AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You love her, don’t you, son?” Maverick told his dad that he loved her with all his being. “I’m so happy for you. To be honest, I worried that you’d not find someone to love. You’re so…well, in the words of Jade, you were kind of stiff about life. I think that has to do mostly with you being a nerd.”
They both laughed. Dad had been calling him a nerd since he’d been a boy. But he’d worn it like a badge of honor. And because of his nerdiness, he’d kept his family in money that they’d never spend in all their lifetime.
“I was just thinking about this house. Are you breaking even on it, you think? You know that I considered it for the foundation, so I’m wondering if I passed up a great deal or not.” For the first time in his life, he told his dad that it didn’t matter to him if he broke even or spent a fortune on the house. Grace loved it, too. “Then that’s answer enough for me. I’m proud of you, Maverick. You’ve found something that you love, and you’re sparing no expense in making her the happiest person she can be. However, it’s hard to tell sometimes if she’s happy or not. She…well, she’s not shy about just saying what’s on her mind, is she?”
Hugging his dad, he felt good. Taking his dad out to the deck that had been finished just this morning, they both loved it. He told his dad that he was going to have a fence put around the pool that was back there in the early spring.
“I’d just like to get the house done now. I’d love to be in it by the holidays. However, I have to admit, I don’t know if that’s going to be possible right now.” Dad told him that he thought that he’d have plenty of time. “You think? I hope so. It’s a grand old house, as you said but I find that I’m having fun, though stressed about watching it come together.”
“Where is your lovely Gracie today? I thought she’d be here watching over every step of the process.” He told him what she was doing. “That’s right. Your mom told me that she was going shopping with the girls. I don’t know why I didn’t think about Gracie being with them. I have to get used to her being around. Do I, son?”
“I hope so. She’s always pushing me away, mostly due to her uncle, but we’re getting around that, too. I’m glad that she’s out of the hospital, and I promised her that I’d try my best not to fall on her anymore. I still feel bad about hurting her again. But she just smacks me around a bit, and that’s the end of it.” Dad asked him if he had any more information on Bradon. “Just what you knew. When I was at the hospital yesterday, Barkley bought me in some clean clothes and told me that he’s not made bail because there is a problem with Bradon’s accounts. I didn’t know that Jade had the power to put a hold on people’s accounts. Makes me a little more afraid of her now.” Dad told him that it was Jenson who did that and had the FBI looking into the man’s crimes. “You were able to use the information that Grace gave you, I’m assuming. I’ll have to tell her. She thinks that her uncle is going to come after us. And I was…I hurt her feelings because I was being so casual about it. I told her that I’d take the man’s threats more seriously from now on.”
There was a commotion going on in the front of the house where the dining room was being stretched out. They decided that the room was large but really not large enough to hold his family if they came over. Building out and putting in some large windows made the room seem about three times the size that it had been. He couldn’t believe it when the family was back again when he went to see what was going on.
He knew their names now. The woman who seemed to be in charge, her name was Carol. The others, while knowing their names, he didn’t know which was which. He really didn’t think that it mattered all that much since Carol seemed to be the only one who spoke. The other three, all men, just nodded when she was speaking, like they had been trained to do so.
“You had us arrested.” He said that he did, and if they caused him any more trouble he was going to do it again. “Look. I think you got off on the wrong foot with us. You just stop this nonsense that is going on, and we’ll call it even. Like I said before, the only reason that we couldn’t buy the house back from the bank was because of the taxes. Now that you’ve paid them off, we can all live here as one big happy family.”
“No.” Maverick was sure as soon as he said that to her that she’d never been told no before. Her face, ruddy looking anyway, took on a purple hue that made him think that she was going to have a stroke or something. But she let out a long breath, counted to ten out loud, and asked him what he meant. “No, as in, I’m not moving out. I’m not going to stop the work being done on this place and I plan on raising my own happy family here. I don’t know why you think that it’s all right with me that I put the money in this place, and I’m just going to walk away.”
She turned and looked at her brothers, who, of course, were nodding again. When she turned back to him, he could see the confusion on her face. He had no idea what he’d said that she didn’t get, but he was willing to bet that she’d let him know what it was.
