The Last Noel by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online

dishes.
    â€œBacon and cabbage, to go with the corned beef,” David said sharply. Bless him, he was actually bristling at the insult to her cooking, despite the circumstances.
    â€œDon’t look like bacon,” Scooter said.
    â€œIt’s more like Canadian bacon,” Frazier said. “It’s the Irish tradition to have bacon with the cabbage.”
    â€œCabbage is worse than bacon,” Scooter said, wrinkling his nose.
    â€œTaste it. All the flavors mix together. It’s good,” Skyler heard herself say as if she were coaxing a five-year-old. “Brenda, would you pass the potatoes, please?”
    She could do this. They all could. It was the only way to stay alive. Because if they didn’t stay calm and pull this off…
    At least, she prayed, Kat would survive.
    As Scooter reluctantly accepted the bowl of cabbage, Skyler dared a glance at David. His jaw was locked, a pulse ticking at his throat. His eyes touched hers, and they were filled with humiliation. He had failed to protect his family. He wanted to do something.
    She shook her head. No.
    â€œHey, you’re right. This shit is good,” Scooter said.
    â€œMy mother does not put shit on the table.” Jamie bridled.
    There was silence for a moment; then Scooter grinned. “Sorry. It’s just that…been a while since I’ve eaten a family dinner.” He set his fork down suddenly. “I can’t do this.”
    â€œYou can’t do what?” Skyler demanded, her heart racing. He couldn’t sit and eat with them when he planned to shoot them all in a few hours?
    â€œLeave it,” Quintin said.
    â€œCome on,” Scooter protested. “The kid could be dead.”
    Quintin frowned, then swore in exasperation. “The kid could be a cop.”
    â€œNo, he’s not,” Scooter insisted.
    â€œWhat kid?” Skyler demanded, feeling as if she were about to explode, as if she were choking and stars would burst in front of her eyes before the total darkness of death descended.
    Surely they couldn’t mean Kat?
    â€œWhat kid?” David breathed.
    Quintin waved his fork dismissively. “Nothing for you to worry about, buddy.”
    Skyler was surprised to see David lean forward intensely. “Haven’t you guys ever been in a blizzard before? If you left someone out there in this, he’ll die. A few years ago, one poor old woman died after the storm. She froze to death just trying to get her mail.”
    Scooter looked at Quintin. “The kid is no cop,” he insisted. “I don’t want anyone to die if I can help it.” Then, as if realizing that he was sounding too soft, he added, “But don’t any of you forget we’ve got guns, and we’ll use ’em if we have to.”
    â€œMom first,” Quintin reminded them very softly, and Skyler lifted her head to stare at him. He laughed suddenly. “Look at the little lioness. You think it would be worse if I threatened one of the children. For you, yes. But for the kids here…You think they’d want to go on living, knowing they got you killed?”
    â€œAh, it’s all clear to me now,” Paddy said suddenly.
    â€œWhat’s clear, you old Mick?” Quintin demanded.
    â€œWhy, that you were abandoned by y’er blessed mother,” Paddy said.
    â€œI wasn’t abandoned,” Quintin snapped back. “The drunken bitch died. Maybe you should watch it, Mick. You could be next.”
    â€œSpeaking of abandoning people…” Skyler cut in. “Have you abandoned someone outside?”
    Quintin grinned. “You want us to bring in our buddy and put the odds even more in our favor?”
    There was no way she could hide the confusion that filled her when she added that thought to the mix.
    â€œThat’s all right. You’re good people,” Quintin said surprisingly.
    â€œI want to get the kid,” Scooter said