Dead Silence (Stillwater Trilogy #1)(40)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Wait.”

“What is it?”

“If Kennedy gives me the Bible and agrees to keep his mouth shut, don’t you think we should move the—” she cleared her throat “—item we talked about?”

“No.”

“But that way, even if it gets discovered, there’d be no evidentiary link to us.” She realized what she was saying and quickly amended it. “If we’re careful not to leave a link, that is.”

“We can’t be careful enough. It’s not possible. We don’t want to start digging around.”

“We’ll say you’re making a few improvements to the farm. No big deal.”

“Just get hold of the Bible, okay?”

Just get hold of the Bible? “You’re sure about—”

“I’m positive.”

She swallowed a sigh. “Okay.”

A dial tone sounded in her ear. Frowning at the handset, she considered calling George again but changed her mind. She refused to panic. There could be a thousand different reasons he hadn’t returned her call.

But, deep down, she didn’t believe any of them—except the one she feared most. He was giving up on her.

Fortunately, when Kennedy arrived at his mother’s house, Teddy didn’t press him for details about his visit to Grace’s. As soon as he walked in, Teddy mumbled, “Did you do it?” and Kennedy nodded. Then Camille turned from peeling potatoes at the sink and started talking about how she’d known from the beginning that Grace wouldn’t be nice to Teddy for very long. At that point, Kennedy and Teddy exchanged a knowing look and clammed up.

Although Kennedy refused to stay for dinner, it took him almost an hour to get his kids out of the house. First his mother needed help setting up a new printer. Then his father wanted to show him a biography on Jack Nicholson. By the time Kennedy drove away, the boys were starving and, despite his mother’s tacit disapproval, they’d left a hot meal. But Kennedy wanted to get ready for the camping trip.

As they turned onto Main Street, he announced that Grace had agreed to go with them.

The news immediately silenced both boys’ complaints about hunger pangs.

“Really?” Teddy said with eager anticipation.

“She said she’d go.” Kennedy grinned, feeling more boyish than he had in a long while.

“No way! How’d you talk her into it, Dad?”

He’d used a small bribe, but he didn’t give himself away. He had a good reason for wanting to get to know Grace. He needed to decide if he still stood with his mother and everyone else where she was concerned. Or if he stood alone.

“So when are we leaving?” Heath asked.

Kennedy pulled into Rudy’s Big Burger. He wasn’t planning to cook tonight. They had too much to do. “First thing in the morning.”

“Yippee!” Teddy cried.

Kennedy looked at his oldest son. “What about you, Heath? You glad she’s coming?”

Heath hesitated. “Grandma won’t like it….”

Kennedy parked the SUV. “Do we have to tell Grandma about everything we do?”

“No.”

“Great. Then I say we keep this to ourselves.”

“Okay,” he said, that easily convinced, and climbed out.

Kennedy started to follow the boys toward the entrance, but Buzz pulled into the parking lot before he could reach the restaurant door.

His best friend rolled down his window. “Hey!”

Kennedy checked to make sure Teddy and Heath got safely into Rudy’s, then walked over to say hello. As he drew nearer, he could see that Joe was in the truck with Buzz and felt his enthusiasm dim. Kennedy didn’t like Joe nearly as much as he used to. Maybe that was because Joe seemed more egocentric by the day.

“You guys going to grab a burger?” Kennedy asked.

“No. Just saw your Explorer turn in and thought we’d say hello.”

“Come in and sit down with us.”

“We can’t. Sarah’s invited Joe to dinner.” Buzz winked. “She’s got her niece Melinda coming over.”

“More matchmaking?” Kennedy wasn’t sure how he’d been lucky enough to escape Sarah’s eye as a partner for her recently divorced niece, but he was grateful. Melinda was too young. And he was tired of everyone in town wanting to set him up with someone.

“She thinks I’m quite a catch.” Joe stretched his arm across the back of the seat.

“Buzz is too loyal to tell her the truth, huh?” Kennedy and Joe always teased each other, but today Kennedy was at least partially serious.

Joe flipped him off, but Kennedy merely laughed.

“You and the kids can join us for dinner, too,” Buzz said. “You know Sarah. She’ll have enough to feed an army.”

“Daddy!”

Kennedy turned as Teddy came out of the restaurant. After making sure there were no cars, Kennedy waved him over, then put his hands on his son’s shoulders and returned to the conversation. “Thanks for the invitation, but I think we’ll eat here.”

“Hey, Buzz, guess what?” Teddy said excitedly.

“What’s that, kid?”

“We’re going camping tomorrow.”

Cursing silently, Kennedy tightened his grip on Teddy’s shoulders, hoping to relay the message to shut up.

“You are?” Joe’s enthusiasm indicated his interest was immediately piqued. “Where?”

“Pickwick Lake,” Kennedy said, knowing Joe typically liked to go farther.

“Why Pickwick?” he asked. “You always camp there.”

Kennedy shrugged. “This is sort of a last-minute trip.”

“If you’re willing to go to Arkabutla instead, I’ll go with you.”

Joe loved to hunt and fish more than anyone Kennedy knew. And since all the other guys were married, he was forever searching for ways to entertain himself. But Kennedy had no intention of inviting Joe. After the pizza parlor incident, he could only imagine how happy Grace would be if Joe tagged along. “Maybe next time.”

Buzz glanced at his watch. “We’d better get going. Sarah will be mad if we’re late.”

Kennedy thumped the door panel. “Have fun tonight. Tell Sarah and the kids I said hello.”

“Will do.”

“Don’t break Melinda’s heart, okay, Joe?” he added.

“Me?” Joe’s smile hitched up on one side. “Come on, I’m too nice a guy for that.”