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Luke decided it would be a good idea to keep her around for a minute. “I’m sorry to have scared you,” he said gruffly to the woman. “I shouldn’t have hollered like that. This is a pretty messed-up situation.”
Tiffany cracked a smile. “Honey, I’m married to a Harley-driving MC cat. Not much scares me. I’ll hang out here with Andy if y’all want to handle your business inside.”
“Thank you.” With one last look at Andy, Luke slipped inside behind the others.
In Andy’s bedroom, Kory’s expression grew pensive. “Maybe we’re wrong about Aldon. Andy told me he needed that promotion at ManCave for the raise. He obviously knew she came from a wealthy family. If Aldon was both pissed at her for getting him firedandshort on funds, it would make sense he might break in, assuming she had something worth stealing.”
Kory walked over to Andy’s gaming rig. It was completely untouched. “But nothing’s missing here.” Turning back to them, she frowned. “Wouldn’t Aldon have taken something valuable if he broke in?”
“Hedidtake something valuable,” Luke snapped irritably.
“Dude.” Gray’s eyes flashed a warning. “That’s not what she meant.”
“Fuck.I know. Sorry.”
“Maybe we should check for missing jewelry,” Dylan suggested.
“Andy doesn’t wear jewelry.”
Just as Luke said this, Kory’s hand flew to her neck. “Oh, no! I forgot to put it on before we left this morning.” She darted from Andy’s room, Gray hot on her heels.
Luke and Dylan followed them to the bedroom at the end of the hall. Inside, Kory stopped at her dresser to stare at a small wooden trinket tray. “No!” she cried. “I put it right here last night like I always do. I know I did.” She looked up, face stricken. “You were right, Gray. It must have been Aldon.”
Her boyfriend didn’t appear at all happy to hear this. Turning his back to the dresser, he gripped the edge of it hard enough to gouge the wood.
“He must have taken it,” Kory continued mournfully.
Dylan’s face softened at her obvious distress. “What did he take?”
Kory rubbed a hand over the stretch of skin exposed by her beige tube top. “My necklace. It has a hummingbird pendant.”
Dylan glanced back at Luke, and it wasn’t hard to interpret his darkening expression. Aldon hadn’t just taken one bird. He’d taken two.
Kory sank onto her bed, tears finally spilling over as she peered up at her boyfriend. “It’s gone. The necklace you gave me is gone.”
Gray pushed away from the dresser and knelt before her. “I’ll get it back. I promise you.”
“B-but how?”
He pressed a swift kiss to her trembling lips. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll make a few calls. No big deal. Just hang here, okay?”
“Yeah,” she said listlessly. Then, “Wait, no! You have to drive back to Sac today. You have work tomorrow.”
“I’ll call in sick.”
“Gray,”she protested, “you were just on vacation. No one’s gonna buy that.”
“Don’t give a fuck.”
“Swear jar.” Kory cracked a sad little smile.
Gray kissed it. “Just stay here, and take care of Andy. She might have lashed out earlier because she’s hurting, but your friend’s gonna really need you soon.”
Luke’s respect for the man increased tenfold. Out in the living room, he tipped his chin. “Thanks for that.”
Gray nodded, exhaling a tense breath. “So how do we find this Wickers asshole?”
“Thought you were just gonna make a few calls,” Dylan taunted.
