Page 48 of Justice for Aleta

“Thanks. That’s okay. I’ll just read.”

When the ballgame was finished, Amos and Matt broke out the frozen pizzas they’d brought over and the four of them sat at the table and ate, laughed, and talked. “So what did you wind up buying to read?” Jack asked Aleta as he took a bite of pizza.

“Some romances. Mostly romances with law enforcement guys as the heroes.”

Jack choked on his pizza.

“You okay, babe?” Aleta asked, pounding his back between his shoulder blades.

“Uh?cough, cough?I just?cough, cough?I never dreamed you’d?cough?get something like that,” Jack barked, his eyes watering.

It was Amos’s turn to laugh. “So now you’re the hero in a romance novel! How ‘bout that, little brother?”

“Shirtless with the wind blowing your hair back?” Matt asked, hee-hawing.

“It’s not like that,” Aleta insisted. All three turned and stared at her. “Well, okay, it’skindalike that.” When they started to laugh, she did too. “All right, all right. I’ll find something else to read,” she said, pretend pouting as she laughed.

Jack grinned at her. “No, babe, I think that’s sweet. Me as the hero. Hell, I’m usually the one doing all the paperwork while everybody else goes out to grab a drink.”

Without missing a beat, Aleta said, “You’remyhero.”

“Owwwww. You guys are killin’ me!” Amos yelled.

“Yeah. Ewwww. Can you get a little sweeter? Syrup isn’t running out of your ears yet!” Matt crowed as he laughed.

Jack squeezed her hand. “Don’t pay any attention to them, babe. They’re just jealous.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I’m going back to read. If y’all are going to act like that, maybe I’ll change to firefighter books.” As she passed Jack on her way back to the bedroom, she leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Amos laughed again. “Ooooo, we’re being replaced, Matt!”

“Firefighters. Pretty boys with long hoses,” Matt play-groused with a grin.

“I’m not touching that one!” Aleta sang out from down the hallway.

“Probably best that you don’t!” Amos yelled back.

They could hear the bedroom door click shut, and in seconds the laughter died. “Is she doing okay?” Matt asked.

Jack just shrugged. “Eh. About as well as could be expected. I hope this is over soon.”

“I think you’re both handling this about as well as anybody could,” Amos offered. Jack could see that his big brother was being sincere.

“Thanks. We’re trying. I won’t lie?I’m scared. That Moss guy, he’s crazy.”

“Yep.” Matt nodded. “Beyond crazy. And a good shot too, which makes him even scarier.”

They sat there at the table for over an hour, comparing the information they all had and trying to figure out what needed to happen, but they all drew a blank. As long as Ortiz had the cook and Menendez had that picture of Moss, Aleta wasn’t safe. She’d been through so much, and she didn’t deserve to have to go through more, but Jack didn’t know what to do about it.

As Amos and Matt left, Jack’s brother leaned in and hugged him. “Be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to you, punk,” Amos said, using the nickname he’d given Jack before they were old enough to curse.

“Thanks. I’m trying.”

“Okay. Love ya, bro.” Amos headed down the steps to join Matt in the car, and Jack stood and watched until Matt’s car disappeared from sight down the driveway.

Love ya, bro. That’s what Amos had said. And for Amos to say that, things had to be bad.

Chapter 9

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