“Right,” Fin grunted then asked, “What’s her curfew?”
Mike kept fighting his lips twitching and answered, “Nine on weekdays. Ten weekends but if you got a late movie or something, you let me know.”
Fin nodded.
Then he asked, “We done?”
“Yeah.”
Fin jerked up his chin and moved past Mike to the backdoor.
Mike stopped him by calling his name. Hand on the knob, Fin’s neck twisted and his eyes hit Mike.
“I knew your Dad and you two were tight so I figure you already know this. But I’m gonna say it anyway. The man you’ve become is a man other men will want to know. He would be proud, Fin.”
Fin stared in his eyes and quietly replied, “He already was. You’re right, he told me. A lot. And that’s why I am what you say I am.”
Jesus, this kid was sharp.
“Right,” Mike muttered.
“But,” Fin went on, “you’re a decent guy, a great Dad so you should also know that means somethin’ comin’ from you.”
And Jesus, this kid felt deep and had the balls to express it.
“Right,” Mike repeated on a mutter.
“Right,” Fin muttered back then kept muttering his, “later,” and he was gone.
Mike gave him a minute to disappear and then he followed, going out the door and heading to the barn.
Dusty had music on low, her ass on her stool and was slapping a wad of clay on her wheel but her eyes were on him. Layla jogged up to him and butted him with her nose.
When he got close she asked, “How’d that go?”
He had also told her why he wanted to talk to her nephew.
He stopped, bent and gave his dog a head rub.
“Better than I expected,” he answered. “A lot better.”
She grinned up at him and declared, “I love my nephew.”
Mike grinned back.
Then he told her, “Goin’ to the gym.”
She nodded. He bent and gave her a quick kiss. Then he twisted and gave his dog a rubdown.
Then he ordered, “Stay.”
Layla didn’t stay. She trotted off deeper into the barn, nose to the ground, discovering.
Mike’s gaze slid through Dusty, she grinned at him again, he again grinned back then he walked out of the barn, across the field, into his house and up the stairs to change for the gym.
*
The next Friday afternoon…
“Fuck you, Mike.”
This was Debbie’s charming greeting.
Mike leaned back in his desk chair and guessed, “I take it you had your sit down with Mr. Glover.”
“Fuck…you,” she replied.
“You droppin’ the suit?” he asked.
No answer.
“Debbie,” he prompted.
“Yes,” she hissed.
“We gonna have any further problems with you?”
“Uh…sorry, Mike, that farm is not worth getting disbarred.”
“Good to know,” Mike returned. “Somethin’ else, that shit is not goin’ away. It’ll stay buried but you fuck with Dusty, Rhonda, those boys, any of that family or that farm in any way you can, it sees the light of day and you face disbarment and jail time. This is not a threat, Debbie. You need to take me seriously because I’m being very serious.”
“I hear you,” she snapped.
“And, time goes by, you see that shit you pulled for the shit it was, you give it even more time. You scored some wounds that run deep. Not one single soul who shares your blood whose feet hit Indiana dirt wanna hear from you anytime soon. You give them that, no matter how much you want salvation.”
“I wouldn’t hold your breath for that,” she retorted.
He didn’t think so.
“We done?” she bit out.
They fucking were, thank God.
“Yep,” he answered.
She disconnected.
Mike hit a button on his phone and dropped it on his desk, his eyes going across it to Merry who was also on the phone.
“Yep,” Merry said into his phone. “Yep,” he repeated. “Got it,” he went on. “When’s this goin’ down?” He paused to listen. “Yep.” He said again, nodding to a person he couldn’t see. “Thanks for the info. Right. Thanks again. Later.”
He put his phone in the cradle and his eyes went to Mike.
“Seems our afternoon load just lightened, brother,” he announced.
They were heading out to visit with McGrath so Mike’s brows went up.
“How’s that?”
“Well, Fire and Building Safety have deemed a shopping center in Danville, a restaurant in Avon and a whole fucking housing development outside of Pittsboro unfit for use. Owners and occupiers are being notified. There’s a building inspector who’s bein’ picked up by IMPD for questioning for bribery and corruption. Danville PD and Hendrick’s County Sheriff’s Department both have obtained warrants for Bernard McGrath’s arrest. I think he’s gonna be too busy to have a chat with us.”
Mike grinned.
Merry grinned back.
“Better call Dusty and get her ass in the kitchen. She’s got a lotta cake bakin’ to do,” Merry remarked.
“Yeah,” Mike agreed.
“And I know someone, get you a fuckuva deal on one helluva bottle of Scotch for Devin.”
“Make the call, man,” Mike ordered.