“Carter, nice to see you again.” She smiles but there is a whole story behind that smile.
“Does your brother know you’re here?” Sean questions.
The woman’s face immediately pulls into a scowl. “Why? Do you think I need his permission?”
“He wouldn’t give it anyway,” Don confesses.
“Brother?”
The woman turns to me. “So you’re the new guy, huh?”
“And you are?”
She sticks out her hand. “Jocelyn … Stephens.”
“Corey’s little sister,” Don adds.
Jocelyn’s smile fades as she glares over her shoulder at Don.
“Younger by twenty minutes.”
“Still younger.”
Jocelyn waves him off, rolling her eyes.
But I don’t miss how Don’s eyes linger on her backside as she turns back to me.
“I’ll be helping you out with this investigation seeing as how the police and the head of the department can’t be bothered enough to figure out who the hell tried to kill my brother … and your wife,” she adds, turning to Eric and then looking to me. “... and your …”
“Fiancée,” I insert.
She nods.
“What are your credentials? Other than being Corey’s sister.”
She lifts a perfectly arched eyebrow. “Aside from my five years with the Williamsport Police Department working undercover, and three years working on my own as a private investigator … Nothing.”
“She’s legit,” Don says.
Again, I don’t miss the protective tone in his voice and the way his gaze seems pinned to her, even when she’s not looking,especiallywhen she’s not looking.
“We’ll get whoever’s behind this.”
“We fucking better,” are the last words I say before slapping fives with the rest of my squad and heading to my car to head home. I have another important conversation brewing.
****
Pushing out a full breath when I hear her key in the lock, I give one final look around at the candles surrounding the living room and the soft music playing in the background. It’s salsa music, because I want to recreate our first days together, as much as possible for this particular moment.
“Hi,” Janine says as she enters the door, seeing me standing there.
A smile grows on my face and I move toward her, cupping her face in my hands and kissing her lips. “Hi.”
I take her shoulder bag from her and place it on one of the stools by the kitchen bar.
“Welcome home.” Taking her by the hand, I pull her fully into the condo.
Ever since the day of the fire, Janine has been staying with me. Two weeks ago, I finally convinced her to give up her lease and make it official, moving all of her belongings into my place. We’ve spent the last few weeks redecorating to fit both of our styles together.
