Page 78 of Guarded Secrets
“The cop?”
She tilted her head toward her husband. “Levi is with the Hangman’s Loss police department. His brother Brad is police chief. Lucy is hanging out with Uncle Brad and his family while we’re gone.”
“Added bonus,” Levi chimed in. “My brother and brothers-in-law volunteered to move the furniture into the new house. Zoey drew out a plan of where she wants everything, and as soon as the paint crewis done, the furniture gets moved in. Should be done tomorrow and we’ll head home the next day.”
“Sounds like a win all around.” Keeley looked at Zoey curiously. “Owen said you’re cousins?”
“We’re something. Our mothers were first cousins.” Zoey looked at Owen. “That makes Charlie and me your second cousins. Or is it first cousins once removed? I can never remember which.”
“It’s simpler just to say we’re cousins.”
“I adored Owen’s grandparents, who were my great-aunt and -uncle. They invited me and my brother to visit when Owen was in Sisters. His grandma wanted us to know our family and because of that, Charlie and I got to hang out with Owen, and that way we got to know him. We wouldn’t have, otherwise.”
“It worked. We’re family.” Owen’s simple statement had Zoey beaming.
Henry’s eyes had drooped shut and Levi rose to his feet to gather the boy from Owen’s lap. “I’ll settle him for his nap.” He pointed at Lucas. “He’s almost out too. It’s a win when they both nap at the same time.”
Zoey moved to push up from her seat, but Levi shook his head. “Relax, babe. You’re doing the hard work of growing a human. I’ve got the monkeys.” He took Henry and a couple minutes later came back for Lucas. When he returned to the deck, he set a baby monitor on the table.
He dropped a kiss on Zoey’s lips. “You need anything?”
“Just you.” She pulled him down to sit beside her on the loveseat.
Levi draped an arm behind her and Zoey leaned her head against his shoulder.
Keeley thought there might as well be twirling cupids and hearts over their heads like in cartoons because they so obviously adored each other.
“I can’t believe we’re adding another to the mix,” Zoey sighed. “I feel like we run at borderline chaos as it is.”
“You and Levi seem like you have things figured out,” Keeley commented. “You’ve got a good vibe. I’m betting you’ll be fine.”
“We will. I have a minor freakout every once in a while when I think of managing three kids.” Zoey smiled. “We’re a good team. We’ve got four months to get settled in the new house and then baby girl arrives and we’ll be back to breast feeding, and we’ll have two kids in diapers again. That’ll be exciting. But enough about us. Catch us up with what’s going on in your life, Owen.”
While the little boys slept, Owen filled Zoey and Levi in on the case swirling around Keeley.
Levi sat up, interest in his eyes as he leaned forward in his seat. “Let me get this straight, both the Ravagers and the douche boyfriend think Keeley’s hiding the flash drive.”
“That’s ex-boyfriend,” Owen growled. Ignoring the grins from Levi and Zoey, he went on. “Nero’s demeanor changed when Keeley recognized him as the grandfather of one of her students. He seemed to believe she didn’t know anything about it but asked her to look for it.”
Levi turned to Keeley. “You never saw it?”
“If it was in my purse, I—” A thought struck, and she could feel the blood drain from her cheeks. “Oh my god.”
Owen’s gaze drilled into Keeley. “What’s is it, princess?”
“My purse. I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before. I got a new purse, when was it? Maybe January? Was I still going with Jaxon then?” She wasn’t making sense. She stared wide-eyed at Owen. “The purse Pam stole was my new one. I hadn’t had it long and the police kept it as evidence.”
“Connect the dots for me. You’re saying if Romero hid the flash drive, it wasn’t in the purse Demaris stole?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. It could be in my old one. They look similar.”
“Where’s that purse? Do you still have it?”
“It’s here. I’ve been using it since the other was stolen.”
“Here as in Lake Tahoe here?”
“Yeah. I left it on the side table in the entry way.”
