“Alex and Jeb said the trip to the bar turned up nothing,” Gus stated.
“Not a clue, or even suspicion, which makes them both believe that there’s another location. That someone knows something,” Cassius said.
“What do you think about the whole drugs thing? That maybe the killer and this woman took some hits together and then he raged?” Gus asked.
“I wouldn’t be surprised, but considering the other information thus far, I’m leaning toward the drugs being a way to sedate the victim. I guess we’ll know more once the toxicology reports come out,” Cassius replied then took a slug from his beer and spotted Emerson at the bar with Faith, a cute little blonde.
“It pisses me off that a soldier could be a suspect in these murders, and that he could be traveling around within the four surrounding states,” Ted said.
“Just means that he’s trying not to get identified. This last crime scene was brutal,” Cassius said to them.
They nodded in agreement. “The woman was young, too. A shame to die so young and in that manner. I hope we can all find this guy and fast,” Gus said.
“Me, too, Gus. Me, too,” he said. Cassius saw Emerson look his way, and as he gazed over her body, she turned away as if his perusal annoyed her. That was a shock. He figured she picked up on the attraction. What the hell was he thinking anyway? He didn’t date, and certainly wouldn’t shit where he ate. That thought didn’t seem right. Emerson was a treasure. A woman of commitment, it was obvious and that didn’t fit into his life or his brothers’ lives. As he thought that, he got angry. Was he losing his fucking mind? This damn fucking town and Kane. Fucking Kane. Jesus, he thought to himself and downed the beer and stood up. “I’m heading out.”
“What? Why, when you can make some progress with the hot waitress?” Ted asked.
“Not interested. Have a good night, and see ya Monday at work.” As he walked out he saw Emerson and some guys talking to her but she kept back. As she glanced up he knew he shouldn’t smile or give an acknowledgment, but then he nodded his head and she tilted up her chin. Apparently the feelings of not wanting any kind of anything was mutual. So why did he feel disappointed, and like he just lost a great opportunity?
* * * *
“That’s her? The brunette in the shorts and tank top?” Raven asked as he, Beretta, and Harley looked from their yard to the cottage. The woman moving in had a bunch of guys with trucks helping her and a couple of other women. There was music playing, not too loudly, but they were laughing and having fun. Raven crossed his arms in front of his chest. “How the fuck old is she, Harley? Is this a sign of parties and loud music into the wee hours of the fucking morning?” Raven barked at him.
“You sound like an old man,” Beretta chimed in. Harley snorted.
“Let’s just hope it’s because all those guys are there helping her move in,” Harley said.
“You need to make sure she knows not to be throwing parties and shit or that place will turn into a pigsty,” Raven complained and then walked by the side of the house. What the fuck was Harley thinking, renting that place to some twenty-year-old party girl? As he headed to his truck to grab the tool box he heard someone calling out. He turned to look and sure enough, the brunette was heading over to him. The closer she got the less angry he became. The woman was gorgeous and her body incredible. As she smiled wide, he almost smiled back, but he was pissed off and didn’t know why.
Suddenly she stopped short. Her jaw dropped. “Oh God, I’m so sorry, I thought you were Harley,” she said. Her face went flush and she looked him over then looked back toward her friends. They were all still carrying things into the house.
“Emerson,” his brother Harley called out and came over. As she turned Raven checked out her ass in the shorts, her toned, tanned thighs, and her full large breasts.
“Hi, Harley. I thought he was you,” she said and then glanced back at Raven. “Sorry to bother you. I’ll let you get back to what you were doing,” she said and then Harley was there. His brother looked her over. He supposed that he and Harley were very similar. Especially now with their beards, shoulder length hair, and physiques.
“This is my brother, Raven. Raven, meet our new tenant, Emerson,” he said, introducing them.
“Brother? Oh, okay, so I don’t feel so stupid thinking he was you,” she said and pointed to Raven and then back to Harley. Harley smiled and it shocked Raven.
“Nice to meet you,” she said, and Raven didn’t reach his hand out to hers to shake. Instead he gave her the once over and continued to pull stuff from the back of the truck. He heard her mumble something but then Harley was talking to her.
“One of my friends, who works in construction, was wondering about the granite in the kitchen and where you found it. He and his brothers all work construction and build houses and they’ve never seen anything like it,” she said to him.
“Oh, well, it’s—”
“None of their business. It’s custom-made and cut. We picked out the stone and had it made into that piece, so they can’t match it or whatever,” Raven snapped at her.
“Raven,” Harley interrupted, but then Emerson was already stepping back.
“Sorry to bother you.”
“Hey, my brother can be uptight sometimes about things. He’s right though, we basically got it cut for us after we found the piece. So it’s one of a kind.”
“Nice, Harley. Thanks.”
“Hey, and keep the music down, too. Not sure if Harley told you no parties either. We work around here,” Raven snapped at her and the expression on her face shocked him.
“Raven,” Harley said his name again, but Emerson backstepped.
“Sorry. I won’t bother you again.” She walked away and Raven ran his fingers through his hair. He looked back and Jesus, the woman had a perfect ass, and she smelled incredible. She was gorgeous, young and he just acted like a dick.
