Badlands by Jill Sorenson

Author:Jill Sorenson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQN
Published: 2013-10-13T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

PENNY KISSED CRUZ on the head and rose, leaving him to watch cartoons.

The thought of leaving without him made her anxious, but not as anxious as him staying here with Owen’s brother.

Shane was handsome, like Owen, but his shaggy blond hair and pumped-up muscles didn’t appeal to her. Although they shared the same pale blue eyes, Shane’s held no warmth or depth. A hint of sensitivity softened Owen’s strong, angular features, while the lack of it lent Shane a cruel edge.

He stared at Penny, his expression flat. “Bring me the phone.”

She went to get the cordless receiver from the console, passing it to Shane. She slid into the chair beside him.

“Call Janelle,” Shane said to Owen. “I told her to take Jamie to her mother’s, and I want to make sure she did it.”

Owen dialed the number and listened. “No answer. She’s probably working.”

“Where at?”

He hesitated, seeming uneasy with this topic. “Club Vixen.”

Shane’s face went slack. “Since when?”

“Since you went away.”

“Did Mom know?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t she tell me?”

“You’ll have to ask her.”

“She can’t find a job that doesn’t involve showing her tits?”

“Kids are expensive,” he said. “You’ve never paid child support. She has to make ends meet somehow.”

Shane stood, swearing under his breath. It was the first display of emotion she’d seen from him. He’d executed Dirk without batting an eye. He had no qualms about kidnapping and murder, but this bothered him? Penny couldn’t tell if he didn’t want his child’s mother stripping for selfish reasons, or if he felt guilty about being a deadbeat dad.

A bit of both, perhaps.

Owen called Janelle’s mother to confirm that Jamie was there. He asked to say hello to Jamie, at Shane’s request. Shane took the phone and listened to his son’s voice for a moment. Although his face didn’t reveal it, Penny imagined that he felt something. She tore her gaze away before her sympathy reflex could get triggered.

Shane handed the phone back without speaking. Owen had a short conversation with Jamie about soccer and hung up.

“Does Dad’s boat still run?” Shane asked, looking at Owen.

He shrugged. “It’s been sitting idle for over a year.”

“Can you get it started?”

“Probably.”

“We have to go.”

Before they left, Shane allowed Penny to grab a change of clothes and some first-aid supplies from their mother’s bedroom. There were several metallic disks on top of her dresser, like award medals. One of them said Ninety Days.

Shane picked it up, turning to Owen. “When did Mom get back in the program?”

“About a year ago.”

“What program?” Penny asked, curious.

“Twelve Steps,” Shane replied. “It’s like rehab, for poor people.”

“I’ve heard of it,” she said.

“She never mentioned it to me,” Shane said.

“Maybe she wanted it to be a surprise.”

Penny looked through the drawers, finding some old clothes for her and Owen. She put the items in a plastic bag, along with underwear and some bandages. Shane didn’t protest when she added a few toiletries to the mix.

He removed Owen’s handcuffs, letting him use the restroom and wash up. When Owen came out, bare-chested, he put on the clean shirt Penny offered.

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