Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“Seemed very detailed for doodling,” she remarked, looking toward the door and seeing a sheriff’s deputy come swaggering inside.
The deputy appeared to look sixty with his shock of white hair until he drew closer to sit down next to Logan. Studying him up close, she subtracted about fifteen years from his age.
“Hello, may I help you?”
Logan spoke up. “This is my uncle Greer.”
“Greer Porter.” The deputy took his eyes off Logan’s plate long enough to introduce himself.
“Nice to meet you, Deputy Porter.”
“Greer will do.”
“Sophie,” she introduced herself.
“You Marty’s kin?”
“I was his daughter.”
“You know your old man was an asswipe?”
“Pretty much.”
“Nothing pretty about that bastard.”
Sophie was shocked at how he talked in front of the teenager.
“I can’t disagree with you.”
The deputy raised his eyebrows upward. “You can’t?”
“No, nor do I want to. I hadn’t seen my father for years before his death.”
“Lucky you. He made the town miserable just for wanting to eat one of his burgers. You cook as good as he did?”
“No,” she admitted.
Greer reached for the half-eaten burger on Logan’s plate and took a generous bite. “Give me a couple of those bad boys and a large fry.”
“What would you like to drink?”
“I’ll take a milk. Might as well leave the jug—I drink a lot.”
Bringing the gallon of milk to the counter with a glass, she refilled Logan’s before filling Greer’s.
She excused herself when she saw Greer finishing Logan’s burger and went back to the kitchen. It didn’t take long before she was back, placing the plates down on the counter.
“I didn’t order three.”
“It’s for Logan, to replace the one you ate.”
“I didn’t order it; does that mean it’s on the house?”
“Yes, if you can help me with a little problem I’m having.”
The sheriff deputy squirted a glob of ketchup onto his plate. “Lady, did Logan tell you, you can bribe me with food?”
“I didn’t—”
“Hush, boy.” Greer scowled at his nephew before he turned his gaze back to her. “It takes more than one burger to bribe me.”
“The burger wasn’t meant as a bribe. I was just going to ask for some advice.”
“Oh …” Greer’s expression became dejected. “What kind of advice?”
“A man come in here about an hour ago and told me my father owed him two hundred thousand dollars, and he wanted his money. Should I make a police report?”
Greer’s gaze turned cunning as he took a bite. “Is the burger on the house?”
“Yes.”
“Then yes, you should make the report. Do it tonight. Don’t wait until morning.”
Sophie started to feel scared again at the deputy’s serious tone. “You think I should be worried enough to make the report today?”
“Nah, I just don’t want to have to do the paperwork myself. Joel is a lazy bastard; it’ll give him something to do.”
She had heard of the expression dumbstruck but had never experienced it before.
Watching as the deputy ate the burger, unconcerned, while she was terrified of the man who wanted his money coming back left her speechless.
Logan, who had taken the extra burger and was eating it, placed it back down on the plate. “Uncle Greer, I think she’s afraid. Maybe you should take the paperwork or tell Knox.”
“She has nothing to be afraid of unless she has two hundred thousand in the safe out back.” Greer picked up two fries. “Do you?”
Sophie stared at him in dismay. “Of course not.”
“Then you should be good,” he said, eating his fries. “Whoever he is will at least wait till morning to get the money. By then, you’ll have made the report.”
“I couldn’t come up with that kind of money if he gave me fifty years.”
“Then you have a problem.” Greer started on his other burger. “Which I can help you with in the morning, or you close up when I’m done eating and mosey across the street.”
Gaping at him, she couldn’t believe this guy was a deputy. “Are you serious?”
“Listen up. I’ve been at work since six this morning. I’m tired, and when I get home, I’m going home to a house filled with youngins and their mamas expecting me to keep the little ones entertained so they can make dinner then help the older ones with their homework. If I stay late to do your paperwork, it’s going to upset the balance, and I have to go home to angry women who are going to bust my chops for working late.” Continuing to eat his food, he gave her a repentant stare.
“Women?” How had this guy found two women to live with him?
“My wife, Holly, and my brother Dustin’s wife, Jessie. We share a house. Wasn’t the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Logan made a face. “It was your idea.”
“Yeah, well, hindsight is foresight. I blame you on that score.”
Sophie stared at them quizzingly. “How do you blame him? He’s just a kid.”
“He’s fourteen—he’s a man.”
Sophie stared at the young man whom she had taken to be much younger. From Logan’s red cheekbones, he must have seen how surprised she was to learn his age.