No kidding.But…there were six little girls inside who deserved to feel safe.
“Why do you even think you have jurisdiction?You arejustIA.Don’t you have some dirty cops to harass?Someone who might have taken an unauthorized paperclip or restroom break or something?This is a county case.”
“Not if they are using our roads to traffic drugs,” Rex rumbled.Weatherbys always rumbled.It was part of their genetic makeup.“Don’t make me call Masterson in.”
“Well, you can just go ahead and do that,” Zach said from behind her.He came and stood at her shoulder.
Cal and Cadell were outside now, too.Glaring at the Weatherbys.Her brothers did not like Weatherbys.They had made it clear before.
“Do you have a warrant?”Cadell demanded.Both of her brothers had law degrees, though Cal tended to focus more on property development, with the investments he’d taken over for their father…after.The Grady Groupwas both of them, but Cal did the day-to-day work.Cadell did more legal work in town, but both were heavily into real estate, too.“Cal and I own the land surrounding the Tylers’ ranch now.”
The Weatherby troll smirked at her brother.
Her brothers were wealthy men—because of their own actions.Not because of their father.That mattered to them—but it had drawn suspicion from the king of Suspicious, Ransom Weatherby, himself.
Rex produced a search warrant, of course.Jerks.Both of them.Well, mostly Ransom, but…Rex was being a turd.She suspected he knew it too.And liked it.
“Here’s the deal.We are eating breakfast with the girls right now,” Auggie said.She’d made it outside after them, Markie in her arms.“You are welcome to come in for coffee—or hot cocoa, if you prefer.But not onewordabout that man in front of my kids, do you understand?Do not piss me off; I mean it.I am not in the mood.”
“Yes, ma’am.”Rex sent her his best smile.It was a good one, Claudia would admit that Rex Weatherby was one of the most physically beautiful men she had ever seen—just as pretty as Royal Davis, Hollywood superstar—and so was his brother.But she was wise to their ways.
“Behave yourselves.I mean it.”Claudia shot a narrow-eyed glare at him, she knew which one of them would be the biggest ass.
“What are you going to do if we don’t?”
Damn it.Ransom Weatherby got under her skin.And the jerkknewit.
“I will think of something, I’m sure.Traumatized kids, jackass.Remember that.Show that you have small piece of some type of humanity in that troll-sized rock-filled head of yours.I’m sure that’s possible, right?Seriously not holding out hope here…”
“Love you, too.Grady.Love you, too.”
44
“I’msure you can behave yourselves long enough to come inside,” Auggie told the two beautiful behemoths standing at the edge of her porch steps.Claudia was snarling at the bigger one—looking a bit like a chihuahua going against a rabid wolf at the moment.Someone had to play referee there, too, apparently.“But only because it’s cold out here, and my aunt raised me to be polite.Any problems between you and Claudia—or anyone else in my house—and you will wait outside.Warrant or not.I’m sure Cal and Cadell could find a legal argument for why.”
“I’d sure try,” Cal said, beside her now.His hand landed on her shoulder.
“Yes, ma’am,” the older Weatherby brother said.He was kind of smirking at her, like he was amused or something.She had met him before.He was good friends with her cousin Maggie, for one thing.He had been a part of the case where Cal and Claudia’s father had almost killed Maggie.That was a bit hard to forget.And it was probably going to make this morning very, very awkward.
And Auggie had the girls to think about.Markie was jabbering at her, talking about breakfast and about the newborn kittens in the barn.
Normally, on Tuesdays, they stayed at the ranch and she worked virtually.But today…she looked at Junie and Em as they came out on the porch behind her—Junie in shortie pajamas, her winter coat and bare feet.Junie always had been the weird one of their little trio, no denying that.
“What’s going on?”Em asked.Em didn’t have on a coat at all.She just stood there in baggy sweats, shivering.“Has he been found yet?”
“Not yet.They are going to be bringing WHP here to search.On their way?”Cadell said.He held the warrant Claudia had taken from Ransom Weatherby now.“ETA?”
“Forty-five.”
“I want the girls gone.”They could grab the girls’ school things and some clothes and get them off the property in forty-five minutes.If they hurried.But they’d need to feed them—fast.“As soon as they eat breakfast, I want them out of here.Just…I want them gone until I figure this out.”
“Let’s get to it,” Claudia said.“We’re going to make that happen.The Weatherbys understand that, I am sure.”
“Okay.Then, Em take Jan and Jules, I’ll take the baby and Markie, while Junie finishes prepping breakfast, Claud, can you get Avril and Tobi?Clothes, school, probably enough clothes for a couple of nights.We’ll just…stay somewhere else.”Where was going to be the question.There were a few options she could consider.There wasn’tmoneyto stay at the inn, and the inn plus six kids would be a disaster waiting to happen.There was Martin’s place, but she thought he had a trio of boys staying with him right now, and that left…
As if by magic another SUV pulled in.Sage hopped out.Auggie had never been so happy to see her cousin’s wife in her life.Sage was obviously beyond angry.And she was ready to let the Weatherbys have it.Sage had done so before.“What is this about?”
She just left Sage to deal with those beautiful boneheads.She had two babies to get packed.
