Read Online Dead Renegade by Victoria Houston - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Victoria Houston
Ads: Link
said, “C.J., if you’re up for it, I thought I would give you and Mason a lesson on fly fishing while we’re on the water this afternoon. Big Moccasin is known for its bluegills—I’m assuming, of course, that you two wouldn’t mind learning how to cast a fly rod …”
“Serious?” asked C.J., moving forward to help Osborne load all the gear onto the pontoon. It wasn’t until she moved that Osborne could see there was another person on board. Seated to one side at the rear of the pontoon and nearly hidden under the boat awning was an older man whom Osborne figured to be in his mid to late fifties.
“Did you hear that, Curt?” said C.J. calling back over her shoulder. “Dr. Osborne is going to teach me how to cast with a fly rod.” The man, who was sitting with his elbows on his knees and head down, was talking into a cell phone. At the sound of his wife’s voice, without raising his head he gave a preoccupied wave.
“I was worried about having room to practice some roll casts,” Osborne said, stepping onto the pontoon and looking around, “but this is a good-sized boat—plenty of space. By the way, C.J., I forgot one thing in my car and it’s rather heavy. Would you mind giving me a hand?” He pointed up towards the house on the hill. C.J. caught the look in his eye and nodded.
“Mason,” she said, pointing to an open cooler, “I’m putting you in charge of the sodas. Would you finish burying those cans in the ice, please?” As the youngster knelt to follow orders, C.J. smiled at Osborne and hurried to follow him up the stone walkway towards the house.
Midway up, Osborne paused in the center of one of the switchbacks where he could keep an eye on Mason as they talked. “I have a plan,” he said to C.J., “that I’ve talked over with Chief Ferris, who has a lot more experience with these matters than I do. She seems to think it might help us get Mason to open up.”
“That would be a relief,” said C.J., “I’m so worried that someone was lurking around our place in town and that’s who frightened your granddaughter.”
After a quick explanation of what he was planning to do and why, Osborne said, “… so after we’ve been casting for a while, I’m hoping there is a way that I might find some time to chat with Mason in private. She’ll be feeling good about herself, she’ll feel safe and I have to believe she trusts me enough to tell me what it was that upset her so.”
“Well,” said C.J., “let’s hope you’re right. I know what I can do to make it easy for you two to have some time together and it fits with just how I like to picnic on the lake. After we’ve fished for awhile, we’ll anchor by that island out there.”
She pointed across the lake. “It has a nice sandy beach that makes it easy to pull up near shore and wade in. With help from my husband and your friend, Ray, we’ll get a grill going on the beach while you and Mason talk. What do you think—would half an hour give you enough time?”
“I would think so,” said Osborne. “I hope you don’t mind my forcing a casting lesson on you but it’s something Mason has been bugging me to teach her—”
“Are you kidding? It’s been on my list of things to do ever since I knew we were moving here. I’m delighted, Dr. Osborne.”
But not as delighted as she was a second later when she looked past Osborne, who stood facing her, to see another
figure descending the stairs. “Ray, you made it!” said C.J. as she ran forward.
Remembering that Ray had promised to bring a “surprise,” Osborne felt a moment’s trepidation. Before turning around, he prayed that the surprise would have a full set of teeth.
CHAPTER 13
T he lanky kid shadowing Ray had to be two inches taller than when Osborne had last seen him. Taller and tidier. Gone were the eyebrow piercing, the nose piercing, the lip piercing and the black T-shirt: all that remained of Nick’s previous fashion statements were four silver studs
“Serious?” asked C.J., moving forward to help Osborne load all the gear onto the pontoon. It wasn’t until she moved that Osborne could see there was another person on board. Seated to one side at the rear of the pontoon and nearly hidden under the boat awning was an older man whom Osborne figured to be in his mid to late fifties.
“Did you hear that, Curt?” said C.J. calling back over her shoulder. “Dr. Osborne is going to teach me how to cast with a fly rod.” The man, who was sitting with his elbows on his knees and head down, was talking into a cell phone. At the sound of his wife’s voice, without raising his head he gave a preoccupied wave.
“I was worried about having room to practice some roll casts,” Osborne said, stepping onto the pontoon and looking around, “but this is a good-sized boat—plenty of space. By the way, C.J., I forgot one thing in my car and it’s rather heavy. Would you mind giving me a hand?” He pointed up towards the house on the hill. C.J. caught the look in his eye and nodded.
“Mason,” she said, pointing to an open cooler, “I’m putting you in charge of the sodas. Would you finish burying those cans in the ice, please?” As the youngster knelt to follow orders, C.J. smiled at Osborne and hurried to follow him up the stone walkway towards the house.
Midway up, Osborne paused in the center of one of the switchbacks where he could keep an eye on Mason as they talked. “I have a plan,” he said to C.J., “that I’ve talked over with Chief Ferris, who has a lot more experience with these matters than I do. She seems to think it might help us get Mason to open up.”
“That would be a relief,” said C.J., “I’m so worried that someone was lurking around our place in town and that’s who frightened your granddaughter.”
After a quick explanation of what he was planning to do and why, Osborne said, “… so after we’ve been casting for a while, I’m hoping there is a way that I might find some time to chat with Mason in private. She’ll be feeling good about herself, she’ll feel safe and I have to believe she trusts me enough to tell me what it was that upset her so.”
“Well,” said C.J., “let’s hope you’re right. I know what I can do to make it easy for you two to have some time together and it fits with just how I like to picnic on the lake. After we’ve fished for awhile, we’ll anchor by that island out there.”
She pointed across the lake. “It has a nice sandy beach that makes it easy to pull up near shore and wade in. With help from my husband and your friend, Ray, we’ll get a grill going on the beach while you and Mason talk. What do you think—would half an hour give you enough time?”
“I would think so,” said Osborne. “I hope you don’t mind my forcing a casting lesson on you but it’s something Mason has been bugging me to teach her—”
“Are you kidding? It’s been on my list of things to do ever since I knew we were moving here. I’m delighted, Dr. Osborne.”
But not as delighted as she was a second later when she looked past Osborne, who stood facing her, to see another
figure descending the stairs. “Ray, you made it!” said C.J. as she ran forward.
Remembering that Ray had promised to bring a “surprise,” Osborne felt a moment’s trepidation. Before turning around, he prayed that the surprise would have a full set of teeth.
CHAPTER 13
T he lanky kid shadowing Ray had to be two inches taller than when Osborne had last seen him. Taller and tidier. Gone were the eyebrow piercing, the nose piercing, the lip piercing and the black T-shirt: all that remained of Nick’s previous fashion statements were four silver studs
Similar Books
