Page 10 of Hot Cops

Aaron’s comments, rather than sparking Johanna’s nosy interest, released an onslaught of loud sobs. For several moments, he stood speechless as Johanna bawled inconsolably.

“What did I say?” he asked Riley.

“This is not helping my headache,” Riley replied.

“Could you try to have a little compassion?” Aaron wrapped an arm around Johanna’s shoulder.

Riley rolled her eyes in response but the gesture sent another stab of pain through her temple. Johanna had tried to take her head off with a baseball bat and insulted her intelligence. Aaron could be compassionate if he wanted, but Riley was feeling a bit low on that emotion.

“Me and Trev eloped t-too,” Johanna stammered, the words hard to understand through her crying. “We drove over to Paw Paw, West Virginia, where his uncle was the justice of the peace, and then we went to his family’s hunting cabin for our honeymoon. It was deer season and he gave me a new rifle as a wedding gift.”

“Romantic,” Riley muttered, but she shut up when Aaron sent her a dirty look. He led Jo to the single chair in the room.

If there was one thing Aaron was a sucker for, it was tears. Riley had teased him mercilessly over the years for what she called his Achilles heel. If a woman wanted to get his attention, she merely had to pour on the waterworks. He had dated crazy Louise Perkins for six months longer than he’d wanted to during his junior year in high school, simply because she cried every time he suggested they break up. Riley had finally intervened, convincing Louise she’d be much happier dating Chuckie Haines.

“Please don’t get so upset, Johanna. I’m sure Trevor’s just blowing off some steam. He knows he’s got a good thing at home with you. He’s not going to mess that up,” Aaron said.

“I’m sorry,” she said between sniffles. “It’s all these damn hormones. I c-cry at the drop of a hat nowadays.”

“Hormones?” Riley asked.

“I found out I’m pregnant a couple days ago. I went to find Trev to tell him he was gonna be a daddy, but then I heard the two of you had run off to Vegas.”

“Pregnant. Wow. Congratulations, Jo,” Riley said.Jesus, Trevor has reproduced.

“So if you and Trev didn’t run off together, where is he?” Johanna asked. “I want to tell him the good news.”

Riley glanced at Aaron, who shrugged. She recalled him telling her about Trev hooking up with a prostitute. “He, um, he just stepped out for some breakfast,” she lied, rising from the bed and edging her way toward the bathroom. If things turned nasty again, Riley was fully prepared to hunker down behind a locked door. Besides, she had to pee.

“Where?” Jo asked.

“I’m not sure where he was headed. Just called a few minutes ago and said he was going to get something to eat.” While Riley was disgusted with Trev for cheating on his wife, she couldn’t completely hang the man out to dry. She’d spent at least an hour of Friday night listening to him cry in his beer over missing Jo. Regardless of his infidelity, he loved his wife and she figured he deserved a chance to make amends if he wanted to. After all, he was going to be a father.

“Tell you what, Johanna. Why don’t you see if you can get a room here at the hotel and Riley and I will go find him?” Aaron suggested.

“We will?” Riley asked.

“Yes, we will. You’re probably tired after the flight and that’s not good for you or the baby. Call us with your room number, take a nice long bath and we’ll send Trevor to your room when we find him. In fact, you can surprise him. The two of you can have a romantic night together and celebrate. How does that sound?”

Johanna smiled at him as she stood. “That’s a great idea. My feet are killing me. Thank you, Aaron. And congratulations on your marriage.” She started to walk out of the room but turned at the last minute to look at Riley. “Bye, Riley. No hard feelings?”

“We’re good, Jo.” Riley waved and watched the woman retrieve her luggage from where she’d left it in the hall. Aaron closed the door and leaned on it wearily.

“You forgot to give her back her bat. She may want that when she finds out what Trev’s been up to,” she said.

“That’s exactly why I kept it.”

“So, Mr. Wonderful, any ideas on where we’re supposed to find Trevor and the hooker? Vegas is kind of a big place, you know.”

“I’ll call the front desk and see if he’s still here.”

“Don’t you think Johanna asked about Trev first? He’s probably checked out.”

“I’m still calling the clerk. Who knows what Johanna asked and it’s worth a try.”

Riley dressed while Aaron placed the call. She listened as he questioned the clerk and she could tell from the conversation he wasn’t having much luck getting any answers. She didn’t expect he would, but her cop was clearly on the case.

“Well?” she asked when he hung up.

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