Read Online Fairplay, Denver Cereal Volume 6 by Claudia Hall Christian - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Claudia Hall Christian
Ads: Link
groaned.
“ From what I understand
you’ve generally been a pain in this nice woman’s ass,” Bumpy
said.
“ How’s that different from
any other day?” Seth asked.
“ He does have a point,”
Bumpy looked at Maresol. She crossed her arms and looked
stern.
“ Sandy’s pornography case
is coming together,” Seth said. “It’s the case of the
century and it’s
about Sandy. I’ve failed her in so many ways. How can I not be
involved?”
“ So you’re telling me
that this is the
case of the century?” Bumpy raised his eyebrows at Seth. “What was
that Saint Jude thing you chased around for more than twenty years? Or
clearing my internationally famous stupid son’s legal issues in Saint
Louis?”
“ Or the Cigarette Man ? Or the
killer before him or the one after?” Maresol blurted out. “Or last
year’s killer of the year? The Jogger
Killer ? Remember him? He ran over those poor
women in his car?”
“ Or the year before that?”
Bumpy asked. “What about that big-assed case you and Mitch worked
on that left you both shot and stupid for a year?
“ The Mount Evan’s terror,”
Maresol dropped her head into her hands. “I forgot about that
nightmare.”
Much to Seth and Bumpy’s horror, Maresol’s
shoulders dropped as if she was going to cry. They both held their
breath against the impending thunderstorm of emotion. Instead, her
shoulders pushed back and her right index finger came up.
“ You… you…” Her finger
wagged for a moment before she burst into tears. Bumpy put his arm
around her shoulder. Maresol leaned into the big man for comfort.
When her breathing evened out, he looked up at Seth.
“ You’re making your
friends crazy, Seth,” Bumpy said. “You and the other men are
the only; and
when I use the word only I mean every last one of them younger, prettier,
smarter, and better human beings died; you and those boys are
the only people
to be any days away from this murderous cocktail of poison. And you
are in this rare and unusual position because a pretty young thing,
who for some crazy reason loves your sorry wrinkled ass, and her team worked
night and day for a week to make it happen. And this kind woman – who has stood by
your side through thick and thin, sorrow and joy, death and life,
knowing full well that you’re an asshole – is trying to nurse you back to
health.”
“ I am an asshole,” Seth
said.
“ You can’t help how you
are made,” Maresol sniffed.
Seth gave her a wry smile.
“ I’m acting like my
father?” Seth asked Maresol.
“ Oh no !” Maresol’s finger came up to wag at him. “I would pack my
things and never return if you were even one spec like that
man.”
“ Then?” Seth
asked.
“ You… You… You act to your
self like… like... that evil man treated you!” Maresol spat
out.
Seth closed his eyes in a silent
acknowledgement of the truth.
“ I had to stand by and
watch that evil man torture you and your brothers and your mother.
Now I have to stand by and watch you torture yourself!
And…”
Maresol began weeping in earnest. Bumpy
looked up at Seth. In the silent conversation of men, Seth knew
Bumpy was trying to get him to listen to what was the truth.
“ We have this chance,”
Maresol continued in Spanish. “This chance for babies, for
happiness, for love, and you’re working, working, working. This
girl, this Ava, she won’t be here forever. She loves you. She gave up everything to
be by your side. We... we have this other chance, a chance we never
thought we’d get again, and you…”
“ But this is Sandy,” Seth
said.
“ Don’t you dare bring my
Sandy into this,” Maresol said in English. “That filth was
happening for years and years. It will be years and years before it
is over. You don’t need to be in the middle of it today,
tomorrow…”
“ Or a week from now,”
Bumpy said. “Sandy’s the first person to tell you to take care of
yourself.”
“ When are you due in LA?”
Maresol
“ From what I understand
you’ve generally been a pain in this nice woman’s ass,” Bumpy
said.
“ How’s that different from
any other day?” Seth asked.
“ He does have a point,”
Bumpy looked at Maresol. She crossed her arms and looked
stern.
“ Sandy’s pornography case
is coming together,” Seth said. “It’s the case of the
century and it’s
about Sandy. I’ve failed her in so many ways. How can I not be
involved?”
“ So you’re telling me
that this is the
case of the century?” Bumpy raised his eyebrows at Seth. “What was
that Saint Jude thing you chased around for more than twenty years? Or
clearing my internationally famous stupid son’s legal issues in Saint
Louis?”
“ Or the Cigarette Man ? Or the
killer before him or the one after?” Maresol blurted out. “Or last
year’s killer of the year? The Jogger
Killer ? Remember him? He ran over those poor
women in his car?”
“ Or the year before that?”
Bumpy asked. “What about that big-assed case you and Mitch worked
on that left you both shot and stupid for a year?
“ The Mount Evan’s terror,”
Maresol dropped her head into her hands. “I forgot about that
nightmare.”
Much to Seth and Bumpy’s horror, Maresol’s
shoulders dropped as if she was going to cry. They both held their
breath against the impending thunderstorm of emotion. Instead, her
shoulders pushed back and her right index finger came up.
“ You… you…” Her finger
wagged for a moment before she burst into tears. Bumpy put his arm
around her shoulder. Maresol leaned into the big man for comfort.
When her breathing evened out, he looked up at Seth.
“ You’re making your
friends crazy, Seth,” Bumpy said. “You and the other men are
the only; and
when I use the word only I mean every last one of them younger, prettier,
smarter, and better human beings died; you and those boys are
the only people
to be any days away from this murderous cocktail of poison. And you
are in this rare and unusual position because a pretty young thing,
who for some crazy reason loves your sorry wrinkled ass, and her team worked
night and day for a week to make it happen. And this kind woman – who has stood by
your side through thick and thin, sorrow and joy, death and life,
knowing full well that you’re an asshole – is trying to nurse you back to
health.”
“ I am an asshole,” Seth
said.
“ You can’t help how you
are made,” Maresol sniffed.
Seth gave her a wry smile.
“ I’m acting like my
father?” Seth asked Maresol.
“ Oh no !” Maresol’s finger came up to wag at him. “I would pack my
things and never return if you were even one spec like that
man.”
“ Then?” Seth
asked.
“ You… You… You act to your
self like… like... that evil man treated you!” Maresol spat
out.
Seth closed his eyes in a silent
acknowledgement of the truth.
“ I had to stand by and
watch that evil man torture you and your brothers and your mother.
Now I have to stand by and watch you torture yourself!
And…”
Maresol began weeping in earnest. Bumpy
looked up at Seth. In the silent conversation of men, Seth knew
Bumpy was trying to get him to listen to what was the truth.
“ We have this chance,”
Maresol continued in Spanish. “This chance for babies, for
happiness, for love, and you’re working, working, working. This
girl, this Ava, she won’t be here forever. She loves you. She gave up everything to
be by your side. We... we have this other chance, a chance we never
thought we’d get again, and you…”
“ But this is Sandy,” Seth
said.
“ Don’t you dare bring my
Sandy into this,” Maresol said in English. “That filth was
happening for years and years. It will be years and years before it
is over. You don’t need to be in the middle of it today,
tomorrow…”
“ Or a week from now,”
Bumpy said. “Sandy’s the first person to tell you to take care of
yourself.”
“ When are you due in LA?”
Maresol
Similar Books
