Page 108 of The Hardest Hit
“Of course,” said Evan. “We’ll be in the library.”
“Very good, sir,” said Theo.
Evan stepped around the table and offered his arm to Olivia. “It was so nice of you to join us for dinner.”
“Evan,” said Eleanor, warningly, “I won’t have Taggerts in this house.”
“She’s a West, Grandma,” said Evan, as he led the way out of the room.
“Hi,” he said, smiling at her as they walked across the hall.
“Hi,” Olivia said, smiling back.
“I have had a terrible week,” he said.
“Well, mine wasn’t very pleasant either,” she said. “My boyfriend tried to break up with me! Can you imagine?”
“No,” said Evan. “What an idiot.” He opened the door to the library and flipped on the light.
“I like this room,” said Aiden, coming in behind them. “Why do we never come in here?”
“Uh…” said Dominique and jerked her thumb at the wedding photo of their grandparents on the wall.
“It’s like he’s everywhere,” complained Aiden.
“I’ve got this one,” said Jackson, he hooked a chair with one hand and climbed up on it, to take the photo off the wall. “Theo! We’ve got another one! I’m putting it in the hall!”
“Right you are, Mr. Jackson,” said Theo peering from the dining room. “I’ll collect it in a minute.”
Eleanor entered last and eyed the photo, but didn’t comment.
“Do we have booze in this room?” asked Aiden, looking around.
“We have booze in every room,” said Dominique. “It’s Deveraux House.”
“The bar is over here pretending to be a bookcase,” said Jackson, going behind what appeared to be a low bookcase in front of the window. “I’m pouring. Who wants what? Ev, Olivia Rose, what’s your pleasure?”
“Just water, please,” said Evan, sitting down on a yellow brocade couch that looked as though it dated from the 1870s. Olivia sat down next to him.
“Oh, I don’t know, Jackson,” said Olivia, leaning into him as he put his arm around her shoulders. “I don’t think I need anything.”
“No bourbon?” asked Jackson, his eyes twinkling.
“Don’t get smart,” said Olivia.
Evan looked from Olivia to Jackson. They had been up to something.
“Stop it!” barked Eleanor, coming in after them. “Stop it, all of you. I will not stand for this!”
“Yes, you will,” said Jackson, pouring scotch out into glasses on the bar top.
There was silence in the room.
“Olivia and I collected the photos that Ralph Taggert had in his possession,” said Jackson, putting the thumb drive on the bar next to the glasses. “Now, where are yours? Hand them over.”
“I beg your pardon?” asked Eleanor, raising an eyebrow.
“I’ve already been to your Photoshop friend and collected them off his hard drive. Where are the originals? The one’s you got from Leona Meade?”
