Page 135 of Burning Daylight

“How the hell should I know?” Tyler shrugs.

“Uh, because you two are best friends?”

He frowns. “Like I said, we don’t hang out like we used to.”

“Okay,” I draw out the word. “Let me rephrase: What isArtdoing owning the Round Table because of a debt collection? I thought you said he was his dad’s shadow now.”

“He is.”

“And you think the mayor of Rosebrook wants Art being a loan shark and owning some run-down bar in the HillPoint of all places?”

“Guess so.”

“And you’re fine with it. You, the person who hates anything Montgomery more than anyone else in existence.”

Tyler’s eyes flash, his jaw tensing. “The Round Table has nothing to do with the Montgomerys now.”

“I already know Art’s fucking that bartender, Ginny, or whatever her name is. Is that why?”

Tell me that’s all it is, I want to plead. But there’s a sickening feeling taking root inside of me, like there’re huge pieces of this town that I don’t know anything about. Pieces that everyone else seems to.

Tyler looks at me like I’ve grown three heads. “No…it’s because Art’s got business there.”

My face screws up. “Like he owns part of it?”

“No, Juliette.” Tyler exhales a heavy breath like he’s annoyed with me and then sits forward, dropping his head. “And stay away from Genevieve. There’s nothing good about her.”

“Then what is it?” I press. “You can try to avoid answering me all you want, Ty, but you know I’ll just keep pushing until you can’t stand the sight of me.”

Tyler groans, palming the back of his neck, then lifts his eyes to meet mine. “Like, ‘under the table, I’m in Montgomery territory for my dad because he’s the mayor and needs to keep his hands clean’ business.”

Something foreboding whispers against the back of my neck, but I shrug off the unease.

“What does that even mean?” I ask. “Are you insinuating the mayor of Rosebrook Falls is doing illegal activity with MarcusMontgomery and using his son for it so it doesn’t fall back on him?”

He blinks at me. “I didnotsay that.”

“You implied it heavily.”

“I just said it wasn’t Montgomery’s place anymore, actually. You’re twisting my words.”

My mind flashes with the mural Roman did on the side of city hall, the one depictingmydad controlling the mayor. That isn’t surprising to me—I’ve known about our bribes and kickbacks to the town officials for years; it’s just part of this world. But if the mayor is double-dipping and also fucking around with the Montgomerys, then…

He throws his hands up. “You know what? I shouldn’t have said anything. Just…give Lance a break, all right? Your brother’s loyal to the people he cares about, you know?”

I used to agree with that statement.

“It’s not his fault your dad doesn’t give a shit about him,” Tyler continues. “Andkeeps a tight leash on his money. He’s doing what he needs to do. It’s not like he’s working for Calloway Enterprises.”

“Lance doesn’t want anything to do with the family business.”

“Not that one, anyway.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.” He grins. “Lucky he doesn’t, you know? More for the rest of us.”

“Yeah, I already know how far up my dad’s ass you are. Quit deflecting.”