Understanding flickers past Moe’s eyes. “We’re looking around. We’re asking some questions. Be patient.”
Ned always said that these guys don’t work with the police, even when it has no impact on them, out of principle. But at least they haven’t just forgotten about him. Unless Moe’s lying to me right now.
“What about this debt that Ned has with Sullivan? Do I have to worry about some asshole trying to take Black Rabbit from me?”
Moe turns and spears his son with a stern look. I’m guessing he wasn’t supposed to mention that. “It’s taken care of.”
I frown. “What does that mean?”
“It means that Sully ain’t seein’ another dime out of a gambling bet that didn’t cost him none anyway and he’s just gonna have to live with that. We made sure he gets it. Now leave it be!”
I bite my tongue from any snappy reply. Yelling at Bobby is one thing . . . “Thanks, Moe. Sorry about . . . this.” I wave a hand at the three guys still sitting on their asses in the gravel.
“Yeah, well . . .” Moe glances at them and starts to chuckle.
“I gotta get back to Ned’s house now. There’s a month’s worth of work there.” I grab Sebastian’s biceps and pull him back to his car before Bobby can get to his feet and take a run at him.
“You were supposed to stay at Dakota’s until I came,” Sebastian says evenly, though I hear the irritation hidden.
You were supposed to stay last night! “Ten o’clock didn’t work for me,” I say instead, calmly.
I attempt to move past him to my car but he grabs my arm, pulling me into him. I stand my ground, my heart racing. Daring him to say something confrontational about the fact that I disobeyed him. And struggling not to grin like an asshole with relief.
Sebastian came back.
His jaw clenches. “What did that guy tell you before I got here?”
“That Ned owed someone a lot of money and he was probably doing something stupid to earn it. I’m going to the house now.” I glare at him, and catch myself staring at his handsome features for too long.
He releases my arm and I march to my car, my mind spinning with possibilities. My insides filled with rage.
What did you get yourself into, Ned?
“We can’t put the house on the market like this,” Becca announces, peering down her nose at the pile of trash I’ve already swept up. “I just . . . I won’t do it.”
“We’ll get it cleaned up. I promise.”
She sighs. “Absolutely no insurance?”
“Nope.” I let the “p” pop in my mouth for emphasis. Becca—in her indigo pantsuit and white pearls and bleached blond hair pulled back in a professional bun—seems to know what she’s talking about, but she has still managed to irritate me in the fifteen minutes that she’s been here. I’m well aware of how bad this is, and yet she feels the need to keep telling me.
“When do you think it’ll be ready for my photographer?”
“When I call you to tell you that it’s ready.” I honestly don’t know how long it’s going to take to fix this mess. Weeks, maybe. And I don’t have weeks. The bills and mortgage payments on both the house and Black Rabbit need to be paid next week. Ian and I have pooled some money, but he has his own bills, and if I don’t work, I can’t make more money. And I can’t work if I’m here every day trying to fix all this.
Becca turns to Sebastian, her drawn-on brows raised in question, as if he may have a more suitable answer for her.
“We’ll see,” is all he says.
Sebastian hasn’t said a word to me since we parked outside the house and he snatched my house keys out of my hand. He led the way in through the front door and then disappeared, checking rooms and closets, climbing the steps, his giant frame somehow avoiding each creak, as if he already knows the house’s quirks.
“Fine. Let me know.” Dried macaroni crunches beneath her pumps as she picks her way along the floor and out the front door.