Beckett (Robinson Destruction #4) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,30

when it’s over.”

“You’re very weird. Or you’ve been hanging around my dad a great deal.” Thatch told his son to watch himself, or he’d be taking him to the woodshed. “I wasn’t insulting you, Dad. Just making an observation. But Allie saved Rogen today. Even after I called her silly for thinking she saw something I’d not. I owe you.”

“No, you don’t. And I said I didn’t want to talk to you.” He just laughed, like he’d expected no less from her. “Look. Good, no one got hurt, and that’s all we can hope for at the end of the day. I have this odd thing that makes it so I can see heat signatures. Let’s not make a huge production out of it. The next time I tell you there is someone out there, just believe me. That’s all I need.”

“I can handle that.” He looked over her shoulder, and she did as well. Beck was shaking his head like he was telling his brother to give it up. “By the way, Allie, welcome to the family.”

~*~

Beck was getting his paperwork filed on the last job he’d done. There was good money to be made in doing this sort of work, but it made it less appealing when the people didn’t believe him when he had all the facts in a neat row for them, like this last job.

“Tell me about it.” He looked up and saw his mom there. Beck loved it when she just dropped everything and came to see him. Today was just as perfect as every other time. “Tell me what has you tensed up. Then I have something I’d like to speak to you about.”

“I worked for this company—I can’t tell you the name because I don’t want you guys boycotting this place too.” She said that if it was anything like the salad dressing company, she might not want to know. “No. It’s nothing like that. They had me come in and look over their lines. Then while there, he springs the books on me. He told me he didn’t think anything was going on with them. He just thought I could find a way for them to cut costs on that as well. I found out about both issues within the first ten minutes of being there. His lovely, much younger wife is not just having fun with the employees, but she’s doctoring the books as well.”

“Oh my. Does he know that now?” Beck told her he did. “And how did he take the news? Did he tell you how wrong you were?”

“No. I’d had that happen before. The man or woman didn’t want to believe their other half was getting some on the side.” Mom tisked at him. “I could have said it to you like Rogen or any of the other women. So, instead of just telling him about it, I sort of had him walk in on her and one of the employees.”

“Oh, Beck, you didn’t.” He nodded. “What on earth were you thinking? What if he had had a gun or something. Or tried to kill them both right then and there? That could have gotten you hurt, and Allie would have blamed me.”

“What would I blame you for?” Beck smiled at Allie when she joined them in his office. She kissed his mom on the cheek and asked again. “If you’re referring to the man that was trying to kill Rogen, I’ve been thanked enough for that. So, what do you think I need to blame you for?”

“Oh, yes. Thank you for saving my family.” Mom told her what he’d done. “I was just asking him how you’d think I raised him if the man had hurt him or something. To do such a thing to the poor man. I think it’s bad enough that he has a falling down company, but to find out his wife was with another man…well, that’s just not a good way to treat someone.”

“Another woman.” His mom looked confused but got it. Her face turned a bright red, and Allie laughed. “She thinks it’s all right, don’t you, love?”

“I would have done it differently, but your way worked. I’m betting he knew anyway. I would think that if you’re an older man and you have a young wife, you gotta think there is something going on with her. But as for blaming you? I’d not do that. What I would do is beat the living shit out of Beck here for