Page 2 of Dead Run
“Daddy, I told you a million times, I’mnotrunning!” a familiar voice rose over the din of the shop. “I’ll wear a costume and help Dad hand out the water, but that’s it! I refuse to get all sweaty and smell like a goat.” Aurora declared, coming to stand at Everly’s side. She was dressed in a witchy-princess gown, which made her look like a hybrid of Rapunzel and the Sanderson sisters.
“Ohhhh,” Everly said, reaching out to touch Aurora’s outfit. “I love it! You look great!”
“I know!” Aurora grinned at her friend. She grabbed Fitzgibbon’s phone out of his hand and started taking pictures of herself and Everly. Both girls giggled as Wolf stood behind them and held up bunny ears.
“Woofie and I are gonna do the fun run. You should too,” Everly said, sounding casual.
Ronan nearly burst out laughing when he saw his daughter wink at Fitzgibbon. Obviously Everly and his boss had struck a deal to help convince Aurora to take part in the Witches Dead Run.
“Imagine the cool pictures we’ll take at the finish line with our medals.” Everly spoke with wonder in her voice.
Aurora seemed unmoved at the mention of medals.
“Daddy said if I beat him, he’s gonna buy me a two-wheeler!” Everly chirped sweetly.
Blackmail!Ronan had donenosuch thing. Everly had been after him to get her a real bike for two months, after her cousin, Brooke, got one for her birthday. He and Tennyson had discussed it several times. Their final decision had been that they’d get one for Everly when Wolf and Aurora got one too. It was the only fair way to do it. The other two kids would be heartbroken to be left out, but to be honest, Ronan hadn’t been in much of a hurry to talk to Fitz and Jude about the matter. If Everly could ride a two-wheeler, that would be another step toward his daughter’s independence from him. As much as the other kids wouldn’t be able to bear not having a bike, Ronan couldn’t bear the thought of his daughter not needing him anymore.
“Really?” Aurora’s eyes widened. “Daddy, if I run the race can I get a bike too?”
“Me three!” Wolf said, grabbing Jude’s legs and looking up at him with a happy face.
“Uh, Ronan, a word, if you don’t mind.” Fitzgibbon’s tone left no room for dissent.
Ronan was going to die. Fitz was scared to death that Aurora would hurt herself on a two-wheeler, but he suspected the reluctance on Fitz’s part was the same as on his part. Neither man wanted their little girls to grow up too fast. “Before you hit me, let me explain.”
Fitz didn’t look like he was in the mood for explanations. “If my daughter gets so much as a scratch during this fun run, I’m coming for you!”
As Ronan muttered a quick Hail Mary, Fitz lunged toward him, wrapping his arms around Ronan and holding him tight.What the, what?
“Aurora has given me every excuse in the book not to run the race and you gave her one reason to do it.” Fitz set a dazed Ronan back a step. “I could kiss you.”
Jude snorted from behind them. “We all need to be in agreement when it comes to Operation Two-Wheeler. Not just the three of us, but Cope, Ten, and Jace too.”
“I’ll talk to Ten tonight, although it might already be too late.” Ronan pointed toward the kids who were debating what color bikes to get. He knew in his heart of hearts that Everly deserved this rite of passage, just like he’d gotten when he was six years old. He hadn’t known it at the time, but Erin had worked overtime for three months to be able to afford to get Ronan a bike for his sixth birthday.
Whatever the cost, it would be worth it to see the look on Everly’s face and to hear her triumphant squeals of lighter when she mastered the bike without training wheels. As for the moment, Ronan would take the win buying matching outfits for himself and Everly. The debate on growing up too quickly could wait for another day.
2
Jude
Jude was going to die. How would Cope eulogize his husband, tragically taken far too soon?Herowas the first word that came to mind. Jude was a hero not just to his family, but to the men and women of the Salem Police Department and the entire city of Salem.
Selflesswas the second word he hoped Cope would use to describe him. Jude gave his all to his city, the police department, his friends, and most importantly, to his family. Unless there was only one glazed donut left and then it was every man for himself.
“Get a move on, Jude, for fuck’s sake!” Ronan loud whispered, which was to say that his tone was only a decibel or three lower than his usual voice. He jogged backward, in place, waiting for Jude to catch up.
“Give me a break, asshole,” Jude gasped for air. “It’s hotter than Satan’s taint out here. Any second now, I’m going to melt into a puddle of goo like the Wicked Witch when Dorothy threw a bucket of water on her.” What Jude would give for a bratty, gingham-clad girl to douse him with ice cold water right now. He stopped running when he reached Ronan, who kept jogging in place.
“Where the hell is Fitzy?” Ronan asked, picking the pace up and rounding the corner toward Fitzgibbon’s house.
“You probably tripped him in your bid to win our run around the block.” When they were out in the field, chasing down killers, Jude loved Ronan’s tenacity. His stick-to-itiveness. His all-out zeal to solve cold cases and bring grieving families a measureof justice. Now, however, Jude wanted to smack his best friend. Hard. Twice.
“See, there he is.” Ronan pointed toward Fitz’s stoop, where he sat with Aurora, Everly, and Wolf. All three kids were dressed and ready to go.
“Geez, Dad, what took you so long?” Everly asked with a wicked grin.
“Yeah, you and Daddy look like you jumped in the fountain near the park.” Wolf wore an envious look.
