Page 2 of Missing Pieces (Brantley Walker: Off the Books #12)

“You’ve got far more important things to worry about right now,” Reese reminded her. “And since the task force can’t run smoothly without you, we’re as eager as you are for you to get back. But only after you and those babies are healthy.”

JJ’s expression softened, and a smile formed. She looked at Brantley. “How’d you get lucky enough to get this guy to marry you?”

“I can be persuasive,” Brantley teased. “And now that we’ve got that cleared up, we’re gonna have to get to HQ.”

“I wish you could take me with you,” JJ said, relaxing on the pillows. “I’m bored.”

“Bored?” Reese asked. “You’ve got a laptop, an iPad, a Kindle, and a phone beside you. How can you possibly be bored?”

Before she could blast him for not understanding, Brantley spoke up.

“We might have some things for you to research later today or tomorrow. I’ll be sure to send it your way.”

Her eyes widened and glittered with hope. “You better.”

Reese watched as Brantley walked around, coming to stand at the head of the bed.

He leaned over and kissed JJ on the forehead. “Be good to that guy over there in the corner. He’s one of a kind.”

JJ’s eyes lit up when Brantley stood tall, her gaze sliding to Baz. “Don’t I know it.”

Reese started toward the door with Brantley beside him, glancing back at JJ when he said, “If you think of anything you need, holler at us. If we don’t make it by tonight, we’ll do our best to come back in the mornin’.”

“Do we have to come back?” Brantley joked in a conspiratorial whisper.

“Hey! I heard that.”

“Love you! Keep those babies cookin’ a little longer,” Brantley tossed back before urging Reese out the door with Tesha trotting at Reese’s side.

Once in the hallway, Brantley laughed. “Is it me, or does she get grumpier with each passing day?”

“Can you blame her? She’s cooped up in that room day and night.”

“It was her choice.”

“Only because she didn’t want strangers traipsing through her house.”

She’d had two choices: stay at the hospital in a fancy suite paid for by Wes Buchanan or go home and have a nurse—the aforementioned stranger—who would take care of everything she needed.

Because of all she’d endured recently, JJ had opted for the hospital stay because she was uncomfortable with people she didn’t know being in her house.

But it wasn’t like she was being held prisoner.

She could leave the hospital if she absolutely wanted to—although it would be against medical advice.

A flash of memory had a cold chill snaking down his spine. Reese shook his head to dislodge the image, but it took root. An underground concrete cage with no way out. Endless days and nights. Extreme heat, bitter cold.

Brantley’s voice jarred him back to the present. “It’s only been nine days.”

“You say that like you’d last five minutes in that bed.”

“I would if you were naked and in it with me.”

Realizing there was a nurse sitting at the desk, Reese felt his cheeks heat. She had a phone receiver to her ear and probably hadn’t heard the comment, but still.

“The good news is,” Brantley continued, “Dr. Tinder said the babies are doing okay.”

True. For now. To keep them that way, JJ’s doctor put her on bed rest until her due date, which was still four weeks away. While everyone was praying to whatever higher power they believed in, the fact was those babies could be born any minute now.

Half an hour later, as they were pulling out of the Whataburger drive-thru with their breakfast quickly cooling in a white and orange paper sack, Brantley glanced his way.

“How long do you think she’ll last? I mean, really last? I’m sure she’s dangerously close to leveling the hospital, and it hasn’t even been two weeks.”

Reese took a sip of his coffee, peered over. “I’m sure the walls will hold. Even against her wrath.”

“You really think she’ll make it four more weeks?”

Reese gave a quick shake of his head. “I’ll give it till the end of the week.”

“Before she blows a gasket? Or before the babies are born?”

“Babies.”

Brantley cocked an eyebrow. “You care to wager on that?”

Reese huffed a laugh. “I am not wagerin’ on JJ’s health.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

As was the case for everyone close to JJ, Reese was hoping the twins would make it full term, but according to Baz, that wasn’t likely to happen.

The soon-to-be father had been reading up on this stuff and was now a walking encyclopedia of potential problems that could arise, none of which made for a good night’s sleep, he was sure. Reese damn sure didn’t envy the man.

“Regardless,” Reese said as he lifted the lid on his coffee, “we’ve gotta get the baby shower done.”

Brantley leaned back, resting one hand on the steering wheel. “You know I’m not gonna do it, right?”

Reese’s smile was slow and knowing. “I know you don’t want to do it.”

As expected, Brantley flopped back against the seat, adamantly shaking his head. “Come on, Tavoularis. Can you honestly see me leadin’ the charge on a baby shower?”

“You’re her best friend. Plus, you led the charge for a team of Navy SEALs.”

Brantley nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly. And that was gravy compared to puttin’ together a party that won’t piss JJ off.”

Reese laughed, letting Brantley see the truth in his eyes.

“You’re fuckin’ with me, aren’t you?”

“A little, yeah. Holly, Elana, and Becs are workin’ with Baz’s mom to get it all done.”

“When is it?”

“They’re tentatively plannin’ for Friday. Provided JJ doesn’t have the babies by then.”

“And if she does?”

“They’ll wait until she comes home.”

Brantley sized him up. “And how long’ve you known that little nugget of information?”

A slight shrug was Reese’s initial response, his attention shifting to Tesha, who was watching out the window, tongue lolling out of her mouth.

“Sometimes it’s too easy, right, girl?”

Tesha peered back at him, and Reese would swear she was smiling.

“Since when?” Brantley repeated.

Because he knew Brantley wouldn’t let it go until he knew, Reese answered. “Since about the time JJ begged me not to let you handle the baby shower preparations.”

Brantley reached over the center console, his big hand shifting to Reese’s thigh. “Anyone ever tell you payback’s a bitch, Tavoularis?”

That wicked hand wandered higher, higher still until Brantley’s fingertips brushed the denim covering Reese’s quickly growing cock. As much as he would’ve liked the tease, Reese knew they had things they had to deal with first, so he put his hand on Brantley’s and shifted it back a safe distance.

“That’s what I hear. Right now, we just need to worry about what kinda trouble we can get into today.”

“We already know what that trouble entails,” Brantley said, flipping on his blinker as they neared the exit for Coyote Ridge. “A podcaster.” Brantley glanced over at Reese. “I got it right that time, huh?”

“You did.” Reese grinned. “But I’m more interested in talkin’ to Archer Halligan.”

“You want him to work for us that bad?”

He did. Having talked to Archer at length on Friday night, Reese was convinced the guy would be the perfect addition to an almost perfect team.

However, he opted to tone down his excitement, not wanting to come across too eager.

“It wouldn’t hurt. Now that the chaos has settled—Z’s words, not mine—he wants us to take on more cases. Which means more people.”

“Your brother’s crazy if he thinks the chaos has settled.”

“Don’t you dare jinx us,” Reese grumbled.