elsewhere."
"But... wait. Let me see if he left the bids and the blueprints. I can show you those over breakfast."
McDaniels checked his watch with a snort. "All right. But let's get on with it."
Reid scavenged the desk, the files, even the extra storage room and found nothing. Lance must have all the information with him.
Scraping together the charm that had saved him in high school, he strode back to the front office and pasted on a smile. Unfortunately McDaniels seemed immune, unlike his female teachers. "I'm sorry, he must have the bids and the blueprints with him. Please let us reschedule."
"I don't think so, Mr. Summers. If your brother was serious, he would have at least shown or phoned to explain his delay." McDaniels slid a hat over his bald spot, turned, and sailed out the door, firmly dismissing Reid.
Reid chased him outside, trying to apologize again, but the man climbed in his Mercedes and tore down the graveled drive. Reid fisted his hands in frustration and strode back inside, but the phone was ringing as he entered. He jerked it up, his foul mood spilling over in his clipped tone. "Hello."
"This is a collect call from Savannah Correctional Facility," a recorded message stated. "Will you accept the charges from inmate – " The voice paused and his brother's voice filled in the rest.
Reid gaped at the phone in shock. Lance was calling from jail? "Yes, I'll accept the charges."
"Reid, hey, are you there?"
"Yeah, man, what the hell happened? How'd you wind up in the slammer?"
"It's a long story," Lance said, sounding weary. "Last night I didn't want to leave Sophie alone in the house with the back door torn off, so I parked down the street in the truck so I could keep an eye on things, but I fell asleep. Next thing I know the police show up, claiming a woman reported a stalker in the neighborhood."
"You think it was Sophie?"
"Probably. I guess she wanted to get back at me. Anyway, can you bail me out?"
"Sure. I'll be there as soon as I can." Reid hung up, grabbed his keys, and headed to the door. But his mind replayed the evening before. He'd seen the blue lights of the police car entering Sophie's street as he had exited. Good God almighty, he'd had no idea they were coming after his brother.
Best not to tell Lance that—if Reid hadn't been so distracted by Lucy Lane he might have been able to prevent his going to jail.
* * *
An hour later Lance stepped into the daylight, wincing when the morning sunshine seared his blurry eyes. If he had to take sleeping pills, he'd do so tonight. He had to get some rest.
"Man, I was worried." Reid pounded Lance's back. "I can't believe they arrested you on disorderly conduct. Sounds like the old days, bro."
Lance huffed. "Thankfully, the Breathalyzer proved I hadn't been drinking."
"Yeah, too bad the cop locked you up anyway."
"He was a jerk. Said I was disturbing the peace."
"Bad break," Reid said, steering the truck toward the duplex they rented.
"So how did it go this morning? Did you reschedule?"
"Not exactly." Reid's hand tightened around the steering wheel. "McDaniels was pretty peeved when you missed the meeting."
Lance rubbed a hand over his face. "I have to talk to him."
Reid cut his gaze over him. "You'd better clean up first. You smell like rotten potatoes."
"My cellmate was a homeless wino." He rolled down the window to let some fresh air in and his own rancid odor escape. "So what did you tell McDaniels?"
"That we were interested, that you had the blueprints from Chase and an outline of our plans. He needs to see our bid, though. He's not a patient man."
"I'll contact him right after I shower and get my truck back." Reid parked in front of the duplex. Lance rented one side, his brother the other.
"So where are you headed?"
"To Skidaway to check on the projects."
"Good." Lance held on to the door of the truck, hesitating before he closed it. "Thanks for coming."
Reid grinned. "You've done it for me."
"I know, and it won't happen
"But... wait. Let me see if he left the bids and the blueprints. I can show you those over breakfast."
McDaniels checked his watch with a snort. "All right. But let's get on with it."
Reid scavenged the desk, the files, even the extra storage room and found nothing. Lance must have all the information with him.
Scraping together the charm that had saved him in high school, he strode back to the front office and pasted on a smile. Unfortunately McDaniels seemed immune, unlike his female teachers. "I'm sorry, he must have the bids and the blueprints with him. Please let us reschedule."
"I don't think so, Mr. Summers. If your brother was serious, he would have at least shown or phoned to explain his delay." McDaniels slid a hat over his bald spot, turned, and sailed out the door, firmly dismissing Reid.
Reid chased him outside, trying to apologize again, but the man climbed in his Mercedes and tore down the graveled drive. Reid fisted his hands in frustration and strode back inside, but the phone was ringing as he entered. He jerked it up, his foul mood spilling over in his clipped tone. "Hello."
"This is a collect call from Savannah Correctional Facility," a recorded message stated. "Will you accept the charges from inmate – " The voice paused and his brother's voice filled in the rest.
Reid gaped at the phone in shock. Lance was calling from jail? "Yes, I'll accept the charges."
"Reid, hey, are you there?"
"Yeah, man, what the hell happened? How'd you wind up in the slammer?"
"It's a long story," Lance said, sounding weary. "Last night I didn't want to leave Sophie alone in the house with the back door torn off, so I parked down the street in the truck so I could keep an eye on things, but I fell asleep. Next thing I know the police show up, claiming a woman reported a stalker in the neighborhood."
"You think it was Sophie?"
"Probably. I guess she wanted to get back at me. Anyway, can you bail me out?"
"Sure. I'll be there as soon as I can." Reid hung up, grabbed his keys, and headed to the door. But his mind replayed the evening before. He'd seen the blue lights of the police car entering Sophie's street as he had exited. Good God almighty, he'd had no idea they were coming after his brother.
Best not to tell Lance that—if Reid hadn't been so distracted by Lucy Lane he might have been able to prevent his going to jail.
* * *
An hour later Lance stepped into the daylight, wincing when the morning sunshine seared his blurry eyes. If he had to take sleeping pills, he'd do so tonight. He had to get some rest.
"Man, I was worried." Reid pounded Lance's back. "I can't believe they arrested you on disorderly conduct. Sounds like the old days, bro."
Lance huffed. "Thankfully, the Breathalyzer proved I hadn't been drinking."
"Yeah, too bad the cop locked you up anyway."
"He was a jerk. Said I was disturbing the peace."
"Bad break," Reid said, steering the truck toward the duplex they rented.
"So how did it go this morning? Did you reschedule?"
"Not exactly." Reid's hand tightened around the steering wheel. "McDaniels was pretty peeved when you missed the meeting."
Lance rubbed a hand over his face. "I have to talk to him."
Reid cut his gaze over him. "You'd better clean up first. You smell like rotten potatoes."
"My cellmate was a homeless wino." He rolled down the window to let some fresh air in and his own rancid odor escape. "So what did you tell McDaniels?"
"That we were interested, that you had the blueprints from Chase and an outline of our plans. He needs to see our bid, though. He's not a patient man."
"I'll contact him right after I shower and get my truck back." Reid parked in front of the duplex. Lance rented one side, his brother the other.
"So where are you headed?"
"To Skidaway to check on the projects."
"Good." Lance held on to the door of the truck, hesitating before he closed it. "Thanks for coming."
Reid grinned. "You've done it for me."
"I know, and it won't happen
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