Breath of Scandal (48 page)

"I'll call my mom from the garage and tell her I'm running late," he said with a sudden burst of inspiration. "Sure, if you think it's necessary." Neal glanced across

at him. "Does she still go out to the Parker place every now and then?"

"Where?" "The Parker farm." "I don't know."

"Oh. I've seen her out there and thought she might have mentioned it."

"I know she's buying property for her company," Graham offered, trying to be helpful.

"She's a regular go-getter, isn't she?"

Taking that as a compliment, Graham responded with a happy smile. "She sure is."

When they reached the garage, a man in greasy overalls sauntered out to greet them. He smiled at Mr. Patchett, revealing three snuff-stained teeth. While he fixed the flat, he invited them to wait inside the office, where it was cool.

Graham followed Neal into the cluttered office. It was Only marginally cooler than outside and reeked of an overflowing ashtray, axle grease, and motor oil. Graham would have found it unpleasant if he hadn't been stupefied by the glowingly naked girl on the wall calendar. He hadn't realized that nipples could be that big and red, or pubic hair dMt lush and dark.

"There's the phone if you want to call your mother."

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Graham wasn't actually doing anything wrong, but he felt too iniquitous to speak to his mother right then. Besides, he didn't want Neal Patchett, who was supercool, to think he was a geek.

" Naw - It's cool -

Neal kissed his fingers and patted the calendar girl's round behind. I I She's something, isn't she? When I was your age, I used to come here just so I could ogle the calendars - Later, I bought my rubbers here. Quicker than the drugstore, YOU know. There's a vending machine in the bathroom yonder if you ever need some in a hurry."

Speechless, Graham tore his eyes away from the calendar to gape at Neal.

"YOU know what rubbers are, don't you, boY9Graham nodded stupidly, then cleared his throat and his vision, and said, "Hell, yes, I know what rubbers are."

-I figured you must. How old are you anyhow?"

it was flattering that Mr, Patchett talked to him as one man to another. Proudly, he stated, "I'll be fifteen my next birthday

"And when's that?"

"November twenty-seventh."                                 wide Neal gazed at him for a moment, then broke into a smile. "Around Thanksgiving,"

,,It,s on Thanksgiving every seven years."

"Imagine that. Well, what'll you have to drink?" He opened a cold-drink machine, the likes of which Graham had never seen before. it was a chest of refrigerated air. The bottles stood in rows formed by a metal grid.

Neal banged on the drawer of the cash register, and it flew open. He scooped out a handful of coins. Graham stared down at the money, then nervously glanced through the window. "Won't he mind?"

,,He Owes my daddy too many favors to mind. Don't worry about it. What'll you have to drink?"

Graham looked for something familiar among the rows of bottle caps. "Do they have Dr. Pepper?"

"Dr. Pepper? Doesn't look like it. Grapette, Orange Nehi, Big Red, and Chocolate Soldier."

"Chocolate Soldier? What's that?"

"Are you telling me that you've reached the ripe old age of fourteen without ever drinking a Chocolate Soldier?" Neal's incredulity made Graham feel gauche, yet self-

defensive. "In New York we drank egg cremes. You buy them from street vendors. "

Neal pushed two quarters into the money slot. "Egg crem0 Now if that doesn't sound Re something a Yankee would drink, I'll pay for lying."

The Chocolate Soldier was delicious. Mr. Patchett offered to treat him to another, but he declined. He was worried about the time. "How much longer do you think it'll be before the flat is fixed?"

"Looks like he's finishing up now." Neal opened the door for him and they moved into the service bay. Graham was relieved that they would soon be on their

way. "I'm supposed to be there by now. If I'm late, my mom gets mad."

"Well," Neal drawled, "you know how women are. They get their panties in a wad over the least little thing." Companionably, he clapped Graham on the shoulder.

"Stop giving me the same tired excuses you give your other clients." Jade smiled into the telephone receiver. "When will you have something to show me?"

"You should know better than to pressure an artist," Hank Arnett said. "Pressure stifles creativity."

