Page 71 of The Red-Hot Stakes

“I didn’t see the gas can I usually keep in the box, but…” He shrugged again, and I frowned.

“Why would you have a gas can? This thing runs on diesel.”

He laughed. “When you drive a truck, everyone thinks you can help with everything. Give me a tow, pull me out of the ditch, let me borrow a gas can.”

My heart warmed at how generous my boyfriend was, keeping a gas can on hand just to help others.

He shrugged again. “I’m sure I lent it to someone and just didn’t get it back.” His frown returned as he glanced at his shoes. “Of all the days. Oh well, let’s get this over with.”

The shed didn’t have much in it. The backup generator lived there, along with a couple of gas cans containing fuel for it, plus a few miscellaneous tools. It was usually secured with a padlock, whose key hung on the wall in the office. The lock was still intact, but the metal door had been pried open, obvious scratches covering it.

“Damn,” Liam said, examining the door. “I was hoping it was the wind or something, but there’s no way.”

Both gas cans were smashed to bits. The generator’s main cord had been cut and several of its sides dented in. A generator big enough to run a business wasn’t cheap, so Liam would need to file an insurance claim.

He stepped away to call the police, and tension coiled in my gut as I surveyed the damage. First his car, now the shed? The incidents happened so close together and were simply destructive with one common denominator. Liam.

I called one of the new girls to see if she could come in early, since Liam would be tied up for a while. She was happy for the extra hours and arrived as soon as she could.

The whole night was stressful. We were pretty slammed, and he had to deal with explaining the situation to the officer plus calling the insurance company. My shift was over by the time he wrapped things up. He seemed so tired, slumped at his desk. I frowned as I perched next to him then ran a hand over his short hair.

The framed picture of him between his sisters caught my eye. “How’s Desi doing?”

“Fine.” He glanced at me warily. “Why?”

“Well, I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out who would have any sort of grudge against you, and Brad came to mind.”

He sighed. “Yeah, he crossed mine too.”

“What did he do? For his job, I mean.”

“Some sort of accounting. I gave his name to the police, but it appears he fled the country as soon as he was out of the hospital.”

“Oh.” I looked around the office again. “And when you bought this from Weston, it was a mutual thing right?”

“Yes, Gina.” He swiped a hand over his face. “Look, I’ve been over all this with the police, and I’m going to leave it in their capable hands. I’m ready to go if you are.”

I didn’t like it but I understood, so I shifted gears, knowing he needed to be taken care of. Not interrogated. “On one condition.” When he arched an eyebrow, I held out my hand, palm up. “I’m driving.”

It was a sign of how tired he was that he didn’t argue. He just reached into his pocket, fished out the keys and plopped them into my hand. I took us on a quick detour to a nearby market.

“Wait here, okay?” I asked, wanting to do something nice for him for a change. I hurried inside, coming back with a few grocery bags. The smell of rotisserie chicken permeated the truck before long, and my stomach growled.

“You got dinner.” One corner of Liam’s mouth tipped up as he reached for a bag, and I smacked his arm.

“You can wait till we get home.”

A dopey grin stretched over his face.

“What?”

“You called it home.” He reached over to rest his hand on my thigh, a contented smile lighting his face for the rest of the ride.

Inside the apartment, I pulled out the chicken, along with potato wedges and a tossed salad. Another bag held an assortment of our favorite snacks for later. “Okay, comfy clothes and a movie marathon while we stuff our faces?”

“Where have you been all my life?” Liam pulled me into his arms, kissing my cheek. “You’re the best.”

“I know.” I laughed as he tickled my ribs and I squirmed out of his embrace. Then we started arguing about what movies to watch.

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