AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sam bit her thumbnail as she pondered the fallout. “They used the threat of him testifying to make a deal with the woman who masterminded the murder for hire.”
“Will that deal fall apart now?”
“It could. A judge hadn’t signed off on it yet.”
“Crap. If you need to deal with work, I can feed the troops.”
“That’s okay. Gonzo and the others are on it. There’s nothing I can do from here.”
Angela, Tracy, Mike and their kids arrived just as Sam was preparing to serve dinner. “You’re right on time,” she said as she hugged her sisters, brother-in-law, nieces and nephews.
“What’s up, Flotsam?” her nephew Jack asked with a big grin that revealed a missing front tooth.
“Not much, Lo-Jack, and what happened to your tooth?”
“The tooth fairy needed it. I got five bucks!”
“Five bucks? That’s outrageous, Jack-o-Lantern.”
“Tell me about it,” Angela said. “It was a tooth fairy shakedown.”
“It’s inflation,” Jack said as he ran to greet Scotty and the other kids.
“How does he know about inflation?” Nick asked with a laugh.
“This is what happens when we send them to school,” Sam said.
Angela nodded as she poured a glass of the decaffeinated iced tea Sam had brewed for her. “School is the root of all evil if you ask me. He’s learned words I thought I wouldn’t hear from him foryears.”
“Oh no,” Sam said as she tried not to laugh.
“Ohyes.”
“It’s possible he might’ve heard some of them from me.”
“Sam!”
“What can I say? I love a good swear word.”
“What’s my beloved done now?” Nick asked as he reached for a Sam Adams in the fridge.
Angela glared at her sister. “It’s possible she’s taught my sweet, precious, innocent Jack some naughty words.”
Nick laughed as he kissed the top of Sam’s head. “Yes, it’s very possible. We’re working on it. Scotty’s got his college paid for thanks to the swear jar.”
“You’re supposed to be on my side, mister,” Sam said.
“I’m on the side of truth, babe.”
Angela laughed.
Sam hadn’t realized how much she’d needed to see her sister laugh the way she used to before disaster struck.
“What?” Angela asked when she caught Sam watching her.
“It’s nice to see you laugh again.”
“Feels good to laugh. Keep it coming this weekend, okay?”
