“Okay.” Heidi checked that the boys had a good hold on their leashes and then said something to Connor before jogging over. “It was nice to meet you,” she said, offering him a smile.
“I was great to meet both of you. Y’all are welcome to stop in, anytime.” And they’d never find a thing to complain about, godammit. He was going to call his daddy and figure this shit out.
Connor hung out with the boys while they pulled out of the driveway, then scooped up Sophie and joined him on the porch. “Okay, I thought I was a big dog person, but she is so cute. Thank you, honey.” Connor took a quick kiss but pulled back, smile fading. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. I got to make a couple of phone calls.” He was going to explode, he was so pissed.
Connor’s eyes narrowed. “All right. Go make them. But you’re going to tell me later.”
“Yes. You know I will. You got to help the boys with the dogs. We’ll talk in a bit.”
Early meant it too, but right now he was calling his folks and having ears put to the ground.
23
Connor had spent all afternoon with the boys and their puppies, playing, walking, and even a little dozing in the sunshine. He was completely smitten with Sophie—she was just the sweetest little ball of unconditional love he’d ever seen.
He’d finally insisted they put the puppies in their crates and send the boys off for a nap. Jayden was really too old for naps, but he’d start out reading and fall asleep anyway. He always did. The fresh air and all the activity wore him out too.
He hadn’t seen or heard a thing from Early all afternoon, and he knew something was wrong. Early had been wound up tight after Martha and Heidi left. He respected that his husband hadn’t wanted to talk about it then, there was too much going on, but Connor decided to find him now. Hopefully whatever it was had been resolved.
But Early didn’t have an office, so where would he go to make phone calls? This house was so damn big.
They needed an office. A real office with desks and supplies. It was important.
He’d talk to Early, assuming he could find the man…
He searched everywhere, finally finding the door to the secret room open. Bingo.
He knocked softly on the pocket door jamb before climbing the stairs to the round library. “Coming up.”
“I’m up here, darlin’. You need help with the dogs?” Early sounded absolutely livid.
“No, they’re crashed in their crates, and the kids are having a nap before company comes.” He didn’t remember ever seeing Early so angry…and it had been hours too. He moved into the room slowly. “You’ve been up here a while?”
“I have. We got a problem. I don’t know what to do about it. I need help.”
Well, okay then.
He nodded and pulled over a chair. He tried not to worry, but Early didn’t ask often, so he knew this was serious. “Okay. I’m listening.”
“Someone’s been spreading rumors—that I’m an animal abuser, a child abuser, that I have been unfaithful to you. It’s not good. Martha let me know.”
He stared at Early, squinting like that might make things clearer. “What? I don’t…what?” It was ridiculous. No one who knew Early would believe it.
“I know! She almost didn’t consider us for the dogs.” Early was shaking. Literally shaking.
“Hey. We got them. So, she knows it’s bullshit, and half this town won’t believe it either.” Connor stood and moved around behind Early’s chair to massage his shoulders. “God, you’re wound up tight. Take a breath.”
“I called Pop, and he ran down to the feed store to chat with the folks there. Someone’s saying we abuse our boys.”
He froze, lifting his hands carefully from Early’s shoulders. He hit on the someone quickly. It wasn’t much of a puzzle. “Maybe the same someone that told Reese you hired him for the job?” He paced away from Early. He should be keeping it together since Early was already losing it but…abuse the boys? “I’ll kill him. Abuse our boys. I dare anyone to try to prove that.”
“Can we do something? I mean, being a bitch isn’t illegal, is it? I have a baseball bat.” Early had a gun too, but his husband didn’t threaten to use it.
“Yeah. If we can find out for sure who it was, then yeah. We just need to know, and to be able to prove it. After that, I’m a lawyer, I can do something about almost anything.” Anything said against them had an effect on their business and their bottom line, that was defamation. That, he could fight with legal fire.
“Okay. I bet Pop can help there, a lot. He knows everybody, and who he doesn’t know, Momma does.” Early glanced at him, then shook his head. “I can’t believe this shit…”