“You enjoy toying with them, don’t you?”
She grinned brightly. “Absolutely. Unpredictability makes things more interesting; don’t you agree?”
She yanked open the bedroom door and glanced over her shoulder. “Hope you enjoyed the show. Next time I might give you a lap dance.”
Sloan followed her out onto the landing and down the stairs, where Lucy was talking to her brother-in-law. Grant glanced over her head and glared at Sloan.
Sloan watched as Lucy picked his pocket, stealing his wallet before Lucy grabbed Sam and headed outside.
“Where is she going?” Sloan asked.
“She’s going to get something to eat and then work the case,” Noah answered.
“And you let her go with Sam? You know what happened the last time those two were together without someone to watch over them,” Sloan prodded. Was he the only guy that saw this as a problem?
“Lucy is going to do what she wants, and now that I can’t make her listen to me, she’s going to get herself hurt. There’s nothing I can do to stop her,” Noah said as a patrol car pulled up into the driveway. “My ride is here.”
Noah grabbed his gun and shoved it into the holster before he left.
“You’re her brother-in-law. Shouldn’t you be out protecting her?” Sloan asked Grant.
“You have met Lucy, right?” Grant said, raising his brows. “Let me give you some advice, Romeo; Lucy is unpredictable as a wild animal. You can’t control her or tell her what to do.”
“Obviously,” Sloan said.
Grant shrugged. “Then you must have forgotten that we’re all an open book where she’s concerned. All she needs is a signature energy to cling to in order to read your emotions, and let’s just say she’s been around all of us long enough to know where we stand. Including you.”
Sloan ran his hand over the stubble on his chin. She’d known he was lying and that his words contradicted his feelings. He’d forgotten that she was that damn good.
“How do I convince her to come work for me?”
“That’s simple,” Grant said, pouring another cup of coffee. “You don’t tie her down. Listen, you like her and want to keep her safe. If anyone here gets that, it’s me. So, don’t try to manipulate her. She’s smart. Just tell her the truth and let her make her own decisions.”
“She stole your wallet.”
Grant grinned. “I know. She was practicing her pick pocketing skills on me. Who do you think taught her?”
Chapter 12
I pulled up outside the Starlight Diner on Main Street. “Hope you’re hungry, Sam. I’m starving.”
“A hangover will do that.”
We both slipped out, and he met me in front of the SUV.
Sam pulled the door open and held it like a gentleman as I stepped inside. “What would you know about hangover-induced hunger?”
His cheeks tinted pink. “I’ll have you know that I have a life outside the division.”
Booths were nestled against the wall, and metal chairs lined the counter. The register dinged as a waitress cashed a couple out. The scratched tabletops with cracks around the edges each had a condiment station. These types of places promised the best in hangover therapy, greasy and filling.
The restaurant patrons turned to stare, and conversations turned to whispers.
“I think they’re staring at you,” Sam said, sliding into a booth along the wall that gave us the perfect view of the parking lot.
“They aren’t staring at me; they’re staring at you.” I chuckled.
Today Sam’s spiky hair was dyed blue matching his shirt that said, I touched a Firewall, and I liked it.
“I think they’re staring at both of us, and here comes one now,” Sam said, sitting straighter in the booth.
I glanced over my shoulder to find a man heading in our direction. He had grease smeared on his face and was wearing a baseball cap and overalls. He stopped at our table, first staring at Sam and then meeting my gaze. “You two don’t look like any cops I’ve ever seen.”
“That’s because we aren’t. I’m fresh out of a psych ward, and my baby brother here is a computer genius,” I said, sliding the silverware out of the wrapped napkin. My fingers lingered over the knife while I tried to pick up any killer tendencies in the big man. He wasn’t giving off any vibe other than pure curiosity. Nothing to indicate he might strike.
