Free Diamonds and Cole by Micheal Maxwell

about?”
    “Rehab.”
    “Shut up. Who are you, anyway?” Chad shouted.
    Across the lawn came Ann. She must have taken after her mother. She was neither tall nor slim like her father. Ann was no more than five-two and about 50 pounds overweight. Her tank top was too small, and the top of her sweat pants was rolled down, exposing a flabby belly like the white underside of a fish. She had small breasts, and her stomach protruded beyond them. Unlike her brother, she had clear, smooth skin and a nice color. Her eyes were light brown, almost golden. When she reached them, she planted her feet, and folded her arms across her chest, where they seemed to rest on her belly.
    “What’s going on?” Ann said, nervously uncrossing arms and pushing her hair behind her ears with both hands.
    “Hello, Ann. My name is Cole Sage, and I’m talking to your father about your mother and her condition.”
    “My mother’s dead!”
    “He’s referring to Ellen.” Christopher still seemed stunned from Cole’s exchange with Chad.
    “She’s not my mother!” Ann said angrily.
    “Ellie is an old friend of mine, Ann.”
    “I want you off my property. Now!” Christopher shouted.
    Cole reached up and took Christopher by the collar. He twisted the shirt around his hand until he was sure he had Christopher’s attention. Christopher grabbed Cole’s wrist but then released it when he looked into Cole’s eyes.
    Chad immediately dropped to his knees and sat cross-legged on the grass. He had a noticeable twitch in his right cheek.
    “Are you going to behave and listen to what I have to say?”
    “Just don’t hurt my children.”
    Cole laughed. “It’s your ass I’m about to kick, but nice sentiment anyway.”
    Christopher nodded. Cole released his shirt.
    “I came here,” Cole began, “because a dear friend of mine said she was in trouble. How she ever got tangled up with you three, I will never understand. She wanted my help, and now I see why. I will help her any way I can. First, I want to know where Erin is.”
    “I don’t know.” Christopher spoke first.
    “Not good enough.”
    “Who cares about that stuck-up little bitch?” Ann snarled.
    “I do and her mother does. Do you know where she is?”
    “Hell, I hope,” Ann sneered.
    Chad chuckled. “Good one.”
    “How about you, zit face? You know where she is?”
    Chad started to get up until he saw the look Cole was giving him. Then he twisted, pulled at the grass and re-crossed his legs. “I don’t care where she is.”
    “I don’t even know her, but somehow I think she is very lucky.” Cole shook his head in disgust. “You had Ellie sign a power of attorney when she got sick. She wants it back,” Cole said looking straight into Christopher’s eyes. “She’s going to seek legal counsel to help straighten out her affairs,” Cole bluffed.
    “And you think I’ll hand it to you?”
    “Could save you a lot of money and trouble.”
    “She has nothing.”
    “California law says she owns half of the proceeds from the house you sold. So, I guess that means this one, too.”
    “Without my support, they would’ve put her in County Hospital. She’d be a
welfare case.”
    “And you would let that happen?”
    “I have my family to look out for.”
    “She’s no longer part of your family?” Cole said in amazement.
    “She chose to go to the nursing home. She—”
    Cole suddenly whipped the back of his hand across Christopher’s face with all his strength. “Next time you lie to me, it will be my fist. Your treatment of Ellie is, is—” Cole couldn’t think of a strong-enough comparison. “She gets sick, you dump her in a home. Hell is too good for you.”
    “Not that I owe you an explanation,” Christopher began, “but I work hard for my money. It is my money and I will spend it how, and on whom , I choose. Ellen made her choice. I took her in. I gave her a home, and her spoiled brat, too. She’s not even my kid. With everything I’d done for her, she