“You’re not going to leave here? I mean, I was nice. I didn’t hit you or anything. That at least should count for something, don’t you think?” He just stared at her. Wondering once again what on earth she was thinking. “Look. Like I said, you’ve gotten on the wrong side of us. And we’re willing to let that go as milk under the bridge. You just get out now, and I won’t have to slap you around. And don’t think I won’t because of you being a man. I’ve kept these three in line all these years, so you’ll be a piece of cake. You’re sort of a pretty boy, aren’t you? I’m thinking that being as pretty as you are, you might have gotten your head up your ass and think that whatever you want is all right. I’m here to tell you that I’m not a pushover. You’ll do as you’re told and do it now. I don’t have time to be fucking around with you.”
Instead of dealing with her, he turned away and pulled out his cell phone. Just as he was thinking it was wrong to turn his back on a crazy person, he stepped forward and turned around. She had a baton like the police carried out and had swung at him. Surely, she would have hit him if he’d not turned when he did.
Almost as soon as he recognized that he might well be in trouble with the older woman, she had been tackled to the ground by one of the men working around the house. The other three didn’t seem to understand that their mouthpiece had been tackled, so they, too, laid on the ground, watching every move that the woman made and copying it. The police department answered the phone just as he was ready to hang up.
“Joey, I have a problem here.” He said that his dad had called them, and they were nearly there. “Thank you. She tried to hit me with a baton. One of the men working here probably saved me a great deal of damage by taking her to the ground.”
He closed the connection when three cruisers pulled up his long drive. It wasn’t until he saw the woman put into cuffs that it occurred to him how much damage she could have done to him. Sitting down, more like flopping to the ground, he had his head between his knees when his dad asked him if he was all right.
“I think she meant to kill me.” Dad said that he was all right now. “Dad, I don’t know what would possess a person to think that killing someone is worth doing for a fucking house.”
Dad laughed a little, but he was nervous too. It occurred to him that he had cursed while talking to his dad, but he felt the time warranted it. Christ, he just wanted to have Grace at his side right now. Holding his hand, he thought.
The four of them were arrested, and it seemed like the attempted murder was going to keep them there for a while. Joey did ask him if he was going to press charges and Dad answered for him, telling him that he’d bring him down himself. Thankful for his dad more than ever before, Maverick just nodded. He knew that was the best way to handle a crazy person like Carol Loren was.
While at the police station, Grace called him. She was talking so fast about the shopping that was going on that he had to sigh a little. He’d never heard her so worked up and was glad as he gathered that she was having a good time. Apparently, they all were, if their laughing in the background was any indication.
However, now that they were having lunch, she finally got a chance to call him. He told her what had happened at the house, knowing that she’d find out somehow, and he didn’t want her to be upset with him for not telling her. He didn’t even try and make it seem less scary, telling her that he’d taken her advice to heart and moved in time to not be hurt.
“I’m so glad that you were smarter than she was. Not that it seems like that would be a big challenge. Like you said, who murders for a house?” Maverick told her that he loved her, and she told him that she did him as well. Not the actual words but she did echo his statement. That made him feel a good deal better, no matter how she told him.
“Are you guys having dinner in town? I was thinking that I’d get the others gathered up and find us some manly meal together. Maybe a drink or two. And by that, I mean soda rather than just iced tea.” She said that she didn’t know just yet as they seemed to be stuffing the car with purchases. “I hope you’re getting you something, too. Something that I can imagine taking off of you.”
She giggled. It was the first time that he’d ever heard her do that, and he realized that he wanted to hear it more often. Like every day. He was going to make her so happy that she was giddy all the time.
“Jade wants to know if you guys want to meet us in town and have dinner together. There is a restaurant in the downtown area that just opened up. It’s Mediterranean food. I’ve never had it but it sounds good, don’t you think?” He said that was perfect and he’d bring his dad. “Good. I was hoping that he was going to be hanging out with you. Sherm is with his other grandda, I was told, so if you want to bring them along, let me know. We’re going to be making reservations for about six o’clock if that works for you guys.”
“I’ll make it work.” Since it was just past noon now, he thought they had plenty of time to get in touch with the others. “I’ll see you tonight, love. Have fun and spend whatever you want.”
He’d given her his credit cards before she’d left. Hoping that she’d not have any trouble with them, he had called the bank and let them know that Grace was using them. They said that they’d print her up some duplicates so that she’d be all right. He was hoping that she’d not mind that he had them say Grace Strong on them.
Maverick couldn’t believe how lucky he was feeling. Just by having someone in his life that loved him. Someone to share the rest of his life with. He couldn’t have been happier than he was right now, he thought.
Chapter 4
