Coastal Justice Box Set by Mark Stone

Author:Mark Stone [Stone, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sunday Dinner Press
Published: 2019-04-16T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 42

I must have fumbled with my tie ten times before I finally gave up and walked out into the living room of The Good Storm. My grandfather was in his usual position in his recliner. He shook his head as soon as he saw me, obviously deciphering what it was I wanted from him.

“You know,” he said, pulling his seat upright and standing to greet me. “There was a time when even children could do that.” He motioned to the scrap of red fabric around my neck. “I could tie a tie at six years old, and now look at the world. Clip-ons and casual Fridays have turned you all into a bunch of helpless crybabies.”

“I’ll be sure to bring that up when I get to the party,” I said as he walked toward me. His hands grabbed the fabric, and he started on it with all the deft of a surgeon practicing his craft. With him so close to me, I could see all the lines in his face. What was more, I could see how tired he was. The treatments were taking it out of him though, with any luck, they’d also save his life. I might not have been a crybaby, and I certainly wasn’t helpless, but that didn’t mean I didn’t need my grandfather. I did and, more than that, I wanted him around.

“I’m not sure why you’re even going to that party and don’t give me any of that ‘bonding’ crap. The newspapers might believe you’re getting along with that garbage half-brother of yours, but I know better.” He shook his head. “I know there’s something else going on here.”

“Good,” I said, blinking at him. “Then you also know that, if there were something else going on, I wouldn’t be able to tell you about it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, finishing up with the tie, pulling away from me, and staring at my neck and chest as he looked over his handiwork. “Lord knows you should have worked for the CIA.” He shook his head. “The nation’s secrets couldn’t have been in safer hands.”

I chuckled as a knock came on the door. “You look just fine,” my grandfather nodded. I saw his expression change as he registered the knock. His eyes steeled over as he looked at me. “You get that boy out of my house as quickly as you let him in. You understand me? I don’t care if he paid for it. A man who won’t recognize his responsibilities to a little boy like Isaac is not welcome in the same place as me.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, swallowing hard. I didn’t call my grandfather “sir” much, mostly because he didn’t like it. In times like these though, when he was so concretely against something I was doing, I figured it was a small respect I could pay.

“Good,” he said, giving me one last look over. I was like one of his busted-up cars or boats. He was checking me for leaks, busted radiators, and rotted hulls.

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