Page 29 of Sweet Like a Psycho (Secrets of Suburbi 2)

I didn’t have any other options. I had to tell him the truth. This was a great learning lesson about how you shouldn’t put animals in pockets. A lesson that I needed to teach myself apparently. “You know what? Maybe he jumped onto Detective Reed when he stopped by. Maybe he has him.” God, Zeke's adorable little face made it impossible to tell him the truth. I didn’t want him to look disappointed in me. Blaming it all on Detective Reed was definitely a better plan.

“Then let’s go get him back!” He went to the door and grabbed his coat and mittens. He ran outside without his boots.

“You have to put on shoes, Zeke!”

He ran back in and shoved his feet into his favorite rain boots. “Come on, Mommy. Mr. Reed doesn’t know it’s feeding time. Lizardopolous needs food or he’ll starve.”

Surely he wouldn’t starve if we fed him a few minutes late. Right? But I didn’t really know. The agreement Zeke and I had when I allowed him to get a pet was that it was 100 percent his responsibility. Regardless, we did still have to go get the lizard back. “Okay.” But I didn’t move. I felt paralyzed. I didn’t want to go to the police station. For some reason, I was afraid that I’d walk in and never walk out. Going there was basically a confession. It was turning myself in. I can’t do this.

“Pleeeeease.”

I looked down at his adorable little face again and nodded. “I’m coming.” Of course I was going. I knew exactly where Lizardopolous was. He was safely in Detective Reed’s jacket. They were probably both perfectly safe at the precinct by now. I’d be in and out of there super fast. It would be fine. I grabbed my light jacket off the hook. Everything was fine.

But my heart was racing. I lived out in the middle of nowhere for a reason. I didn’t want anyone looking too closely at me. Walking into a place filled with cops was the absolute last thing on my list.

Zeke grabbed my hand and pulled me to the door.

I didn’t have a choice. This wasn’t about me. It was about Zeke. And I’d do anything for him. I pushed my thoughts aside as the cool autumn air hit my face. By the time I reached my old pickup truck, I felt calmer. I was a woman on a mission. All I needed to do was repeatedly tell myself I’d be in and out super fast. Again. And again. I pulled out onto the main road.

“Why didn’t you invite Mr. Reed in?” Zeke asked. “He probably had doughnuts, or Danishes, or something else yummy.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Sugar was the second most important thing to Zeke, after Lizardopolous. “You know how I feel about guests coming over.”

“But he came in last night. And it was fun.”

“Yeah.” I exhaled slowly. “It was fun. But it was a one-time thing because I wasn’t feeling well.” Saying it was a one-time thing out loud made me feel a sense of sorrow I didn’t understand. I barely knew Detective Reed. Not seeing him anymore should be easy. So why did the thought of it put a pit in the bottom of my stomach? It wasn’t a real date. It was all a lie. My heart couldn’t afford to fall for another liar.

“I think it should be an everyday thing. He liked you, Mommy. He didn’t look at you the way other people do. He was nice.”

I swallowed hard. It was impossible to protect my son. He was too observant for his own good.

“So can we invite him over again for dinner? I want to play hot lava. Maybe he’ll be better this time.”

I laughed. Detective Reed had tried his best last night, but half the time we were playing he had been dying slowly in hot lava. “Maybe some other time, but not tonight.” By that I meant absolutely never ever again. It just wasn’t possible.

“But…why?”

“Because I said so.”

Zeke folded his arms across his chest. “It’s not fair. Mr. Reed is my friend. Why can’t I ask him to come over? You don’t even have to play with us.”

I didn’t answer him as I made the final turn. He knew I liked our privacy. We had already talked about this dozens of times. It’s why he had been able to guilt me into getting him a lizard in the first place. I pulled into one of the empty spots in the parking lot and cut the engine.

“We’re going to go get Lizardopolous back, and then you’re going to spend the rest of the weekend making sure he’s okay. He’s probably had quite the ordeal. He hasn’t been out of our house in years.”

“Fine.” He said it in the utterly unsatisfying way that only a five year old could muster the attitude for.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and hopped out of the truck. The door squeaked on its hinges as I slammed it shut.

“I’ve never been inside a police station before,” Zeke said as he put his hand into mine. “Do you think it’s like the cop shows?”

“What cop shows?”

He looked away from me. “Nothing.”

“Zeke Clark, have you been watching TV without my permission?” I pulled him to a stop right outside the entrance.

“Everybody in school has Hulu. It’s not fair that I’m not allowed to watch when everyone else does.”

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