Page 22

Aslan

“ A McDonald’s Happy Meal?” I stared at Ruiz in disbelief.

“Yes.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes. He almost took my head off for trying to verify details.”

Between the cursing and the request for fast food, I was starting to worry about my husband. I snagged my phone and keys and was about to leave when Ruiz’s phone chimed with an incoming text.

I paused as he checked it.

“Fuck me. Look at this.” He showed me the series of images Quaid had sent, including a second note from our unsub.

“I better move my ass. If you’re preparing a warrant for FedEx, take it to Madison and tell her I sent you. She knows I’m helping Quaid and that time is a factor, so she won’t give you a hard time.”

“Keep me posted.”

I located the nearest McDonald’s, picked up Quaid’s unusual request, and jumped on the Don Valley Parkway, taking the fastest route to the Davises’ residence. The vultures were out in droves, circling the house and taking up any available street parking.

I had no less than two cameras shoved in my face as I raced to the front door, reporters asking what I knew about a ransom note, and did I think the child’s life was in danger, and how close were we to an arrest?

I ignored them and let myself into the house without knocking, finding my way to the living room.

Quaid and Jordyn were in quiet conversation. An elderly couple sat motionless on a couch, the woman worrying her hands. Quaid had made it seem like the world was ending, but all seemed calm and quiet.

“Hey,” I said, drawing their attention. “Someone wanted McDonald’s? I swear, if this is Ruiz’s idea of a sick joke, I will kill the bastard.”

The relief on Quaid’s face was unmistakable. “You’re here.”

“Thank god,” Jordyn said, blowing a thick chunk of bangs off her face.

I glanced around, again noting the couple on the couch who weren’t talking. “I thought you said it was anarchy around here.”

“It was.” Quaid removed the takeout bag from my hand and peeked inside. When his nose wrinkled, the world realigned. “Can you take this to Sparrow?” He offered the bag to Jordyn. “I’ll catch Aslan up.”

When Jordyn left, Quaid guided me around a corner into a hallway. Lowering his voice, he explained everything that had happened since returning to the house.

“Wow.”

“I told you. Imogen’s in bed resting. Her sister Odelia is watching over her.

Flynn and Nixon are in the kitchen. The Davis grandparents are in the living room.

The Walsh grandparents are in Nixon’s home office—far from the liquor cabinet because Ronald is already three sheets to the wind—and Jude is sitting pretty in the nursery, highly irritated that he couldn’t stay with Nixon and Flynn.

I’m not sure why he’s here, but I don’t like it. ”

“Are you keeping them overnight? It’s after five.”

“I know, and no, I can’t do that. That’s unreasonable. I was hoping to unearth the cause for so much hate and hostility, but everyone is being super uncooperative, which is pissing me off.”

“Can I see the note?”

Quaid presented it, sealed inside an evidence bag. “I have to get it to the lab for fingerprints, but I doubt we’ll find any.”

I read the message and frowned. “‘I did my own research and discovered the truth.’ What does that mean?”

“Jude came to mind, especially after we found him digging around Nixon’s office, but I’m not sure he would have had enough time to send it.

” Quaid shuffled and glanced over his shoulder.

“Imogen’s response is bothering me. When she snapped, she blamed her husband.

She legitimately pointed a finger at the man and said, ‘This is all your fault.’ She also demanded he give Crowley back.

Az, it was the most… volatile thing I’ve ever seen.

She lost her mind. She cracked. It was like watching a psychiatric patient in a movie have a complete mental breakdown. She knows something she isn’t sharing.”

“We talk to her. Put the pressure on. Turn up the heat.”

“And cause her to go into premature labor? The baby may not survive. She’s only thirty weeks.”

“What do you propose?”

Quaid paced a few steps down the hall, hands on his hips as he thought. “I could go after Nixon. He’s been a sobbing mess since he arrived at the station.”

“Do you think it’s an act?”

“Could be. The tears seem real. The man looks utterly broken.” Quaid threaded his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know, Az. There’s also a mountain of tension with the grandparents and brother that isn’t entirely clear.”

“And there’s Jude,” I pointed out.

Quaid threw his hands up. “And there’s Jude, who showed up at the Soccerplex and lied about it.”

Jordyn returned from delivering the food and leaned against a nearby wall. “Do we have a game plan?”

Quaid checked the time on his phone, cursed under his breath, and stared at the ceiling for several long minutes before seemingly deciding.

