Causing Havoc (33 page)

quick shower and doing a speed job on her makeup would be a piece of cake. "No problem." Mug in

hand, she started back out of the room, but paused to say, "Natural y your coffee is perfect."

"Something else I do wel ?"

"The damn list is becoming endless."

Eve surprised Dean by getting ready in just under half an hour. And of course, she looked incredible

dressed in a classy crocheted halter top, with brown gauchos and matching slide sandals, finished

with several pieces of delicate gold jewelry.

Cam and Gregor stood outside, eyeing the cloudy sky with concern. The second Dean stepped out

of Eve's car. Gregor chucked down the rest of his coffee, handed the empty mug to Cam, and strode

out to meet him. He passed Eve on her way to chat with Cam, but spared her no more than a nod.

"Your sister is already gone."

Gregor barked that disclosure like an accusation, making Dean frown. "Yeah, so?"

"Cam says she took her aunt shoppin', but I know that's not it. She's avoidin' me."

"Why?" Dean asked with a raised brow. "What'd you do now?"

Amazingly enough, impotent color rushed into Grcgor's face and neck. No words came to him until,

in a low voice, he snarled, "Fuck you, Havoc," and stormed away toward the backyard.

Huh. Dean watched Gregor go, wondering what
had
he done? The more he thought about it, the

tenser he got. A few minutes later, feeling mean, Dean started after Gregor with the intent to confront

him, when he heard a curse and a terrible clattering crash.

Cam and Eve shared a look with Dean, and a second later they al rounded the house at a sprint.

Gregor lay sprawled on the ground, the ladder partial y covering him, a visible knot rising on his

forehead.

Incredulous, Dean stopped near his feet. "Did you fal off the roof?"

Gregor stopped rubbing his head to glare at Dean. "No I did not fal off the roof." Furious, he threw the ladder to the side and sat up with a few winces and groans. "The damn rung broke."

An awful foreboding went through Dean. "What are you talking about?"

"The tenth or eleventh rung up. Thank God I wasn't al the way to the top." He picked grass off a bloody scratch on his arm. "The wood snapped beneath my foot and that threw me off balance. I tried

to grab for the gutter, but I didn't make it. I went sailin', and the ladder came down with me."

While both Eve and Cam fussed and fluttered over Gregor, Dean bent to the broken rung,

examining it. His simple check left him frowning. The ladder rung hadn't broken thanks to age or wear

and tear. No, given the orangey stains left behind, it seemed more likely that someone had used a

rusty saw on it, chewing almost completely through the wood. It needed only a little pressure—or

Gregor's two hundred and seventy-five pounds—to snap it in half.

The purpose being ... that whoever used the ladder would fal .

Deliberately sabotaged? Like his tires?

Dean remembered seeing a shadow, perhaps a human shadow, near his car when he left the motel.

But he'd been talking with Simon and despite the warning in his gut that told him to pay better attention, he'd dismissed the incident.

Until this morning when he found his tires vandalized.

And now this.

If it hadn't been for the two things combined, he could have written either off as a prank. If it wasn't

for the deliberate destruction to his car tires, he could assume both he and Gregor were targets.

No doubt about it: Someone had wanted him to fal .

Last night in the hotel lobby, Roger had been peeved with him. And he'd been absent when Dean left

the hotel.

Not only that, Roger had known that Dean was going to see Eve.

Roger didn't like him—that much was clear. But did he dislike him enough to destroy his property and

attempt to cause him physical harm?

Given Gregor's banged-up body stil supine on the dew-wet ground, the possibility couldn't be

ignored.

But why?

Horrified, Cam brushed off Gregor as he lumbered to his feet with a few winces and complaints.

"I'm fine," he told her, intent on looking at the ladder himself.

In a sympathetic whisper, Cam said, "But your poor head."

Dean peered at Gregor's melon and dismissed Cam's concern. "It's just a goose egg. He's had

worse."

"I'l get you some ice," Eve offered.

"Don't bother." Gregor tapped his knuckles against his crown. "Dean's right. I'm not hurt. I've got a skul like tempered steel. It just pisses me off that I fel ."