“Sit down, Mikey.” A woman who looked in her seventies crossed the room. She had an apron tied around her waist, a name tag that read, Betty and a pen slipped behind her ear. She stopped at our table with a coffee pot and two mugs in hand.
Mikey moved out of the way as if scared of the woman as she approached. “I was just talking to them, mom.”
Mom?
“Yeah, well, your way of talking is more like accusing, and seeing how this woman got out of the psych ward and has a knife within reach, I’d really hate for you to get blood on my nice clean floors.”
Observant. I grinned. I kind of liked this woman.
“I think I might have just done you a favor. Now go sit down.”
She waited as Mikey’s gaze shot to mine and he backed out of the space. I smiled politely. “Nice to meet you, Mikey.”
He bobbed his head in acknowledgment and then retook his seat.
“You’ll have to forgive Mikey. He’s a little on edge seeing how they found those bodies in the lake.”
“Not a problem, Betty,” I said, smiling up at her as she filled both cups with coffee.
“I’ll give you a minute to look at the menu.” She pointed to the laminated one-page menus held in place by the napkin dispenser.
I grabbed the menus and handed one to Sam before picking what I wanted. Sam ordered the same thing.
I waited until she walked off before I started dumping creamer into my cup. I wasn’t one who liked creamer in her coffee. I was one who liked a little dash of coffee in her creamer. I stirred. “You’ve been behind that computer since we got here, so tell me what dirt you’ve already found out.”
“Not much to tell. This is a little town like all the others. Not much happens here in the way of crime. The only abnormality was the missing person cases and one hit and run. The high school only has three hundred students. Their science department has won the state science and chemistry fairs for the last six years straight. There does seem to be a little problem with teens experimenting with drugs, but it’s nothing like the big cities.”
“Carson’s mother was the hit and run.” That was as much as I knew about that case.
“Yeah, and his father got arrested a few times for drunk and disorderly after her death. Carson’s dad took it badly, Lucy.”
I understood that. I was willing to kill for my sister. I didn’t know how I’d react if she’d actually died.
“Child protective services were called out on Carson and his brothers when they missed too much school, but judging by the lack of a file, nothing was done with that, and Carson’s and his brothers’ school records and grades improved for the most part.”
I took another sip of my coffee, weighing the information. “So, you’ve got nothing?”
“I’ve got nothing. Even Carson’s mother was squeaky clean.”
“Yes, she was,” a woman said, sliding into the booth seat next to Sam.
“Uh… hi,” I said.
She held out her hand. “I’m Amber Farley.”
“Oh right, the Marine recruiter’s daughter.”
Amber smiled brightly. “Carson must have told you about me.”
“He did. He spoke fondly of you and your dad. Carson attributes his success in the Marines to your father’s prodding.”
“Well, prodding is the one thing my daddy is good at.”
Amber glanced at Sam.
“Oh, sorry. Amber, that’s Sam. Sam, Amber is friends with Carson.”
Sam frowned. “Carson has friends?”
“Right?” I chuckled. “He really wasn’t born in a military experiment.”
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Amber chuckled. “No, he wasn’t. He was homegrown right here. I can vouch for that. Carson is why I’m here.”
“Really, and why is that?” I said, taking a sip of my coffee.
“Well, the rumors have started that Cody Anderson was one of the bodies pulled out of the lake.”
I raised a brow. This rumor mill worked overtime. “I wasn’t aware that information was released to the public yet.”
Amber tilted her head and gave me a sideways look. “Sheriff Anderson is devastated about Cody’s murder. One person tells another, and it doesn’t take long to get around our little town.”
“What does that have to do with Carson?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“Cody was a bully,” she said. “Everyone else in town might be too scared to admit it, but I’m not. I experienced it firsthand. He was picking on me, and Carson tried to stick up for me. They didn’t care for each other, but it’s only because Carson has a protective gene that runs a mile wide. He didn’t have anything to do with Cody’s death.”
“And you know for a fact that Carson wasn’t involved?” Sam asked.