“What the fuck was that all about? She’s a sweet woman, and friendly.”
“Maybe someone needs to think with the right head here and lay down rules.”
Harley just stared at Raven, who was looking straight ahead at their house. He was gripping the side of the truck. Then they heard laughter, and turned to see the guys packing up their truck and getting ready to leave. Raven wondered which one of those guys was her boyfriend, or maybe more than one? Would they have to sit over here and watch men pull up at night and stay with her? The series of thoughts flashed through his mind from out of left field, and then came the jealous feelings.
“She’s gorgeous, man. You’re out of practice, like me,” Harley said to him. Raven glanced up at Harley, who leaned against the truck right next to him and looked toward the cottage.
“What the fuck does that even mean?” Raven barked.
“It means I saw the way you were in a dead stare at her when she approached. She caught your interest immediately and you nearly smiled. She’s likable.”
“She’s trouble, and you should have denied renting her the place. It was meant for someone who will take care of it, not trash it.”
“Emerson won’t trash it. There’s a classiness about her, a sweetness and she’s respectful.”
“You make her sound perfect.”
“Hell no, she isn’t perfect. Her sweetness nearly got her in a jam the other day in town.”
“What?” Raven asked and then Harley explained what happened.
“She was talking to Coda though, so maybe she’s thinking about taking some self-defense lessons. That isn’t your problem, man, and it wouldn’t be smart to try and get the tenant in bed.”
“I’m not trying to get her into bed. Holy shit, you really are at a loss right now? You felt an attraction to her, didn’t you?” Harley asked.
“Who wouldn’t? She’s got a great ass, big breasts, sweet voice, incredible smile, and she’s young and would be easy to manipulate into bed. What else could a guy ask for?”
“Raven, you are not that kind of guy, nor have you ever been.
She shocked you stupid,” Harley said and then chuckled. Raven instantly felt like a dick for trying to play Emerson off as a piece of ass. It was obvious she was sweet and also now scared of him.
“Fuck you,” Raven snapped at him.
“Fuck us all, because I felt it, too, man. I can’t even believe how instant it was, nor how I can’t get her out of my head. This fucking town, man,” Harley said and pushed off the truck. Raven watched Harley head back to their house and Raven glanced one more time at the cottage, wondering who all those men were, then got annoyed with himself for even thinking and caring. This was going to be a fucking nightmare. He just knew it.
* * * *
“Do you think the music is too loud?” Emerson asked Faith and Genesis as they sat outside by the fire. They had helped her get organized after her bosses from the construction company helped transport all her stuff. They were such great guys. Their wives were lucky to have all of them.
“It’s not too loud at all. We can hardly hear it and we’re right here,” Genesis said to her.
Emerson worried her bottom lip.
“Have another glass of wine and relax. Harley’s brother is probably just a miserable jerk. It does happen, where one brother is nice and the other is a jerk. Just stay friendly with Harley. He’s hot,” Faith said. They chuckled.
“He is definitely hot, and oh my God, Faith told me how he came to your rescue with some cowboys in town. That he wrapped one arm around your waist and told those young boys to take a hike, a real man was here now,” Genesis said.
Emerson and Faith laughed. “I get the feeling that Faith exaggerated. Also, she has a thing for guys with beards, too,” Emerson added then looked across the way at the house and saw that a candle or something was lit and the shadow of a person was there. She really hoped that she didn’t make her landlords angry. What was with Raven anyway? Why was he such a jerk? She couldn’t believe she mistook him for Harley. Obviously there was a huge difference between the two. They were brothers though and they did share that same green in their eyes. That made her think about that Cassius guy. He was hot.
“Oh boy, are you daydreaming about those brothers or are you regretting moving here and afraid Raven could be a serial killer?” Genesis teased.
Emerson sat back down on the couch and looked at the fire. “I was actually thinking about this guy, a lawman actually, who was in the other night. There was something about him.”
“Hot?” Faith asked and then laughed.
“Obviously she found him attractive. My advice, Emerson, slow down, and don’t jump the gun. You’re like new to town, new to Harper’s. Men come in from all over the place and you don’t want to make a mistake and like the wrong guy,” Genesis said.
“Sounds like someone has experience,” Faith said to her.
“Been there and done that, have the scars to prove it, so your advice isn’t falling on deaf ears. It was just so strange how familiar he seemed. I don’t know. He was a lot older, too. It’s so weird though, how this town makes life seem different.”
“Different is a good word when describing what the town has the power to do,” Genesis said.
“I mean it, Genesis. I felt coming here, taking the job at Harper’s, finding a place in town was like my last hope at happiness, at something better than what life has given me thus far. I don’t know. Maybe I’m hoping to find home. Never really had that feeling, or felt safe like that before.”
“Geez, Emerson, your ex really did a number on you, huh?” Faith asked her.
“And then some, I guess. It’s crazy how one minute things seem so perfect, you’re planning your life out, wanting to fast forward to all the good stuff, and the next your heart is broken, and you want to give up on believing you could ever heal.” She took a sip of her wine, and then swallowed. “I want to heal.”
“I want to heal, too,” Genesis whispered and then held Emerson’s gaze.
