“Picking up dinner for Harper and me,” he replied, his eyes locking with Andy’s cool orbs. “I don’t think you guys are supposed to be hanging around back here.”
“And why is that?” Andy challenged. Even though he’d been initially surprised he’d gone full-on prideful teenager within seconds. “I don’t see any signs saying we can’t hang out here.”
Loath as he was to admit it, Jared realized that was true. That didn’t mean he couldn’t bluff with the best of them. “This is a private area for the business owners.” He kept his voice firm as he closed the distance between them. He wasn’t trying to appear surly or over-the-top, but he wanted to establish an air of dominance. “I don’t understand why you guys would want to hang out here anyway.”
“How is that any of your concern?” Andy snapped. “We’re not doing anything.”
Jared wasn’t a fan of the boy’s tone. “I didn’t say you were doing anything. I said this wasn’t a great place for you guys to hang out. Why don’t you move over to the park?”
“And why don’t you take your pig nose and pull it out of our business?” Andy hopped to his feet so he was toe-to-toe with Jared. He was a good three inches shorter than the detective and nowhere near as well built. That didn’t stop him from being aggressive. “We’re not doing anything and, last time I checked, this was still a free country.”
“Free doesn’t mean there are no consequences.” Jared’s hands landed on his hips, making him realize he probably looked like his mother, which was a daunting thought. “You guys can’t be back here. That goes for tonight and any other night. Do you understand?”
Rain dumbly nodded, but Andy remained where he was standing.
“Do you understand, Andy?” Jared prodded, staring directly into the boy’s eyes. “If you’re having trouble comprehending what I’m saying, we can head over to your house and discuss it with your father. Do you think that will be helpful?”
Andy kept his chest puffed out for another five seconds and then deflated. “You don’t have to talk to my dad.” He was unbelievably sulky. “We weren’t doing anything.”
“We really weren’t,” Rain insisted earnestly. “We were just talking and hanging out.”
Jared had a feeling it was more than that, but he didn’t want to press the issue. “Well, from here on out, this area is off limits. We have some scary stuff going on, break-ins and a murder. We want to make sure that everybody on the streets is safe until we apprehend the guilty parties.”
Andy worked his jaw. “Murders? Who was murdered?”
“Lionel Peterson.”
“I heard he died of a heart attack.”
“He died during a crime,” Jared countered. “That means he was murdered. It doesn’t really matter to you, though. You should head home. Stay out of this alley from here on out.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Andy offered up a dismissive wave. “Come on, Rain. We’ll head back to the park.”
On instinct, Jared snagged Rain by the back of her hoodie and hauled her back. “I’ll be returning Rain to her brother.”
“You will?” Rain looked legitimately confused. “I don’t understand. We really weren’t doing anything.”
“That’s great. You’re still going to check in with your brother. I think that’s what’s best for everybody this evening.”
Andy didn’t look as if he agreed, but he didn’t put up a fight. “Whatever. I hate this town. It’s so boring.”
“There are other towns,” Jared noted. “Maybe you should visit them a time or two.”
“Maybe I will.”
RAIN HAD TIME TO THINK OVER THE walk to Ezra’s gallery and she grew more and more agitated with each passing step. “I didn’t do anything to deserve this,” she announced when they were about a block away. “You’re the one who told me to make new friends. Now, when I make them, you’re acting like a jealous jerk.”
Something occurred to her and she slowed her pace. “Is that it? Are you jealous?” She looked excited at the prospect.
“I’m engaged to Harper,” Jared replied gently as he waved to two gentlemen drinking lemonade in front of a business across the street. He didn’t want to crush the girl’s spirits, but he’d heard a few horror stories about crushes going awry and he didn’t want that to happen in this instance. “I’m very happily engaged, for the record. You’re still a child. I’m not jealous, but I am looking out for you.”
Rain didn’t look convinced. “I think you’re jealous. Why else would you want to drag me away from Andy? It’s because you want to spend time with me. I bet we’re not even going to the gallery.”
“You would be wrong there.” Jared was calm as he started walking again. “We want you to make friends, Rain. The wrong friends are worse than no friends at all, though. I don’t know that Andy is someone you should be hanging out with. He has a certain reputation.”
She snorted. “So do I.”
“Yes, but Harper happens to believe that your reputation was forged in the fires of grief. For all I know, the same could be true for Andy. I believe his mother died when he was young. He’s still the sort who gets in trouble. Maybe you should look elsewhere for friends.”
“And maybe you should mind your own business.” Rain’s arms were crossed over her chest and her lower lip was out when Ezra opened the door to the gallery and poked his head out. He must’ve heard their voices, Jared realized. He looked anxious.
“Where have you been, Rain?” Ezra stomped down the steps. “You were supposed to be back here two hours ago. I’ve been worried.”
“You don’t have to worry,” Rain shot back. “I’m not a child. I can take care of myself.”
“You are a child,” Ezra countered. “You’re my little sister, and while you’re not a little kid, you’re certainly not an adult. I don’t make rules to punish you. I make them to keep you safe. That’s my job.”
