Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Still, Goodie Bo-long seemed determined. She had two of her biggest Manimals on leashes with her and she strolled proudly forward, pulling them along behind her. Andi followed reluctantly, glad to have Cade at her back.
“Well, hello, Goodie Tight-azz, Goodie Strict-ezz,” Goodie Bo-long purred as she reached the two women.
Both of them turned, their mouths pursing in identical expressions of disgust and judgment.
“That’s Mother Strict-ezz to you,” Goodie Tight-azz snapped. “Give our leader your respect!”
“I don’t think so,” Goodie Bo-long said coolly. “She’s not my mother or my leader so I have no intention of calling her by either title. But you’re the one I want to speak to.” She pointed a finger at Goodie Tight-azz. “You robbed this poor girl who was staying with you,” she went on, nodding at Andi, who was standing behind her. “You took every last cent she had and turned her out of your house to be attacked and killed by the wild Manimal pack, even though she’d already overpaid you. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Goodie Tight-azz’s face went dark green with anger.
“How dare you accuse me of theft, you filthy Manimal whore? You can’t talk to me like that when the whole town knows you let your Manimals mount you day and night!”
“Yes, indeed I do and I enjoy it thoroughly,” Goodie Bo-long said, with a lascivious grin. “But what I do in the privacy of my own home isn’t the issue. I’m asking why you felt comfortable taking all of your paying tenant’s possessions and money and throwing her out to die in the middle of the night?”
“I…she…they…” Goodie Tight-azz couldn’t seem to get the words out and her face was the color of a pine tree, Andi thought.
“As I understand it, Goodie Tight-azz caught the girl doing immoral activities with her Manimal,” Mother Strict-ezz remarked, stepping in as Goodie Tight-azz sputtered. “So she had every right to confiscate her possessions and turn her out of her house. She runs a highly moral boardinghouse—she is under no obligation to keep filthy perverts under her roof!”
“Oh, so now anyone you don’t like can be robbed and killed—is that right?” Goodie Bo-long snapped. “Just when I think your New Order people can’t get any lower, you sink even further in my estimation!”
“As if we care what you think—you nasty Manimal whore!” Goodie Tight-azz snarled, finding her voice again at last.
Andi was worried that things might come to blows—all three women were looking angrier and angrier.
Cade could clearly sense the tension too. The big Hybrid had come to stand partially in front of her, taking a protective stance with his hands balled into fists at his sides. A low growl—a warning to anyone who might try to hurt Andi—rumbled in his throat.
But none of the fighting women were paying attention.
Goodie Bo-long pointed a finger at Goodie Tight-azz.
“You’d better return my friend’s belongings and her money or you’re going to be in trouble.”
“With who? The Chief Peace Keeper is a NO member,” Mother Strict-ezz pointed out, glaring. “She’ll side with us in a heartbeat!”
“Oh, I’m aware that you NOs have this town sewn up tight—but you don’t have the Capital,” Goodie Bo-long snapped. “And I’m fully prepared to take the case there and prosecute you for grand theft and attempted murder!”
Goodie Tight-azz sucked in her breath, her face going from lime green to a pale mint color.
“You wouldn’t!”
“Oh, yes I would.” Goodie-Bo-long arched her eyebrow. “So I suggest you bring back everything you stole—otherwise I’m writing a missive to the Capital today and believe me, I have friends there that will make your piddling New Order connections look like nothing! We’ll shut down your boarding house like that!” She snapped her fingers. “And it would be no great loss to this town either. After all, who wants to stay at a place where they might get robbed and murdered just because they don’t share the same beliefs as the owner?”
“Why…you…you…” Goodie Tight-azz seemed to be at a loss for words again but Goodie Bo-long didn’t wait to hear anything else the landlady had to say. She turned on her heel and nodded at Andi.
“Come along, my dear—I do believe it’s time for Third Meal. Let’s go see what delicacies my chef has prepared for us. Doubtless they’ll be much more palatable than the disgusting slop you had to force down at Goodie Tight-azz’s sad excuse for a dining table.”
As they left, Andi threw a worried look over her shoulder. Goodie Tight-azz and Goodie Strict-ezz were both glaring at her and Goodie Bo-long. The phrase, “If looks could kill” leapt nimbly to mind.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she murmured to Goodie Bo-long.
“Oh, yes I did. Those haughty, holier-than-thou bitches needed to be taken down a peg or two!” Goodie Bo-long said. “And I meant what I said, my dear—I will take this case to the Capital! In fact, I’m going to go right home and draft a missive this very minute.”