Page 13 of Last Man Standing
“Are you on duty?”she asked, because he was still in uniform.
“I just got off,” he said.“Who’s ready for lunch?”
“I want ice cream!”Emily said.
Jackson laughed and ruffled her hair.He grabbed a cooler from his truck and they returned to the shoreline, where they sat down at the picnic table in the shade.
“What do you like better?”Jackson asked Emily.“Slug sandwich, or slug sandwich with worms?”
She giggled and shook her head.
“Sorry, I forgot to ask for smashed frog.”
Jackson passed Vanessa two sandwiches with a wink.Vanessa handed the plain cheese sandwich to Emily and kept the turkey for herself.It was from her favorite deli in town, smothered in avocado and bursting with sprouts.When Emily asked for a soda, Vanessa shook her head.Jackson gave her juice.Emily chattered happily with her uncle as they ate.As soon as they finished lunch, the little girl curled up against Vanessa and closed her eyes.
“Someone needs a nap,” Jackson said.
“Two someones,” Vanessa murmured.She spread out her blanket under the nearest tree.Instead of telling Emily to lie down, she put Penelope on the blanket with a picture book.
“Read Penelope a story, Em.”
Emily insisted that Jackson join her, which he did.He flipped through the picture book with her.Within minutes, Emily was asleep in his arms.Jackson extricated himself and joined Vanessa at the picnic table.
“I’ve got the magic touch,” he said.
Vanessa smiled in agreement.He was a great brother and a damned good uncle.“I need your help with something.”
“All right,” he said, before he even heard the details.
She explained the situation with the summer rental, the large deposit she’d paid, and its current occupant.
Jackson frowned at the tale.“I’ve met him.”
“You’ve met Paul Murphy?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think of him?”
Jackson shrugged, indifferent.
“He’s a jerk,” Vanessa said.
“Who’s the owner of the cabin?”
“Frank Wilson.”
“Ralph Wilson died of a heart attack a few months ago.”
“So the story checks out.”
“It does.”
“And I can’t fight this?”
“I don’t know,” he said.“You might be able to get your money back, depending on the terms of the agreement.”
“I don’t want my money back.I want the cabin.”
