Page 13 of Dead Mad
“We’ve been talking about getting a new system to track our schedules, maybe this is the push we need to implement that plan.” Fitz eyed Jude in the rearview mirror.
“I’ve got an idea on how we can get McClellan to reconsider sitting down with us,” Jude said. “There’s a note in the file about Marie possibly having a lover, a guy by the name of Martin Frain. Why don’t we call the husband back on Monday and apologize for missing the meeting and let him know Frain gave us some information that puts the bullseye firmly on him and we want McClellan to corroborate the new evidence, but that we understand if he doesn’t want to help clear his own name.”
“That’s diabolical. I love it!” Ronan grinned. “I can sell the hell out of that story.”
“I’m sure you can,” Jude agreed. “What are you sorry for?”
“Me? Nothing! I’m a perfect little angel!” Ronan snickered.
“More like a perfect little troublemaker.” Jude rolled his eyes.
“Seriously, though, I’m sorry about being suspicious of you two after the parent/teacher meeting with Miss Jacobs.” He’d never had better friends in his life than Jude and Fitz. The fact that he suspected either of them of hurting Everly for even one second broke his heart.
Fitz set a hand on Ronan’s shoulder. “I would have felt the same way if it was Aurora, Ronan. I don’t blame you for that. Not one bit.”
“Same here,” Jude agreed. “I just wish you could have come to me and told me what was going on.”
“I appreciate you guys being so supportive, but now that we’ve got the Kumbaya portion of the program out of the way, how are we going to get back at our husbands for sending us to a nudist colony to settle our differences? Ronan asked. He had a few ideas of his own, but was curious to hear what his friends had come up with.
“I’ve got the perfect idea,” Jude said before laying out his plan.
Ronan was on board the second Jude started describing what he wanted to do. When he finally managed to stop laughing, he called Ten to let him know they were on their way back because of the weather and would arrive within the next half hour.
According to Ten, the kids were upstairs asleep and Ten, Cope, and Jace were watching a movie together. The setup was almost too perfect.
8
Jude
You Can Leave Your Hat On
With it being a little past ten, the neighborhood was quiet. There were no dog walkers on the street and all of the kids were safely in bed. At least Jude hoped to hell they were.
In another stroke of incredible luck, there was an open parking space in front of Ten and Ronan’s house. Fitzgibbon parked the SUV. “Are you guys sure about this plan?”
Ronan snorted. “Yup!”
Jude nodded in agreement. There was no doubt it was going to work. What was in doubt was their ability to pull it off. “It has to be all for one and one for all, got it? Ronan?”
“I’m in!” Ronan snickered.
“Fitz?”
“I’m in too. I just don’t want anyone to get hurt. You know, lose an eye or something.” Fitz snorted, laughing at his own joke.
“Calm down, there Fitzy. We’ve had enough accidents for one day.” Jude reached into the backseat of the SUV and grabbed the rain ponchos Ten and Jace had bought them for the trip. He handed them out to the guys. After a bit of wrangling, everyone had them on. Grabbing the bag from the campground’s general store, Jude took out the three cowboy hats he’d bought. Jude’s was black, Ronan’s white, and Fitz’s was dark brown. Each hat had an elastic chin strap, so they wouldn’t blow off in the wind.
Jude had grabbed the hats as a joke to bring back to their husbands, but now they were an integral part of the plan. Taking one last look down the street to make sure the coast was clear, Jude motioned the guys out of the SUV.
Moving as quickly as they could, they climbed the steps, stopping in front of the front door. “Ronan, you unlock the door. I’ll start the music.”
“Got it.” Ronan moved to the front of the group and stuck his key in the front door.
“I still think this is crazy,” Fitz muttered.
Ronan unlocked the door and pulled out the key, setting it inside the mailbox so his hands were free. “Okay, Jude, now!”
Jude tapped his phone to pull up the song he was looking for. “Blast off!” Jude hit the button and Joe Cocker’s “You Can Leave Your Hat On” started to play.
