“I’m never sleeping alone again,” James countered. “We made a deal. I don’t care how angry she gets, we’re sleeping in the same bed. Isn’t that right, wife?”
Mandy pursed her lips. She considered arguing with her husband but ultimately opted against it. He’d been nothing but supportive earlier, which made her feel lucky to have him, and there was no reason to let a fake fight turn into the real thing. “He’s definitely not sleeping alone tonight,” she said after a beat. “Despite his insistence on maligning my cooking, I still love him.”
James smiled indulgently as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Speaking of your delightful qualities, why don’t you tell everyone what you plan on doing next, huh?”
For a brief moment, Mandy’s eyes clouded over and James wondered if he made a mistake. She looked like a deer caught in the high beams on a lonely two-track. She recovered quickly, though.
“I thought we would save that for when everyone returns from their honeymoons,” Mandy said. “We can talk about it then.”
James was surprised by her reaction. “But … .”
“Let’s talk about the wedding,” Mandy said, shifting the conversation to something more comfortable. “Is everything set?”
“Everything is set,” Ally confirmed, bobbing her head. “I’ve talked to the minister and he’ll be at the country club thirty minutes before the ceremony. I also talked to the photographer and he wants to take photos before and after so I think we’ll be able to work that out relatively quickly.
“It’s supposed to be a beautiful day – sunny and warm, but there’s air-conditioning inside so that will be fine,” she continued. “People will have a great view of the lake from the balcony and I’ve confirmed with the wedding planner and she’s taking care of all of the decorations and table settings.”
“I, for one, can’t wait for the wedding,” Peter said, his eyes contemplative as they bounced between Mandy and Sophie. He understood something odd was happening with Mandy and James, but he figured focusing on it was probably a mistake. “I can’t wait to walk my daughter down the aisle. I’ve been looking forward to it since the day I adopted her.”
“And then you’ll give her to me once you reach the end of the aisle,” Grady teased, his grin lazy.
“I’m not giving her to you,” Peter countered. “I would never give her away. Forget for a second that I find the practice of transferring ownership of a woman to be abhorrent, but she will always be my daughter. Sophie becoming your wife doesn’t change that fact.”
“He was just messing with you,” Ally supplied. “He likes to poke people. It’s what he does.”
“I know.” Peter was strangely amiable despite Grady’s attitude. “I like poking people, too. That’s what Grady and I have in common.”
“Speaking of poking people,” Grady said, licking his lips as he turned to Mandy. “What’s your big idea?”
James scowled as he grunted out an annoyed sigh. “You just couldn’t let it go, could you?”
“Nope,” Grady replied, not missing a beat. “I saw how Mandy reacted and how it surprised you. Now I’m dying to know what’s going on in that busy brain of hers.”
“It’s nothing,” Mandy said hurriedly. “It’s just something I’ve been thinking about and James and I were talking about it earlier. It can wait until you come back from your honeymoons. It’s not a big deal.”
“It’s a very big deal,” James countered. “I think it’s a great idea. Frankly, I can’t believe you’re not taking over the conversation and getting everyone involved with the planning. That seems completely unlike you, wife.”
Now it was Mandy’s turn to frown. “I don’t want to distract from the wedding.”
“It’s not a distraction,” James said. “It’s a cool thing. It’s a wonderful thing. It’s still in the planning stages, though, so it’s hardly a distraction.”
“Oh, now I’m dying to know,” Grady said. “I’m practically salivating here.”
“There’s no practically about it,” Sophie said, making a big show of wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth. “You love it when you sense an opportunity to mess with James and Mandy. It must be that unspoken competition thing between big brothers and middle brothers. I don’t get it.”
“You’re an only child … and mature,” Peter said. “You can hardly be expected to understand Grady’s nature when it comes to his brothers.”
“Ha, ha,” Grady intoned, wrinkling his nose. “I just want to know what you guys have planned. If it’s not a big deal, then why hide it?”
“It is a big deal,” James said. “I don’t know why she’s being so shy. She was a little nervous when talking to me about it earlier – which upsets me some because I have no idea why she thought I wouldn’t get behind her on it – but it’s a really cool idea.”
“Well, now I have to admit that I’m curious, too,” Peter said.
“I definitely want to know,” Emma said. “If you’re excited about it, we all want the opportunity to be excited with you.”
“And you know I don’t like it when people keep secrets from me,” Ally added. “I’ll pinch it out of you if you’re not careful. You’ll have bruises all over your arms by the time I’m done and I happen to know you love the way your shoulders and arms look in your bridesmaid dress so those bruises will be a distraction, not an enhancement.”
“If you pinch her, I’m going to pinch you right back,” James warned, extending a finger. “I am excited to see the dress, though. She won’t let me see it. She locked it in her closet and threatened me with great bodily harm if I look.”
“Just tell us, Mandy,” Finn prodded. “You can’t have this much buildup and then let it go.”
Mandy blew out a shaky sigh and stared at her hands as they rested on top of the table. “It’s really not a big deal.”
Annoyance bubbled through James’ chest as he stared at her. “Stop selling yourself short,” he chided. “It’s a huge deal. It’s a wonderful idea and it shows what a giving heart you have. This is that martyr complex we talked about. Tell them … or I will do it for you.”
