“I like you every day,” Lochie said. I knew what he was doing, trying to distract me so he would get his way. I’d cottoned on to all his little tricks.
“Yeah, well, you like an alien so that doesn’t say much about your judgment. How about Garden Village Eats?” Anywhere but Adele’s, not again. Please, not again.
“How about we flip a coin?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter. I inspected it, making sure it wasn’t a trick one that had both sides the same.
“Fine.” I sighed as he held the coin poised. “I call tails.”
He flipped it high into the air. I held my breath and willed it to be tails.
“Heads,” he declared happily. To make his glee complete, Lochie did a happy dance. Just like the fool he was.
I couldn’t be mad with him though, the pure joy he got from going to a stupid restaurant was too cute. If that was all it took to keep him happy, then I would go to Adele’s every day for the rest of my life. Not that I would tell him that.
“Fine. Let’s go,” I muttered, taking his hand and dragging him down the road. He practically skipped there.
Soon we were seated and handed menus, I didn’t even bother looking at mine. I don’t know why Lochie felt the need to either. We always ordered the same thing.
“I’m going to go a burger and fries,” he stated. Well, there was a shocker. Not.
“We could try something different.”
He arched an eyebrow at me in a silent question. Damn, that look was adorable. “Be my guest. I dare you not to have a chicken burger.”
“Challenge accepted. I can handle change.” I scanned the menu quickly, there wasn’t really anything else that sounded as appealing as a chicken burger. Damn it.
“You kids ready to order?” Maryanne, our regular waitress, asked. Yep, we actually had a regular waitress because we went there so often. She always liked serving us, mainly because she got to ogle Lochie for a few minutes as he pretended to peruse the menu. He loved the attention, probably because it bothered me so much.
“Why, yes we are, Maryanne. I’ll have a burger and fries, please,” he replied before giving me a pointed look. Amusement was dancing in his eyes as he watched me panic.
“Nuggets and fries, please,” I said. Challenge met.
“Won’t be long.” Maryanne took our menus and left.
Lochie leaned in close. “You know, Jones, chicken nuggets are just like a chicken burger. I don’t think that counts.”
“It’s different.”
“Nope.”
I opened my mouth to retort but stopped myself. We could argue about it all night and still have no winner. I changed tact instead. Distraction usually worked with Lochie. “Has your mom come around yet?”
He leaned back in his seat, all the sparkle gone from his beautiful blue eyes. “She’ll get used to it. You know she likes you.”
“She did… before.”
“And she will again.”
I wanted to believe that. Ever since Project Integrate was exposed, and my status as an alien from the planet Trucon was revealed, Mrs. Mercury wasn’t exactly my biggest fan. She was kind of civil to me, and I thought things were going well, but they weren’t. She sat Lochie down and gave him a lecture, trying to convince him to break up with me.
For all Lochie’s faults, I had to give him credit for never blinking an eye about who I really was. He always said that me being an alien didn’t worry him and I really believed it. He loved me because I was me and that was it. Case closed.
Lochie’s hand slid over mine. “It was just a shock, she’ll get over it. Don’t let it worry you.”
I gave him a smile, trying to reassure him that I was fine about it. But the last thing I wanted to do was come between him and his family. Especially when my own family had grown in size with my birth parents joining us on Earth.
Maryanne came over with our meals, breaking the silence that had settled over us. I looked at my chicken nuggets and wished it was a chicken burger. Sometimes being stubborn wasn’t a good thing.
“Enjoy, kids,” she said as she left.
Lochie hooked into his burger as I nibbled on a nugget. Looking around the restaurant, I couldn’t help but notice the number of people quickly looking away from me. It was unsettling.
Since our exposure, I was used to people looking at me funny. Some were just curious, some were scared, others were unhappy. Whatever they felt about me and my kind I could normally brush off. This was different. It wasn’t the odd look, it felt like everyone there was staring at me.
“What’s wrong?” Lochie asked, shoving a fry into his mouth. He had a piece of ketchup at the corner of his chin. I really wanted to brush it away.
“Nothing.” I shook my head, I was just being paranoid. They were probably all looking at my gorgeous boyfriend, thinking how lucky I was to be with him.
“Amery, talk to me.” Whenever Lochie used my first name, I knew he was serious.
“It just seems like a lot of people are looking our way tonight,” I confessed. There was no use keeping anything from him, he’d only keep at it until I told him.
I wished I hadn’t said anything as the first thing he did was look around the room. So much for being subtle about it. “Everyone looks fine to me.”
I caught another person staring, we locked eyes for a moment before they quickly looked away again. This wasn’t in my head, something was going on. I focused on my dinner, trying to ignore all the eyes drilling into me.
“They’re probably thinking how beautiful you are tonight,” Lochie muttered. My eyes flicked up to meet his as I started blushing. “Because that’s what I keep thinking. It’s kind of really distracting.”
I was never going to get used to hearing nice things from Lochie. I didn’t want to get used to it either. Every time, it was like a little jolt to my heart and I loved that feeling.
Still, accepting compliments wasn’t my thing. “Are you trying to get some chicken nuggets, Mercury?”
