Page 122 of Blue-Eyed Jacks
Jackson frowned.His searching gaze locked with mine.He was looking straight at me when he spoke.“So am I.I killed my first man when I was fifteen.”
Jackson certainly wasn’t the bestrole model.
But Zoe didn’t need a virtuous man; she needed someone who understood.
He continued.“I wanted to kill Shock.You only beat me to it.”
Zoe’s snort was short.“Do you feel remorse, Dad?”She looked up at him.
“Hell no.And you shouldn’t either.That son of a bitch deserved it.Shock was an asshole.”
They were bonding.I could practically see the threads knitting them together.“Who’s thirsty?”
“Beer?”
I checked the clock by the bed.“It’s eight in the morning.Water.Tap water.I’m sure we’ve got an empty fridge downstairs.”Crystal Ann had been taking care of the place, but there were no plans to return.She’d do what we did for every rental.Clean it out, turn off the fridge, and keep the property in stasis until the family returned.
“Water’s good.Ice cream would be better.What do you say, Zoe?Do you think that shop is open?”
“Not until noon.And if I show up there, they’re going to yell at me for quitting without notice.So, no ice cream.”
“Damn.I had a hankering for some Rocky Road.”
“I’ll give you Rocky Road.”I shook my fist at him in jest.
A knock on the door made us freeze.
Jackson slid out of Zoe’s arms and found his gun.He moved with quiet stealth as he snuck down the stairs.I followed, grabbing the closest thing I could, which was an old bottle decorated with seashells.
The knock sounded again, followed by a female voice.“Hello?”
“That’s Crystal Ann.”Zoe shoved past me and her father and ripped open the door.She greeted her with a hug that latched on.
“Zoe.”Her eyes searched for and landed on me.“Kate, you’re home.”Then she saw Jackson.Her mouth fell open.“What the fuck are you doing here?”Crystal Ann looked like she’d seen a ghost.
“I’m home.”
“The hell you are.”
Jackson rushed to Zoe and covered her ears.“Language.”
Crystal Ann squared off with him, hip cocked, one hand fisted against it.“That’s a load of bullshit from the biggest bullshitter I’ve ever met.”
Instead of getting angry, Jackson laughed.“Goddammit, Crystal Ann, you haven’t changed a bit.”
“Why should I?I’m perfect just as I am.Have you called your mother lately?”
He avoided the question by putting a hand on Zoe’s shoulder.“We were going to go for ice cream.But then Zoe reminded me she’s not welcome there.You’ve lived here a bit; where do you recommend?”
Crystal Ann’s eyes narrowed.“You’re so full of it.”Her gaze drifted across Zoe and me.“But I’m beyond happy that these two are safe.John’s been worried sick, and that ain’t helping his recovery.”
“John’s okay?”Zoe and I said it at the same time.
“Not a hundred percent yet, but he’s home.I was fixing him breakfast and saw the strange car out the kitchen window.Came over to make sure no one was messing with your shit.”
“Can we visit?”Zoe looked to me and Crystal for approval.Crystal nodded.
Zoe hesitated.Then she looked at Jackson.
