Page 4 of Lawbreaker

“What sort of activism trashes historic art?” Odalie asked.

“The sort that wants to wipe out history altogether and start over.”

“But art is beautiful,” Odalie said, from her heart. “It’s the story of mankind in oils. It’s a legacy from the past. To even speak of destroying such treasures is...is... I can’t even think of the words!”

“Neither can I. So we have to go to Tony’s place this weekend and talk the man into selling the collection to Tony.”

Odalie ground her teeth together. “I guess I can stand a weekend around him, if I’m blindfolded and gagged.” She paused. “Is his mistress coming?” she asked, trying not to sound as if it bothered her.

“No,” Stasia said. “She doesn’t really like the Long Island house because Tony always hires horses. She’s deathly afraid of them.”

Odalie gave a silent thanks for that small mercy. Tony’s mistress was beautiful and even kind, Stasia told her once. She had a reputation for being snarky, but that was only when she was upset at something, and outbursts were rare. She sort of shared Tony and two other men. Why it didn’t bother Tony was something Odalie, who’d never indulged, couldn’t understand.

“Okay,” she said.

Stasia hesitated to put into words what she was really thinking. Was Odalie jealous of Tony? There was so much antagonism there that she truly wondered if there wasn’t a powerful emotion underneath it, and maybe even a mutual longing. Not that either of the two stubborn people would ever admit it. Not presently, anyway.

“I’m going to fly up Friday morning. Do you have a lesson then?” Stasia asked.

“No, my teacher has a doctor visit then.” She laughed. “He says he spends three hours in the waiting room every time. But the doctor spends a lot of time with all his patients, including him, so he doesn’t really mind. A lot of medicine these days is supermarket-style. Get in, get out, don’t talk, just listen.” Odalie sighed. “It’s not like that back home. Our doctor always has time for us. Up here, I just go to quick-care places if I ever have to. And it was only once, for a migraine.”

“Don’t eat chocolate,” Stasia said firmly. “Got that?”

Odalie hesitated. She grinned. “I might have a few chocolate-covered cherries Friday morning...”

“Don’t you dare!” came the reply. “I’m not spending my weekend looking after you instead of persuading Tony’s reluctant art collector!”

“I’d be okay in a few hours. I have medicine.”

“Your migraines last for three days,” Stasia replied knowledgeably, “and there goes my weekend.”

“Spoilsport.”

“There will be several handsome single men there,” Stasia said slowly.

“I don’t like men,” Odalie said shortly. “I like music. Specifically, opera. I didn’t study my whole life to give in to some man and be dangled like a participle.”

Stasia burst out laughing. “Oh, my gosh, what a description!”

Odalie chuckled. “I’ll copyright it first thing tomorrow.”

“Anyway, no chocolate, no aged cheese, no red wine before Friday,” Stasia added.

“Okay. I’ll restrain myself.”

“Good. I’ll see you Friday, then.”

“I’ll be there. Give Tanner and the family my love, and tell them I miss everybody!”

There was a pause. “Even Earl?”

“No! No, I don’t miss Earl!” she said, aghast. “Has Dad ever managed to show him what a bar of soap is for? At least it’s winter and cowboys won’t die if they get downwind of him!”

Stasia was laughing heartily. “I know. He’s like a human skunk. Your dad has tried everything he knows. Nothing works. Earl has the same jeans and shirt he’s been wearing for years, and not only will he not bathe, he won’t wash his clothes. He says they’ll just get dirty all over again!”

Odalie laughed, too. “We always have at least one oddball among the men. Dad gave him his own little cabin at least, so nobody has to live with the odor at night. He can’t fire him. Earl knows more about the ranch and how it’s managed than anybody alive, and there isn’t any situation he can’t handle. He’s worth his weight in gold. If he’d just bathe.”

“He needs a wife.”