Page 17 of Skin Game
“Har, har.” Gabe dropped his arms and turned to glare at the moving boxes visible through the passenger windows. They’d been packed long enough ago that Casey suspected the moving company was out of business and, by the look of the logo’s style, had been for at least thirty years.
“How do you want to do this?” Casey asked.
Gabe was quiet for a moment, then a more familiar mischievous glint lit up his eyes. “Gasoline would probably work best. A couple of gallons and poof! My problems would be solved.”
At last, a glimmer of his Charming Fucker. A man willing and ready to torch his problems with gasoline. And god help him, Casey loved him. Hadn’t said the words to Gabe yet, but the truth was there.
Gabe was probably just kidding, but in case he wasn’t?—
“You would regret not finding out what your mom thought was so important that she stored it safely with a friend and did her best to make sure it got to you at some point.”
Casey stepped in close to Gabe, his hands landing on his hips so he could tug him even closer. The bruise on Gabe’s forehead had darkened, making Casey wonder once again if he had a headache. Gabe would never admit it if he did. “Although I have to admit that the fact she made it happen after her death is a bit worrisome.”
“See! That’s what I’m talking about! And I didn’t tell you what happened yesterday morning!”
Casey lifted both eyebrows. “You mean something more than going one round with a tree and losing?”
“Yeah—”
The crackle of gravel interrupted them before Casey could ask him what exactly had happened. He dropped his grip on Gabe’s hips and twisted around to watch Elton’s truck pull in and stop behind Gabe’s Honda.
“How did he know we were back already?” demanded Gabe. He sounded a tad outraged, a bit more like his usual self.
“You’re the one who bought him a phone with tracking capabilities and spent hours teaching him how to use them,” Casey reminded him. “I’m sure he knew exactly where we were the entire day. And he did call, I just didn’t answer.”
The incident late last fall when Casey had been attacked up near Gordon McDonald’s place had finally convinced Elton to geta cell phone, and not just the burner one Gabe had picked up for him. The old man didn’t welcome all the “fancy interwebs shit,” but he did like to know where his family was. Casey wasn’t entirely sure howhe’dmanaged to slip from friend and into Elton’s family group, but he was fine with it.
They watched Elton let Bowie jump over his lap and out of the truck, then the man himself slowly emerged. Bowie raced over with a waggle and proceeded to give Casey and Gabe a good sniff over.
“Bowie probably smells all the bodies that woman had hidden down in that hellhole of a basement.” Gabe then huffed a hearty sigh, still watching Elton. “Fine, you’re right. I’ve created a monster teaching him how to use his phone.”
Elton started inching his way to the ground, and Gabe murmured, “The man seriously needs a ladder. Why haven’t we made that happen?”
“Or a vehicle that isn’t four feet off the ground,” Casey said out the side of his mouth.
“How was the trip?” Elton asked when he was closer.
“Fine,” Gabe lied, crossing his arms over his chest.
“It was—interesting,” Casey filled in. “We were just discussing next steps.”
“I’m all for ignitable petroleum products, but Casey says that a big no. Spoilsport.”
“That’s my middle name, Casey ‘Take the Fun Out of Everything’ Lundin.”
Elton’s eyebrows drew together. “There’s something that Heidi wanted you to have or at least know about. Aren’t you curious about what it is?”
“Of course, I’m curious. Am I breathing?” Exasperation dripped from Gabe’s tone. “But I’m also considering the Pandora’s box angle. Do I really want to open these? Also, why now? Why didn’t she get them to me when she was still alive?”
“What’s the worst that could happen?” Elton asked, ignoringthe unanswerable questions. He jammed his hands into the pockets of the puffy jacket Gabe had bought for him and walked toward the house.
“You ask this question like there aren’t multitudes of answers,” grumped Gabe toward Elton’s back. “And with my luck, I won’t like any of them.”
“Start unloading and I’ll get the coffee going.”
Keith must have been watching them through the window because Casey saw the cat jump away, presumably to hide under the couch or Gabe’s bed, as Elton used the key Gabe had given him to unlock the front door.
“You only like me for my fine espresso machine,” Gabe yelled after him.