.

While they waited, his eyes scanned the reservation.

Fond memories came to mind. Endless summers. Fishing. Learning about the tribe, attending ceremonies. He’d spent many a night at the Moon residence. They were a second family to him. At no point did they judge him. They knew of the Rikers’ reputation but as they rarely ventured into Eureka, they didn’t have a problem with them. A moment later, the same guy returned. “Let them through.”

Chapter Twelve

Unbridled rage blocked out sound judgment. Seth stewed in his misery by downing a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. He couldn’t believe his cousin would get tangled up with the Rikers. And Jessie of all people! He was sure that bastard knew more about Luke’s death than he let on. Jessie’s hatred for Luke had landed him a stiff sentence inside the pen. He’d been on his way to deal with him that night. That’s why it seemed a little too convenient that four days out of the can, Luke had gone missing.

No, he didn’t buy the story of Alby being the only one involved.

That fat bastard couldn’t have killed all three. He could barely lift a sandwich to his mouth. Seth so badly wanted to lash out, make Jessie suffer, and pay not just for the death of his brothers but for having gotten involved with their family. He wasn’t sure who to hate more, Jessie or Nina.

Instead of going straight back to the farm and telling his father, he, Derek, and Eddie had unleashed their anger on a family in the south of Eureka.

With locals dropping like flies, he figured another three wouldn’t be missed. He just needed a place to blow off some steam, time to think, to chew over what could be done. Something had to be done. The agreement his father had entered into with Martha Riker was a joke. Accepting it was a sign of weakness. An insult to the memory of his brothers. How could he agree? They’d killed four of their family and only one of theirs was dead. Sure, he’d slapped around Miriam and humiliated her but they deserved more, more pain than they could handle, and he planned to figure out a way to dish it out.

After drinking to lower their inhibitions, Derek and Eddie went through the house, wrecking the place. Himself? He sat in an armchair, looking out the rear window at the yard, taking a swig every so often while furniture, home décor, and walls were destroyed around him. “Oh, why haven’t we done this sooner?” Eddie asked.

“You know, they have places where you can pay to do this kind of shit… I mean, they used to,” Derek said. “Can you believe that? Apparently, it’s a way to blow off steam. Unleash the inner beast, so to speak.” He chuckled. “Thirty minutes in a room with a hammer, going berserk like a mental patient. I’d rather do that than spend an hour listening to some quack mirror what I say.” He cackled, mimicking a therapist. “And how does that make you feel? I’ll tell you how it makes me feel.” Derek drove his foot through a flat-screen TV. He pocketed his hammer and picked up the TV and threw it through the window, sending glass cascading down.

Eddie roared with laughter. “Derek, you have some serious issues. But I like it!”

They both laughed.

Seth might have told him to keep the noise down because of cops but he no longer cared. Besides, the situation had changed. There were far fewer cops patrolling the city than there were two weeks ago. That’s why they picked a home in the south end. Even if someone heard them and reported it, it would take forever to get there and no doubt they would only send one idiot. They could handle that easily, just like they had with that cop that showed up at Luke’s home on the day of his funeral. What a mistake that was. No backup. No communication. He’d seen one of them toss a beer bottle at Miriam. The damn thing didn’t