Read Online BAD DEEDS: A Dylan Hunter Thriller (Dylan Hunter Thrillers) by Robert Bidinotto - Free Book Online
Authors: Robert Bidinotto
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returned to Dawn while Rusty left.
“I just sent him on an errand,” he explained in answer to her inquiring look. “I told him to go to that diner and see if he could learn about that man and woman.”
“And if he learns something, then what?”
Boggs saw the worry in her soft blue eyes and smiled reassuringly. He knew her limits. She was fine about actions against property , like the Adair office. But she had hesitated to go after the people there. It wasn’t fear; it was just her gushy sentimentality. He had learned long ago that there were things he couldn’t trust her to do. Things she had to be shielded from knowing.
“Why, we sue them, of course!” he lied easily. “We hadn’t done a thing to those two. But they came outside without provocation and attacked us.” He brushed a loose strand of her hair away from her face. “I’m guessing they’re friends of the Adair people. So maybe if we file charges for physical assault, Adair will drop charges against us for our action at their office.”
She bought it; her answering smile held relief.
“Now, I have to run an errand of my own. I’ll be back at our tent in fifteen, okay?”
He kissed her cheek and left. Then headed off into the woods and over to the creek. He followed it downstream for about two hundred yards, to a rock outcropping about five feet high.
He looked around, made sure nobody was in sight. Then knelt and dragged away the brush he had piled beneath it. He leaned in, groping inside a wide fissure in the base of the rock.
Found the ice-cold handle of the satchel. Lifted it out—carefully. Set it on the ground.
He thought of the man and woman and smiled as he unzipped the bag and looked inside.
The pipe bombs were stacked exactly as he had left them.
SIX
Dan Adair led them back inside the site’s mobile headquarters, what he called the “data van.” He spoke to a man at one of the desks, getting a progress update. He spent a few minutes on the phone making dinner arrangements. Then he walked over to Will Whelan, still occupying Adair’s seat at the end of the van and working at a laptop keyboard.
“Will, since we’re short-handed here tonight, I’ll need for you to stick around till about eight and take those phone reports from Texas when their crews knock off.”
Whelan spun his chair to face Adair, frowning. “Hey, I had things I wanted to do tonight.”
The snippy tone surprised Hunter.
“Look, I’m sorry about that. But I’m heading home now with these folks to continue our conversation. They’ll be staying for dinner.”
“Well, that’s just great. What about me? ”
Hunter stared at Adair, astonished to see that he looked apologetic rather than angry.
“There’s plenty here in the fridge. And you’ll get the O.T. rate for the extra hours.”
“Yeah,” the young man snapped, turning his chair and his back on Adair. “Whatever.”
“You can have tomorrow off. Okay?” It sounded almost like pleading.
Whelan didn’t respond. Hunter caught Annie’s glance, eyes wide in disbelief.
“Anyway, it’ll be steak when you get home, Will. I’ll make sure your mom keeps a hot plate for you.” Adair turned back to them and smiled sheepishly. “Let’s go.”
They dropped their hard hats and goggles on a shelf and left. After the door closed behind them, Adair led them a distance from the van before speaking.
“Sorry about that. I should explain—”
“No need,” Hunter interrupted. “Not our business.”
“No, really. You’ll probably run into Will again while you’re up here doing research. You see, he’s my stepson.”
“Ah,” Annie said.
“Hell, you don’t think I’d let anyone but family talk to me like that.”
“Dan,” Hunter said, “I didn’t think you were the type to let anybody talk to you like that.”
Adair didn’t respond or look at them. He kept walking, leading them to the parking area. Hunter already pegged him as unpretentious and practical, so didn’t
“I just sent him on an errand,” he explained in answer to her inquiring look. “I told him to go to that diner and see if he could learn about that man and woman.”
“And if he learns something, then what?”
Boggs saw the worry in her soft blue eyes and smiled reassuringly. He knew her limits. She was fine about actions against property , like the Adair office. But she had hesitated to go after the people there. It wasn’t fear; it was just her gushy sentimentality. He had learned long ago that there were things he couldn’t trust her to do. Things she had to be shielded from knowing.
“Why, we sue them, of course!” he lied easily. “We hadn’t done a thing to those two. But they came outside without provocation and attacked us.” He brushed a loose strand of her hair away from her face. “I’m guessing they’re friends of the Adair people. So maybe if we file charges for physical assault, Adair will drop charges against us for our action at their office.”
She bought it; her answering smile held relief.
“Now, I have to run an errand of my own. I’ll be back at our tent in fifteen, okay?”
He kissed her cheek and left. Then headed off into the woods and over to the creek. He followed it downstream for about two hundred yards, to a rock outcropping about five feet high.
He looked around, made sure nobody was in sight. Then knelt and dragged away the brush he had piled beneath it. He leaned in, groping inside a wide fissure in the base of the rock.
Found the ice-cold handle of the satchel. Lifted it out—carefully. Set it on the ground.
He thought of the man and woman and smiled as he unzipped the bag and looked inside.
The pipe bombs were stacked exactly as he had left them.
SIX
Dan Adair led them back inside the site’s mobile headquarters, what he called the “data van.” He spoke to a man at one of the desks, getting a progress update. He spent a few minutes on the phone making dinner arrangements. Then he walked over to Will Whelan, still occupying Adair’s seat at the end of the van and working at a laptop keyboard.
“Will, since we’re short-handed here tonight, I’ll need for you to stick around till about eight and take those phone reports from Texas when their crews knock off.”
Whelan spun his chair to face Adair, frowning. “Hey, I had things I wanted to do tonight.”
The snippy tone surprised Hunter.
“Look, I’m sorry about that. But I’m heading home now with these folks to continue our conversation. They’ll be staying for dinner.”
“Well, that’s just great. What about me? ”
Hunter stared at Adair, astonished to see that he looked apologetic rather than angry.
“There’s plenty here in the fridge. And you’ll get the O.T. rate for the extra hours.”
“Yeah,” the young man snapped, turning his chair and his back on Adair. “Whatever.”
“You can have tomorrow off. Okay?” It sounded almost like pleading.
Whelan didn’t respond. Hunter caught Annie’s glance, eyes wide in disbelief.
“Anyway, it’ll be steak when you get home, Will. I’ll make sure your mom keeps a hot plate for you.” Adair turned back to them and smiled sheepishly. “Let’s go.”
They dropped their hard hats and goggles on a shelf and left. After the door closed behind them, Adair led them a distance from the van before speaking.
“Sorry about that. I should explain—”
“No need,” Hunter interrupted. “Not our business.”
“No, really. You’ll probably run into Will again while you’re up here doing research. You see, he’s my stepson.”
“Ah,” Annie said.
“Hell, you don’t think I’d let anyone but family talk to me like that.”
“Dan,” Hunter said, “I didn’t think you were the type to let anybody talk to you like that.”
Adair didn’t respond or look at them. He kept walking, leading them to the parking area. Hunter already pegged him as unpretentious and practical, so didn’t
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