Harrison continued to sip his coffee, one brow slightly raised.
“How’d you know I was stopping here this morning? You put a tracker on me?” Emerson asked as playfully as he could make his voice sound while feeling like he might throw up.
Harrison said nothing. He lifted the other paper cup Emerson’s way.
Emerson sauntered closer and took it from Harrison. He sat down beside his brother, his mind a riot. His brother wasn’t stupid. Far from it. He hoped like hell he didn’t look guilty.
And that Harrison hadn’t been sitting out there listening to them fuck.
“You weren’t supposed to be home yet,” Emerson said.
“Some reporter called me a couple of days ago to make a statement about Charles’s death,” Harrison said. “Why didn’tyoucall me?”
“I refused to ruin the first vacation you’d had in over two years, especially with two babies on the way,” Emerson said. “An official report hasn’t come out yet, so there wasn’t really much to share other than he’s dead. I figured that could wait until you came back.”
“Fucking reporters. I tried to ignore that call and focus on my mates, but it started driving me nuts. I had to know if this nightmare was truly over.”
“You could’ve just called me instead of coming back early.”
“We got a call about that house we’d put an offer on and lost. The buyer got transferred for work and has to sell. We go this afternoon to sign the papers. Cas and Raimy were more than happy to get home early so they could start packing. Then they can go full on into nesting mode on the new house.” He chuckled. “You should’ve heard them planning everything on the plane home.” Harrison’s smile faded. “All I could think about was—is he really dead? Did he find a way to escape prison somehow? Are we all in danger again?”
“And you left your mates alone?” Emerson asked.
“Rand had today off. He’s over there keeping an eye on them under the guise of helping them pack until I get back.”
“Good,” Emerson said. “They probably want to make sure he’s dead, too. They’ll sleep easier knowing it’s confirmed.”
“Honestly, I think they’re so focused on the house and getting everything ready for the babies that their minds didn’t have any space left to consider if Charles was really dead or not,” Harrison said. “That chapter seems to be closed and they’ve moved on. I’d rather it stays that way for them, too. I didn’t tell them why I was really going in.”
“They’re not stupid, Harry.”
“No, they’re preoccupied. I’ll take it,” Harrison said. He turned to face Emerson. “Do you know anything more than what was in the paper?”
“I went to the morgue to look at the body myself. His face was beaten so badly it was unrecognizable. The weight, height, hair, and eye color were correct, though. The coroner took multiple tissue samples from all over the body and they’re planning to compare dental records, too—though, it didn’t look like many teeth were left from what I saw. Not sure that will help.”
“Have you checked in with Oak?”
“Yep. He’s sending me the lab results the same time he sends them to the coroner,” Emerson said.
“Wewerethe arresting officers. If he’s managed to run, I plan to help hunt him down.”
Emerson grinned. “Is it bad I almost hope he’s still alive?”
“Yeah. That would be terrible,” Harrison said, gawking at him.
“I’ve had two minor fires to investigate since you’ve been gone,” Emerson said. “I’m pulling my hair out.”
“That’s why I never pushed Dad to hire anyone else. But then suddenly I had an arsonist on the loose and I needed help—and didn’t have any.”
“Maybe I can work part time at a station or something once you’re back,” Emerson said. “I’ll be the part-timer.”
“To be honest, I have a feeling that Dad might be retiring soon,” Harrison said. “I think he has other plans for you.”
Emerson chuckled. “Already coveting Dad’s job, are we?”
“Me?”Harrison asked, frowning. “I think he’s set his sights onyoubeing the one.”
“Not hardly,” Emerson said. “He’s never seen fit to give me a captain’s position. No way in hell he’s making me chief.”
