The two of them share a dark laugh.
“Great.” Leave it to my father to jump right into the deep end of the shark tank. “So what did he say he was doing with this money, anyway?”
“Food, drink.” Jimmy nods to his left at the rest of the blackjack tables. “He found a clever way to repay me early but in ways that don’t count.”
“So he’s got a gambling problem,” I mutter mostly to myself.
Luke shakes his head with dismay. “Why is it when a man wants to relax with a game or two he has a problem. And yet when a woman blows enough dough on a designer purse—enough dough that could have bought her a house in Idaho—she’s a collector?”
Jimmy nods. “It’s a double standard, I tell you.”
“All right, how much does my father owe you?” I ask. “I need to know what I’m up against.” I’ve got some money socked away. And what I can’t handle I’ll ask Everett. I’d rather give him thirty percent interest than someone capable of busting my father’s kneecaps—or worse, putting a hit on him. If anything happened to Miranda because of my father’s foolishness, I’d never forgive myself. Lottie wouldn’t either.
“More than a cop can afford.” Jimmy taps his fingers over the table. “Besides, I don’t like collecting from the kids. The father pays for the father’s sins.”
“Wonderful. How much? He’ll be by in the morning with a check in hand.”
“I’ve said too much.” He leans in a notch. “What else, Detective? We’ve got a meeting to get to.”
“Tell me where to find Manny, and I’ll get out of your hair.”
He glances to Luke. “Some janky motel on the border of Leeds and Honey Hollow.”
“The Caspian,” I say. “I know it well. I stayed there a night or two while looking for a place to live in Honey Hollow.” I hop out of my seat.
“We’ll see you Friday at the taping,” Jimmy says. “Luke and I are in the running for your honey’s daddy. Mother Nature plays her cards right and I just might be your new father-in-law.”
Luke elbows him. “She’s married to the other one. Don’t you keep up? Your mind’s going or something.”
“Wonderful,” I say as I take off.
Here’s hoping Mayor Nash holds his own in the genetics department.
Here’s hoping I do, too.
I jump into my truck and drive by my old stomping grounds and slow down as I pass the large blue no-tell motel with its signage that boasts of pay by the hour.
I’m about to take off when I spot a dark truck with Jersey plates pull into the lot.
I pull over, killing the lights and the engine as I watch the show.
Sure as heck, there he is, Manny Moretti looking tough in a dark suit to match that dark heart of his.
He goes around to the other side of the car and a woman appears by his side, wavy dark blonde hair, killer smile.
Wait a minute…
I squint into the night just as they step under the streetlamp before heading upstairs and my heart ratchets up a couple notches.
Holy heck, it’s her.
My adrenaline courses through me and thumps through my ears like a heartbeat. For a brief second I thought it was Lottie. But that woman—that’s got to be the same woman who’s been stalking us at every turn. She works for the Morettis?
Hold on… Everett asked me to track Manny down.
Everett.
I shake my head. Always one dangerous step ahead.
My truck roars back to life, and I head for Honey Hollow.
Everett has a little explaining to do.
But there’s no way I’m breathing a word of this around Lottie.
Nope. I’ll wait until we’re alone and then I’ll shake it out of him.
I’ve been meaning to shake him anyway.
Everett
D-Day.
I didn’t sleep a wink last night, and ironically, Lyla Nell did. Or at least I think she did. At some point in the night, Lemon dropped her off at the nursery and let Noah take over. She came back to bed and dropped to the mattress, already asleep. I wrapped an arm around her and held her all night, wondering if it was for the very last time.
I wait until Lemon’s alarm goes off before I get up with her. We shower, dress, eat a scant breakfast, and wait for the next three hours before Fiona sends me a text.
Jury’s back. Get down here.
We don’t hesitate. We all pile into Lemon’s minivan as I drive us to my impending doom.
All right, so maybe that’s a touch dramatic, but it just may not be.
Clouds hang overhead. The forecast says rain, and I wonder what kind of an omen that might be. I’m guessing not a good one.
We head into the courthouse just like I have thousands of times before. Heck, I want it to repeat a thousand times more, and yet I’ve got my neck on the line.
Carlotta socks me on the arm. “You’re gonna kill ’em, Sexy. And if you get sent to summer school, you might want to do the killing. You know what they say, kill or be killed.” She takes off for the courtroom. “I’ve got to get me a front row seat!”
Evie steps in. “Dash, Conner, and Kyle can’t make it. Their moms weren’t too happy they missed school yesterday because of it, but they wish you luck. Also, Conner says if they take you away that he’ll try to put a smile on my face.”
That’s what I’m afraid of.
“Tell him I said thanks.” I pull her in and Evie latches onto me with the intensity of a hurricane.
“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ve already decided that if they stick it to you, we’re going to appeal. We’ll take your sleepwalking case to the Supremes if we have to.” She lands a kiss to my cheek. “I’d better sit next to Cray-Cray. I don’t want to miss a second of what she’s got planned for today. It’s going to be hard to top that diaper act.” She shoots me with her finger before taking off.
“Lemon.” I pull her in and Layla Nell nestles between us, giving us a husky little laugh as she looks up at me. She’s serious and cute as a bug in a rug, and has blessed my life far more than I could have imagined.
“Everett.” Lemon sheds one of her easy smiles. “I have a good feeling about this. And great news, I’m actually wearing a nursing bra today, so I won’t be slapping anyone with my unmentionable body parts.”
I frown at the thought. I’ll have that image of Noah taking one to the face ingrained in my mind for life.
“Save all your naughty moves for me, would you?” I close my eyes a moment because I immediately regret my words. The plan was to get the divorce ball rolling if I’m convicted. That will be my sign from the universe that it wasn’t supposed to be me in that bed with her to begin with. I’d fight the universe on it if I could, but there won’t be any use once I’m rotting in a cell for fifteen years.
“Don’t you go dark on me.” She gives my stubble a scratch. “Once they find you innocent, we’re going to party. And we’re going to invite all of our friends to do it.”
“Maybe we should hold off on the party. We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.” That is, if I’m there to see it.