Deadly Silence (Blood Brothers #1)(51)

What kind of danger stalked the poor kid? Oh, she’d get her answers once she had him safely at her house and eating regularly. There had to be something she could do with her legal background to help Greg. It sucked being without parents in the world.

The wind whistled loudly outside, and Zara gasped as white powder cascaded down outside the window. “It’s snowing.”

Dawn was barely breaking over the horizon, and ice speckled the window.

Greg set his plate down. “Before I decide, how did you get the bruise on your face?” His chest puffed out just enough to show aggression.

Geez. Feed the kid once, and he wanted to protect her. Her heart warmed. “Not from Ryker.”

Greg eyed Ryker. “Didn’t think so.”

“Why not?” Ryker asked softly.

Greg lifted a shoulder. “If you hit her, you’d do a shitload more damage.”

Ryker gave a short nod. “I don’t hurt women.”

“Good to know. Is the guy who hit her still standing?” Greg asked.

“Barely,” Ryker said. “Well, maybe by now he’s standing again.” He shared a manly grin with Greg, who returned to his food.

Zara dropped her plate on the counter. Her arms went weak. “What did you do? Ryker? Seriously. What did you do?”

He glanced up from the lone piece of bacon still on his plate. “I told you I was gonna have a talk with the guy who hit you. We had a talk, and he’ll never do it again. You’re safe.”

Zara shook her head. “He’s a client of the firm,” she hissed. “I can’t have him coming after you.”

“He won’t.” Ryker bit into the bacon with a hum of appreciation. “Trust me.”

Heat prickled along the back of her neck, and she ground her teeth together. “I told you I had it handled.” What if Jay let her firm know she was working with Julie? Or at least that she’d helped Julie? She’d be fired.

“Now it’s really handled,” Ryker said, his tone firm.

Denver and Heath watched the exchange with different degrees of amusement.

Zara breathed out, trying not to hurl the spatula at Ryker’s stubborn head. “You threatened the mayor. Seriously. You threatened the mayor of the town.” Her voice rose on the last.

Greg snorted. “The mayor? Nice.”

Ryker nodded and shared another smile with the boy.

Zara shook her head. “That is so wrong. Did anybody see you?”

“Not really. I mean, I locked his door and everything, but if anybody sees him nude in the near future, they’re gonna see bruises,” Ryker drawled.

Denver chuckled. “The mayor’s a dickhead. Wish I could’ve watched.”

“Me too,” Heath said, patting his belly. “The guy was at the courthouse when I got sworn in. Definite asshole.”

Zara bit her lip. The whole man-code thing was getting really old fast. She should’ve put a laxative in the eggs. She also didn’t like them ganging up on her, damn it. “You’re all crazy, you know that?”

Ryker cut her a look before focusing on Heath. “How’s the Copper Killer situation?”

Heath stopped chewing. “The FBI decoy is in place, and they’re hoping the guy makes a move on her. If he doesn’t . . .”

“Then somebody else will be taken,” Ryker said, shaking his head. “I hate waiting around like this.”

“We have searches going on the computers for possible victims, but it’s slow, and there are too many to narrow down,” Heath said, frustration crossing his face.

Zara opened her mouth to ask about the case just as her phone buzzed from the counter. She frowned. It was barely dawn on a Sunday morning.

“Who’s calling so early?” Ryker asked, pushing to his feet.

Zara read the screen. “It’s Brock.”

Tension swelled through the room, heated and wild, and definitely from Ryker.

Greg snorted. “I like Brock. A lawyer like him is a better choice for you.” His lips tipped into a smile. Was he teasing Ryker? Maybe the kid was finally relaxing.

“Shut up,” Ryker said without much heat.

Zara lifted the phone to her ear. “It’s really early, Brock.”

“We have a problem. How soon can you meet me at Jay Pentley’s house?” Brock said, the sound of tires on asphalt echoing through the line.

Zara coughed. “Um, why?” Shit. Jay had turned Ryker in.

“I’m sorry to tell you this, honey, but Julie Pentley was found dead in a motel outside of town just before dinnertime yesterday.” Brock swore. “Idiots don’t know how to drive.”

Zara gasped. Panic swelled through her. “Dead? How?” God. Not Julie.

“Multiple stab wounds. Somebody wanted her dead and bad.”





CHAPTER


18


Red and blue lights swirled around from the police car in front of Jay Pentley’s stately home. Well ensconced in a perfectly manicured subdivision behind secured gates, Pentley’s brick house was surrounded by groomed bushes barely being dusted with snow. Streaks of light cut through the heavy clouds, showing the morning had finally arrived.

Ryker parked his truck against the high curb, leaving the cobblestone driveway clear.