“It’s almost six. Tempers are too high to put everyone in the same room together, and according to Zoey, no one has eaten since this morning.

We’ll be here all night if we plan to talk and put pressure on people individually.

“I say we send everyone home and inform them they are not to return tomorrow. We will go to them if and when we need to ask questions. They are not to speak to the press. Preferably, they should stay indoors until we can resolve this. Tonight, we talk to Imogen and Nixon. Separately.”

Jordyn didn’t question Quaid’s decision and headed to make it happen. When she was gone, I snagged Quaid’s hand and drew him into my arms. He collapsed against my chest with a weary sigh, burying his face in my neck. “I just want to go home and have a baby,” he whimpered.

“Should I remind you that you chose to take this case? No one forced you. No one twisted your arm. In fact, Edwards told you not to.”

“I know… I had to, Az.”

“I know.” I rested my cheek against the side of his head, inhaling his unique scent and savoring his weight in my arms. I wanted to take him home and start our new life together.

Forget work for a couple of months and settle into parenthood.

It was our turn for happiness. I was even looking forward to sleepless nights and an anal-retentive husband who was probably going to tell me I was doing everything wrong because he read too many books and absorbed too many facts.

But Quaid wouldn’t be who he was if he wasn’t chasing psychotic kidnappers and stretching himself thin. It was why I’d fallen so madly in love with him.

I massaged the tips of my fingers over his scalp and cradled his head in the palm of my hand. “What do you need, hot stuff? How can I help?”

“This. More of this.” He burrowed deeper into my arms. “Don’t let go yet.”

“Never.” I held him close, keeping his seams from unraveling like I’d been doing for years.

Quaid would always be Quaid. He would always throw himself heart and soul into a case, sacrificing his health for the greater good, and I loved him for that.

I had a feeling it was exactly how he would parent our child. Wholeheartedly.

“We probably won’t get out of here for a few more hours, but when we do, can I request a full-body massage?” He peeked up with such hope in his baby blues; I could never say no.

Chuckling, I kissed his temple. “Absolutely.”

“Do I get a happy ending?”

“It’s part of the package. I give the best happy endings.”

He hummed and lowered his head again. I felt him smile against my neck. “Happy ending with your mouth?”

“That might cost extra.”

“I always return the favor.”

“In that case, we have a deal. Oh, I think I’ve come up with our girl’s name. ”

Quaid groaned and lifted his head to pin me with a skeptical eye. “I’m afraid to ask.”

“Don’t make the face.”

“I’m not. What name?”

“Epiphany.”

“You had an epiphany?”

“No. We should name her Epiphany.”

Quaid blinked several times before narrowing his eyes. “Is this a joke?”

“No.”

“We are not naming our child Epiphany.”

“I thought we decided I got to pick the girl’s name.”

“I didn’t actually agree to that.”

“Why are you worried? You told me Bryn was carrying a boy.”

“I’m worried you’re even considering such a ridiculous name.”

“What have you come up with?”

Quaid sighed and lowered his forehead to my shoulder. “I don’t know. Nothing.”

“Then I guess we’d better hope it’s a girl.”

“If you name our baby Epiphany, I will divorce you on the spot… and apply for an immediate name change.”

I squeezed him tighter, grinning. “No you wouldn’t. Where would you find a better husband than me?”

“I don’t know. I feel like I’m close to converting Costa.”

I laughed. “Good luck with that. Even if he decided he was bi-curious, Ruiz would never leave his wife and girls.”

“True. I guess I’ll put up with you.”

“I’ve got it. How about Phelony, with a PH? ”

Quaid dug his fingers into my sides, making me yelp as he smothered a laugh against my shirt. “Letting you name our baby should be a felony.”

“If we have a boy, we can name him Jedi. We’d have to redecorate the nursery.”

More laughing.

“Or Boss. I kind of like the name Danger. No one would fuck with him.”

Any tension Quaid had been carrying melted away. He laughed as I concocted an alphabet soup of horrible names for our unborn child.

“We’re in trouble,” he said when he calmed. “This poor kid is going to be nameless at this rate.”

“What do you mean? I’ve come up with at least a dozen excellent choices in under five minutes.”

“Excellent is subjective.”

I kissed the top of his head. “It will come to us, Quaid. Don’t worry over it.”

We stayed wrapped in each other’s arms for as long as was reasonable, knowing if Jordyn returned and found us like that, she would go through the roof.