“Of course, I do,” Amber said.
Betty, the waitress, walked over to our table with glasses of water in each hand. “I’ve already had to run Mikey away from this table, Amber. Maybe you should leave these nice folks alone.”
“You’re right. My barging in while you’re waiting on breakfast was rude of me.” Amber slid out from behind the table and waited for Betty to leave. “I know everyone in this town. I can help you. Meet me at the high school, and I’ll show you everything.”
“What do you do at the school?” Sam asked.
“Sam has fantasies about school librarians,” I said, earning another blush from Sam.
Amber’s smile grew. “Sorry to disappoint. I’m not a librarian. I’m the principal. Carson is a good man, no matter what you find. His brothers and others in this town...well…anyway…I’ll see you later.”
Betty returned with our plates of pancakes and bacon and left the syrup bottle. I grabbed it first and poured a generous heaping, going around the mile high stack of perfectly golden pancakes several times until my pancakes were drowned and saturated in the sticky sugar. “That was odd.”
“You aren’t kidding,” Sam said. “She doesn’t even look old enough or mean enough to be a principal.”
“After breakfast, you can play in her dirt box to see what she’s hiding beneath the surface.”
“That woman?” Sam asked, picking up the syrup bottle to study what was left. “If she’s hiding anything, it’s her extra stash of caffeine and sugar. She barely stopped to take a breath. I think we’d have a better shot at digging up dirt on Mr. Overalls.”
“He’s not scary. The waitress, Betty, though, seems to have a handle on all the residents.”
“You’re right. She kind of reminds me of you.”
“She reminds me of my mother,” I said as I took a big bite of pancakes and moaned round the fluffy goodness. My eyes slid closed, and I savored every delicious bite. “She looks like her too.”
Sam had eaten only half before he gave up. “So where to next?”
“Do you have Ford’s number?” I asked.
“Of course, I have the number of everyone in our group, including the psych ward.”
“Give me your phone.”
“Why do you need him?” Sam asked, pulling out his phone and sliding it across the table.
I ignored the question and scrolled through Sam’s contacts. He had fifteen missed calls, all from the same phone number. “Looks like you’re avoiding someone.”
Sam tried to grab the phone, and I turned in place, keeping it from him.
“Don’t worry. I know everyone’s secrets.” I twitched my nose and winked as I dialed Ford, who picked up on the third ring.
“What do you want, Sam? I already told Roth that I’m not working with her again. I’m busy.”
“Too busy to help little ole me?” I asked, keeping my voice calm.
“Lucy?”
I rested my elbows on the table and licked syrup from my fingers. “What are you busy doing? Is it illegal? Can I come join you?”
Ford had confided in me during our last mission that in his younger years when he was breaking into homes of people on vacation, that he liked to spend a few days living in those houses learning their secrets and eating their food. He associated each home with a specific food and or life lesson he learned from snooping. I found that tidbit of information both intriguing and disturbing. I liked him even more for it.
“What do you want, Lucy?”
I could hear the aggravation in his voice. Pulling that emotion out of him was easier than normal, almost as if he had his guard down. “You’re afraid I’ll figure you out.”
“Why are you calling me?” he demanded.
“News flash, squatter, I already figured you out, and I can track your sexy behind.”
The people in the restaurant turned and frowned at my volume.
“Sorry, she doesn’t have an inside voice,” Sam whispered, trying to placate the locals.
“I need your help.”
“Lucy, the other guys are with you. You don’t need me; you need them.”
“Let me tell you what I need.” I sighed and inhaled a deep breath. “Ten years from now, I’m going to associate this conversation with the Starlight Diner, along with perfect syrup-drenched pancakes and you. You know what I’m going to remember most?”
“What?” I could hear the tension in his words start to dissipate.
“That, on this trip, they told me I’m a free woman. No more psychiatric ward, no more listening to Noah, and no more taking no for an answer. So, help me, or so help me God, I’ll come stick my nose into whatever has you so uptight and start to unravel those strings.”
