Page 58 of Code Violation

“What?” Nero said from the doorway.

“Lani will be here any second.”

The sound of gravel crunching under tires was followed by the sweep of headlights across the front of the house.

“I’m doomed. You’ll protect me, right?”

Nero smiled, even though he looked as tired as Forrest felt.

“I’ll do my best.”

TWENTY

Nero – Saturday evening

Nero watched, as, with a heavy, put-upon sigh, Forrest wrenched the door open to reveal not only Lani Cooper but also Chief Dear. Honestly, if he didn’t know Forrest was the older sibling, he would have assumed it was Lani.

“What are you doing here?” Forrest asked his sister belligerently.

Officer Cooper rolled her eyes and hobbled past her brother into the house, her crutch thumping against the floor, and Chief Dear followed behind.

“You know why I’m here, you idiot. Seriously, Forrest, I give you one instruction and you can’t follow up on it. I’m checking up on you—hi, Nero—and we have some questions about what happened today.”

“Oh my god, we’re never going to get dinner,” Forrest complained.

“You’ve had plenty of time to eat dinner,” his sister said. “What have you been doing?”

Nero felt his cheeks heat as he pretended to be interested in his messages, but really it was just Austin texting for the third time that day. From the corner of his eye, he watched as Forrest spun around and headed back to his kitchen. Lani’s intelligent gaze darted from her brother to Nero and back. She grinned.

Oh shit.

“We’ll try to be quick. Now that I know neither of you are passed out from a concussion, I feel a bit better. I told you to call me and that I’d come back out here if you didn’t.”

“I didn’t hear my phone,” Forrest protested weakly.

Lani followed her brother into the kitchen, and Chief Dear was still right on her heels. Nero figured he might as well join them.

Crossing his arms over his chest, the police chief leaned back against the counter while Lani sat down at the table. Casual, but also not. Something was off about the both of them. Nero wished he could read minds, but he took the chair across from Lani instead. Forrest ignored them all and added something to the marinade.

“I’ll be back in a minute.” Forrest took the steaks and went out through the sliding door.

“Vik,” Dear said, extending his hand. “Sorry to burst in on you two like this.”

Nero forced a smile as he shook the man’s hand. He wondered if Dear assumed he and Forrest were a couple. Were they? Maybe they were in the beginning stages? Did he want that? Shoving that slightly worrisome idea aside, he replied, “If you say so. What’s going on? Why are you two here?”

Lani raised an eyebrow. “I did threaten Forrest with a visit if he didn’t answer the phone.”

“But that’s not why both of you are here at this time of night,” Nero insisted. “Why would the chief of police come along with you if all you were doing was checking on your brother?”

“No, you’re right,” replied Chief Dear. “It’s not entirely a well-check visit. Vik, you’ve been involved in a lot of interesting things over the past few days. First, Cooper Mansion has a suspicious fire. We know you asked at the library about the archives there. You were the first person on the scene after Ned Barker was killed. And now the truck you’re riding in has a suspicious accident. That’s an awful lot.”

“And his cabin was broken into,” Forrest interjected as he came back inside through the patio door.

“When was this?” Lani demanded, glowering at Nero. “You didn’t report it.”

“Nothing was stolen. It was just a mess inside. It happened the night of the fire. I walked over to see what was happening and when I got back, the door was slightly open. I’m pretty sure I locked it when I left, but maybe I didn’t. Maybe it was just, you know, just raccoons taking a look around.” Nero’s explanation sounded weak even to his own ears.

“Raccoons would have made a much bigger mess than what you described,” Forrest told him.

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