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“You’re not looking for it tonight?” Paul asked, his jaw firming. “What kind of place is this? I’m not sure what else you have to do. It’s an expensive vehicle. It can’t have simply disappeared. Someone has to have seen what happened.”
“This isn’t LA.” He needed to make it clear to his brother that he wasn’t getting special treatment. “There isn’t a camera on every corner here, and Roxie is one of two deputies working the night shift at this time.”
Paul seemed to realize he wasn’t winning anyone over because his expression shifted from angry to apologetic. “Of course. I’m sorry, Deputy. I wasn’t thinking. And honestly, it’s not like I would get better help in LA. They would write a report and tell me to file it all with insurance. I’ve had an upsetting evening, and I shouldn’t take that out on you. I appreciate everything you can do for me.”
He held a hand out in that purely Southern-gentleman style.
Roxie shook it. “I promise I really will look for it, but we have to consider the possibility that it’s being taken apart as we speak. Car theft isn’t usually a big problem around here, but it does happen from time to time. We’ll do everything we can.”
“I appreciate it very much, Deputy.” Paul stepped away. His shirt was wrinkled and missing one of the buttons,which made Quaid wonder what exactly his brother had been doing. “Quaid, I thank you for picking me up. I didn’t want to bother our mother, and it would have been an imposition to get a ride back home from the deputy.”
And imposing on his brother was one of Paul’s favorite things to do. “Let’s go. I’ve got work to do in the morning. Thanks for the dog food, Rox.”
She nodded and Quaid turned, ready to get his brother out of here as soon as possible.
Would Jayna be asleep by the time he got back? What would he say to her in the morning? If she was even there in the morning. She might decide to turn tail and run. The woman was skittish around him when she wasn’t challenging him in court.
She was going to drive him crazy, but he couldn’t stand the thought of her not being there when he got back.
“I’m sorry, Quaid. I know you won’t believe me, but I didn’t go out looking for trouble tonight,” Paul said as they made their way outside.
At least the rain seemed to be over. “You never do.”
“I’m trying this time.” His brother jogged to keep up with him. “Look, I know I’ve caused trouble for you in the past, but you’re my brother. You’re the only brother I’ll ever have, and I want us to be okay with each other.”
Quaid turned, stopping in the middle of the street. “All right. Then tell me why you’re really here.”
Paul could sound very reasonable when he wanted to. He knew how to make people like him, how to get them to want to help him. He was excellent at looking like the good son, especially since their mother insisted he was. This meant that most people who met Paul thought Quaid was the problem. How could Quaid not see how nice his brother was? How polite and charming?
He was always made out to be the monster who couldn’tappreciate how creative Paul was. Paul was creative, all right. He was an excellent, creative liar.
“I’m here to see Mom and to spend some time with you,” Paul insisted.
Like he was lying right now.
Quaid turned again because he wasn’t buying that line of bull. He would take his brother home and then pray that Jayna was still awake and waiting to finish what they’d started.
What had they started? A kiss. A flirtation. Two people who could use some affection spending time together.
An all-raging-hot affair that would lead to...
“All right. I came because I got in some trouble.”
Quaid groaned, a deep weariness sweeping over him. If Paul was willing to admit he was in trouble, it had to be bad. “What happened?”
“I just...” His brother started to pace, moving back and forth behind the Benz. “I owe some people money.”
Quaid felt his gut tighten. His brother knew a lot of unsavory characters, dangerous people. They were the type of people Quaid liked to write about, not have in his life. “Drug dealers?”
Paul’s head shook in the negative. “No. I told you. I’m off the stuff. That last stint in rehab took. I’ve been clean for a long time now.”
“But not sober.” He didn’t see the difference. His brother had an addictive personality.
“I still drink,” Paul explained with a nonchalant air. “Drinking wasn’t my problem. And it’s weird to go to a bar and order water or soda. You know I like to fit in. I met some people I knew in high school tonight, and I ended up kind of hooking up with an old friend. Deena Kenmore.”
Quaid knew where his next divorce case was coming from. “She’s married with three kids.”
Paul held his hands up. “I did not know that.”
