“What the fuck is he doing moving into Walter’s office?” She released Lucky, glare scary enough to make even hardened criminals haul ass. “Walter’s only been gone a week.”
“I have no idea. But I aim to find out.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Um… y’all?” Bo ventured, holding up his laptop.
Lucky and Johnson both turned. “What?” Lucky barked.
“You need to see this. It’s a memo from the corporate office.” Bo shifted his laptop to give them a better view of the screen.
“Until further notice, Jameson O’Donoghue will be managing the Atlanta office of Diversion Prevention and Control.”
Screw that.
***
Lucky stood on the stoop of his house, noting the steady thrumming from within. More than likely his nephews had spent the afternoon playing video games, watching TV, or chatting with friends via phones or laptops.
Kids. Whatever happened to getting outdoors every once in a while? He opened the door.
“You’re home! I need your help with alge—” Ty barreled through the kitchen door and stopped so hard he nearly toppled over. “Oh, it’s you.” He frowned, folding his arms over his chest.
“Hey, Uncle Richie,” Todd called from the couch, where he sat with a lapful, literally, of dog. Moose likely weighed more than Todd. He turned a brilliant shade of red. “Oh. I’m sorry. I mean, Uncle Lucky.”
Lucky threw up a hand at the behaving nephew and scowled at Emo Kid. No. Intimidation wasn’t the way he should treat teenagers. After all, this wasn’t work, and Ty wasn’t a rookie. If he’d been a rookie Lucky would’ve sorted him out by now.
Half-witted recruits were so much easier to deal with than flesh and blood relatives. You could kick their asses in a boxing ring and not have the rest of the family bring it up and take sides at the next holiday.
Besides, he didn’t love the rookies.
“Mind telling me what I did to piss you off?” Lucky asked. His younger nephew had been fine when they’d first reconnected.
Ty scrunched his face, nose wrinkling. “By being a loser.” He darted down the hall and slammed the door to his room.
Lucky winced. Whatever had he done?
Todd continued dog spoiling so Lucky stepped out on the back deck. Cat Lucky followed him out. He plopped down in a chair and the black and white feline hopped into his lap.
Lucky idly stroked the critter while calling his sister.
“Hey, Ri… Lucky. What’s up? Boys driving you crazy?” Charlotte’s voice eased some of his strain. The fact she’d given up his childhood name of Richie in favor of Lucky proved her devotion.
“They’re all right, but let me ask you something. Have I done or said anything to piss Ty off? He talks nonstop to Bo, but anytime I walk into a room he bolts down the hall and slams the door.”
Charlotte sighed. “He does that to me too.”
“Then I shouldn’t take ‘loser’ personally?”
Charlotte stayed quiet for a few moments before answering. “He’s spent his whole life here. Doesn’t know anything else. He’s changing schools, friends. He’ll be okay, just give him time.”
“I hope you’re right.” Once, Lucky wouldn’t have cared what anyone thought of him. Times changed a man. He’d held Ty in his arms the day the kid came screaming into the world. Had read to him, babysat him, sometimes imagining one day having his own kids.
Before he’d gone to prison. Hadn’t seen them in years. He’d sent presents at birthdays and Christmas when he could, wasn’t that enough?
Would it be enough for you?he imagined Bo asking.
No. It wouldn’t. He’d failed. Alienated the boys. Todd seemed forgiving, or rather, he might not care, as involved as he was in preparing for college and beating everyone in the country’s high score on video games. Lucky had waited too late to reconnect. Soon Todd would be living his own life and Lucky might not get to see him much, if at all.