Mandy scorched her husband with a dark look before clearing her throat. “I want to open a shelter for victims of domestic violence,” she said. “I want to institute programs and help people with legal efforts. I want to be able to help them get on their feet and keep them protected while that’s happening. I’m interested in the building next to the security office.”
The table fell silent for a moment and Mandy worried she cast a pall over the dinner, which was exactly the opposite outcome of what she intended. Then everyone started speaking at once.
“That’s a great idea,” Emma said. “I want to help. Can I help?”
“I think that’s smart,” Grady said. “You know the ins and outs of the court system and can offer a lot of advice to people in precarious situations. We also know a lot of people who can offer their services for a program like this.”
“I would definitely like to volunteer finances and personnel for whatever you might need,” Peter said. “I think this is an absolutely phenomenal idea.”
Mandy lifted her eyes, surprised. “Really?”
“Of course, stupid,” Ally said, her eyes twinkling. “We all want to help. I think this is a great idea. I’m sick of working in a law office. I’ll bet we could work it out in a way where I could help you full-time.”
Mandy pressed her lips together as she fought off tears. The Hardy family’s capacity for love and acceptance was often overwhelming. “I was thinking that, too.”
Mandy watched and listened as everyone excitedly started throwing out ideas. She was lost in her own little world until James leaned closer and kissed her cheek.
“See,” he whispered. “I’m not the only one who thinks you’re a genius.”
“You’re still in trouble,” Mandy said. “I’m going to punish you later.”
James’ lips curled into a seductive smile. “I’m looking forward
to it.”
“SO WHAT’S the deal with Kaspar?” James asked an hour later, tugging Mandy onto his lap as he got comfortable in one of the outdoor wicker chairs. “I saw Marge was here, by the way. I was momentarily worried she would lose her mind and try to kiss me, but she didn’t even bother coming outside.”
Sophie snorted as she rested her head against Grady’s shoulder. It was a beautiful evening and even though she was in the middle of a big story, she had no inclination to leave the warm embrace of her almost husband. “She was a little jealous when she saw the way you grilled,” Sophie supplied.
“How do I grill?” James furrowed his brow. “I know I look manly while doing it, but I don’t think I particularly stick out or anything when I have tongs in my hand.”
“No, but you do have a blonde attached to your hip when you do it.”
“Ah, that,” James teased, rubbing his nose against Mandy’s cheek. “Yes, well, I like to have a blonde attached to my hip whenever I do anything.”
“Oh, puke,” Grady muttered.
“She was fine,” Sophie said, pinching Grady’s thigh to quiet him. “She’s had a crush on you for a long time so I think it’s hard for her to join the real world and realize that you’re not going to suddenly come to your senses and leave Mandy.”
“I’ll never leave my Mandy.”
“No, that’s what I told her,” Sophie said. “I think Marge’s biggest problem is that she lives in a fantasy world. She’ll have to figure her own way out of it, though. We can’t help her.”
“What about Kaspar?” Peter prodded. “I’ve got men looking for him, but so far they’ve come up empty.”
“You’ve got men looking for him?” Ally asked, surprised. “How come? I would think you’d leave something like this to the police. It’s not as if it affects your business.”
“Yes, but I despise rapists and child molesters,” Peter responded pointedly. “I want Kaspar off the streets. In fact, if my men were to find him first, I would be doubly pleased. We could take care of the situation with minimal fuss.”
Mandy involuntarily shivered as she snuggled closer to James. Despite outward appearances, she could never forget what Peter did for a living. He had a strange moral code that benefited her family on a regular basis, but he was cold and calculating when need be. “I wonder if he fled the state,” she mused. “He seemed surprised when we showed up on his doorstep. It was almost as if he thought he was smarter than everyone and would never get caught.”
“He definitely seemed surprised,” James agreed, stroking the back of Mandy’s head. “I’ve got this mostly figured out and I’m sure Kaspar was involved with what happened to Darcy. My guess is that, like most sexual predators, Kaspar went out of his way to groom the boys as much as the girls.
“He wanted the boys to do his dirty work,” he continued. “The boys found Darcy and isolated her. Kaspar probably supplied the drug, but the boys dosed her. The other kids didn’t even know he was at the party.”
“It sounds almost diabolical when you put it like that,” Emma said.
“He is diabolical,” James said. “He’s a sexual predator with no conscience. He’s a sociopath.”
“What about Kaspar’s son?” Mandy asked Sophie. “Did the press release say what happened to him?”
Sophie shook her head. “No. I have no idea if he left the kid when he ran or if the kid is with him. That’s the first thing I’m going to track down tomorrow morning.”
“Kaspar is in the wind and he knows people are going to be looking for him,” Grady said. “Once the evening news hits, his photograph is going to be plastered everywhere. Where can he run?”
“I’m not particularly worried about him running,” James said. “I think he’ll be caught eventually. I’m sure he probably had a contingency plan should he be discovered, but in the technology age it’s virtually impossible for someone to disappear.”
“He did it before,” Mandy reminded him.
