The Thing About Trouble (Crystal Lake 1)

“How’s that going, by the way? Nash said it was a big project.”

“It’s going well.” Thankfully, Bluebell Barnes hadn’t surfaced since day one, and he’d been fine with that. Something about the woman threw him off his game, and right now, he needed his game more than ever.

“What’s she like?” Honey’s eyebrows rose dramatically. “The infamous widow Barnes.”

He made a face. “Since when do you care about Bluebell Barnes?”

“I don’t really. I mean, I don’t know her. I just think there has to be more to this woman than what the local gossip mill churns out. I heard she’s working at Poppy’s place down by the boardwalk.”

That yanked his head around. “I doubt that.” The woman had more money than most anyone in Crystal Lake, including the Blackwells. Why in hell would she be putting in time at some boutique?

“It’s what I heard.”

Cam finished his coffee and handed the empty cup to Honey. He didn’t have time to sit around and worry about where the widow Barnes was spending her time. The fact that she hadn’t been home all week (as far as he knew) was all that mattered. “I gotta run. I’ll be by later to get Tawny.”

“Stay for supper?” Honey nodded toward the kitchen. “I’m making homemade goulash.”

“I knew you had something good in there.” He flashed a smile. “Goulash is a hell of a long way from burnt Kraft dinner.”

Honey made a face. “Can’t believe Nash told you that.” She gave him a hug, and he tousled the top of Tawny’s hair on his way out. The kid didn’t bother to look up, and he supposed that was a good thing.

Twenty minutes later, he pulled into the driveway of the Barnes residence. Rufus ran ahead, and Cam followed the dog around back. His guys were there, and the materials he’d ordered for the new deck had been delivered.

“Okay, boys,” he said, grabbing his tool belt. “Let’s get

to work.”

By noon, the landscape crew was half done with all the planting, while he and the construction crew managed to get a good chunk of framing done for the deck. He’d just called quits for lunch when Dave walked by and nodded toward the side of the house.

“You got company.”

Cam wiped sweat from his brow, pulled his cap back low, and turned as Edward Barnes made his way carefully through the construction zone and headed toward him. Rufus was nearby and ran a few feet, a low growl rumbling from his chest and a warning bark following.

“Easy, boy.” Cam put his hand on the dog’s head.

Edward Barnes was tall and well built, no doubt from hours in a gym, because as far as Cam knew, the man wasn’t the type for physical labor. His brown hair was thinning, his features sharp, and his expression was all business. He was dressed for golf, sporting an emerald-green collared shirt, gray-and-white-plaid shorts, and sandals that weren’t exactly appropriate footwear for a yard under construction.

“Booker,” Edward said conversationally as he approached.

Cam knew the man casually—they didn’t exactly rub elbows and run with the same crowd. He offered his hand. “It will be a hot one on the links.”

Edward smiled and nodded, though it did nothing to thaw the frost in his eyes. He glanced at Rufus. “Dog doesn’t seem too friendly.”

“He’s friendly enough.”

“He bite?”

“He’s been good today.” Cam kept his voice light. He didn’t like the man, and he sure as hell wasn’t about to play games with him. “What can I do for you?”

Edward shoved his hands into the pockets of his shorts and turned in a full circle, his forehead marred by a frown and all pretense of politeness gone as his gaze settled on the house.

“She home?” Contempt dripped from each word, and the man’s eyes hardened. “I rang the doorbell and knocked, but there’s no answer.”

“If you mean Blue, I haven’t seen her.” Cam took a step back, unwilling to be pulled into family stuff that didn’t concern him. Everyone in town knew there was no love lost between Edward Barnes and his father’s widow.

Edward swore under his breath. “Bitch changed the code, and I can’t get in.”

Cam had to work to keep his cool. “Last I heard, you don’t live here.” He wasn’t exactly a fan of Bluebell Barnes, but at the moment, she was his employer, and he wasn’t going to let someone like this douchebag talk shit about her.