Free Playing Doctor (Bandit Creek Books) by Julie Rowe Page B

still dark outside,” came the grumpy reply.
    “I don’t care. You and I have a mission.”
    “A what?” he sat up and looked at her bleary eyed.
    “A mission. I want your buddy Ghost to see something.”
    “Ghost isn’t watching me, he’s watching you.”
    “Well, I’m not taking any chances. Come on.”
    “You’re going to show me and Ghost the mine?”
    “No, I’m going to show you where I got the dynamite. Two very different things.”
    He frowned and reared his head back. “You’re not going to try to blow up the lake anymore?”
    “Actually, I’m planning one heck of an explosion over there in an hour or so.”
    He lay back down on the cement. “I don’t like loud noises.”
    “I don’t like getting shot at. Now get your ass up and come with me.”
    “There’s no need to get snippy with me.” He cracked open one eye. “Which reminds me, where’s your boyfriend?”
    “A long way from here.”
    He smirked. “You left him up at your folk’s cabin, didn’t you?”
    “How did you know where we were going?”
    He snorted. “Didn’t take much to figure that out.”
    “I’m way too predicable.”
    “I don’t know about that,” he said, rubbing his face. “I didn’t think you’d come back to town and wake me up to do some fool stupid thing in the middle of the night.”
    She quirked an eyebrow. “Surprise.”
    He laughed. “Well, if you don’t take the cake. What the hell, I didn’t have anything important to do right now anyway.” He got to his feet, wobbled a little then straightened. “Lead on MacDuff.”
    “You don’t think we’ll come out of this alive.”
    “Nobody gets out alive. We’re all going to go someday. I don’t know that it’ll be today, but what you want to do isn’t without risk.”
    “You sound suspiciously like a military officer, JD.”
    He looked at her like she’d insulted his mother. “No name calling or I’m going back to bed.”

 
    Chapter Eleven
     
    J ack Daniels smelled like…Jack Daniels.
    “How much do you drink in a day?” she asked as they drove down the street towards her house. Getting him into the Jeep hadn’t been as difficult as she thought. Getting the smell out of the upholstery might be a different issue, however.
    “Depends.”
    “On what?”
    “Whether I have to beg, borrow or steal it.”
    “Okay, different question, how much did you drink yesterday?”
    “Doctors never stop with the questions. It’s always how much did you drink? When was the last time you ate, and when was your last bowel movement? As if my taking a shit has anything to do with anything.”
    “Answer the damn question.”
    “I don’t know, maybe a two-six of whiskey.”
    “Is that typical?”
    “Pretty much.”
    “Any other recreational drugs?”
    “No.” He sniffed. “I may be a drunk, but I’ve got standards.”
    “Of course, how silly of me.”
    “You’re a woman, you can’t help it.”
    “Don’t insult your doctor, it could be detrimental to your health.”
    He chuckled. “Maybe some, but not you.”
    “What do you mean not me?”
    “You’ve got a good heart, a kind soul.” He patted her knee. “You protect people. You don’t hurt them.”
    “But I have JD, I have.”
    “Is it really a sin to defend yourself from lethal force?” he asked, his gaze as sharp as a well-honed knife.
    “I…don’t know.” She slowed the Jeep as they approached her house. “How did you know?”
    “You weren’t the first one to be put in a situation like that, and you sure as hell won’t be the last.”
    “But how did you know?”
    “Whenever you think no one is looking an expression comes over your face, like someone shot your dog then kicked you in the gut.”
    “You spying on me, JD?”
    “Of course, it’s part of the drunk, homeless guy’s job description to keep an eye on everyone.”
    “That is the biggest load of bullshit I’ve ever heard.” She parked the Jeep in her driveway and got out.
    JD opened the passenger