He didn’t know what that was about but he did know that Tanner’s wife, Merry’s sister Raquel Merrick Layne was a bit of a nut so it could be about anything. A teacher at the school, a cop’s daughter and sister, an ex-cop/current private investigator’s wife, Rocky Layne tended to stick her nose in shit.
It turned out to be good she did. Though he could say that removed since she wasn’t in his bed. She’d stuck her nose in the situation The ‘Burg had with a dirty cop in the Department and an adolescent sex ring recruiting through the local church. Mike couldn’t say she assisted much in that situation but her getting into that business lit some fires under a few asses in order to keep her safe. This meant shit happened faster than it would have, something that ended up saving three young girls from a lifetime of pain.
As he waited for Rocky and his eyes skimmed the will, his thoughts moved over the last two days.
Mike had had his Sunday with his woman and his Sunday night with his woman, his kids, his girl’s new boyfriend and a DQ ice cream cake. Aside from Audrey’s visit, it was a fucking good day. His best in a while.
Before that, wasteland for nearly eighteen years.
So it was safe to say Sunday being a fucking good day was something Mike Haines savored.
Mike was settling into Fin being around. He was doing this because he liked the way Fin was with his girl. And the way Fin was, gentle, watchful, intent, Mike sensed was not for Mike’s benefit. Perhaps this game was how Fin got his hands in a number of high school girls’ pants and Mike could see that play working and working well. But as much as he wanted to guard his girl against that kind of game, his gut told him there was something genuine about it.
What Mike knew well was that Fin was a Holliday. Darrin played the field and got himself some but the minute he locked on Rhonda that shit died. Completely. Darrin had found Rhonda after he graduated from high school but Mike now saw the same coming from Fin.
This was a new concern. His daughter was fifteen. She didn’t need some kid fixing on her. And although he didn’t want years of dealing with a revolving door of boyfriends who could be losers or assholes, he had to admit he wasn’t entirely comfortable with Reesee fixing on Fin either.
But even so, Mike couldn’t say some part of him didn’t like it.
Monday night went as expected. Dusty’s Dad, Dean Holliday was beyond pissed at Debbie and regardless of the veil of grief that still hung at the Holliday farm, he didn’t mind showing it.
This was because his anger was mixed with alarm. Dean Holliday knew his firstborn daughter and undoubtedly knew she could be both stubborn and resentful. Not a good combination. Dean had also found time to share with Dusty and Mike that he’d called Debbie repeatedly since being let in on the situation and she was not backing down.
Further, Dean knew Bernie McGrath and Mike providing the information McGrath was involved did not help Mr. Holliday’s mood. Taking Mike aside, Dean had shared that Darrin had informed him that McGrath had made five approaches since his Dad left the state.
This didn’t surprise Mike. The development on the opposite side of the farm to Mike’s was one of McGrath’s. It was pricey and extensive. It was also relatively new, having gone in five years before. With the housing estates in the area surrounding the Holliday farm, a shopping area would thrive. Grocery store, video store, pizza place, shit like that would do lucrative business just from the local residents who would no longer have to drive ten, fifteen minutes into town and fight traffic in The ‘Burg during times of congestion. Also the Holliday farm was bigger than any shopping center needed for a build so there was plenty of leftover space to put in another development that would mean more customers for the center.
McGrath would be all over that. Mike knew it and Dean knew it too.
Before they had their private chat, both Mike and Dean gave Fin, Kirb and Rhonda their warnings. At this time in their lives, neither man wanted to alarm them but the point had to be made.
Twenty-four hours later, Mike still wondered if what they said penetrated Rhonda. Even though he knew Dusty had been working with her, she seemed even more withdrawn. Fin and Kirby listened, Kirby taking his cues from his brother. With the intense look in Fin’s eyes, Mike knew Fin had fully absorbed this information, didn’t like it much but intended to be on guard not only for himself but for his family. Fin also eyed his mother on several occasions, his mouth tight, his impatience not hidden.
Another reason Mike knew Fin wanted more from his daughter was, during these times, Fin’s eyes would drift to Reesee and his face would relax. Reesee had become his touchstone during a shit time in his life. Whatever Finley Holliday saw in Clarisse Haines, it eased him.
And Mike couldn’t say he didn’t like that, not only his daughter’s capacity to give it but a grieving kid’s access to it.