Page 31 of Property of Bull
“You can go commando. I’ll find you a shirt while you shower, then we’ll have breakfast, get to the clubhouse, and go shopping.”
With that, I leave her sputtering as I roll out of bed. After a quick look in the kitchen, I head out to the coop to grab some eggs and decide to make her something I know she’s never had before.
I stop long enough to put a black thermal layer on the bed for her, as it’s probably the smallest thing I have on hand and just as I’m laying it out, her phone rings.
It’s her dad and I pick it up without thinking.
“Eli, it’s Stryker,” I announce myself.
“Is Margo alright?” he asks, sounding panicked and I realize my mistake. The last thing that man needs is to think anything happened to her.
“She’s in the shower. I didn’t mean to startle you,” I let him know. “How are things on your end?”
“Sometimes it seems like that phone is surgically attached to her, I was just surprised when you answered,” he tells me, letting out a little chuckle. “My mind’s just been ticking off things to do, but I suppose it’ll be a few days until the sheriff releases Dad’s body. I just left a voicemail for Dad’s lawyer and one of my half-brothers.”
“I completely understand how much is on your plate,” I say, switching to my undertaker voice. “The sheriff will be in touchwith me when I can transfer your father to the funeral home and at that point we can set the date for his service. He paid for a package around the time your mother passed, therefore, other than hiring an organist at the church, everything is taken care of. I would recommend against viewing your father’s body, Eli.”
“How’s Margo holding up?”
“I find Margo to be very self-contained.” I wait to answer until I come up with the right phrase, not only to describe Margo, but to let him know she’s discussed her ex with me. “Especially in light of recent events.”
“Did you say something, Stryker?” Margo calls out from the bathroom.
“Your dad is on the phone, babe,” I reply, throwing thebabein as another message to her dad.
Eli is silently absorbing everything I say, and I smile, thinking about how Margo definitely got that trait from him.
She peeks out of the bathroom, one of my oversized towels is wrapped around her torso and she’s twisted a smaller towel around her wet hair. Seeing her bright red skin, I almost shake my head at her.
What is it with women using scalding hot water to shower?
“There’s a shirt for you,” I say, louder than necessary as I motion toward it with her phone, before handing that over and turning for the kitchen. “I’ll get to work on breakfast.”
I don’t want her dad to be under any illusions when he arrives. Margo’s under my protection and will be staying in my bed.
Chapter 9
Margo
Dad, after confirming that he wasn’t on speaker, let out a long low whistle.
“Go-Go, your taste in men…” he starts, but I don’t want to hear it.
“Is not up for discussion,” I cut him off. “Where are you?”
“I had to take care of a couple of things before leaving, so I’m in Alabama. I’ll stay south and away from the storms as much as I can without adding on too many miles. I just called to warn you that I called Jason, so he and the others will be showing up today, if they haven’t already heard from the sheriff.”
Great, I think, but stay quiet. My half-uncles have every right to be involved, no matter what I think about them.
“What do you make of the sheriff, by the way?” Dad asks me and I realize that I hadn’t even thought about Clark, suddenly worried that he might be looking into my background.
“Stryker had his direct number,” I tell him, keeping my voice low. “He called Clark instead of 911. I spent more time talking to a deputy than him, she was nice. Stryker gave a statement to a different one.”
“You spent a bit of time talking to Stryker, also.” My Dad’s voice has deepened, letting me know that Stryker said something to him.
“I did. And I’ve been thinking about something you said to me,” I reply, frustrated at my certainty that he’s hiding something he knows about Mom’s death. “Right now, I need you to drive carefully, because I’m not looking to lose anyone else I care about. Once you get here, we can talk through everything.”
*
