Read Online Simple Deceit (The Harmony Series 2) by Nancy Mehl - Free Book Online Page B

seemed to be perusing the menu, his eyes kept darting my way. I started to say something about it to Sam when the sound of a chair hitting the floor, followed by a string of shouted obscenities, got my attention. I turned around to see Rand standing over Ericlike he was getting ready to hit him. The chair he’d been sitting in lay on its side.
    “You’d better come up with what I asked you for, or you ain’t gettin’ nothin’ from me,” he snarled. “And don’t you come ‘round my place again, botherin’ me with your highfalutin ways. You hear me, boy?”
    Sam got up and walked slowly toward the table where Eric still sat. “That’s enough, Rand,” he said in a calm voice. “I think you need to leave. Maybe you and Eric should take this up again after you’ve settled down some.”
    I glanced over at Pat Taylor, who watched the confrontation with an amused look on his face. Why wasn’t he intervening? Why allow Sam to put himself in the middle of this tense situation?
    Rand took a step toward Sam, his hand knotted in a tight fist. “Don’t you poke your nose in my affairs, Sam Goody-goody-rich. Everyone knows you ain’t nothin’ special. You ain’t even got a real daddy.”
    I could see Sam’s shoulders tense through his shirt, but he held his temper. Mary came out from behind the counter and advanced toward the two men. As if he sensed her, Sam held his hand up. She stopped where she was.
    “I’m asking you nicely to leave,” Sam said again, his voice steady. “If you refuse, we can take this a step further.”
    I guess the sheriff had finally had enough, because he hauled himself out of his chair and stood between the enraged man and Sam. “I believe this man invited you to vacate the premises,” he said to Rand. “Isn’t that correct?”
    I couldn’t see his face, but whatever Rand saw in the sheriff’s expression made him take a step back. After glaring at him for several seconds, Rand finally grabbed his coat and scurried toward the door. It slammed loudly behind him.
    I hurried over and stood next to Sam. His face was tight withanger. I was shocked to see the fury in Pat Taylor’s expression. No wonder Rand had run out the door. I put my hand on Sam’s arm.
    Eric stood up and shook Sam’s hand and thanked him profusely, his relief evident. He turned toward the sheriff and stuck out his hand, but Sheriff Taylor abruptly turned on his heel and walked back to his table, completely ignoring all of us. Eric watched him for a moment then shrugged.
    “I have no idea what got into Rand,” he said to Sam. “We were talking about closing our deal, and he suddenly doubled the price we’d agreed on.” His wide eyes shifted back and forth between Sam and me. Then he ran a hand through his hair and stared at the door Rand had slammed shut when he left. Eric was obviously shaken by the strange little man’s outburst. “We’ve already offered him much more than it’s worth. It’s a fair deal. Honestly.”
    Several people had left their tables and were watching us with interest. Dan and Dale Scheidler, two brothers who owned the farm implements store, stood peering over the top of their booth. A family I didn’t know had also turned around to observe the proceedings.
    Mary stepped up to the table then turned to look at her surprised customers. “You folks go on back to your food. There’s nothing more to see.”
    Harold Price, an elderly man who ate most of his meals in the diner, called out from a table where he sat alone. “Another satisfied customer, Mary?”
    His comment broke the tension and several people laughed, including Mary. “I guess that’s it, Harold. Funny thing is, he ordered the same thing you’re eatin’.”
    Laughter broke out once again, and all the diners went back to minding their own business. Sheriff Taylor seemed content to drink his coffee and ignore everyone.
    “What happened here?” Mary asked Sam quietly. “I don’tallow fighting in my