Page 39 of Take a Hike

“Never step foot into the marsh near the lake, and don’t expect the Crawleys to pay for anything,” Bodie said as if by rote.

“But that’s ridiculous,” Raven said once Bodie had retreated. “If they have the money, they should pay.”

“I agree,” Silas said. “But unless we want to make it a big deal—and we don’t—we take the loss on the chin and hope they don’t have more than one occasion a year they want to use our services for.”

Raven could recognize that the Crawleys were throwing their weight around, and they wouldn’t be the first powerful people to do so. But it bothered her more than it should have, maybe because Cedar Lake seemed too homey for such games.

“What if I talked to them?” Raven asked.

“You’d be wasting your time,” Silas said plainly. “And I can’t stress enough how much you don’t want to offend them.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, waving him off. “I got it.”

But she now was determined to get this sorted out.

* * *

When Raven brought up the Crawleys earlier in the week, Silas assumed that would be the end of the conversation. He thought he’d adequately conveyed why trying to get the richest family in Cedar to pay their bills was a bad idea, but apparently not.

Because as the team was all settling in to have lunch that day, Raven announced, “I made an appointment with the Crawleys to discuss their outstanding bills.”

Chatter ceased.

Silas had managed over the last few days to avoid regarding Raven for too long, but her words made it impossible.

“Technically, I’m meeting only with Mr. Crawley, but good enough, right?” she said with a shrug.

“He’s coming here to discuss payments?” Halo asked.

“No, I’m going to his house,” she said, and riotous laughter erupted.

“What’s so funny?” Raven asked.

“The Crawleys don’t pay for anything in this town,” Doc said, wiping the tears from his face.

“I saw the missus pay for cotton candy once at the rodeo,” Bodie said.

“I’m sure that was the same year that out-of-town camera crew came to do the story on that barrel racer,” Halo said.

“It was!” Bodie replied, and there was another round of laughter.

“How did you even get a meeting with him?” Silas asked.

“I called the number we have for them in our system and asked the assistant who picked up if I could make an appointment.”

Silas was a little in awe with Raven’s fearlessness, but of course it was born of ignorance.

“I would cancel,” Bodie said.

“Not an option. The meeting’s today after work. And I’m going.”

Another stunned silence swept the room before Halo said, “If you pull this off, I’ll buy you a drink at Blue’s.”

“Oh, a bet that I’m a part of,” Raven said lightheartedly, reaching over to shake the woman’s hand.

No one thought she’d be successful, but that was the least of Silas’s worries. When everyone got up to start the afternoon portion of the workday, he approached Raven before she could leave the kitchen.

“I need to know your game plan for your meeting with Crawley.”