He laughed, and just like that, my blush started to recede and I could think again. “Maybe I am, Jones. Or maybe I’m telling the truth. I guess we’ll never know.” His mischievously sparkling eyes told me the answer.
I couldn’t wipe the stupid grin from my face. As much as the guy knew how to press all my buttons to anger me like no other, he also said the sweetest things sometimes. Half the time I never knew whether I should hit or kiss him.
I returned my attention to my meal and tried to tune out all the gazes cast my way. They were acting like they’d never seen an alien before. We had been plastered over television screens and newspapers for weeks, it wasn’t like we were new to anyone.
Thanks to Project Integrate coming to a somewhat successful end, most of the aliens from my home planet were now safely on Earth. We weren’t in hiding anymore so we were literally everywhere. Most people could honestly say they knew an alien now. Although, not everyone would admit to it.
“Amery, there she is.” The mention of my name made my head shoot up. My best friend Lola was hurrying across Adele’s toward me. At her heels was her boyfriend, Asher. Neither of them looked happy, that wasn’t a good sign.
“Lola, what’s up?” I asked, my stomach already starting to knot at what they were about to say. A glance at Lochie told me he was thinking the same thing.
She was puffed, trying to catch her breath as she spoke. “It’s Garrick… he’s on the news… he’s been arrested… for murder.”
CHAPTER 2
“Murder? Are you sure?” I asked, my mind instantly in a Ferris wheel of panic. It was like I had stepped into an alternate universe where nothing was making sense.
Lola nodded, finally able to compose herself a little more. “He’s been taken to the Portview Police Station and is being held without bail. They’re not letting him go.”
“Who has he supposedly killed?” I had at least a million questions that I needed answering. I knew Garrick was impetuous, and he had a temper, but murder?
It didn’t sound like him, he didn’t have it in him.
“Some girl, I don’t know. They’re not releasing much information on the news.”
“We thought you should know,” Asher added, rubbing Lola’s back while she regained her composure.
“Thanks. Did you say he was in Portview?” Surely I had been mistaken? Garrick lived in Wardsville, a good couple of hours from Portview.
Lola nodded again, doing better with mime than actual words. “Portview.”
I had to get to him. Garrick didn’t do well following orders from any government authority and I was pretty certain the Portview Police Force fell firmly into that category. He was probably going to make things a thousand times worse for himself.
“I have to go to the station,” I said, standing. It felt like everything else was going too slow. Every second that ticked by was one more wasted.
“Don’t get involved,” Lochie said, not standing. I shot him a disbelieving look. “Garrick is a big boy, I’m sure he can look after himself.”
“He’s my friend. Friends help each other when one of them is in trouble.” Lola and Asher stood back as they got out of the firing line.
“You haven’t seen Garrick for three weeks.”
“That doesn’t mean we’re not friends.”
Lochie shrugged, still not standing. Why on earth couldn’t he come with me without arguing about it? “He might be guilty. You want to see a murderer?”
“He didn’t do it,” I insisted. I would never believe Garrick could take somebody’s life. It just wasn’t him, he couldn’t do that to someone.
“He might have done it.”
I’d had enough. Arguing with Lochie wasn’t getting me any closer to the police station. I turned my attention back to Lola and Asher, both remarkably quiet all of a sudden. “Can you please take me to the station?”
Finally, Lochie stood. “I’ll take you.” He sighed the words, like it was the last thing in the world he wanted to do. At least he was standing, that was something.
Nobody spoke, they all just looked at me. That made a complete set. Now every set of eyes in the restaurant were staring at me. I never liked being the center of attention.
“Hurry up then,” I ordered Lochie.
“Call me later, when you know something,” Lola said as we left her and Asher there.
I hurried to the car while Lochie took as long as humanly possible. He fumbled for his keys, double checked his seatbelt, checked his mirrors a hundred times, and then finally started the engine.
“Good thing we were at Adele’s,” he mumbled as he drove. I had no idea what he was talking about. “Otherwise Lola and Asher wouldn’t have known where to find us.” He smirked. God, he was infuriating.
“If we went somewhere else, we would still be enjoying our meal,” I countered. Two could play at his game and I was difficult to beat.
But so was Lochie. “If you didn’t take half an hour to get ready, we would have already finished our meal.”
“Just drive.”
We were silent for the rest of the trip.
The Portview Police Station was on the west side of town, a large complex surrounded by brightly painted vehicles bearing the department’s logo.
The moment we pulled up, I hopped out of the car. I wasn’t prepared to hear another lecture from Lochie. The only reason he didn’t want me to visit was because he didn’t like Garrick. They loathed each other on sight, the feeling was definitely mutual between the two of them. Boys, I could only wonder what went on in their heads. I probably didn’t want to know.
I stopped the first police-looking person I found inside. “Excuse me, have you arrested Garrick Smith?”
The guy, only young and probably a rookie cop, looked me up and down before replying. “We have him in custody, yes. We’re not talking to the media, you’ll have to wait for the press conference tomorrow morning with the rest of them.”