“Yes, but he wasn’t openly wanted then,” James said. “He was simply a parolee who took off. He’d already served his time. This is different because so many people are actively searching for him.
“The sheriff’s department wants to talk to him because that mall attack is still dominating the news cycle,” he continued. “We want to talk to him because he’s an asshat. Peter has men on the street looking for him.
“Before he had one parole officer looking for him, and those guys are so overworked they can’t focus on one person because they’re usually dealing with hundreds of them on any given week,” he said. “Kaspar cannot outrun all of us.”
“So what is his plan?” Ally asked, resting her hand on Jake’s thigh as he slipped his arm around her shoulders. “If he knows he can’t run, where is he?”
“That’s a very good question,” James said. “I think the easy answer is that he’s not far away. If we put our heads together – and our resources – I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to track him down tomorrow.”
“That would be nice,” Peter agreed, bobbing his head. “Tomorrow night is the bachelor and bachelorette parties, yes?”
James nodded. “Yes.”
“Well, then we definitely need to clean up this mess tomorrow afternoon,” Peter said. “I don’t want anything to ruin my Sophie’s wedding week. If anyone deserves a perfect wedding, it’s her.”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “Oh, geez. You’re kind of a sap sometimes. You know that, right?”
Peter shrugged, unruffled. “You’re my only child, Sophie. Even though I find him annoying at times, I happen to think that Grady is the perfect man to give you eternal happiness. You’ll only get married once. I want to make sure everything is perfect … for all of you.”
“I can drink to that,” Ally said, beaming. “I say we drink to all of us.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” James said. “We’ll all have a drink … and then you can get out of my house. I have plans for my wife and they don’t include any of you. You should be focused on one another anyway. These are your last three nights of being single. They’re special and shouldn’t be ignored.”
“We’re not single,” Jake said. “We’re already married in our hearts.”
“Yes, but you’re not technically married yet,” James said. “You should be playing games and enjoying each other. Once you’re married, everything changes.”
Mandy shifted her chin so she could lock gazes with James. “Everything changes for the better, right?”
“Definitely,” James said, kissing the tip of her nose. “Everything gets better when you’re united with your soul mate. I should know … because I have the best soul mate ever.”
Mandy grinned. “That was a really good answer.”
“I’m not new at this, wife.”
“Oh, puke,” Grady groused. “I hope I don’t get that schmaltzy once I’m married.”
“Something tells me you’re going to be worse,” Peter said, chuckling. “Come on. Drinks all around. We need to toast to the end of your single lives. From here on out, everything you do will be together.”
Grady’s smile was earnest as he rubbed the back of Sophie’s neck. “Strangely enough, that sounds like Heaven to me.”
It sounded like Heaven to all of them. It was almost time to discard the old and embrace the new. They just had one final thing to do before that could happen … and they were all dedicated to seeing it get done.
19
Nineteen
“Okay, we need to figure out a plan,” James announced the next morning, strolling into his office and making a face when he saw Maverick sitting behind his desk. He did a double take and glanced at the clock on the wall before shifting his eyes back to the computer guru. “What are you doing here?”
“Last time I checked, I work for you,” Maverick replied dryly. “That’s what I’m doing. We still have no idea who tried to hack your system. That’s my goal for the day.”
“Uh-huh.” James was dubious. “It’
s nine.”
“I noticed.”
“It’s nine in the morning,” James said. “You generally don’t get up until noon.”
“Yes, well, I don’t like being a creature of habit,” Maverick said, shifting his eyes to Mandy. She stood behind James and seemed amused by the conversation. “Good morning, sunshine.”
“Don’t flirt with my wife,” James warned, extending a finger. “She doesn’t like it.”
“I’m fine with it,” Mandy countered, grinning as she edged around James’ hip and moved into his office. “I like feeling pretty … and Maverick always makes me feel pretty.”
James was annoyed. “Are you saying I don’t make you feel pretty?”
“Of course not,” Mandy scoffed. “You make me feel beautiful. It’s nice when someone else notices, too, though.”
“You tell him, baby,” Maverick said, offering an exaggerated wink.
“Don’t call me that,” Mandy ordered, her pleasant demeanor slipping. “Only James can call me that.”
Now it was James’ turn to smile. “Ha, ha,” he intoned. “She told you.”
“You guys are absolutely no fun,” Maverick said, shaking his head. “Were you always this way, or are you simply boring now that you’re married?”
“We are very far from boring,” James countered. “We also have big plans for tonight. That means we need to put this case to bed.”
“What kind of plans?” Maverick asked, leaning forward. “Are they sexy plans?”
James scowled. “Actually, we’re having special … parties … this evening.”
“What kind of parties?”
“Bachelor and bachelorette parties,” Mandy answered. She wasn’t looking in James’ direction so she missed the furtive look on his face. It wasn’t lost on Maverick, though, and the computer genius narrowed his eyes as he surveyed his boss. “We’re splitting up for the evening.”
“That sounds fun,” Maverick said, choosing his words carefully. “Can I come?”
“Absolutely not,” James answered automatically. “You’re not even old enough to drink.”
Deadly Forever (Hardy Brothers Security Book 24) Page 16