Page 23 of The Killer You Know

“Nice to meet you,” Jet and I chime together like a couple of morons and I shake my head at the woman. “Please, join us. You, too, Bea.”

“I’ve got a diner to run,” Bea says, pulling a pen from her hair. “Apple pie a la mode all around,” she shouts as she takes off.

Riley lands next to Jet and pats the space between the two of them for Buddy to hop up and he does just that.

“I can’t believe I get to meet you.” She wrinkles her nose my way and the excitement is practically bubbling from her. “Fallon worked up in Reno for a while,” she says to Jet. “I never got to meet any of her coworkers there.”

“Speaking of coworkers, where are yours?” Fallon asks before glancing at Jet then to me. “My sister and her boyfriend own a clean-up business called Pick-it-Clean.”

Riley frowns as she casts a dark glance out the window, and suddenly I’m fearing for the boyfriend. That look can’t bode well. I should know, I’ve seen my fair share of women give it.

“I don’t know where Ryan is,” she says with an edge to her voice. She forces a smile as she looks my way. “I have a small pool of employees that I can call anytime to help with a job.” She looks to Jet. “Mostly we clean out houses after estate sales, or if someone passes away from whatever. Usually, the surviving family goes in and takes what they want and leaves the rest to my crew and me. Believe me, we can pick a place clean in just under a couple of hours.”

“That’s why they pay you the big bucks,” Fallon teases. “Hey”—she looks my way and pauses—“I bet Vanessa could use her services. Although under the circumstances, I wouldn’t dare so much as pass her a business card.” She offers her sister a forlorn smile. “Vanessa Copeland was one of three women that was shot earlier this week while the realtor was showing her mother’s house. And the perpetrator ended up kidnapping the realtor.”

Jet nods. “Everyone’s talking about it.”

“Who are you talking to?” I ask, suddenly alarmed. I thought he never left the cabin, and suddenly he’s got a budding career and a social life.

“He’s right.” Riley shrugs. “I’ve heard people talking about that and the woman who was knifed in her own home, Relatable Robin.” She shudders. “Another one of your cases, I’m presuming?”

Fallon nods. “Stone and I were just going to deep-dive into it.”

“Don’t let us stop you.” Riley’s eyes grow twice their size. “I’ve always wanted to take part in an FBI sting operation.”

“It’s not a sting operation,” I tell her.

“And we’re not sharing anything with either of you,” Fallon tells them.

Jet chuckles. “She’s mean, good-looking, and she packs heat? The woman is a triple threat.”

“Thank you,” Fallon says with a serpentine smile just as a waitress delivers us each a slice of warm apple pie with a couple of generous scoops of vanilla ice cream gliding right off the top and forming a puddle of everything I’ve been craving.

We dive right in, and there are a good few minutes of silence as we pay homage to this fresh from the oven perfection.

“Before I forget”—Riley lifts her fork—“if you talk to Vanessa again, please tell her I’ll do a clean out for free. The poor woman was shot and there was a kidnapping on the property? I think she has enough going on as it is.” She winks over at Jet. “I like to do a little pro bono work now and again.”

“If you need a hand, I’ve got two,” he says, holding up his mitts.

“No,” I growl his way for even thinking of it.

“Thanks,” Riley tells him. “I could use all the help I can get on some of these places.”

“I’m working for your mom now,” he says with a touch of pride and I don’t have the heart to shoot him down. Not even playfully. “I’m still working on getting a phone, but I’ll be here Thursday through Sunday.”

“Great.” Riley nods to Fallon. “If Vanessa needs me, tell her Monday through Wednesday works good for me.”

I can’t help but frown at how quickly everyone is so eager to hire my brother.

Honestly? I’m not sure what to make of it.

“I’ve been meaning to talk to her again,” I say. “I’ll let her know you threw out the offer. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it if she hasn’t tackled the job already.” I turn to Fallon. “And for the record, I didn’t date Nessa.”

“Now’s your chance to round things out,” she teases.

As it turns out, Fallon and I don’t get any work done. I save some of my pie for Buddy since I promised him dessert and soon we’re wrapping it up.

“All right, Jet.” I tick my head toward the door. “I think we’re going to call it. Fallon and I have had a long day.”

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