Read Online Blood Lines by Mel Odom - Free Book Online Page B

that.”
    â€œYes, sir.” Don sipped his drink. “Have you heard from Shel today?”
    Tyrel fished his pack of smokes out of his pocket and lit up a new cigarette with a Zippo lighter. He squinted and waved the smoke out of his face with a hand. “No.”
    â€œI haven’t been able to get ahold of him either.” Don had called several times just in case Shel had forgotten it was Father’s Day. The calls had gone unanswered and unreturned.
    â€œI haven’t tried to get hold of him,” Tyrel said simply. “Likely he’s busy. No reason he should be calling anyway.”
    â€œIt’s Father’s Day. He should call.” Don felt irritated and a little sad. Over the last few years, Shel had seemed to be drifting farther and farther away from their daddy. It hurt Don to see that and recognize it. It hurt even more when he realized there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Both men needed each other, but neither of them seemed willing to admit it.
    â€œI didn’t raise either of you two boys to be soft.” Tyrel knocked ash from his cigarette.
    â€œCalling your daddy on Father’s Day isn’t being soft. It’s about respect and love.”
    Tyrel turned and looked at Don. “You ain’t your brother. You don’t feel what he feels. Shel’s got his ways, and you got yours. What works for you ain’t necessarily gonna work for him. He don’t say what’s on his mind as easy as you do, that’s all.”
    Shel and Don had been different almost since day one. Don got that they were different, and that they would probably always be different.
    But on Father’s Day, Don didn’t want to have that conversation with his daddy. He knew it would probably lead to an argument. And if there was any arguing to be done, Don fully intended to set his sights on Shel.
    â€œBall game’s almost over,” Tyrel said. “Reckon you need to be getting back to the church before long.”
    â€œThat’s all right, Daddy. I got a few more minutes. If you don’t mind, I’ll just sit here and watch the game with you for a little bit.”
    â€œDo what you want, but there’s men in here who come to watch the game. Not to listen to you and me talk.”
    â€œYes, sir.” Knowing his daddy wouldn’t take part in any more conversation, Don quietly sat and watched baseball. It wasn’t the ideal Father’s Day, but he knew it was the best his daddy would allow him to have.
    There in the darkness of the tavern, he quietly loved his daddy and asked God to help him understand how Tyrel McHenry had come to be the cold, hard man he was. And he hoped that Shel had a good reason for not coming home and not calling.
    Otherwise Don was going to have that argument after all.

9

    >> NCIS Offices
    >> Camp Lejeune, north carolina
    >> 1909 Hours
    â€œAre you trying to hypnotize that computer screen?”
    United States Navy Commander Will Coburn’s voice broke the spell of Maggie Foley’s cycling thoughts. She glanced away from the computer and looked at her commanding officer.
    â€œBecause if you’re trying to hypnotize it,” Will continued, “I don’t think it’s going to work.”
    â€œI was trying to catch up on some of the files.” Maggie leaned back in the ergonomic chair and tried to find some of the relief the design promised. “We’ve all got court appearances to do in the next few weeks, so I wanted to start prepping everyone.”
    Court appearances were a major part of an NCIS special agent’s life. Coming in weeks or months after the fact—oftentimes nearly a year because they dealt with civilian courts as well as military ones—preparation was important. Cases came and went, but an agent had to be ready to make the jury or the judge believe he or she remembered everything as if the events had happened only yesterday. That kind of confidence