Scarcity (Jack Randall #3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

pool. He unconsciously did a count every few minutes as he couldn’t keep them all straight. The dog ran circles around the pool for awhile before joining him in the shade for a rest. Like Jimmy, he was too old to keep pace for long. The dog nudged Jimmy’s hand for some attention, and he shifted the beer to the opposite hand to accommodate.
    One of the boys broke away from the pack long enough to assure he had Jimmy’s attention for his next dramatic entrance to the pool. The splash was actually quite impressive while the entrance bordered on painful. But the boy had the energy of a seven-year-old, and was not about to let a little pain stand between him and his fun.
    The dog tired and slowly sank to the ground to rest his head, yet he stayed vigilant of the children, and the boy in particular. Jimmy shared lifeguard duty with the dog and knew he could watch the kids by watching the dog if need be. Something he did when he was distracted by other things.
    His favorite distraction emerged from the house with two fresh beers in her hand, and Jimmy quickly drained his before allowing it to be replaced. His free hand wrapped around her waist as she glided into his lap.
    “He’s happy. Thank you for that.”
    “No problem, you said he earned it.”
    “He’s never had a real birthday party with all his friends before. We never had the room or the money.”
    “It wasn’t hard. I’m just glad I could make it.”
    “Well I’m glad you could make it, too. Maybe there’ll be a chance to show you how much sometime after the party.” She leaned in for a kiss.
    The kiss was interrupted by his cell phone ringing. She immediately pouted and slid off his lap. He was forced to stand and dig in his pocket to reach the phone. She smiled over her shoulder as she walked toward the pool to check on the kids.
    “Stay,” he told the dog before walking toward the house. He managed to enter and shut the door, making it much quieter before answering.
    “Yeah?”
    “We have a job.”
    “Now?”
    “Right now. I’ll see you at the garage in an hour?”
    Jimmy checked his watch before returning his gaze out the windows. She was sitting on the edge of the pool with her long tan legs in the water. The kids were splashing water and getting her wet. She didn’t give it a second thought and played along with them.
    “I’ll be there.”
    “Okay.”
    Jimmy sighed before setting his just-opened beer down on the counter and walking to the window. She soon saw him there and rose to walk around the pool. Before she reached it, she knew. He opened the door for her before moving to where he could see the dog.
    “You’re leaving?”
    “Yeah, I have to go. I’m sorry.”
    “I understand. He won’t though.”
    “I’ll talk to him.”
    “No, I’ll do it. Cody knows what work is, he sees me leave every day. He just doesn’t understand how it works all the time. He’s too caught up in the party right now. I’ll tell him later when he notices you’re gone.” She rose up on her toes and wrapped her arms around him for a long kiss. He returned it with all he had. She just smiled that smile he couldn’t resist before turning to resume her spot with the kids. They never said good-bye. It was something they seemed afraid to do.
    The dog watched him leave, but instinctively knowing he wasn’t going, he made no move to follow. Jimmy walked through the modest Florida home and retrieved his bag from the bedroom. After adding a few items from the bathroom, and one from under the bed, he left quietly through the front door. Once outside he could again hear the shouts of the playing children. He drove it from his mind long enough to get into the six-year-old Chevy he was driving today.
    Twenty minutes later he pulled into a parking garage for long-term vehicle storage. In the back corner he parked the older car next to a new Mercedes AMG. He quickly had the bag swapped into the new car and, popping the trunk, he produced a fresh set of clothes in