Page 73 of Smoke Screen
Ash held his hands wide. “I’m sorry. We’re in the middle of the …” He cut his eyes to Maddy, then back to Mom. “… a case. As soon as we close it, I’ll come out for a long weekend.”
Mom set the skillet in the sink, then turned back to Ash. “Fourth of July weekend? The Steeles are doing a barbecue. We’re all invited, and I’d like my boys there.”
Phin had forgotten about that party. Half of Steele Ridge usually showed up. It was still weeks away, but Phin needed to prep early. Wrap his mind around gossips staring at them, snickering about the sketchy Blackwell brothers. None of those townies knew squat about what they did.
Rumors ran fast and deep and it seemed most, like that weasel Blakely, considered them common thieves.
Hell, BARS had recovered more than $10 million in assets in the last three months. They had nothing to be ashamed of and yet, Phin still felt it. That burn. The sickness tearing his intestines apart.
“As long as this case is wrapped, it’s a date.” Ash slid his phone from his front pocket. “I’m putting it on my calendar right now.”
“Go, Mom,” Phin cracked. “You made the calendar.”
“Thank you,” Mom said. “I hate putting pressure on you.ButI need to see my son for more than an hour every once in a while.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Ash headed out of the kitchen and Mom smacked the faucet on, going to work on the skillet with the force of a jackhammer.
“Phin,” she said, “what’s your plan today?”
“Going into Charlotte to talk to someone.”
“The stockbroker?”
His mother. Never missed a trick. “He’s more asset management, but yes. That’s him.”
“Could I ride along?”
This from Maddy, who’d obviously left her good sense on her pillow. Uh, no, she couldn’t ride along. She’d stay right here behind the gate where reporters couldn’t hound her.
“Not a good idea,” Phin said. “You’re supposed to be staying out of sight. Eventually, the press will find you. Especially now that the feds know you’re here.”
“Ash would never leak that,” Mom said.
“Ash isn’t who I’m worried about.” He turned back to Maddy, circled his hand toward her mane of curly hair that she’d regrettably harnessed into a hair tie. “You’re easily recognizable.”
“Do you have a baseball cap I could borrow? I’ll wear sunglasses and stay in the car. Please, I’d like to get out a little.”
She hit him with the puppy eyes and … toast. That’s what he was. Dang it. Why did she have to look at him that way?
He had to be strong here. Not let her get to him. She needed to hunker down. “I won’t be gone long. If you stay here, you’re free to walk around. Explore the property.”
Maddy slid her gaze to Mom, then back again. “I … um.” She faced Mom this time. “This is going to sound bad.”
Phin laughed. “If you knew my mother better, you’d know she’s almost unoffendable.”
“Smart ass,” Mom said. “However, he’s right. We like truth around here.”
“I feel … stuck,” Maddy said. “Not here, but the circumstances. I hate not being able to go places and do my normal things. None of that is available to me.”
Mom peeled her gaze from Maddy, and Phin knew he was completely screwed by some weird female bonding.
“Give her a hat and take your Audi.”
The one with the tinted windows dark enough to be legal, but still restrict the view inside the car. “Now you’re taking her side?”
“Not at all,” Mom said. “Iam,however,trying to see all angles. Just like I did with Ash a few minutes ago.”
