Page 10 of Fighting for Brielle
“Don’t worry. I’m taking him down,” she swore and gritted her teeth.
“I don’t think like he does. I would trust you with my life, Sergeant McAdams.”
She flashed him a grateful look. “Thanks. Now, let’s climb that wall!”
* * *
When the McQuaids and Adrienne returned to Laguna Beach Realty, she pulled up a rental agreement on her laptop and started typing as she spoke.
“I just need to get some basic information. There will be a background check, of course, but it shouldn’t take too long. Now, if you’ll…”
Justice interrupted her with a chuckle. “Are you really going to conduct a background check on Laguna Beach’s newest chief of police? Not to mention a retired Navy SEAL, Lieutenant Commander, to be exact.” He produced his military ID and so did Franklin.
“Oh. My. Goodness. Well, then, this is something. My deceased husband spent thirty years in the Marines, Special Ops.”
Justice nodded. “I appreciate his service.”
“How long did you serve?”
“Fifteen years,” he replied. From the closed expression on his face, he indicated he didn’t want to discuss it.
Adrienne rose to her feet. “Excuse me a moment, gentlemen. I need to make a couple of phone calls.”
She rejoined them ten minutes later, a bright smile on her face. “So, we’re all set. Due to your position in our community and your service to our country, I’m giving you a ten percent discount, waiving first and last month’s rent, and paying the deposits for electricity and utilities, which are being turned on as we speak. You don’t need to do a thing.”
Both men leaped to their feet and protested Adrienne’s generosity. “No, absolutely not!” Justice exclaimed. “There’s no way I’m allowing you to do that for me. It’s a huge financial loss for you. I’ll pay whatever I owe.”
“Justice is right,” Franklin added. “We can’t accept such generosity. As goodhearted as it is meant to be, some may misconstrue it and accuse Justice of taking advantage of his position.”
Adrienne tucked tendrils of her hair behind her ears. “All right. I see your point. Will you agree to the ten percent discount, first month’s rent and security?”
Justice glanced at his father who nodded his head. “Deal.” He held out his hand.
After they finished the paperwork, Adrienne handed Justice a set of keys and grinned. “Feel free to move in whenever you’d like, Chief McQuaid.”
“Nice doing business with you, Adrienne,” Justice replied as she escorted them to the door.
“You, too,” she replied, her voice warm. “I don’t suppose you and Franklin would like to join me for dinner?”
Franklin tilted his head. “I’ll defer to my son.”
“I’m so sorry, Adrienne, but tonight isn’t good for us. I have a meeting with Chief Ferguson at four, and after that I don’t know what’s happening. I wouldn’t want to accept your invitation and then cancel at the last minute.”
“Of course. I understand.” Her face reflected her disappointment.
Seeing her reaction, Justice let out his breath. “However, I don’t see why we can’t join you tomorrow evening. Is seven too late?”
She perked up and smiled. “No, no, not at all. Let me give you my address.”
Justice typed the information into his cell phone, and they left.
As they climbed into their car, Franklin commented with a dour expression on his face, “I don’t know why you obligated us to have dinner with that woman.”
Justice glanced in surprise at his father. He thought he’d noticed Franklin responding to Adrienne. Ah, now he understood. “That womanis a sweet, lovely lady who misses her deceased husband as much as you miss Mom. Didn’t you notice the abundance of family photos on her desk and on the walls?”
Franklin grunted. “I guess.”
“You guess? Well, we’re having dinner with Adrienne, and you’re going to treat her with polite deference.” At his father’s stubborn silence, he continued, “Before she died, Mom told me not to let you live like a recluse. She wanted you to be happy. Being alone for the rest of your life is no way to live.”
