Firestorm by Ann Jacobs Read Free Book Online Page A

one of his nieces might throw, Jake slammed his briefcase onto the small back seat of the Porsche.
    It was going to take some time for him to put a lid on the fury he’d worked up for the stalling bureaucrats on the state’s Oil and Gas Board. If the cocksucking politicians had their way, it would be months before GreenTex could start drilling on more of the properties they had leased.
    All he could do now was sink more wells on Kate Black's land. At least his lawyer, Blake Tanner, had managed to talk the Board out of rescinding drilling permits they’d already issued for seven additional wells there.
    “We didn't have much luck today,” he commented to Blake as he revved the car engine.
    “Sorry. That explosion has them spooked. Just be glad they didn't rescind the permits we already have. In spite of all the points I argued, the’d have been within their rights to do that.”
    “Yeah, sure. I appreciate your flying over here this morning. Not to mention keeping me from cutting loose with a major temper tantrum in that meeting,” he said after starting the car and pulling out into the downtown traffic.
    “I need to pick up a drill bit, if you can spare the time,” he added when he noticed Blake’s apparent confusion at the direction he was going.
    “I’m in no big hurry. Erin isn’t expecting me home until this evening.” The lawyer’s expression softened when he mentioned his pretty second wife.
    Jake focused on the scenery. He shouldn’t envy his good friend Blake, who’d gone through hell before finding love again after his wife’s death, with the surrogate mother of his child.
    Ann Jacobs
    Firestorm
    34
    Downtown Jackson, except for the Capitol and State office buildings where they’d spent the morning, reminded him of an oversized ghost town. As in many fast-growing southern cities, the better stores had moved to sprawling malls. Jackson was worse than most, with its abandoned King Edward Hotel across the street from an ancient, dilapidated Amtrak station.
    The ever-present scene of decaying buildings depressed Jake almost as much as wondering how he had managed to be as unlucky in love as he was lucky at finding oil underneath the ground.
    Silently he searched for the machine shop where he was supposed to pick up a custom drill bit Skip had ordered. By the time he found the dingy building west of the railroad tracks, he didn’t much care if the damn bit was ready or not. It was, though, and he stashed it in the trunk before heading southeast toward Groveland, via the Jackson airport.
    “How’s the family?” he asked Blake. He guessed that since his cousin Greg had married Blake’s sister-in-law, he and the lawyer were shirttail relatives of some sort.
    “Growing. Erin’s due again in September, a month after Sandy. But I suppose Greg’s told you all about the boy they’re expecting.” Hank grinned as Jake pulled up to the small metal hangar that served as a terminal for noncommercial flights.
    “Yeah. Guess I’ll be coming out to Dallas next month to meet the remarkable little guy.” Jake wondered if the baby Alice had destroyed would have been a boy or girl.
    “See you then.” Blake slid out of the car, reaching back inside to get his briefcase.
    “Hey, Jake, it's good to have you home again,” he said before he strode away toward his twin-engine Cessna.
    Alone now with the sound of old show tunes surrounding him in the car, Jake let his thoughts wander. Hell, he’d barely been able to function the last three days, between trying to figure who was out to destroy his business and having a constant hard-on for Kate Black.
    For the moment it wasn't the saboteurs as much as it was Kate boggling his mind.
    And that made Jake furious. He should be putting all his energy to stopping the attacks on GreenTex before there wasn't any company left to save.
    If he’d had a lick of sense he’d have taken her to a motel the other night and fucked her brains out. Maybe then he'd have gotten her