Page 41 of Tied Over

“I…yes,” he said, smiling at me. “I didn’t get your name.”

“It’s Josiah Redeker,” I answered. “And Luke what?”

“Luke Stoker. How do you know my little star, Josiah?”

His little star? I hated that. He was already creeping me out. “Hey, Stel, do me a favor.”

She nodded.

“You see that blond guy over there?”

“The one with my Uncle Hay and Grampa?”

“Yeah. Just run over there and tell him I need him, okay?”

She didn’t ask questions, just put her plate down and bolted. When she reached Bodhi, he did what he always did with kids—he crouched down, going immediately to their level. When she pointed and he saw me, I tipped my head for him to come.

“Josiah?” Luke asked, laughing. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah, I’m good,” I told him as Bodhi and Stella reached me.

I leaned my head to the right, and my partner, who knew exactly what I wanted, slipped by me and walked around to the other side of the table, beside Luke.

“Bodhi, this is Luke Stoker,” I stated, pulling my phone from the back pocket of my jeans, my eyes flicking to Stella and then back to him.

“Luke,” Bodhi announced like they were old friends, offering him his hand. “Hey. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Thank you. I—oh, you’re Hayden’s fiancé. Giles was telling me all about that,” he said, his gaze on Stella for a moment and then back on Bodhi. “He was saying that there will be a wedding come September. Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Bodhi replied, still holding his hand.

I pressed the number for our Chicago office.

“What?” Ethan Sharpe answered irritably. “I thought you were on a forced vacation.”

“I need a warrant check on a Luke Stoker from…” I looked at him. “Where are you from, Luke?”

“What?” he gasped, trying to pull his hand from Bodhi’s, who only tightened his grip.

“Tell him, Luke, or I will put you on the ground to get your wallet,” Bodhi warned him. “And it’s gonna hurt when I do that.”

Luke swallowed hard. “Denver,” he barely managed to get out.

“Denver, Colorado,” I said to Sharpe.

“Would you please let go of my—”

“Quiet now, Luke,” Bodhi ordered him.

Sharpe asked, “Why are you and your partner running warrant checks on—”

“And can you check the sex offenders’ registry in that state for me?”

“Oh,” Sharpe said tightly. “Yes. Running now.”

I heard the keys clicking as Hayden moved up behind Bodhi.

“Hey, baby, what are you—”