Page 166 of The Woman By the Lake

He looked that way to see Jaeger’s eyes on him, and the man was taking his feet.

In fact, everyone was.

And they all had attention aimed in the same direction, at something happening behind his back.

He lifted up, taking Nadia with him, and turned to look over his shoulder.

And he saw Angelica bearing down on them, openly raring to go.

He hadn’t heard a car pull up, not that there was much room with the vehicles in his drive and lining the lane, but they weren’t so far back he wouldn’t hear another one approaching. And other than the lights that illuminated the pier, only a few scattered camp lanterns and the fire were giving the space light, so he hadn’t seen her headlights either.

Which probably meant she parked on the road and hoofed it so she could do this.

Take them unaware.

He pushed up to standing, again bringing Nadia with him, but he then moved her to his back as he watched Murphy try to head Angelica off.

She purposefully slammed her shoulder into him as she walked by him, snapping, “Fuck off, Murphy.” She stopped a few feet in front of Riggs, her gaze shot from him, to Nadia, to Storm, back to Riggs, then she announced, “You two, fathers of the year, so fuckin’ high and mighty. Where’s my kid at, Doc, while you get high and laid?”

Storm came up to his side. “Where’s mine, Angelica?”

“Kiss my ass,” she sniped at Storm.

“Thanks, no,” Storm retorted. “Still have no clue why I went back three times. The first was tolerable, at best.”

No warning, nails bared, she launched herself at him.

Riggs moved to intervene, but Harry got there first, catching her at the waist and pulling her away.

That was when Rus slid in at Harry’s back.

“Let me go, Harry!” she shouted, fighting his hold.

“You either calm down right now, or you do it at the station,” Harry warned, not letting her go.

She stopped fighting and aimed her glare at Storm, then moved it to Riggs. “Bubbles is a piece of shit liar. Everyone knows that.”

“This isn’t happening here, and it sure as fuck isn’t happening now. Go home, Angelica,” Riggs returned.

“Was minding my own business, having a drink at the Halfway—” she began.

“Which takes me back to my question,” Storm cut in. “Where’s my son, Angelica?”

She ignored him and kept at it, eyes to Riggs.

“—and Kimmy comes up to me. She fakes tearing something in half and setting it on fire, and she says, ‘That was your membership card to the sister club.’ And walks away. I don’t need that bullshit in my face when I’m kicking back, Doc.”

Seemed word was getting around.

No surprise.

It was the way in MP.

And seriously, Storm had been ticked.

“Your bed,” was all Riggs said.

“Was at Aromacobana the other day, and people were actually pointing at me,” she bit out.

---