"So you believe this bullshit?" he asked.
I shrugged. "I believe that it makes sense to plan for the worst, and then everything else is gravy. I also think that Cy's on your side, whether you believe it or not."
He dropped his head and groaned. "This shit doesn't happen out here, Vi. That's big-city shit. Around here, life is slow. There's no crime. That's why people move to the country, right?"
"Crime happens everywhere," I told him. "Bad people don't come with signs. I know it's hard, but looking into it is better than ignoring it, right?"
He nodded. "Yeah." Then he glanced toward the front of the house. "I kinda can't do him today."
I heard the double entendre, but I certainly didn't comment on it. Now was not the time. Instead, I just smoothed back his hair again. "Go home, call your daughter, and have a couple of beers. Take them from my fridge if you don't have them at home. It's ok. You don't have to entertain me, and I know what it's like to need some time."
He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine in a quick kiss. "I know I'm being a dick, and I'm sorry."
"It's ok," I said again. "You alright to drive?"
"Yeah." Then he stood. "Any way I can talk one of you into throwing some hay and water to my horses tonight? I mean, there's a round bale in their pasture, so I guess I could just leave them out."
"We'll take care of it," I assured him. "It's what friends do, Luke."
But something about that phrase made his brow crease. He didn't say anything, though. The man just nodded and headed for the door. I followed, making sure he made it to his truck without throwing a punch at one of the guys. That was getting to be a bad habit, but this time I couldn't blame him. He needed to lash out at someone, and they were the only safe thing right now for him to hit.
Luckily, Ash and Cy were out of sight. I waited until Luke's truck was halfway down the drive, then headed back to the office for my phone. Calling up my contacts, I scrolled down toward the bottom, stopping at the Ts. Then I pressed the button I wanted.
"Yeah?" a man answered on the first ring.
"Teal. Violet. I need you."
"Ok, hang on, lemme get out of this game real fast." He paused for a moment, then I heard him speak again, the words clearly not for me. "Guys, I gotta jet for a sec. Yeah, can't wait. I'll be back in like thirty. Maybe an hour. Sorry, HotShot, but you can let someone else run my squad." Then the clacking of keys on a keyboard came. Finally, he sighed. "Ok, I'm out. Sorry about that. Now tell me what you got?"
"I need to know what you can get on a man named Brody, living in Cats Peak, Texas."
"No last name?" he asked.
But I was already heading to Cy's office. "I'm about to get you that." Pulling open the top drawer of his filing cabinet, I found the only file inside. It was labeled with Faith's name. Inside was the paperwork Luke had filled out. "Brody Jackson. You ready for an address?"
"Hit me with all the information you have," he said.
So I recited his address, phone number, and place of employment. The whole time, Teal was typing it in. He huffed a few times, clearly reaching a dead end. Then the keys sounded again.
"So, this is taking a second. How you been, Vi?" he said to fill the gap.
"Southwind's opening back up, I hope. Cyan's working the psych, and Magenta's telecommuting from here. And, I kinda have a boyfriend."
"No shit?" He grunted, then started typing again. "Just tell me it's not a local."
"It's a local," I admitted. "Luke Barrett. Gran took him under her wing, though, so I'm not sure that really counts."
"Ah, the guy with the kid. Yeah, I remember him." He kept typing. "His baby momma was smokin'. Not like you, or anything, but she was sexy. Working on a long-distance thing myself."
"Oh?" I asked.
"Yep, she's not too far from you. Little town called Sanger? Thinking about moving to Denton to finish my Masters. Might have to stop in if I'm that close." Then he paused. "Vi?"
"Yeah, the man you're looking up is about to marry Luke's baby momma."
"Uh huh. Meredith Connoly, thirty, daughter Faith Barrett, looks like she's right at thirteen. I have a marriage application for Meredith and Brody. Where am I going with this?"
"Pedophilia," I told him. "Cyan has a bad feeling about him."
