Read Online Hard Target: Elite Ops - Book One by Kay Thomas - Free Book Online
Authors: Kay Thomas
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and don’t . . .”
He stopped. What did he say now? “Your mom and dad did the deed, but it was just sex. She had no intention of getting knocked up?”
Christ, he did not know what he was doing. So he was going to quit before he said something completely inappropriate to this boy, even if he had to shove his own shoe in his mouth. They sat in an awkward silence but apparently Zach wasn’t ready to stop wrestling with the issue.
“I know she’s been sad and lonely while I’ve been sick. They split up, so it kind of makes sense. I hated that they were getting a divorce. But that was before I knew what was really going on, that he would hurt her.” Zach shook his head. “I still can’t believe it.”
”I imagine it’s been difficult for her since your diagnosis. Sounds like she has been doing a lot on her own. Not everyone’s mom loves them like that. So you think you could give yours a break?”
Zach was quiet, either unwilling or unable to engage.
Leland had no idea if the boy had heard anything he’d said. For now, he was relieved the conversation was over but unsure if he’d helped the situation or hurt it. This was so not his kind of gig. As soon as he got Anna and Zach settled back in at the hotel, he was done.
Relieved that he’d come up with a workable exit strategy, he leaned back in his seat and pretended to watch the domestic train wreck on Springer. How does one guy get three women pregnant while in prison?
He was on his third cup of bad coffee and puzzling that biological conundrum when the nurse from earlier approached him. “Mrs. Mercado is ready to check out now. She was wondering if you were still here.”
“Of course. I’ll drive the car around to the entrance.”
“We’ll bring her out.”
Zach looked up, unsure of where to go. Leland knew exactly how he felt. “Want to see if she needs anything? I can meet you with the car.”
“Yeah, okay.” And Zach was gone.
Whatever Leland had gotten himself into was about to begin, but it wasn’t going to last long. He wasn’t the boy’s dad or the woman’s husband. His neck itched just thinking about the unresolved mess that lay ahead for Anna and her son.
He had no obligation here, and that was a good thing. He had enough of his own drama to deal with, and this mess with the Mercados was something that could make Jerry Springer look tame. Grateful he wasn’t going to be part of it for longer than it took to get everyone back to the hotel, he cranked his Jeep and headed for the ER entrance.
Chapter Eight
----
A NNA SAT WITH her back to the passenger door, facing Leland and Zach. It was so late, they’d decided to wait till morning to go to the police station and file her official statement. Beyond that no one was talking much. There was an uncomfortable stillness, and she didn’t know how to break it.
She wasn’t sure if Zach was angry, in shock, or in denial. This was confusing her on half a dozen levels, so it had to be blowing the boy’s socks off. And Leland? She had no clue what he was thinking beyond getting back to the hotel and vaporizing.
They finished the drive in deathlike silence. She could practically hear crickets chirping. When they got to the Best Western, Zach helped her out of the car, despite his solemnity. Together they headed to the front desk only to be greeted by a very long line of folks coming off a tour bus in front of the hotel.
“I’m pretty sure they were going to put you in a new room, but things may have changed while we were at the ER,” said Leland.
She nodded. “Blood and glass is probably a bit much for the night cleaning crew.”
“I can go and get our things from Leland’s room while y’all wait in the line,” Zach offered.
“I can bring the luggage down,” said Leland.
“No, it’s just the one suitcase and my mom’s purse. I’ll do it,” insisted Zach, obviously eager to not be hanging around his mother.
“Okay,” nodded Leland, too tired to argue.
He stopped. What did he say now? “Your mom and dad did the deed, but it was just sex. She had no intention of getting knocked up?”
Christ, he did not know what he was doing. So he was going to quit before he said something completely inappropriate to this boy, even if he had to shove his own shoe in his mouth. They sat in an awkward silence but apparently Zach wasn’t ready to stop wrestling with the issue.
“I know she’s been sad and lonely while I’ve been sick. They split up, so it kind of makes sense. I hated that they were getting a divorce. But that was before I knew what was really going on, that he would hurt her.” Zach shook his head. “I still can’t believe it.”
”I imagine it’s been difficult for her since your diagnosis. Sounds like she has been doing a lot on her own. Not everyone’s mom loves them like that. So you think you could give yours a break?”
Zach was quiet, either unwilling or unable to engage.
Leland had no idea if the boy had heard anything he’d said. For now, he was relieved the conversation was over but unsure if he’d helped the situation or hurt it. This was so not his kind of gig. As soon as he got Anna and Zach settled back in at the hotel, he was done.
Relieved that he’d come up with a workable exit strategy, he leaned back in his seat and pretended to watch the domestic train wreck on Springer. How does one guy get three women pregnant while in prison?
He was on his third cup of bad coffee and puzzling that biological conundrum when the nurse from earlier approached him. “Mrs. Mercado is ready to check out now. She was wondering if you were still here.”
“Of course. I’ll drive the car around to the entrance.”
“We’ll bring her out.”
Zach looked up, unsure of where to go. Leland knew exactly how he felt. “Want to see if she needs anything? I can meet you with the car.”
“Yeah, okay.” And Zach was gone.
Whatever Leland had gotten himself into was about to begin, but it wasn’t going to last long. He wasn’t the boy’s dad or the woman’s husband. His neck itched just thinking about the unresolved mess that lay ahead for Anna and her son.
He had no obligation here, and that was a good thing. He had enough of his own drama to deal with, and this mess with the Mercados was something that could make Jerry Springer look tame. Grateful he wasn’t going to be part of it for longer than it took to get everyone back to the hotel, he cranked his Jeep and headed for the ER entrance.
Chapter Eight
----
A NNA SAT WITH her back to the passenger door, facing Leland and Zach. It was so late, they’d decided to wait till morning to go to the police station and file her official statement. Beyond that no one was talking much. There was an uncomfortable stillness, and she didn’t know how to break it.
She wasn’t sure if Zach was angry, in shock, or in denial. This was confusing her on half a dozen levels, so it had to be blowing the boy’s socks off. And Leland? She had no clue what he was thinking beyond getting back to the hotel and vaporizing.
They finished the drive in deathlike silence. She could practically hear crickets chirping. When they got to the Best Western, Zach helped her out of the car, despite his solemnity. Together they headed to the front desk only to be greeted by a very long line of folks coming off a tour bus in front of the hotel.
“I’m pretty sure they were going to put you in a new room, but things may have changed while we were at the ER,” said Leland.
She nodded. “Blood and glass is probably a bit much for the night cleaning crew.”
“I can go and get our things from Leland’s room while y’all wait in the line,” Zach offered.
“I can bring the luggage down,” said Leland.
“No, it’s just the one suitcase and my mom’s purse. I’ll do it,” insisted Zach, obviously eager to not be hanging around his mother.
“Okay,” nodded Leland, too tired to argue.
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