Yesterday's Scandal (The Wild McBrides 3)

Brad moved sharply, forcing Mac to tighten his grip. “Don’t argue with me, boy. If you really cared about your sister, you wouldn’t be here doing something that you know would break her heart. You wouldn’t be hanging out with a guy who trashes her reputation. The same guy who almost killed her less than a month ago. What kind of man chooses a jerk like that over his own family? You’re damn lucky to have a sister like Sharon. You should be her defender, not one of the people who hurts her.”

Brad jerked his mouth free of Mac’s hand. “You hurt her. You made her cry.”

“You’re right,” Mac said evenly. “And I deserve every name you want to call me. But you’re her brother.”

Brad couldn’t answer that.

“We’re too far out of town for you to walk safely back at this hour. My truck is parked a hundred yards up the road from here. Go wait in it for me. The keys are in my pocket, but I left the doors unlocked. You should recognize the truck. It’s the one with the big, ugly scratch down one side.”

Brad muttered something Mac didn’t even try to catch.

“Unless you want to join your friends with Chief Davenport, of course. But I wouldn’t recommend it. From what I heard, they deserve what they’re going to get. You just squeaked by. Now, I can take you home to your sister or I can turn you over to the cops. Your call.”

“I’ll wait in your truck,” Brad conceded grudgingly.

“That’s the first smart choice I’ve seen you make yet, boy.” Cautiously, Mac released him, half prepared for him to run. But Brad only stood there, his head down, his shoulders slumped, looking suddenly younger than his fifteen years.

“Get in the truck,” Mac urged. “I’m going to make sure everything’s taken care of at the house. I’ll drive you home when I’m finished.”

“Are Jimbo and Tommy really going to jail?”

Mac hardened his voice. “If you’re tempted to feel sorry for them, spend the time while you’re waiting for me thinking about how easily your sister could have drowned in Snake Creek.”

Without comment, Brad shuffled off toward Mac’s truck.

Mac found Wade and two of his officers beside the storage building, Jimbo and Tommy handcuffed between them. Jimbo was sniveling, Tommy looked sullen and defiant.

Mac spoke to Wade. “Looks like you got your perps.”

“Yeah. Got ’em just as they were about to help themselves to your tools.”

Clicking his tongue, Mac shook his head at the boys. “Now, is that any way to treat a guest in your hometown?”

They both glared at him.

Turning his back to them, Mac looked at Wade again. “Thanks for tipping me off, Chief. I am, most definitely, pressing charges.”

“No kidding. Uh—we rather expected to catch more than two of them.”

Keeping his expression impassive, Mac shrugged. “I guess their friends had enough sense not to get involved in this.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Mac was aware that Officer Gilbert Dodson was notably absent from the crime scene. “I’m sorry about your man, Wade. It always gets you when a cop goes bad, doesn’t it?”

His face strained, Wade nodded. “Yeah. It does.”

“If you don’t need me for anything else right now, I’ve got an errand to run. I’ll see you sometime tomorrow.”

“Yeah. See ya’, Mac.”

Brad was waiting in the truck, slumped down on the seat, the most miserable kid Mac had seen in a long time. He climbed behind the wheel and slammed his door. “Your buddies are in cuffs. Be glad you aren’t.”

“I am.” The admission was made grudgingly. “I guess I should thank you for what you did for me.”

Mac started the engine. “I didn’t do it for you, remember?”

“I know. You did it for Sharon.”