“Oh, geez.” Rain rolled her eyes in exaggerated fashion. “I’ve had just about enough of the big brother routine ... from both of you.” She stomped past Ezra and into the gallery. “You won’t be able to control me forever. I’ll be in charge of my own life soon enough.”
Ezra’s expression was unreadable as he watched her disappear inside the building. Slowly, he turned back to Jared and held out his hands in an apologetic manner. “I’m really sorry for whatever she did. I ... um ... if there was damage, let me know. I’ll pay for it.”
Jared felt sorry for the man. It was obvious he was at the end of his rope. “To my knowledge, she didn’t do anything this evening. She was hanging out with a local guy who has a less-than-stellar reputation, however, and she was in a dark alley.
“The thing is, with the break-ins right now, she shouldn’t be in that alley,” he continued. “Also, Andy Cornell might just be a misunderstood kid. However, we’re looking for potentially misunderstood kids right now in connection with our case. Now might not be the time for Rain to attach herself to him.”
“I hadn’t realized she made a new friend.” Ezra pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “I was on her to make friends. This is my fault.”
“I was on her, too. Harper and Zander pushed her as well this afternoon. It’s not only on you. It’s just ... Andy might not be the best friend right now. Until we solve this case, he might very well be a suspect.”
“I’ll do my best to keep her away from him,” Ezra promised. “I don’t always have control of her, though. She likes to push boundaries. She gets off on it. I expect this to be no different.”
“I expect you’re right,” Jared agreed. “The thing is, this town is usually pretty quiet and calm. There have been a few things here and there, but the kids in this area are generally safe. It just so happens that we’re dealing with a case where that might not be the case, and it’s simply bad luck that you landed here now.”
“Yeah, well, Rain is going to be attracted to the bad kids. That’s who she is. She wants to punish me.”
“You specifically? I
think it’s more likely she wants to punish the world because things didn’t turn out how she always envisioned. Believe it or not, that’s a normal reaction for a teenager.”
“Yeah. I guess.” Ezra rubbed his hand over his jaw, weary. “I owe my parents everything. They were good parents. That means Rain is my responsibility. I’m not just going to wash my hands of her. I have to do something.”
“I’ll help if I can. I don’t know what that will entail, but I’ll be around if you get in over your head. The same goes for Harper. And, believe it or not, Zander might actually be helpful in this situation. Rain seemed to enjoy his take on life.”
Ezra chuckled hollowly. “She did.”
“That’s because they’re both immature,” Jared added. “We might be able to work that angle, though. For right now, just try to keep her indoors after dark. These break-ins are happening in the overnight hours. She should be safe as long as she’s not wandering around in the wee hours of the night.”
“I think even I can manage that.”
Jared forced a smile. “Good luck with her. I think she might melt down once you get inside. She seems primed for it.”
“Oh, she’s definitely going to melt down. I’m used to it. Thanks for seeing her home. I’ll take it from here.”
8
Eight
Harper was in her fuzzy sleep pants and one of his T-shirts when Jared returned home. Other men might like their women in sexy lingerie — and there were times when Jared enjoyed that view as much as anyone — but he absolutely adored when Harper was dressed down and comfortable.
“There’s my future wife.” He put the bag of food down on the counter and swept her into his arms. “You look as if you’re ready for a cozy night in. I think I can get behind the sentiment.”
Harper laughed in his ear, causing his skin to tingle, as she returned the embrace. “I love a cozy night in. We won’t have as many chances for that now that summer is almost here.”
Jared drew back to study the angular planes of her face. “How come?”
She shrugged, noncommittal. “Because we spend more time running around at night during the summer. Then, once fall hits, I’m always out and about. Winter is our cuddly season.”
“Oh, Heart, I’m going to cuddle with you for the rest of my life, whether it’s summer or winter. I don’t care.” He kissed the tip of her nose and turned back to the food. “We might need to heat it up. I got distracted once I picked it up.”
“Uh-oh.” Harper sensed trouble. “Do I even want to know?”
“Probably not, but you should. It involved Rain.”
“What did she do?”
“She was with Andy Cornell.”
Harper waited for him to expand. When he didn’t, she made a face. “I don’t understand. Why is that a bad thing?”
“Because he was hanging out in the alley behind the Chinese place and, according to Charles, he’s been there fairly frequently of late. He’s rude, crude, and an all-around jerk.”
“Ah.” Harper reached into the bag and started removing containers. “It’s kind of weird that you’re bringing this up now,” she admitted. “Once I got home, I started thinking about it. At first I thought it was cute that she was obviously interested in Andy. Then I remembered that he’s had a few behavioral issues over the years. He might not be a good fit if she’s trying for a fresh start.”
“Yeah. Mel brought that up, too. He seems legitimately concerned.”
“How come?” Harper couldn’t stop herself from being curious. Technically the case was none of her business, but that had never stopped her from poking her nose in before. It certainly wasn’t going to be a factor now.
“Because Andy is a troublemaker who keeps getting away with things because there’s no proof he did anything.”
“Maybe there’s no proof because he’s innocent.”
Jared arched a dubious eyebrow. “He was seen in the area of that teacher. Blair Ramsey. I think he was obviously her peeper.”