Cam twisted her hands together and looked from one man to the other. "This is terrible. You could

have been kil ed."

"From that itty-bitty fal ? No way." Joining Dean, Gregor bent to examine the ladder. In two seconds flat, he came to the same conclusion as Dean. "Wel I'l be damned! I think—"

Dean gave him a quick hard look. "That the wood was rotted? I agree."

Not being a complete dummy, Gregor frowned but held his tongue. "Yeah. Uh, right."

Dean nodded. He didn't want to say anything to anyone just yet. He'd have his answers, in his own

time and in his own way—without tipping off the idiot responsible.

"I should have checked the ladder myself," Cam fretted. "I'l go buy another one right now."

"No," Dean said. "This one wil do."

"But if the wood is rotted—"

"It's sound everywhere else. We're almost done now, so we'l just avoid that rung."

The sound of a car parking out front drew Gregor's attention. His face hardened with resolve.

"Dean's right. We'l be done in no time at al ." And with that, he slammed the ladder back up against the side of the house and went up to the roof.

Shielding his eyes, Dean stood at the bottom of the ladder and looked up. "I hear Jacki."

"Yep." Gregor pul ed a kerchief from his pocket and tied it around his forehead.

"I thought you wanted to talk to her."

"I did—before she pissed me off by avoidin' me. Now I don't know if I do or not. Besides, if she

wants to talk, she knows where to find me."

"You sound like a bitch."

"Fuck you, Havoc." Then, chagrined: "My apologies to the ladies." Gregor turned his back on them al and went to the roof peak to work.

Sighing, Dean faced the women. Cam bit her lip, more to keep from chuckling than from affront at

Gregor's language. Eve glanced at her watch, impatient to make it to her appointment.

To his sister, Dean said, "Don't worry about it. Gregor's just letting off steam. I have a feeling he and Jacki wil work it out."

"I'm not in the least worried. I know a love-struck man when I see one."

"Gregor?" Surely she wasn't serious.

"He's fighting it, I'l give you that. But it won't help one bit. If Jacki wasn't my sister, I'd almost feel sorry for him. He doesn't stand a chance." She leaned closer to whisper, "But Jacki doesn't know that yet, and it might be best if you don't tel her."

"If you say so."

Cam glanced at Eve, smiled, and said, "I have some things I need to do inside, so I'l leave you two

to say goodbye."

The second his sister left, Dean pul ed Eve close. "When wil I see you again?"

"I won't be back to my place til around seven tonight." She toyed with the neck of his T-shirt. "You're coming over tonight?"

"Yes." Dean kissed her—and didn't want to stop. "And tomorrow night. And the night after that."

Eve nodded, but said, "I'l stil be ... unavailable."

"And I'l stil enjoy your company."

A beautiful glow came over Eve. "Al right then."

"Promise me one thing."

Eve tipped her head. "Okay."

"Be extra careful."

When she frowned in confusion. Dean considered things. Someone, probably Roger, wanted to hurt

him. How best to do that, than to hurt Eve?

The thought terrified him and made up his mind.

He caught Eve's arm. "Let me walk you to your car. There's something I need you to know."

A few hours later, after a lot of progress, Dean pul ed off his gloves and looked toward Gregor.

They'd worked in near silence, and for Gregor, that wasn't even close to normal. "It won't take much

more for us to finish up here. Let's take lunch a little early. I have something to do."

Without looking up, Gregor said, "If you want," and he finished hammering in a nail. "Anything important?"

Dean shrugged that off. Gregor's silence had been so unnerving that it was a relief to hear him

speak. But he wanted to tel Jacki first. "You coming in?"

"I dunno." He started hammering another nail. "You go on and I'l think about it."

"Suit yourself." The last thing Dean wanted to bother with was a sulky fighter.

A few minutes later, when Dean opened the sliders and walked into the house, he saw both sisters

in the kitchen. Jacki sat cross-legged in a chair, her knees sticking out at an odd angle while she

chatted with Cam. She looked . .. adorable. As quirky as he now knew her to be.