"When? I don't want to take the proposal to our friend George until I can bowl him over with your drawings." Jade's plans to buy the plantation house for GSS were

still in place. Hours had been spent on long-distance phone calls to Hank. He had Red the idea from the outset, but said he couldn't commit himself until he saw pictures of what he had to work with. Jade had made arrangements with the realtor to get inside the house. The Polaroids she had taken were currently with Hank. He claimed to be toying with some ideas. She was impatient to see them.

"In all modesty, a few of my watercolors would be a

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persuasive bonus," he conceded. "As you know, George is crazy about my stuff."

"So get off your duff and do them." "Give me two more weeks."

"Ten days."

"You nag worse than Deidre," he complained.

"Your wife is no less than an angel, Speaking of which, how are my twin goddaughters?"

Dillon came into her office just as she was hanging up the telephone. "You look happy."

"I was talking to Hank."

"Does he always make you smile like that?" he asked sourly.

"Sometimes." He harrumphed sarcastically. He'd been in a foul mood ever since the torrential rains, which had turned the construction site into a hazardous quagmire. Dillon had finally relented and called a stop to the excavation until the weather cooperated and the ground dried out.

The delay had created an understandable glitch in his schedule. He was the only one who considered that unacceptable and was now driving himself and everyone else to the limit to make up for the lost time. He smiled even less frequently than before. Today, his disposition was especially truculent.

There was a wedge-shaped sweat stain on the front of his tank top. His boots and jeans were dusty. He had left his hard hat outside, but not his sunglasses. He was twirling them by the stem. Rather than looking like an idle, relaxed gesture, it conveyed pent-up frustration. His lips were firmly clamp beneath his mustache.

He hadn't touched her since that day at the deserted plantation house. Their conversations were kept strictly to business. Nevertheless, what he had said before they parted company was still very much on Jade's mind. If she doubted the resolution behind his, "No way," all she had to do was look into his eyes now.

"Did you want to see me about something in particular, Dillon?"

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"Yeah, dinner." "Excuse me?"

"Dinner. Let's have dinner."

"Fine. I'll call Cathy. I'm sure she won't mind setting an extra place."

"That's not what I'm talking about. " He approached her desk. "Let's go to dinner together. You and I alone." "You mean like a date?"

"Exactly like a date." "When?"

"Soon.- "Why?91 "Why not?"

Their eyes made sizzling contact.

lade raised a hand to her throat and fiddled with the broach she had pinned there. He planted his fists, knuckles down, on the edge of her desk and leaned across it. "Well?" he asked crossly. "Is there something wrong with us having dinner together? Or don't you like it if the man is the one who's buying?"

She took affront at that. There was a distinct chill in her voice when she said, "I'll check with Cathy and see which night would be best for her to stay with Graham. Then I'll-" She broke off and stood up suddenly. "Dillon, is Graham here yet?"

"I don't think so."

"You haven't seen him?"

"Not today. Not since he got sick, in fact. Were you expecting him?,,

She rounded her desk and rushed to the door of the trailer, throwing it Open. Loner was dozing in the shade on the step. He raised his head and regarded her indifferently. If Graham were around, no matter how hot it was, Loner would be tagging after him, not napping in the shade. She scanned the immediate area but saw no sign of Graham or his bicycle.

"What time is it?" She was surrounded by clocks and was wearing a wristwatch; her question was reflexive. "Going on five. Why?"

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Sidestepping Dillon, she returned to her desk and picked up the telephone. "It's been over an hour since Graham called me," she said as she punched out her home phone number. "He should be here by now."

"Maybe he didn't leave right after he called."

She shook her head. "He was chomping at the bit to get here before the crew knocked off for the day.... Hi, Cathy. Is Graham there?" Hearing the dreaded answer, her fingers tightened around the telephone cord. "Yes, I know he called, but he's not here yet."

"What did she say?" Dillon asked when Jade hung up. "Exactly what I was afraid she would say. He left as soon as he called. Cathy was standing right there. She waved him off. She's leaving now on her way here to see if she spots him along the way."

"Maybe one of his friends waylaid him."

