Read Online An Ex to Grind in Deadwood (Deadwood Humorous Mystery Book 5) Paperback – September 4, 2014 by Ann Charles - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ann Charles
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“Because boys don’t like to share.”
Speaking of sharing, I frowned over at him. “Did I see that black Jaguar leaving Miss Geary’s drive again this morning?” The rumble of the engine had drawn me to my bedroom window, wondering if Doc had pulled up. I’d gotten there too late to see the driver through the shaded windows, only his taillights.
Harvey flipped a pancake and smacked it. “Yep, you did. Looks like that poacher is back settin’ his traps.”
That was too bad. I was hoping Miss Geary had had a change of heart and kicked her new man to the curb. Ever since she’d sent Harvey and his suspenders packing, he’d been sleeping over at Aunt Zoe’s. When he wasn’t mooning over Miss Geary through the window, or cursing at her new stallion, he was nosing in on my after-bedtime moments with Doc.
There was nothing like a busybody old man sitting on the end of the sofa to dampen the mood. It was too bad they’d shut down the brothels in Deadwood. I’d pay for company for him at this point to score some alone time with Doc.
“You didn’t answer me, Mom,” Layne said. “Why do the cops want to talk to you?” He lowered his fork and eyed me closely, his lie detector vision activated. Maybe I should have bargained to take him with me to Cooper’s instead of Harvey. He’d really give the detective a run for his money.
I shrugged. “He wants to ask me some questions.”
“About what?”
“Probably his house,” I lied, holding steady eye contact. “You know I’m selling Detective Cooper’s place for him.”
“Why is Harvey going with you then?”
I shrugged, lifting my coffee cup too quickly and banging the rim into my front tooth. “He wants to visit with his nephew,” I said, rubbing my tooth with my finger.
“That sounds fishy.” His eyes narrowed. “Last night, you yelled you wouldn’t go unless he let Harvey go, too.”
“I didn’t yell.”
“Yeah, you kinda did, Mom,” Addy said.
“What have I told you kids about eavesdropping on my phone calls?” I said more defensively than I meant to.
My total lack of privacy these days thanks to two children who were unhappy with my having any kind of love life, an over-protective bodyguard sleeping on the couch each night, and a damned chicken who found my bed “just right” had me snapping my teeth at flies.
“Hmmm, that seemed extra defensive.”
I nodded at Layne’s plate. “Eat your breakfast, son.”
He took a bite, his eyes still on mine. “I wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose. You were yelling so loud I couldn’t hear the TV.”
“Yeah?” I stabbed three pieces of pancake onto my fork. “Golly gee, I’m so sorry to have interrupted your regular programming.”
“Sarcasm, too.” He set his glass down and pointed his fork at me. “Guilty! In the last few minutes, you’ve shown five of the top seven signs of lying.”
I swallowed the wad of pancake and syrup. “What sign is this, Snoopy Snooperson? You’re grounded!” My voice sounded strangled thanks to the frustration knotting my throat. I didn’t need this shit from Cooper, let alone my son.
Addy laughed, which earned her a punch in the arm from her brother.
“For what?” Layne asked me, his voice whiney.
Now who was being defensive? “For grilling your mother at breakfast.”
Addy stuck her tongue out at her brother.
“Knock it off Adelynn Renee or you’ll be grounded, too.”
“What! What did I do? He’s the one who punched me.”
“She started it when she—”
Aunt Zoe let out a shrill whistle, silencing both kids. I needed to practice my whistling.
“Layne, don’t you have library books to turn in today?” When he nodded, she pointed at his plate. “Take that to the sink and go get them.”
Layne shoved the last bite in his mouth and did as told, racing out of the room after shooting his sister a wrinkled upper lip.
“Addy,” Aunt Zoe zeroed in on my daughter. “You promised you’d clean up the chicken’s cage this
Speaking of sharing, I frowned over at him. “Did I see that black Jaguar leaving Miss Geary’s drive again this morning?” The rumble of the engine had drawn me to my bedroom window, wondering if Doc had pulled up. I’d gotten there too late to see the driver through the shaded windows, only his taillights.
Harvey flipped a pancake and smacked it. “Yep, you did. Looks like that poacher is back settin’ his traps.”
That was too bad. I was hoping Miss Geary had had a change of heart and kicked her new man to the curb. Ever since she’d sent Harvey and his suspenders packing, he’d been sleeping over at Aunt Zoe’s. When he wasn’t mooning over Miss Geary through the window, or cursing at her new stallion, he was nosing in on my after-bedtime moments with Doc.
There was nothing like a busybody old man sitting on the end of the sofa to dampen the mood. It was too bad they’d shut down the brothels in Deadwood. I’d pay for company for him at this point to score some alone time with Doc.
“You didn’t answer me, Mom,” Layne said. “Why do the cops want to talk to you?” He lowered his fork and eyed me closely, his lie detector vision activated. Maybe I should have bargained to take him with me to Cooper’s instead of Harvey. He’d really give the detective a run for his money.
I shrugged. “He wants to ask me some questions.”
“About what?”
“Probably his house,” I lied, holding steady eye contact. “You know I’m selling Detective Cooper’s place for him.”
“Why is Harvey going with you then?”
I shrugged, lifting my coffee cup too quickly and banging the rim into my front tooth. “He wants to visit with his nephew,” I said, rubbing my tooth with my finger.
“That sounds fishy.” His eyes narrowed. “Last night, you yelled you wouldn’t go unless he let Harvey go, too.”
“I didn’t yell.”
“Yeah, you kinda did, Mom,” Addy said.
“What have I told you kids about eavesdropping on my phone calls?” I said more defensively than I meant to.
My total lack of privacy these days thanks to two children who were unhappy with my having any kind of love life, an over-protective bodyguard sleeping on the couch each night, and a damned chicken who found my bed “just right” had me snapping my teeth at flies.
“Hmmm, that seemed extra defensive.”
I nodded at Layne’s plate. “Eat your breakfast, son.”
He took a bite, his eyes still on mine. “I wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose. You were yelling so loud I couldn’t hear the TV.”
“Yeah?” I stabbed three pieces of pancake onto my fork. “Golly gee, I’m so sorry to have interrupted your regular programming.”
“Sarcasm, too.” He set his glass down and pointed his fork at me. “Guilty! In the last few minutes, you’ve shown five of the top seven signs of lying.”
I swallowed the wad of pancake and syrup. “What sign is this, Snoopy Snooperson? You’re grounded!” My voice sounded strangled thanks to the frustration knotting my throat. I didn’t need this shit from Cooper, let alone my son.
Addy laughed, which earned her a punch in the arm from her brother.
“For what?” Layne asked me, his voice whiney.
Now who was being defensive? “For grilling your mother at breakfast.”
Addy stuck her tongue out at her brother.
“Knock it off Adelynn Renee or you’ll be grounded, too.”
“What! What did I do? He’s the one who punched me.”
“She started it when she—”
Aunt Zoe let out a shrill whistle, silencing both kids. I needed to practice my whistling.
“Layne, don’t you have library books to turn in today?” When he nodded, she pointed at his plate. “Take that to the sink and go get them.”
Layne shoved the last bite in his mouth and did as told, racing out of the room after shooting his sister a wrinkled upper lip.
“Addy,” Aunt Zoe zeroed in on my daughter. “You promised you’d clean up the chicken’s cage this
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