“You’re threatening me?” he asked on a chuckle.
“I wouldn’t do that,” I pouted. “I’m asking you nicely to help a friend out.”
“Lucy, I’m right in the middle of something. I can’t just up and leave. It’s complicated.”
His words made me pause. They were laced with uncertainty and fear, both emotions that were the opposite of Ford’s persona. “You all right?”
Sam raised his brow from across the table and whispered, “Is he?”
“I’m working another case, and I’m sorry, but I can’t just leave. Well, not right now. I’ll get back to you, though.” I heard something that sounded like dishes breaking in the background and a baby crying. “I’m sorry, Lucy, I’ve got to go, but if you’re thinking of breaking in somewhere, I can walk you through the process, but first you need to do some recon. I’ll need entrances, exits, cameras, the whole shebang.”
“I can do that.” I smiled. “Go take care of you.”
Ford didn’t even reply before he hung up. I slid the phone back to Sam. “I didn’t know Ford had kids.”
“He doesn’t,” Sam answered. “I did backgrounds on all of you guys.”
I pulled Grant’s wallet out of my pocket and paid the bill. My brother-in-law knew better than any of them that I could afford to pay him back when I finally got access to my personal belongings.
“Who did you steal that from?” Sam asked, patting his pockets. He sighed in relief when he felt the bulge in his back pocket.
“I didn’t steal. It’s a loan until I get my debit and credit cards and access to my accounts.”
We’d stepped out of the café when Sloan pulled up in his SUV. His gaze went from Sam to mine. “Lucy, we need to talk.”
I patted Sam’s arm and pressed Grant’s wallet into his chest. “Be a dear and return that for me and don’t worry.” I grinned. “Sloan’s worried my daddy is going to make us have a shotgun wedding now that he knocked me up.”
Sam’s mouth hung open.
“Ignore her. If I’d slept with her, you would have heard her screaming my name,” Sloan said.
I shrugged. “Promises, promises
.”
Chapter 13
I handed Sam the truck keys and walked him to the driver’s side door. When he climbed in, he glanced once more at Sloan before turning back to me. “You good?”
“You want to know the best thing about being free?”
“What?”
“I don’t have to be anywhere I don’t want to be. I could just pick up and go.”
Sam’s brows dipped. “Are you thinking about leaving?”
“I wouldn’t leave a friend hanging. Carson is my priority, so go start digging in the sandbox while Sloan and I go get nosy.”
“I’ll call you if I find out anything.”
I grinned and shut the door before crossing to Sloan’s SUV and climbed inside.
Betty and Mikey were staring out the window at us. Their mouths were moving, but I’d failed at lip reading. It was a bit eerie, the way they gave off the whole Stepford-I’ll-be-watching-you vibe.
“I thought I was buying you breakfast,” Sloan said, pulling my attention.
I turned to him and shrugged. “You were, but I changed my mind. Sam gets so wrapped up on the computer that he forgets to eat. He’d survive on popcorn and M&M’s if I didn’t step in.”
“So you’re mothering the kid.”
I chuckled. “That kid can hack into any computer or account around. I bet he could even steal your millions.”
“Maybe I should try and hire him instead of you.”
“That’s the smartest thing you’ve ever said to me,” I answered.
Sloan drove down Main Street like a Sunday driver with his nose out the window following the smell of an afternoon barbeque.
I pointed toward Carson’s brother Michael talking to a man in a military uniform. “That must be the daddy. Pull over in that parking spot.”
“Who’s daddy?” Sloan asked as he pulled into a parking spot near a coffee shop.
“Amber’s daddy,” I said, sliding out of the SUV. All talking stopped as I approached with Sloan following behind me.
“Pardon me,” I said as I approached.
Killing Justice (Fractured Minds Series Book 2) Page 6
