The Artful Bargain by Audrey Lynden

Author:Audrey Lynden [Lynden, Audrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780997340020
Publisher: Penske Publishing

Yanking his brother off a barstool wasn’t the welcome that Sinjin had wanted to give Angus. But with Claire and Orange-Mina sitting in the fifteen-minute waiting zone at the airport arrivals, he had no choice.

“Fuck, man. That’s a fresh gin and tonic,” Angus complained as Sinjin, clutching his shoulder, pushed him ahead to keep him moving forward. Angus had had enough time for several stiff cocktails. Sinjin decided to keep this bit of information away from his dad.

He bought a couple of bottles of water and handed them both to his brother.

“You have an hour to sober up.”

When the two men made it to the VW bus, Sinjin repositioned the art pieces in the van to accommodate another body directly behind the two front seats. As soon as Angus lay down, he mumbled something about the Mystery Machine and passed out.

“Claire.” Sinjin hopped behind the wheel. “Meet the actor extraordinaire, Angus Reid.”

“Damn, even stone-cold drunk and passed out, he’s a looker,” she said, gazing at the prone man beside her exhibit. “Do you think I should put one of the shipping blankets on to keep him warm?”

“No. Angus doesn’t deserve your empathy or sympathy. Vectors needs the protection. Much more worthy.”

He set up his phone to map the longest way back to Lake Bluff. “All right if we take the scenic route?”

“I’m not in any rush.” She pulled out folders and a pad of legal paper from her bag. “I have some ideas I want to jot down. Thanks for driving.”

“Anytime, Daphne.”

Sinjin drove, following his usual route between Milwaukee and Lake Bluff, by staying alongside Lake Michigan. They passed through small towns and local parks where the trees gleamed in bronze and gold foliage. In one park, the kids were crawling all over a bright red jungle gym. It reminded him of climbing across the monkey bars at Peace Park when his dad had first moved them to the States. The start of each new school year brought on a unique set of challenges. In order to cope with the annual stress, he’d climbed until his palms nearly blistered and grew dark outside. His dad, with a lot of patient cajoling, convinced him to come home for supper.

A groan came from behind his seat. “Drink the water, Angus.”

Claire glanced at him with an understanding smile.

When he pulled the van in front of Maxwell’s, he wasn’t surprised that the shop was lit up like a lighthouse. Sinjin was prepared, thanks to all of Julie’s aggravating text messages.

“Home sweet home?” Claire shoved all her papers back into her bag and hopped out of the van. “We really have to use the official Lafferty van next time.”

“Agree.” Sinjin checked on his brother, now snoring in the back of the van, and then looked up the quiet street. He spotted his dad’s vintage Cadillac parked at the end of the short block. “It’s here.”

“What?” she asked, following his sight line.

“Coal or Steam.”

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