“I want to fall in love, and have what our other friends have, but it scares me to trust a man in that way. With the stories I’ve heard, sometimes it feels like as women we’re automatically targets. Like we can’t be seen as anything more than our physical appearances, and like any and every man has a right to comment, or to give comment. All I know is, that when I meet a man I really like, and that I really want to give my virginity to, he is going to see me, not all this hot stuff right here,” Faith said and waved her hand over her body, making a joke and trying to stop the serious talk. Emerson and Genesis hooted and hollered.
“Oh crap. Shhh,” Emerson said and Genesis laughed.
“I can’t wait to see how this plays out,” Genesis said.
“Me either,” Faith added.
“How what plays out?” Emerson asked.
“Ahhh, nothing, sweetie. Just keep being you, and remember, take your time and follow your gut. That right there won’t ever steer you wrong,” Genesis said and they clinked their glasses and enjoyed the fire and music for a little while longer.
* * * *
Cassius pulled into the driveway at home. He glanced toward the cottage and saw the white jeep he had noticed the last few nights. He assumed it belonged to their new tenant. A tenant he knew nothing about because Harley handled everything with that, and Cassius had been working this case with the other Rangers and detectives the last week. He had yet to talk to his brother. When he saw the brunette walk out the front door and carrying a large black bag she looked to be struggling with, he figured now was as good a time as any to meet her.
“You need some help with that?” he called to her and she dropped the bag, then turned to look at him. As he closed the space between them he was shocked to see the waitress from Harper’s. “Emerson?” he asked.
Her eyes widened and then she smoothed her hands along her shorts, and squinted at him. “Cassius, right?”
“Yah.” He was now in front of her, towering over the woman, who looked so beautiful, and she didn’t have an ounce of makeup on or anything. Her top dipped a little, revealing the deep cleavage of her breasts he knew she had but usually covered it. The shirt fell off her shoulders and the large mounds seemed to appear as the only thing holding them up.
“You renting the place?” he asked. She nodded her head but looked at him strangely. He just couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was gorgeous. “I’m sorry.” He chuckled. “I live next door, with my brothers.”
Her jaw dropped, her face went flush and then she quickly recovered. “How many of you are there?” she asked and then crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“Four of us. You haven’t met Raven and Beretta, just Harley?” he asked.
“Beretta, huh? Thanks for the warning.” She bent down to try and pick up the big black bag.
“Let me help you. What’s in this?” he asked.
“Junk I should have thrown out before I moved from the apartment, but the landlords were so sweet and I didn’t want to put a lot of garbage in their dumpster.”
“You won’t be able to put this in any dumpster. It’s too heavy for you to lift that high.”
“I’ll try to manage,” she said and then opened up the back of the jeep but he put the bag down.
“I can take it with me to work when I head back. I finally have some time to spend with my brothers. Been a whole week of me passing in the night and then leaving early.”
“I pulled in right before you did the other night, but I didn’t see you. I have tunnel vision sometimes after work.”
“You should be careful and always be aware of what’s going on around you,” he said to her and looked her over again. She stared up at him and he could smell that shampoo or body lotion she wore. It was nice. “How do you like the place?” he asked.
“What’s not to like?”
“You need anything at all, you just call us. Did you exchange numbers with the guys?” he asked.
“Just Harley and that’s fine. I doubt I’ll need anything.”
He stared at her. “How do you like being back
at Harper’s?” he asked. She looked him over, at how he stood with one hand on the butt of his gun and the other on his hip. He wondered if the gun and badge frightened her but it didn’t seem to.
“It’s fun, I guess,” she said and looked away a moment.
He couldn’t stop himself as he reached out and moved a strand of hair from her cheek. She looked back up at him, appearing so timid and shy. “Something about it you don’t like?” he asked.
She took a little step back. “Just not used to the guys, and the comments.”
He widened his eyes and felt a bit insulted. “I hope I’m not lumped into that category because of our little conversation. I thought it was nice,” he said, not believing the things coming from his lips. He was totally flirting with her again.
She squinted at him as she smirked. “You’re quite the charmer, Cassius.”
“Never been called that before.”
“I bet.” She looked at the bag. “I should get this inside. I have a couple of other boxes and things to get rid of.”
“Need help?” He looked her over.
“I don’t want to seem like the kind of tenant to take advantage of her landlords. I kind of already managed to anger your brothers.”
He squinted at her. “Angered them how?” he asked with concern.
“I believe it was the ‘loud’ music I was playing while my friends were here helping to move me in. The guys were having some fun and joking around and I guess Raven thought I might be some party animal. Totally all wrong,” she said and then went to lift the bag.
“I got it, honey.” He touched her arm and Emerson pulled back, nearly gasped when he touched her. He squinted at her. “Did I scare you?” he asked and she immediately shook her head.
“I can handle the other stuff. Really, you go on and visit with your brothers.”
“Cassius?”
They both turned at the sound of his brother Beretta’s voice. As he approached, immediately looking Emerson over, she stepped back and pushed her hair behind one of her ears on one side and then swallowed hard. “Hey, Beretta, have you met Emerson?” he asked.
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