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Their mother was a strong-willed woman who didn’t take crap from anyone. Their father loved that about her, but he was no shrinking violet, either. They’d never argued in front of the children, but Grant and his brothers had known that they sometimes didn’t agree. It seemed as they’d grown older, they didn’t disagree as often. Their mother said it was because they were both old and tired, and they picked their battles more carefully. Unless it really mattered, they just let it go.
To Grant, that seemed like an excellent strategy. This situation, however, was important. At least he thought so.
“I don’t want to be that guy,” Grant said. “I don’t want to come across like a paranoid, cynical cop.”
“Which you are.”
“Okay, I just don’t want her to think that.”
“Let’s play a little game here,” Trey said, levering to his feet and walking over to the window to look outside. “If you had everything your way, what would you do that you’re not doing now?”
“I’d have her staying with me,” Grant replied immediately. “I’m already reaching out about Kevin, and I’d like to look into people in her life. The people she comes into contact with on a fairly regular basis like a dry cleaner or pizza delivery guy.”
“Because if she was with you, you could protect her?”
“Yes.”
“But she doesn’t want to be protected?”
“She doesn’t think she needs to be. She has an alarm system. She says she’ll be fine.”
“She’s made her wishes known. I think you need to back off a little, although I don’t blame you. If it were me, I’d be camping in front of her house twenty-four-seven.”
Trey had finished speaking but there was still something in his expression that gave Grant the funny feeling that his brother had some unsaid words.
“And?” Grant prompted. “I can tell that there’s still something you want to say.”
“Just this,” Trey replied. “If you’re going to look at Mia’s friends and acquaintances, I think you need to look at your own as well. You said yourself that all of this started happening when you and she got back together. This might not have anything to do with her ex. This might be because of you.”
Grant was a trained cop. Trey’s statement shouldn’t be news to him. On the contrary, he should have added a few of the people in his life to the list of suspects.
“I think you have someone in mind already,” Grant said. “Ashley?”
“Yes, and your pretty receptionist out there. What’s her name? Jill? You should look into her, too.”
“Jill? Are you kidding?”
“I am not,” Trey responded with a shake of his head. “You’re always telling us how she’s unprofessional around you. That behavior could be more than you’re seeing. She wouldn’t be the first young woman to fall for her kind-of good-looking older boss. You’re a cop, too, which means you have those hero vibes. I’m just saying that I think you shouldn’t rule anyone out.”
“What about you? Should I rule you out or in?”
Trey’s grin widened, and he threw back his head and laughed out loud.
“Until you have proof that me or anyone else isn’t trying to end your relationship with Mia, you should suspect them. I could be guilty as hell.”
Grant was positive that Trey wasn’t watching Mia or sending her strange texts. But Jill? Or Ashley? He didn’t want to think that either of them would do something like that. But his brother had a point - he needed to keep an open mind. Blaming Fuller was far too easy.
But Kevin Fuller was still suspect number one. Past behavior was a decent predictor of the future, and his hadn’t been all that wonderful.
Grant was already thinking that it might be a good idea to really dig into the man’s life. If Fuller was hiding anything, Grant was going to find it.
* * *
“It was an amazing weekend,” Mia told Lane and Mike when she returned home. “The weather, the cabin, everything.”
She didn’t mention the texts she’d received or that she’d thought she was being watched. Again. Her friends were over-the-top protective, almost as bad as Grant, and she didn’t want them worrying about her. She was planning to be careful, and she wasn’t going to do anything stupid. Or stupid-adjacent.
“Was it romantic?” Lane gushed as Mia set her suitcase on the bedroom floor. She’d unpack later. “Tell us every dirty detail.”