“I’m not from the media, I’m his friend. Can I please see him?” I gave him my best pleading look, silently begging. I would get down on my hands and knees if I had to. The thought of Garrick sitting alone in a tiny cell by himself was enough to make me want to cry for him.
“He’s not allowed any visitors.” Apparently my powers of persuasion were sadly lacking. There’s a shock.
“Please? It’s important, I just want to know he’s okay.” Lochie snorted behind me, I ignored him.
“He’s fine. Now, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” The cop was clearly full of sympathy. Not.
As he ushered us back out the door, I managed to get one last question in. “Do you know he’s not a human?”
“We are well aware of that fact. Trust me, it helped us to know we should lock him up.”
The doors were closed in our faces. I literally had no idea what to do next. I looked at Lochie, he had wiped the smug look off his face. At least that was something.
“He didn’t do it,” I repeated.
Instead of a witty retort, Lochie wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me against his chest. He held me there in a silent embrace, speaking volumes.
I couldn’t imagine what had happened to cause Garrick to get locked up and accused of murder. Just once, it would have been nice for all in the world to be right. Apparently that was too much to ask for in Portview.
“Do you want me to take you home?” Lochie asked gently. He had completely changed his tune, it was difficult keeping up with him sometimes.
“Yes, please,” I mumbled into his chest.
I guessed I would have to let him move if we were going to go home. It was a pity, being in Lochie’s arms was the only place I truly felt safe. He gave me a final squeeze before taking his arms back.
When we arrived home, I insisted I would be fine so Lochie would leave. I knew he didn’t really like hanging around my place anymore. Apparently having two sets of your girlfriend’s parents scrutinizing your every move was one set too many. It wasn’t so much my adoptive parents that bothered him, but my biological ones.
Since our reunion at the Department headquarters, my birth parents had come to live with us. My adoptive parents had insisted on it, being the wonderful people that they are. I was pretty sure they regretted that decision about an hour after it was made as our house seemed to shrink overnight.
Despite all four parental figures and the trouble it caused, it was still really cool getting to know my birth parents. I didn’t have any memories of them, considering I was only a few months old when they sent me to Earth with the other Project Integrate babies.
But even though we were practically strangers, there was still an instant connection between us. It was weird, but it was like blood recognized blood. When I tried to explain that to Lochie, he looked at me like I was insane. I hadn’t mentioned it again after that.
We were still all trying to figure out our new living arrangements and succeeding in not killing each other in the meantime.
My birth parents weren’t keen on Lochie. Apparently people on Trucon didn’t date until they were at least in their twenties. So, being only seventeen, they didn’t agree with me seeing Lochie.
The funny thing was it had nothing to do with the whole alien/human thing like with Lochie’s mom, it was just an age issue. Go figure. Apparently we couldn’t please anyone – except Lola, she was ecstatic we were together for some reason.
After I explained the Garrick situation to all four parents, and confirmed they knew nothing more than I did, I went to bed. I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep, but it gave me some time to formulate a plan.
Unfortunately, plans didn’t come naturally to me. Dealing with the justice system was something completely foreign to me. Give me a technical calculus equation and I could solve it in the blink of an eye. But a legal quandary, forget about it.
By morning, my sole to-do list involved calling Special Agent Robert Bower of the FBI. If there was anyone that might be able to help with Garrick’s situation, it was my case manager. Or
former case manager, as we no longer needed to be managed.
“Soda pop, what’s up?” Rob answered happily. He was way too chipper for the early morning.
“Hey Rob, have you heard about Garrick?” I didn’t need to worry about pleasantries and small talk with Rob, he preferred to get straight down to business. A quality I used to find irritating and cold, now I knew it was just Rob’s training.
“Yeah, I saw it on the news.”
“So you haven’t been briefed on it or anything at the Department?” My heart sank at the thought, I had imagined they would all be working on taking the case out of the hands of the Portview Police Department.
“No, it’s a county matter. The Department has no jurisdiction.”
“But he’s an alien.”
Rob chuckled on the other end of the line. “And he’s got most of the rights of a human. Integration is a double edged sword, Ame. We can’t give him any special treatment.”
“So there’s nothing you can do? You know he didn’t murder anyone, Garrick doesn’t have it in him.” I silently crossed my fingers. I would have crossed my toes too if I thought it would help.
Perhaps I should have done. “All I can do is make a few quiet enquiries. But Garrick has to go through the same legal process as everyone else in his situation. I know you like to think the best of your friend, but the police wouldn’t have arrested him without good evidence. They know the political snowstorm it would cause.”
“He didn’t do it, Rob. Trust me on this, okay?”
“I’ll call you back if I have anything.” Rob sighed and closed the line. I wasn’t going to hold my breath waiting for his call. I guessed he wasn’t going to make Garrick’s innocence his top priority.
I trudged down to breakfast, wishing I could think of a better plan than doing nothing. I couldn’t shake the image of Garrick locked up behind bars all alone.
“Morning, honey,” my adoptive mom greeted me in the kitchen. Everyone was already there, halfway through their breakfast. I said hello to them all before sitting down.
Project Integrate Series Boxed Set Page 66