Page 40 of Family Bonds- Jarrett & Andi

He hated that she did so much but knew there was no arguing. He didn’t even bring anything on a holiday anymore either because it’s not like he was going to make a dessert like Sidney did. Nor was he going to put snacks together. He’d just go buy them, but his mother insisted she liked to feed them.

“Dad, want a beer?”

“I’ve been waiting for someone to get here so I could have one,” his father said.

Jarrett smirked. He knew his mother watched his father more as he’d gotten older. Bill Bond had been Amore Island Chief of Police until he retired and Mac took over. She worried about his health, but the occasional beer wasn’t hurting anyone. His mother was caring and protective in her own way to those she loved.

“I’ll grab them then,” he said.

He walked to the kitchen, pulled the fridge openandgrabbed two cans of beer, then opened and poured them into the glasses his mother set down.

He snagged a piece of cheese she’d just put on a platter only to get her grin.

His mother was right behind him with the plate of meat and cheeses that she put on the coffee table in the middle of the room. He handed the beer to his father and sat in the recliner next to him, then put his feet up.

He had one of these recliners at his house and it was where his ass got planted when he had the time to slow down and not do any work.

“Thanks,” his father said. “How are things going? I heard it’s been a busy few weeks.”

Being the onlyfull-timeinvestigator on the island, it felt as if he never got a break. Even on theweekendhe got calls all the time.

There were other investigators that cameover one or two days a week, but they were based on the mainland and split their time, often taking on the cases that carried over from Boston to Plymouth and the island.

Anything that happened solely here landed in his lap.

Though plenty was pushed to Amore Island PD and their detectives, there was just as much that was state police.

“It has been. At least the break-in at Van’s rental should be closed for now.”

His cousin Kelsey’s boyfriend had a few rentals on the island. Van was a 9-1-1 operator, but they all recently found out that he was Kyle Raymond’s business partner. Van’s grandfather had passed and left his assets and shares of his investments to Van.

“Do you think it was something that simple?”

“No,” Jarrett said. “None of it makes any sense to me and I’m still digging, but I can’t find anything. The guy breaks into a house and doesn’t take anything. Doesn’t destroy anything and then leaves quickly. It’s sloppy, the break-in.”

“And to do nothing more than walk around says he’s looking for something,” his father said.

“Exactly. The renters said nothing is missing.”

“Which means he might be back?” his father asked.

“No,” he said. “That’s the thing. The guy says it wasn’t him, that he wasn’t even on the island. But once we showed him proof he washere andcoming and going in the van, he said he forgot he was at the casino. But since he’s got a lawyer, not much more has been said.”

“Damn lawyers,” his father said.

“My feeling too. There is no actual proof he broke in. No fingerprints. Nothing more than a neighbor who described a vanwith letters on it for a business that doesn’t exist on the island. Miles came over and left in a van the same color, no lettering.”

“So you’ve got nothing,” his father said.

“Pretty much, other than Miles knows he was caught in a lie and is being watched.”

“Which could be enough,” his father said. “But I’m sure you’ve got plenty of more cases keeping you busy.”

“Always,” he said, taking a sip of his beer.

Enough that he didn’t get to see Andi much either. They’d had one date last week.

She was catching up on all her missed appointments from the week of her accident and working late. She hadn’t even taken one day off last week but did have two nights she was home earlier and they could have had dinner if he wasn’t held up.

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