“I didn’t hear that story.” Harper grabbed plates from the cupboard, her mind going a mile a minute. “How did I miss that?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t get a lot of details. Mel was more interested in teasing me about the time she brought me cookies.”
Harper stilled. “Excuse me? She brought you cookies? When?”
“Before we were together,” he reassured her quickly. He hadn’t realized he was about to step in it until he was already over the line. “It’s not a big deal. She just showed up at the station out of the blue one day and asked me if I liked chocolate chip cookies.”
“What did you say?”
“I don’t know. Who doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies? I remember eating them. They were good. Obviously they didn’t work, though, because I’m here with you instead of Blair.”
Harper was quiet for a long beat. “I should probably make you some cookies, huh?”
“Oh, geez.” Jared rolled his eyes and finished removing the food from the bag. Surprisingly, it was still warm. That was a bonus. “You don’t need to make me cookies. I didn’t fall in love with you because of your cooking.”
“That’s probably good because I can’t cook.”
“Hey, we have Zander. He cooks. He needs to be good for something.”
“Yeah, speaking of that ... .” Harper had been harboring another worry throughout the day and she was glad to have someone to share it with. “I don’t think Shawn is ready to propose and yet that’s all Zander can think about now.”
“Actually, I think Shawn would be fine with an engagement,” Jared countered. “He just doesn’t seem the type to want a big to-do when it comes to the asking. If Zander wants that, he might be the one who has to arrange it.”
Harper took her time when considering the statement. Ultimately, she started shaking her head. “That is not going to go over well. Zander is going to have an absolute fit if it comes to that. He wants to be the center of attention for the proposal.”
“He can be the center of attention when delivering the proposal. That’s a thing.”
“Not really. I was the center of attention when you proposed.”
“Yes, but that was a private affair,” Jared reminded her, tapping her chin. “Unless ... you didn’t want a big, public proposal, did you?” He prayed her answer was no.
“Of course not.” She wrinkled her nose. “That would’ve been horrible. What you did was absolutely perfect ... even though we weren’t technically alone. We had voyeurs looking through our window that night, too.”
Jared smiled at the memory. “I was actually okay with that. Zander should’ve been part of your big moment. It was as important to him as it was to us. It kind of signified that his watch was over.”
Harper was taken aback. “You know what’s funny? I was thinking the same thing earlier today. He’s been a little manic about our wedding — and now his wedding — but weddings in general. I used to make fun of him because he couldn’t commit, but I’m starting to think that was because of me.”
“What do you mean?” Jared slipped a strand of her honey-colored hair behind her ear. “I don’t understand what you’re getting at.”
“He put his life on hold for me,” Harper explained. “I put my life on hold because I was searching for Quinn, a man who didn’t deserve a moment of my time or concern, and Zander was so worried he stepped into the abyss with me. He didn’t allow himself to get attached to anyone because he was afraid it would impact me negatively. Once I found you, then he was free to be with someone, too. Look how fast he fell for Shawn.”
“I agree that’s probably partly true,” Jared said after a beat. “Zander is also a fussy pain in the behind. It’s possible he didn’t find anyone he liked until Shawn because that’s simply how life works. Timing is everything. Shawn is his match — and might actually be an angel for putting up with him — so I don’t think Zander was going to find happiness with any of those other guys no matter what.”
“T
hat’s a fair point.” Harper was thoughtful as Jared started dishing up entrees onto plates. “He’s still going to get manic about this. I explained to him today that we want a small wedding and we’re not budging from that.”
“What did he say?”
“He just kept talking about his wedding, even though it’s not technically a thing yet.”
Jared chuckled, amused despite himself. “That sounds just like him. He really does crack me up sometimes. He’s a righteous pain in the ass — don’t get me wrong — but he’s funny, too. I’m glad you had him growing up.”
There was something wistful about Jared’s tone, which caught Harper off guard. “What’s wrong?” Her hand went to his cheek, unbidden.
He cupped it there and smiled at her. “I was just thinking about Rain. We pushed her to make friends today. She went out and did it even though she was reticent at the start. Now we’re telling her to pick another friend. At least that’s what I basically told Ezra when I dropped her off with him. As for her, she thought I broke up their burgeoning ... whatever ... because I was jealous. Her jumping to that conclusion makes me nervous.”
Harper could see that. “You need to be careful. She’s a messed-up kid. If she sees emotion attached to your deeds where she’s concerned, it could mean trouble. You definitely need to watch her, maybe not get in a vehicle or anything with her when it’s just the two of you. I’m not saying she would try anything, but this is your job and our future.”
“No, I actually agree with you. She’s definitely confused ... and I wouldn’t risk our future for anything.” He leaned closer and pressed a kiss to her upturned lips. “Mel and I are starting fresh tomorrow on the Lionel investigation. We didn’t make it very far today, which is a bummer. Why don’t you tell me about your day?”
“I don’t know that there’s much to tell. I spent the day trying to get a ghost in the backyard to talk to me.”
“Our backyard?” He furrowed his brow. “Why would a ghost be hanging around in our backyard?”
“Because he obviously heard I’m magic. I’m kind of a big deal in the paranormal world. You just don’t realize it.”
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