Read Online Hoaley Ill-Manored by Declan Sands - Free Book Online Page B

sure you won’t give me any trouble when I take you
in, will you, Mr. Hoale?”
    Adam opened his mouth to argue but CC lifted
a single eyebrow and shut him down. He turned to Maddy instead.
“Maddy, I’m going to jail. Can you take Walter home, please?”
    “The girl broke into the barn too,” Teddy
growled.
    “She’s an employee of Mr. Hoale’s. I’m
guessing she didn’t even know they were breaking in.” CC glanced at
Maddy. “Is that a correct assumption, Ms. Rodgers?”
    Maddy was nodding before CC finished asking
his question. “It is. Yes. Yup, I was duped. I’m a dupe.” She
widened her eyes and gave Teddy Worth her most innocent look. “I’m
very sorry, Teddy. If I’d known this was your barn I’d have never
come in with Adam . You made it very clear that you didn’t
want us to come back.” She slid Adam a look.
    Adam didn’t miss the venom with which she
said his name. He thought maybe she was playing along a little too
eagerly. He was surprised she could choke down being called
his employee, however. “CC’s right, Teddy. I lied to Maddy to get
her help. She never intended to trespass.”
    “Makes no difference to me.” The man’s lower
lip stuck out with belligerence.
    CC turned to Worth. “You know, Mr. Worth, I
think I should take that gun in and have it run through
ballistics…just in case.”
    Worth glared at CC for a long moment, his
brown gaze spitting sparks, and then reluctantly inclined his head.
“The girl can go.”
    CC grabbed Adam’s arm and led him toward the
door. “I knew we could come to a meeting of the minds, Mr. Worth.
You have a good night, now.”
    DS
    “You sure you guys will be okay here?” Maddy
slanted Dirk a look and grimaced. He was standing across the
kitchen, talking to CC with his arms crossed over his chest and a
potentially permanent furrow between his dark brows.
    CC was drinking a beer but Dirk hadn’t
wanted one. He’d been like an exposed wire since they’d returned to
the house, nearly sizzling with temper. Adam just wanted everybody
to leave so he could try to explain his side of things to Dirk.
Though he wasn’t sure that would do much good. Even he knew he’d
been an ass.
    “We just need to talk.”
    Maddy touched his arm. “Good luck, honey.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
    CC left with Maddy and Adam walked with him
to the door. “You’ll do some research on that gun? I have a feeling
I know where it came from.”
    CC nodded, then fixed him with a look.
“You’re a jerk and a moron, Hoale, but that man in there loves you.
I’m not sure why.” CC shook his head. “It’s one of life’s great
mysteries. He deserves better than what you did to him
tonight.”
    Adam couldn’t speak. He had no words with
which to defend himself. He knew he’d been a jerk. If his antics of
that night caused him to lose Dirk, he realized it would serve him
right. But he wasn’t sure he’d survive the loss.
    Closing the door behind CC, Adam returned to
the kitchen, looking for Dirk. He wasn’t there. Adam grabbed two
beers from the refrigerator and went to look for him. He found Dirk
sitting in a folding chair on the veranda, staring out at the lake,
where a beam of moonlight illuminated Mike and Sue gliding silently
across the glassy surface.
    Adam handed Dirk a beer and dropped into the
second chair. They sat in taut silence for several minutes, Adam
unsure how to begin. Finally he tried making light of the
situation. “I can’t believe you and CC were able to talk Worth into
giving up the plan. If I’d only known, I could have saved myself
the cost of a metal detector.”
    Dirk didn’t respond. He didn’t react. He
just continued to stare out at the lake.
    Adam’s heart broke a little at Dirk’s cold,
stony treatment, though he knew he deserved it. “I’m surprised you
didn’t leave with CC and Maddy.”
    Dirk didn’t respond for so long that Adam
didn’t think he was going to. Then he lifted