Page 106 of Burning Justice

“Yeah.” Evan nodded. The smile was gone, replaced by the ever-present expression of sadness and loss Brett had become accustomed to over the years.

“You’ll find her. If anyone can, you will.” He prayed it wasn’t six feet under in an unmarked grave. “Let’s get out of here. I need backup, in case Gemma decides to shoot me with her framing nailer.”

Chapter Thirty-One

“That’s it.” Gemma pressed the last of the new cooktop’s blue backsplash tile into the mastic, then stepped back to admire the zigzag pattern she and her mom had designed together.

“Oh, honey.” Her mother clapped her hands together. “It’s beautiful. You really do have exquisite taste in tile, sweetheart.”

“Thanks, Mom. It was a team effort.” She draped an arm over her mother’s shoulder. She’d been delighted when Gemma had asked for help with the design. It was the first time she’d asked her mother for input on the house.

Her mother’s arm tightened around Gemma’s waist. “I’m so glad you finally asked us all to help.”

“Me, too, Mom. Me, too.” In the last week, they’d accomplished what would have taken her six months, maybe more, to complete on her own. And she’d loved having them here.

Shouting from the front lawn filtered into the kitchen. The shouting turned to laughter. Gemma and her mother rushed out the front door and onto the lawn. Parked on the street in front of her house were three more vehicles, none of which she recognized.

But she did recognize the big golden-brown head in the back seat of the red Dodge pickup. Blaze. Wherever Blaze was, Brett was, too. They were a team. They shared an unbreakable bond she’d once stupidly hoped to have with Brett. She gave a quick shake of her head to clear it of what she now realized was a naive, unrealistic thought.

When Brett rounded the hood of the truck and let Blaze out, Gemma swallowed. Wearing khaki shorts that showed off his long, powerful thighs and calves, and a blue T-shirt that molded to every cut muscle in his shoulders, chest, and abs, he could still make her heart beat faster. Okay, so he was still hot. That didn’t mean she’d forgiven him, or ever would.

“Brett! How nice.” To her dismay, her mother went right up and drew him in for a tight hug.

“Gee, thanks, Mom,” Gemma mumbled. He’d broken her heart, but her mother still adored him. Worse, her brothers shook hands with him as if they were best buds. Only her father stood back, eyeing Brett speculatively, then throwing Gemma a concerned look.

Cautiously, Brett approached her father. Reluctantly, her dad shook Brett’s hand.

Deck and Evan joined what was now a small crowd on her front lawn. Spotting her, Blaze loped over and barked until she leaned down to pet his head and let him lick her chin.

“Hello, Blaze. I’ve missed you.” He barked again, pressing his big body against her legs. When she straightened, eight pairs of eyes were on her. Why Brett and his friends were here, she didn’t know. Maybe they’d come to update her on the U.S. Attorney’s Office investigation.

Brett’s smile faded as he looked at her. “Hi,” he said.

All other conversation around them ceased. Even the birds seemed to have stopped chirping, and the squirrels stopped chattering.

“Hi?” He had to be kidding. “That’s all you have to say after ghosting me?” And not only breaking my heart, but crushing it into sawdust.

“Uh-oh,” Chris said.

“Someone’s in the doghouse,” Rory whispered.

Ben chuckled. “And it’s not his dog.”

Brett shoved his hands in his pockets. “I had some things I needed to take care of.”

“Such as?” Not that she cared, not really. What he did with his life from now on was his business, not hers. Clearly, he’d come here to tell her something, so the sooner he did it and left again, the easier it would be for her treacherous heart to resume beating at a normal rhythm. As opposed to the way it was ricocheting around in her chest at the moment.

He glanced at Evan. “Evan found Gavin’s sister. This morning, we brought them back together.”

“That’s wonderful.” Gemma smiled. “I’m happy for him. For both of them.” Hopefully, being reunited with his sister would help Gavin in ways no amount of psychiatric therapy ever could.

Brett nodded. “And Judge Tafoya signed off on extending Gavin’s psychiatric care for another six months before making her final decision, but things look promising.”

“That’s good news.” It really was. Stick to your guns, girl. “But that didn’t take you ten days.”

“No, it didn’t. I, uh, had some other things to take care of.”

“Let’s give them a little space, shall we?” Her mother hitched her head at her brothers and her dad, including Deck and Evan in her not-too-subtle hint.