Page 149 of Family Affair
Chapter 34
Cade didn’t dare come near Coco in the days that followed his mother’s funeral. That bastard Smirnoff’s appearance at the church sent all kinds of warning bells ringing inside his head. He didn’t trust Smirnoff not to use Coco to trip him in some way, and he was deathly afraid that if revealed, Coco’s intimacy with him could cost her more than her job.
The noose was tightening around his neck. With Willis canned, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that Smirnoff would move fast to make an arrest. The detective sorely needed one to salvage his reputation and look good in front of the taxpayers. Cade should think about hiring a good lawyer. A goddamn miracle worker.
Time, he needed more time, but lately it had become a precious commodity.
He pulled up at Ross’s place and parked.
Reaching for the doorbell, he took a deep breath. It was a huge leap of faith that led him here. Trusting Ross used to be natural, a long time ago, in another life, and that was why he came today.
The door opened, suddenly and without a sound.
Cade’s eyes rolled heavenward on their own accord.
“If you don’t really want to see me, what are you doing at my door?” Ross asked mildly.
“I wanted to see you, but notallof you.” Typical Ross, always delivered more than you bargained for.
Ross’s smooth round shoulders - too well rounded for a computer geek - flexed.
“Come on in.” He turned around presenting Cade with a full unobstructed view of his naked backside. Cade followed him in, thinking wryly that at least Ross wasn’t hard. He wasn’t sure how he’d have handled it if Ross had been.
“So what can I do for you today?” Ross turned around again, and he and his privates now faced Cade full on.
He wasn’t a prude, but he wasn’t going to hash things out with his brother’s shlong on such a splendid display.
“Tell you what, why don’t go pull some pants on first? I’m just about gone blind from looking at your glory.”
“Well, don’t look, then.” Ross winked at him. “Don’t be jealous, mylittlebrother. How about you shuck your pants and we have your important conversation on equal terms, so to speak?”
Cade laughed, he couldn’t help it. “That’s pervy, Ross.”
“So what?” Ross questioned, complacent. “Life’s so much more exciting this way.”
“I don’t need any more excitement in my life, believe me.”
Ross shrugged and left Cade alone in the room.
His smile slipped. God, he missed his brother. Their mindless banter, the stupid jokes, the security that came with the knowledge that Ross would always have his back.
The drawer opened and shut in the other room, and Ross emerged dressed in jeans and a pullover shirt.
“Have the police harassed you anymore?”
“Of course they did. I’m the prime suspect in the case of the decade.”
“True. I’m surprised they’ve let you walk free for as long as they did. Your detectives are having wet dreams about your ass in their jail.” Ross parked his hip on the credenza.
“They’re working on it. My time is running out.”
“Hmm. Anything I can do to help?”
“Yes. You can help by telling me if you killed Ward.”
Ross’s goofy expression slipped. “No, I didn’t. And by the way, fuck you for asking.”
“Someone did it.” Cade shrugged, reminding himself that no one could act better than Ross.
