Adam by Teresa Gabelman, Hot Tree Editing Page B

Sid didn’t move. Both Warriors looked back at Caroline who was standing with arms crossed, wearing a huge frown. “And Lana.”
    Caroline uncrossed her arms and walked straight up to Sid. “ Lana will not be here. I’m going to finish helping you this one time,” she growled, holding up one finger to emphasize her words. “But if you ever treat me or my sister like this again, I will get my daddy’s gun, fill it with silver bullets and shoot your ass.”
    Silence followed her heated words as she turned, opened Sloan’s office door and then slammed it shut behind her.
    Sid started to follow her in, but Sloan stopped him. “ Watch your step, Sid,” Sloan warned before letting him go.
    Once Sid had disappeared into the office , Sloan turned his attention back to Adam, Jill and Steve. “Is your issue the same as theirs or something different?” Sloan never minced words. He always said what he wanted without a care to who thought what about him.
    “ Different, but…” Adam began holding up the newspaper he had taken from the diner.
    “That ’s all I needed to know.” Sloan held up his hand. “I can only take one problem at a time. Save it unless someone’s life is on the line.”
    When Adam didn ’t say a word, but dropped the newspaper back down to his side, Sloan frowned at each of them.
    “Is someone ’s life on the line?” Sloan asked, his eyebrow cocked in question before grabbing the paper out of Adam’s hand. His face changed from irritation to rage in a second flat. “Son of a bitch.”
    “It looks like ours may be.” Adam replied, his fist clinching in anger.
    “Has Slade seen this?” Sloan shook the paper at them.
    Adam glanced at Jill who shrugged. “Not sure, but I doubt it .”
    “Keep your phones clear.” Sloan turned to head into his office with the newspaper clutched in his hand. “And watch your asses.”
    When th e door slammed shut, Jill turned toward Adam and Steve. “Now what?”
    “I guess we keep our phones clear and watch our asses ,” Steve snorted with a frown. “I’m going to bed. Six o’clock comes early, so if anything happens, come and get me.”
    “Yeah, guess I ’ll see you tomorrow.” Jill turned to walk away, but stopped. “Unless you want to go for a ride with me?”
    Adam had turned to leave, but stopped. “You don’t have a car,” he said with a grin.
    “No, but I was going to hot-wire yours,” she countered without a grin. “It would be much easier if you came along.”
    “And where were you tak ing my stolen car?” Adam frowned, knowing she would have done exactly that: stolen his car. “All you would have to do is ask me and you wouldn’t have had to steal it.”
    “Not if you knew where I was going.” Jill turned , heading out the door.
    Adam growled , knowing exactly what she was planning. “Jill, dammit, I told you…”
    “ I know what you told me and you know what I told you,” Jill growled back. “She’s lying, Adam. The more I think about it, the more I know it. And I think you know it to. Something doesn’t ring true to this and whether it bothers you or not, it bothers me and I want the truth.”
    A gleam glowed in Adam ’s eye. “Okay, but we go where I want to go first.”
    Jill paused in curiosity. “And where would that be?”
    Adam walked past her with a knowing smirk. “To see you r dad.” He stopped, turning to look at her with a raised brow. “You coming?”
    “That ’s not the same thing and you know it, Adam,” Jill hissed, giving him a shove.
    “Oh, but it is the same damn thing , Jill.” He shoved her back. “And the only way I’m doing this is if you go see your father, who by the way, I know you want to see.”
    “ No, I don’t,” Jill’s mouth replied, but her eyes clearly stated differently.
    “You suck at lying.” Adam grinned. “You always look away a split second before you lie.”
    “I do not,” Jill replied, catching herself looking away. “Dammit.”
    “Come on . Let’s get