Page 88 of Broken Rules
“I know. I’ve already discussed my plan with Sadie, and she understands. Giving Leanna the lead is dangerous, but it’s only a ploy to make me look desperate. She doesn’t know that I figured out Lina’s the one behind maintaining the cameras. If I get her to come in and confess, then that’s evidence I can use against Leanna.”
“Blackmail the blackmailer. I like it.”
Adam enters the office carrying a small box and places it on the desk. “I installed the camera in the kitchen corner by the sliding door, which captures the great room. It has up to ten hours of recording footage where you can access the video on the phone app.”
Kylo nods. “I won’t need that much. Lina’s arriving in two hours, and I’ll need to be alone with her. If you can, I’d appreciate it if you’d stay here with Sadie tonight while I meet with Leanna.”
“I’ll be here. No worries.”
Standing, Kylo walks toward him to shake his hand. “There are only a few people I trust. Thank you for being one of them.”
“Just doing my job, boss,” Adam says, patting his shoulder before leaving the room, and I stand next.
“I’ll talk to my pops about leaving early. Then I’ll be back so we can go over a well-thought-out plan.”
“Thanks.” He leans against the desk, sighing as he rubs his face.
“Hey.” I draw him in for a quick hug, then look him in the eyes, holding the back of his head. “You got this. Alright?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. See you in a bit.”
Leaving the office, I get on the road, drive to the mill, and park next to Dad’s Porsche. My truck’s not in the lot, and I sigh, heading inside, already knowing why. Gwyneth looks at me, lifting her brows.
“Lennox didn’t expect you’d show up today.”
“I know. I’ve been away for longer than I said. Where’s my pops?”
She sighs and lifts her shoulder. “Where else?”
“Are Kevin and Leonel with him?” I ask while clocking in.
“They are, but your father has been working alone, not taking a break to the point he has a hard time catching his breath when he gets back into the office.”
I quicken my steps to the locker room, throw on my gear, grab Dad’s keys, and get out the door in less than a minute, hoping into the Porsche to drive to the field. Dust clouds fill the air as I park next to my truck, walking toward the buzzing in the distance—Bones is leaning against a tree and perks up when he sees me.
“How long has he been out here?”
“I’m not sure. The last couple of days, he’s been here before me. Already got a dozen trees down, trimmed, ready for loading.”
“He’s gonna put himself in an early grave.” I pat his shoulder, walking toward Dad as he’s breathing hard, wiping sweat off his forehead with his shirt, then look up at the tree with the saw motor rumbling inside the trunk. “You gonna take that saw out while you’re not using it?”
Dad glances at me with a raised brow and then returns to the tree. “You gonna stand there and tell me how to fell a tree? Or pick up a saw and get to work? Last I checked, my son, hasn't been here to get the job done.”
“Alright, I get it. Go take a break, and I’ll finish this one.”
Kevin walks toward us, sweeping sawdust off his shoulders. “Hey, Lex. Long time no see. How was Italy?”
Dad’s eyes widen before he narrows them at me. “Italy? You’re telling me you've been gone all week because of a vacation? Not the doctor saying you need time off because your knee gave you hell?”
My knee hasn't bothered me for months, a slight ache here and there, but nothing close to what it was when Dad worked me to the bone. “What was I supposed to say? You'd always give me hell for taking time off.”
He strides up to me, scowling. “The past eight months, you've been taking time off, distracted, coming to work late, not showing up. What's gotten into you?”
“Life! That's what's happening to me. Something I didn't have before meeting my wife.”
His face turns redder. “Wife? What are you talking about? You have a wife?”
