Read Online Game Over by Fern Michaels - Free Book Online Page A

bunch of other stuff, too. And I made the pie myself, Charlie. It’s every bit as good as yours. Wait till you taste it. Used the apples from the root cellar, so it’s as fresh as can be. Got a secret ingredient in there, which you are never going to figure out,” Hank Jellicoe said by way of greeting.
    Charles looked at his host and grinned. “We’ll see.”
    Henry, Hank to those near and dear to him, Jellicoe was a tall man, six-four or so, with snow-white hair, weathered skin bronzed by the sun, wrinkles that were more like trenches, and the sharpest blue eyes ever to grace a man. His teeth, whiter than snow in his dark face, could light up the night. He boasted that his weight, 180 pounds, was the same as it was the day he turned eighteen. He was lean and rangy, sinewy from his neck to his toes. Dressed in his favorite garb of worn, tattered, and battered jeans and a plaid flannel shirt, with boots he had specially made for his size-sixteen feet. Charles knew for a fact he had the strength of an ox. But what Charles respected most about Hank Jellicoe was that he was an honest, fair, and generous man. The three traits Charles most admired in a man. Or woman.
    Jellicoe escorted Charles to a long table set for two. “First things first, Charlie. I want to get it out of the way. Tough break about your son. I did what I could. I want you to know that.”
    â€œI know you did, Hank. I tried to get word to you.”
    â€œI got the word.”
    And that was the end of that conversation.
    Charles sat down and opened his napkin. “Has there been any…”
    â€œDon’t go there, Charlie. That topic is not up for discussion.”
    Charles looked into the sharp blue eyes and gave a nod.
    Jellicoe shook out his own napkin and leaned back when his server placed a huge platter of food in front of him. “So you finally tied the knot. I have a wedding present in the hall closet. I hope Myra likes it. Heard you didn’t much care for that water bed in the Caymans.”
    Charles burst out laughing. “Is there anything you don’t know?”
    Jellicoe grinned. “Nope. Does Myra know you’re here?”
    Charles stopped chewing on the delectable venison and said, “I thought you just said you know everything. Myra is fine. No, she doesn’t know where I am, but by now I’m thinking she’s probably figured it out. There’s a special place in her heart for you, you know that, right?”
    â€œI do. I would move heaven and earth for that lady. In part, she’s responsible for who and what I am today. I don’t forget things like that. And the…girls?”
    â€œFor someone who knows everything, there seems to be a few gaps in your intel, Hank. The girls are fine, but we find ourselves in a bit of a quandary at the moment.”
    Jellicoe nodded.
    â€œSo, are you on a hiatus, vacation, what?” Charles asked. “I remembered you always liked to be home for Christmas and took a wild chance I’d actually find you in residence. What do you call this place these days?”
    Jellicoe laughed. “I call it my house. One of my operatives said it reminds him of a mall. I like space, Charlie. Lots and lots of space. Don’t know why that is. It just is. I do love Christmas. I had a big tree with colored lights. Did the whole drill, wreath on the front door, candles in the windows. Presents under the tree for the help. It was depressing as hell. How’s things on the mountain?”
    â€œIt gets confining at times, but we’ve adjusted. Every so often we develop a raging case of cabin fever. What’s the word on Pappy?”
    â€œContented on that mountaintop in Spain you swapped out. I’ve been trying to entice him back into the fold, but so far I’m not having any luck. You want to do an intervention?”
    â€œNo. He has three youngsters these days. Kids need to know their father and see him every day. You