Free In the House On Lakeside Drive by Corie L. Calcutt Page B

weather, but not home. ” He looked at the pile of luggage sitting nearby, articles tossed in whatever knapsack or duffel bag was available. “Here. Here is home. Otter Lake, Rachel’s place, being with her and the boys. That’s home.”
    “Still, the question stands. This is from before?”
    Evan nodded, a frown crossing a thin face. “I had a friend, grew up with him. He got into pills. Both ends, if you follow me. Made a pretty lucrative business out of selling secondhand.”
    “Dangerous game, lad. Very dangerous.”
    “I know. Well, let’s just say I ended up owing him. He thought a great way to cover my debt would be to help him with a ‘supply problem’ he had at the time.”
    Green eyes narrowed. “You didn’t.”
    “No. No, I did not. I brushed him off, tried to talk him out of it. For a while, I thought I did. Then one night I get a phone call telling me to be ready.”
    “Evan, what did you do?”
    “I ran. I got to the place he wanted to knock over, told them about it. I got lucky; they believed me. Cops were called, and my friend got busted. End of story.”
    Frank gave his young friend the once over. “No. That’s not all, is it?”
    Long fingers fidgeted with a loose tie dangling from the hooded jacket Evan wore. “No. I had to testify in court. My friend swore revenge on me. Usually, you laugh it off—I mean, in the end he was going to prison—but about three weeks later, my place was turned upside down and I was attacked.” Evan craned his neck to show a thin, faded scar running parallel with his jawline. “Another inch closer and I wouldn’t be here. I got in the truck and I ran. ”
    The pair sat a long while, taking in what Evan had said. “I haven’t told Rachel. Not yet.”
    “Why not?”
    A scoff shot through a button nose. “Can you imagine that conversation? ‘Oh, yeah, babe, by the way, I was popping pills in college to escape my miserable life, and then got caught up in a robbery scheme, and then helped put away an irate entitled bastard who had me nearly killed once he figured out he was going to prison?’ Sure, Frank, that’s a conversation that’s going to go over well once I give her the engagement ring.”
    Frank’s eyes widened. “Engagement ring?”
    “Yeah. Planning to ask her at Christmas.” Evan sighed. “She’s the one. I don’t care if I’m living in a shack on the lake or a coastal mansion on the Atlantic, if she’s not there, what’s the point?”
    The old man stood from his chair. “Well, to that end, congratulations on your endeavor, lad. But still, if you think that old shadows are coming back to haunt you, you’d best speak up. Or else you might lose everything all over again. Trust me. When Lola found out about my not-so-stellar career as a youth, I nearly lost her.”
    “What changed her mind?”
    “She saw what I was…a decent lad who made mistakes, and learned from them. Do yourself a favor, lad, and learn from yours.”
    Evan shrugged. “I’m hoping that it was just someone looking for quick cash. I’ve put a lot of distance between who I was and who I am now. It could just be a coincidence.”
    The sound of the front door crashing open stopped Frank from arguing further. “Sorry,” Sam said, his cane swinging in front of him. “That lock is tough.”
    “I think I have a can of WD-40 somewhere,” Evan said. “Left one here on purpose for that very reason.” He headed for the door, giving Rachel a kiss on the way out.
    “Any luck?” Frank asked, giving each of his guests a hug.
    “It looks like they made off with a lot of small electronics, all the kids’ mp3 players, and at least one of Sam’s laptops. Plus their cash is missing, and Josh and Remy are going to have to replace their flat screen and stereo, respectively.
    “And our meds,” Remy said. “They’re gone too.”
    The Englishman’s face pulled into a thoughtful frown. “Your medicines, you say?”
    “Well, my Xanax, and Josh’s Adderall. There was