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“You aren’t going home,” Daniel said. He held up one hand when she immediately protested. “You and Powell are both going to be at Houghton and Melody’s, behind guarded walls, until I figure this out. No protests, Hallie. And so will Beck. I don’t care how involved Barratt is in this, my main concern is keeping the three of you safe. Just in case Handley is a major part of something else we don’t know about.”
“Sure it is,” she grumbled. It was the first time Jarrod had ever seen her angry at her precious Daniel. Interesting. “I know how your mind works, McKellen.”
“I’m sure you do.” He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, cupped her cheek so lightly. There was a look in Daniel’s eyes Jarrod would never forget right now.
“Hey! No. Bad boy. You no kisses Hal.” The little boy put one hand on Daniel’s chest. “My Hal. You no kisses her. Bad boy.”
Well, looked like she had another suitor now.
“It’s okay, Beck. Daniel has been a friend of mine since I was a girl. He’s one of my best friends. He’s safe.”
“He no kisses my Hal!” Beck laid his head on her shoulder and clung. Haldyn winced. The kid was a good-sized kid. Hell, his older brother topped out at six six, his father an inch or so shorter. This was a big boy.
Beck had to be hurting her. But there was no way Jarrod was getting that kid off of her. Not with the way they were both glaring at him now.
Heather, though, she had no qualms. She scooped him right up expertly. “Beck, little man, let’s move over here to this big squishy chair so we don’t hurt Hal’s owies, okay? Where we can watch her and make sure there are no more kisses from ickie Daniel for Hal.”
Yeah, Heather and Daniel didn’t exactly get along all that great, Jarrod had noticed before.
Heather settled in the chair with the kid on her own lap and started rocking him. She looked almost human, and everything now. Heather Coleson had an actual soft side. Imagine that.
That woman had vampire fangs. She’d certainly hissed at him often enough. Yet she looked almost domesticated right now.
“We’re going to stay right here in this room with Hal until your new mommy and daddy get here.” Heather’s glare told Jarrod she meant it. Even Daniel didn’t question.
Jarrod was half convinced Daniel was a bit afraid of Heather Coleson, too.
“That’s it? You’re just calling Melody and Houghton his parents? When they don’t even know the kid exists yet?” The kid glared at him like he understood exactly what Jarrod was saying.
And didn’t like Jarrod one bit at all.
The kid was adorable, no denying that. Probably a handful, too. Melody was one of those women who could handle anything, though. She’d probably do just fine as this kid’s new mommy.
“He clearly listed his wishes for his son. Which, even as a wanted fugitive, he has the right to decide what happens to his son. Beck will be assigned a social worker, but it’s a mere formality. Is there any judge in the state who wouldn’t send him straight to his older brother’s? There is a letter in there that clearly says he wishes his son and daughter-in-law to adopt Beck. Who would stop that?” Heather asked. She was looking at Jarrod like he was a doofus again. No denying that. It was her habitual expression where Jarrod was concerned. “The Barratts might not be able to make an actual adoption happen without his legal signature and witnesses and a judge—but guardianship is a given. The court could also find to terminate Handley’s parental rights for abandonment, once enough time passes, and then they can proceed with an adoption.”
“Has anyone even told Melody and Houghton about this kid?” Not that he couldn’t see it happening just like that. Melody would be fiercely protective of Mini-Houghton right there. But he was worried about her. She’d had a rough road lately, and her baby sister was still recovering from a damned bullet to the back right now, thanks to Eastman.
Finley Creek had become a dangerous place lately.
Jarrod and Major Crimes were doing their best to clean it up.
It wasn’t happening fast enough.
Heather’s seriously hot blond sister took off after making certain Heather would stay with the little boy. Looked like they weren’t going anywhere for a while.
Heather turned on the television and found that damned Scraggle-Popps every kid on the planet lately seemed to be crazy over. Beck then sat there and told Heather all about how Jilly Silly was his favorite.
Of course, Jilly Silly was the kid’s favorite. Apparently, Handley Barratt had told the kid all about the Beck family. Jilly Silly Popp had been played by a nineteen-year-old Jillian Beck several years ago. That redheaded monster was singing on the screen now. “Scraggle-Popps, Scraggle-Popps! Thinking makes you tops! Scraggle-Popps, learning never stops! 1 and 2, I teach you…count 3 and 4, we’ll learn more —”
Hell, Jarrod hated that damned song. He always had.
Just what all had Barratt told this kid? What did the kid know?
Well, Heather could just deal with the littlest Barratt. Jarrod would focus on the forensics queen. The woman was a sharp as glass. She did have one of the finest minds he had ever encountered. If there had been anything they could use, she would have seen it. But…he glanced back at the bed. “Hell, she’s fallen asleep again.”
“Best thing for her,” Daniel said. He fussed over her blankets again then stared at her for a long moment. “When I find the guys who did this, I’m going to pay it back. In kind. Just…fair warning, understand?”
“I’ll help with that.” Jarrod stepped closer, trying to see what about Haldyn had captured his buddy so strongly. He could admit it—he could see it. If she just hadn’t despised Jarrod from the moment they’d first met, maybe. “She looks a bit puny at the moment. Not like our Dr. Haldyn Devil Harris at all.”
