Page 110 of Smooth Moves
Cash frowned. “I got the feeling she just kind of moved in not long ago. It’s small, and the furniture was kind of like Angela’s.”
“Older and crappy?”
“Yeah.” Maybe not the best idea to get Jordan’s help after all.
“She could be renting it furnished. Or she has shitty taste.” Reid shrugged. “You could always just walk around a furniture place and test her on what she likes. Then if you agree with her taste, you let her help.”
“Good point.” Cash glanced around, bemused he didn’t feel awkward about making this house his own anymore. “This is the biggest room in the house. I should probably keep it as the master, right?”
“I would.” Reid didn’t hesitate. “The bed is old but in good condition.”
The sleigh bed had a high headboard and low footboard. It was a dark cherry wood and actually handsome. And it was the same bed his father and mother had shared. “Nope. That’s got to go.”
“Good call. I’d do the same. But the dresser and mirror are keepers. So are the bookcases.”
“Maybe.” Cash could see how he felt, and how Jordan felt, about keeping them. “But I’ll definitely need a new bed and mattress.”
Reid opened the nightstand drawers, saw them empty, and peered under the bed. “You got everything out of here. Good job.” He stood and looked around. “You know, once you paint over all this and give it a good cleaning, it’ll be your house. It’s big too.”
“Yeah. At first I figured Jordan could move into the rental with me, but with Rafi so close, I’d never get any action.”
“See? And you call yourself stupid. Nah, my brother’s a thinker.” Reid laughed at him. “Smart move. Bigger house, more chance of getting lucky with her little brother far down the hall. Especially with these thin walls.” Reid tapped the wall above the headboard and frowned. He tapped another section of the wall.
“Is it me, or is that section there hollow?”
“Yeah, it sounds like.” Reid looked closer. “See the faint lines here?”
Cash leaned in. “They’re obvious now that you point them out. How did we never notice that before?”
Reid studied the wall and pointed to a small hole. “See that? I think she had a picture over it.”
Reid and Cash moved the bed back so they could easily access the wall.
Reid tapped again, then pushed, and a section of the wall opened. “Shit. I know what this is. Dad built a wall safe, only it wasn’t a safe, just a hidden pushout he built into the wall. It was years ago. He had some cash and a gun he kept in here. Oh wow. I’d totally forgotten about all that.”
“Seriously? Wonder what’s in there now.”
Reid stepped back. “It’s your house. You do the honors.”
“Thanks so much.” Cash pulled the square of wall out and exposed a small cache of his mother’s riches. A tattered copy of a favorite romance. A few videos he had no intention of watching. Especially if theGeneral Hospitallabels were to cover up some naughty-mom movies. Gross. He spotted a bundle of cash and brightened. He pulled it out, only to flip through so many ones.
“Yeah, that’s Mom. A big spender.” Reid laughed. “Hey, man, you’re loaded!”
“Shut up.”
“And just think, you can copy and sell her homemade porn tapes. Because you know that woman did not keep her soap operas locked up.”
“That’s disgusting.”
“Disgusting and funny.” Reid shoved Cash aside and reached in to take the tapes. “I’m going to have Naomi watch them for me. If they’re sex tapes, I’m trashing them.”
“And if they’re old soaps?”
“I’m still trashing them. But I have to know.”
“You’re an idiot.”
Reid grinned. “Yeah, I am.” Then he frowned. “What’s back there?”
