Blown Away (2010) by Sala Sharon

Author:Sala, Sharon [Sharon, Sala,]
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA
Published: 2011-01-14T19:08:42.515000+00:00

Lance bolted from the church, carrying a box of desserts that one of the women had handed him as he’d taken his leave. He needed to find Joe and get home before Hershel Porter found him. But when he searched the parking lot, he soon realized it was too late. His brother was already head-to-head with the chief beside their car.

“Son of a bitch,” Lance muttered. “I do not need this.”

At least there was no way anyone could put Ball in his house, although he couldn’t deny his own connection to the man’s boss. He still believed that the tornado had been God’s way of cleaning the slate for him, and that all he had to do was live a virtuous life to pay for it. He was perfectly willing to comply. He just needed people to back off and butt out.

For that to happen, he had a part to play, and he told himself no one could do it better. He made a mental shift from aggravation to concern, combed his fingers through his hair because he knew the tousled look added to his boyish charm, and strode toward the two men with purpose in every step.

“Joe. Here you are. I’ve been looking all over for you. I need to get home and tend to the animals.” Then he smiled at the chief. “Chief. It was kind of you to come pay your respects.”

Hershel Porter responded as Lance had expected, right down to the nod and handshake before taking off his uniform hat and scratching his head.

“So, you know we were out on your property today.”

Lance cupped the box of desserts against his belly as he leaned against the car. He looked like he was settling in for a friendly visit.

“Yes, Joe said you’d called.”

“Here’s the deal,” Hershel said. “We got a report from the Chicago Police Department about a man named Austin Ball who went missing on his way to Morgan’s Reach.”

Lance frowned. “Joe mentioned something about that, although I don’t believe I know anyone by that name. Did they say what he was doing down here?”

“He was on business for a man named Dominic Martinelli.”

“Oh! I do know Mr. Martinelli.”

“As we learned,” Hershel said. He wondered how Lance Morgan had managed to go through the family fortune in such a short time, but when he saw the angry look on Joe Morgan’s face, he kept his comments to himself. “At any rate, when he didn’t come home, his wife filed a missing person’s report.”

Lance hoped he was nodding in all the appropriate places. He wouldn’t look at Joe. No, he couldn’t look at Joe. Joe had always known when he was lying.

“But why were you looking for him at Morgan’s Reach, if he never arrived?”

“Well, that’s not exactly true,” Hershel said.

Lance’s heart skipped a beat. Before he could think what to say next, Joe filled in the blanks.

“That car they found on the back side of the place, the one that got dumped in a tree by the tornado…they think it’s Mr.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.