Hoaley Ill-Manored Read Online Free PDF Page A

progress.
“Hi.”
    “It’s really good to hear your voice, babe.
I’ve missed you.”
    Adam dropped onto the cot, fighting to keep
the angry tremor from his voice. “Really? I’m surprised.”
    The short beat of silence told Adam Dirk
hadn’t been expecting his anger. He really didn’t understand why,
the last time they’d spoken they’d had a huge fight over the man
Dirk had been spending way too much time with in Los Angeles.
    Franklin Spence was a Hollywood producer. He
was also openly gay. Dirk had been attending a lot of parties with
the man and, if the news clips Adam had seen were accurate,
weekends at Spence’s mountainside ranch and at a certain oceanside
hideaway in the Cayman Islands.
    “What does that mean? I always miss
you.”
    “Yeah. You told me that. Once. Is there
something you need, Dirk?” As soon as the words left his mouth Adam
cringed. He should never give his ex-lover an opening like that.
Because Dirk would invariably come back with something that would
wrench Adam’s heart right out of his chest.
    “I need you , Ads.” And there it
was.
    “I wish I could believe that. Unfortunately
I don’t. I told you I need a break from us, Dirk. I meant it.
Please don’t call me again.”
    “Where are you?”
    “That’s not important.” Adam disconnected
the call and threw his phone onto the cot, suddenly filled with
nervous energy. He knew a quiet walk around the property was
exactly what he didn’t need at that moment. More time to
think was a bad thing. “Change in plans, Walter. Let’s go into town
and see what kind of dinner we can scare up.”
    DS
    At eight o’clock sharp the next morning,
Edgar Reeves rolled down the gravel drive in his big old rusted
station wagon. He stopped in the circular driveway and climbed
slowly out of the car, pulling the old guy hat off his head as
Maddy approached.
    “Good morning, Mr. Reeves.”
    The old man offered her a hand. “Call me
Edgar, please. If I can call you Maddy.” His smile was uncertain
and shy.
    Adam took Edgar’s hand when Maddy had
released it. “Adam. Please.”
    Edgar nodded. “I hope you don’t mind my
coming out again. I find I can’t quite resist the urge to watch the
old place returned to glory.”
    “Not at all. In fact, I’m glad you did. I
didn’t get any contact information from you yesterday and Maddy and
I have decided we’d really like your help on the project. You
remember what the manor used to look like and you could advise us
as we start renovations. We would of course pay you for your
time.”
    Edgar shook his head. “I’d be happy to help
you good people. But I couldn’t possibly take any of your money for
it.”
    Maddy touched his arm. “We insist.”
    Edgar frowned. “My memories aren’t worth
that much.”
    “I disagree, but our budget is tight so I
could only pay you a small amount. Along with meals of course,
while you’re on site. I buy donuts every morning and lunch every
day for my crew. We’d include you in that.”
    Edgar grinned. “I will admit I wouldn’t mind
the occasional donut.”
    Maddy wrapped her arm around his shoulders
and started him toward the pretty, white gazebo she and Adam had
just finished assembling beside the lake that morning. Walter ran
ahead of them, his tail happily sweeping the air. “It’s a deal
then. Now, Adam and I were hoping you knew something about the man
in the adjoining property, the one who owns the land with the slave
cabin?”
    Edgar stopped, dropping his old guy hat over
his head. “Teddy Worth. I’ve known the family for years. His
grandmamma was a kind, god-fearing woman. She did her best to raise
that boy right after his daddy was gone.” Edgar shook his head.
“There’s a lot of anger there, though. It’s too bad. The boy just
can’t let go of the past.”
    Adam touched Edgar’s arm and started him off
again. “Would that past have anything to do with the slave cabin?
We found fresh flowers there yesterday.”
    “And a