AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What?” I ask, my gaze moving between my tea and Beau.
“How are you?”
“Traumatized,” I quip, lifting my cup to my lips.
“Are you seeing Allison tonight?” she asks, and my eyes naturally flick to James.
“Yeah, might do.”
“What the hell happened?” Esther asks, deciding she does want to know. “His face was a bloody mess.”
“That wasn’t Rose,” James says, as he juggles his ingredients to the island and lays it out on the chopping board Esther’s just placed down, along with a knife.
“It wasn’t?” Beau asks, so shocked.
I laugh. “Jesus, Beau, she’s popped him in the chops a few times, but what you saw wasn’t the work of a woman.”
She scowls at me.
“No disrespect intended.”
“Then think before you open your big trap.”
I smile over my rim. “It was Benson.” There’s a collection of gasps, and both James and I nod. “He went to the school with Rose to talk to the principal. We were already there.”
“Oh God.” Esther rests her elbows on the island and buries her head in her hands.
“On the bright side, Daniel’s going back to school.” I give Beau a grin when she balks at me. “Actions speak louder than words.” My cell rings in my pocket, and I pull it out, getting up and stepping out into the garden, expecting to see Doc calling me back. It’s not. “Higham?”
“I’m trying to get hold of Danny.”
“He’s busy murdering his wife.”
He huffs. “I know how he feels. I thought I’d be home today. Turns out my wife’s invited half of Florida up to the lake house for a barbeque tonight.”
“Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of other shit to keep us occupied.”
“And I don’t suppose you know anything about the breaking and entering and subsequent assault on Officer Richard Bean, do you?”
“Who the fuck is Officer Richard Bean?” I ask, hearing a car pull up the drive. I walk to the corner and see Fury following Pearl into the house. “Higham?”
“Sorry, I lost you for a moment,” he says, as I study Pearl’s face, not sure I’m liking what I’m seeing. She looks . . . dull. “I’ll be in touch when I’m back.”
“Yeah, I’ve got to go,” I murmur, going back into the kitchen. “Higham’s not back tonight,” I say, eyes on the entrance. “Something about a barbeque.” I lower to a stool and slowly and blindly reach for my tea. Eyes still on the entrance. Fury enters. No Pearl. “Wh—” I just about hold my tongue. “All right?” I ask instead.
Fury looks around. “Where’s Tank?”
I frown. He looks worried. “Playing on the Xbox with the kid.”
“He’s still alive?”
I nod, Fury leaves, and James starts the blender, but the noise does nothing to drown out my thoughts. Pearl’s face. I wonder if I’m reading into things. She didn’t look happy at all. In fact, she looked shook up.
“Brad?”
I jump when Beau snaps my name. “What?”
“Are you okay?” she asks, her hands wrapped around her green juice.