Nodding every so often. Cam stood at an ironing board set up between the kitchen and the laundry

room. She had a whole stack of clothes to go through.

It didn't matter that she'd worked through part of the night and then got up early. There'd be no idle

time for Cam. She wouldn't al ow it.

Odd how they each felt so familiar in such a short period of time. Like he knew them, real y knew

them, when such a thing wasn't possible.

And yet... he could have said word for word how the next few minutes would play out. He knew what

Jacki would do and how Cam would react. He knew what would motivate each of them.

It was his own motivations that remained murky and troubling.

Rather than hold back any longer, Dean said, "Hey," to get their attention.

Almost in unison, the sisters looked up and smiled at him with welcome.

Jacki unfolded herself from the chair. "You look hot. Want something to drink?"

He nodded. "Just ice water would be good."

Cam put aside her iron. She shook out a freshly pressed shirt, hung it neatly, and then crossed the

room toward him. "How's it going on the roof?"

"We'l be done today."

"Real y?" That stopped her in her tracks. "Wel . That's wonderful." She had a difficult time getting her mouth to smile. "I had no idea you'd accomplish so much so quickly."

Dean knew exactly why she sounded so odd. He wished for some way to make this easier on her,

but he knew that Cam herself would make that impossible.

And sure enough, she said, "I can't thank you enough. If you'l just tel me how much I owe you, I'l

repay you right away."

No time like the present, Dean thought. He planted his feet and looked her right in the eyes. "I won't take your money, Cam."

He might have given her a grave insult for the way she reacted. She sucked air into her lungs,

forced a stiff, stilted smile, and stared right back. "Of course you wil . I won't let you—"

"You can't very wel stop me."

The truth of that brought out her temper. "I don't need charity."

"It's my house, too, remember?" Dean pul ed out a chair as if he hadn't a care in the world, when inside, his heart wanted to break for her. He sprawled in his seat and let out a tired breath. "You said so yourself."

Cautiously, her gaze darting between brother and sister, Jacki set an ice-fil ed glass of water in front

of Dean.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

In the coldest voice Dean had heard from Cam so far, she said, "Had I known that you wouldn't let

me repay you, I'd never have agreed to this."

Gently Dean said, "I didn't ask your permission, hon."

Fury colored her cheeks.

"Cam, sit down."

Arms tightly crossed, she shook her head. "I don't want to sit."

"Al right, then stand. But you're not going to like what I have to tel you."

Fascinated, Jacki seated herself across from Dean, propped her chin in her hands and waited.

"From what I understand, Roger has helped you with some improvements and repairs."

"Where," she demanded, "did you hear that?"

"From Roger himself, when I ran into him at the realty office where Eve's mother works. He also told

me that a lot more repairs need to be made."

Caution warred with anger in her eyes. "That's why I'm sel ing."

"To Roger."

She shook her head hard. "No. Never."

Stumped, Dean stared at her. "'But I thought that you two were—"

"Engaged, I know." Final y she pul ed out a chair and sat down. "But you see, Roger thinks to do the same as you— swoop in and save poor little me. Only I'd rather save myself."

Save herself from what? Financial debt? "If you plan to marry him, Cam, then it's only natural that

he'd want to help out."

"I won't ever get married as long as I owe so much. I wouldn't feel right about it. The debt would

always be between us. That's not what marriage should be. It's definitely not what my marriage wil

be."

A guilty flush took Jacki's breath. Avoiding making eye contact with anyone, she straightened from

her slouched position and stared down at her hands.

Dean noticed, but Cam didn't.

He decided he'd talk with Jacki about her reaction. Soon. But not just yet.

"After I sel the house and get out of debt, then I can get married."

"To Roger?"

"Yes. Probably."

Dean hadn't expected this wrinkle. "Do you love him, Cam?" ...

She started to shake her head, but then suddenly stopped. "I think so." Her chin lifted. "I've known him forever."

"How long is that?"

"We grew up around here together. Went to school together and al that."

"You're childhood sweethearts?" Dean hadn't realized that Roger grew up in the area. A sudden chil skated down his spine. If Roger had been around that long, then al kinds of things were possible.