Free Molly Brown by B. A. Morton Page B

photos - that were bad but good enough - and decided he knew as much as he needed to know. Big truck equated with big cargo; he just needed to know what it was doing changing hands under cover of darkness in a building that was ready to fall down.
    Interesting , thought Connell, but not interesting enough to delay his journey home any longer.
     

Chapter Six
     
    It was dark when Connell finally pulled into the farmyard, and he was thankful for small mercies. Okay, so he was late and he would pay for that, but the main house lights were off, so maybe he’d get away with the fact that he’d had a difference of opinion with the tail end of a shotgun. He hauled himself wearily from the car and stood a moment, leaning against the cooling metal, relishing the night air and the sweet scent of pines. Taking as deep a breath as his ribs would allow, he turned and found he was looking down the barrel of yet another shotgun.
    “Parker, for Christ’s sake, o ne of these days you’re going to take my head off with that thing.”
    The old man peered over the top of his glasses through the gloom and lowered his weapon fractionally. “Is that you, Sonny?”
    “Of course it’s me. Who else would it be in my car in my yard? And the name’s Tommy, not Sonny.” Connell reached back in through the open car window and retrieved Joe’s candy. “What you doin’ anyway, creeping about in the dark?”
    “Keepin’ watch on them young-uns, whic h is what you should be doin’, Sonny.”
    Oh yeah, he was a funny one, was old Parker. “Lizzie and Joe don’t need you patrolling the grounds with a shotgun, Parker. There’s nothing out here but horses and trees.” He cast a glance out into the darkness. Lots of trees. The farm’s pastures were surrounded by thickly wooded hills. It was what Lizzie loved about the place. It reminded her of home back in England, in the little village with no bus. He returned his gaze to the old man. “You keep that up and you’ll likely shoot yourself.”
    “Huh! Y ou choose to leave your family for days on end, you gotta expect another man to muscle in.”
    Connell smiled. “Are you figuring on doing just tha t, Parker?” The old man cackled and Connell heard the dry rattle in his chest. “Because I need to know if I’ve got competition.”
    “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. I got my attractions.”
    “Yeah?” Connell stepped away, leaned back on the paddock rail and gave Lizzie’s new car the once over. He had to admit it had a certain appeal. Reckoned it might be cool to take it through its paces and see how its racing tires handled the farm tracks. He doubted, though, if she’d let him loose behind the wheel of her pride and joy.
    Parker joined him, taking in the night air, his weapon safely stowed. “I wasn’t always this old , you know,” he growled. “I was known as a bit of a lady’s man in my day.”
    “Oh yea h, which day was that, Parker? The day they invented the wheel?”
    “Hey, I could teach you a thing or two, Sonny.”
    “Have you been making eyes at my girl, Parker?” asked Connell, amusement pushing aside his exhaustion. Parker was a stubborn old buzzard who generally made his life hell and grumbled endlessly about every little irritation he could think of. Usually it was about some mischief of Joe’s, and to be fair, Joe did get up to plenty. Connell knew, though, that Parker adored Lizzie and Joe, and he’d never have agreed to sell the farm if it hadn’t been for them. Although the old guy was crazy as a sack of raccoons, it gave Connell a good feeling inside knowing Parker was keeping an eye out when he couldn’t.
    “Only got eyes for one girl now,” said Parker sadly, “and she’s been gone for over twenty years.”
    “ ‘Bout time you joined her, then,” joked Connell wryly. “I know a great spot in the woods. Any more of your bitching and we could take a walk out there together ...”
    Parker gave a dry laugh, which desce nded into a painful cough.