Page 25 of Tripp

“And I’ll say it every damn day until it sinks in, and then every day after that just so you don’t forget.”

She leaned in and kissed me this time. “I love you too.”

“We should get out and join the crowd before I decide we need to go home and back to bed.”

Her laughter followed her out of the seat.

Shaking my head, I got out, opened the side door, and grinned at Penny. “Hey, pretty girl. You decided you had enough napping?” I had to fight the clasp, but I got it undone. “Let’s go say hey to some people.”

I walked around the van, my hand going out to take one of the covered dishes.

“I can carry them, they have handles for a reason.”

I, being me, ignored that and scooped up one of them.

“Handle schmandle.” I winked at her.

“I swear…” Her grin was infectious.

As we made our way to the gathered crowd in the backyard, Penny laid her head on my shoulder. She was the bravest little one at home. Put her in a crowd and she was a typical toddler. Shy. Quiet. Once the newness of a person wore off though, she was all about joining in.

“You’re late, old man.” Phoenix came over and took Penny from me and gave Casey a one-armed hug.

“Sorry, everyone. The casseroles took a little longer than I anticipated and someone,” she eyed the grinning toddler, “decided to have a blowout the second we opened the door to leave.”

“Been there.”

“Done that.”

“Will do it again.”

Everyone chimed in.

“It’s how our luck usually goes. But I leave her in her big brother’s hands now. If she has a repeat, I’m not it.” Casey laughed, her happiness radiating around us. She took the dish from me and went over to the other table.

“Family looks good on you, old friend.” Gabe slapped my shoulder.

“It feels good too.”

Chapter 9

Casey

I’d been called to do an observation on a possible cheating husband.

These were usually a ‘one and done’ kind of gig, so I agreed.

Tripp, Phoenix, Trace, and a handful of others went out on a ride. The sound of their motorcycles was the last thing we heard before I left the house. Scooter was taking Penny to the park later on to have a playdate with all the Landry and McKenna kids. I’d swing by and pick her up later.

I had to say, small towns full of trucks helped a pick-up truck blend right on in to the crowds. Even on the not-so-nice side of town.

My guy first left his house this morning at 7:13am, walking three kids to a bus stop. The bus arrived at 7:27am, and he went back inside.

His wife, the woman I was working for, left for work at 7:32am, and by 7:50, my guy was coming back out of his house, dressed in jeans and a polo, and climbing into an old beat-up truck. I hunkered down, hoping the tint on my windows was as good as I thought it was. When I pushed up in the seat, I saw he was heading toward town.

So I followed.

He made a few stops: the corner store, the liquor store where he met someone at the back door and took a bag that he tossed into his truck before getting back in. He did a drive-by of another building; it had a few sketchy-looking men outside. He didn’t stop though.

---