"He's conscientious. He knew I was expecting him. He would be here ... unless something has happened to him. " Dillon caught her by the shoulders as she dashed toward

the door again. "Jade, he's fourteen years old. Boys that age are easily distracted and lose track of time. Graham can take care of himself. Don't panic."

"He's too afraid that this privilege will be revoked to waste time getting here. Something's happened to him." She worked her shoulders out of his grasp and left the portable building. She had no specific plan in mind. She was propelled by adrenaline to act, to move, to locate Graham immediately.

"Where are you going?9

"To look for him." She climbed into her Cherokee. "You can't go chasing around ain-dessly," he argued. "If he shows up, how will we know where to find you?" "Let's worry about finding him first."

As she was reaching to close the door, she spotted the El Dorado turning in off the highway. Recognizing it instantly, she sprang from her car.

Before Neal had even come to a full stop, Jade had her hand on the passenger door, pulling it open. "Graham!" Her knees almost buckled with relief. She drew him out of

the leather seat and wrapped her arms around him. Loner ran in crazy Circles around them, barking gleefully until Dillon ordered him to settle down.

"Mom, You're smothering me," Graham muttered with adolescent embarrassment.

Holding his shoulders between her hands, she thrust him at arm's length away from her. "Where have you been?" "My bike had a flat on the way. Mr. Patchett picked me

up and took me to the garage to get it fixed, then we came straight here. "

She cast a murderous glance toward Neal, who was smiling at her from across the roof of his car. "You should have called me from the garage, Graham. "

"I didn't think about it," he mumbled. "Where's your bike now?" Dillon asked him.

141t,s in my trunk." Neal moved to the rear of his car and used his key to open the trunk. Loner was sniffing at him suspiciously.

Dillon pulled the bike out and said a terse, "Thanks." "Don't thank him," Jade spat out viciously, almost too angry to speak.

"Mom, he gave me a ride."

She wanted to shake Graham very hard for jumping to Neal's defense. To keep herself from doing that, she held her arms rigidly at her sides and dug her nails into her Palms until they hurt. "You know better than to accept a ride from a stranger, Graham."

"But he's not a stranger. You know him. And he knows You. I thought it would be all right."

"You thought wrong!" "Jade. "

"Shut up, Dillon. This is my affair. I'll handle it." "Well, you're doing a damn poor job of it."

Cathy prevented any further discussion when she sped up in her car. She hastily alighted. "You had your mother and me scared out of our wits, Graham Sperry. Where have you been?"

Jade said, "He'll tell you all about it on your way home." "Home?" Graham wailed. "I have to go home?"

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Jade gave him a hard look that squashed any further argument. Even Cathy didn't dare pose another question. She threw her arm across Graham's shoulders and walked him to her car.

As soon as they were on their way, Jade rounded on Neal. "I ought to have you arrested."

"You threatened that once before, but chickened out, remember? When are you going to learn, Jade, that if you take me on, you can't possibly win?"

"Stay away from my son. If you harm him, I'll kill you." "Harm him?" Neal asked silkily. "Why would I harm my own flesh and blood?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Dillon demanded, taking a threatening step toward Neal. Sensing his master's shift in mood, Loner began to growl.

Neal wasn't intimidated by either. "I'm that boy's daddy. Didn't Jade tell you?"

"That's not true!" she shouted.

"Should I call the sheriff's office or handle him myself?" Dillon asked her.

Neal taunted, "Yeah, Jade. What do you want him to do? Do you want him to stick around and hear all the sordid details of our long-ago romance? If he's the one keeping your snatch damp these days, I'm sure he'd be interested."

"You lousy son of a bitch." Dillon was ready to throw a punch, but Jade stepped between the two of them.

"No, Dillon. That's what he wants you to do. I've seen it happen before. Leave me alone with him."

"Like hell," Dillon snarled, still straining to get his hands on Neal.

"Please, don't argue with me."

His eyes roved over her face as though he couldn't comprehend her at all. Then, cursing, he stomped into her portable office and slammed the door behind him.

"Call off this stupid animal," Neal said.

Loner was still skulking around him, growling. She called him down. "Say what you have to say, Neal."