Page 75 of The Deputy's Secret Double
JJ already knew that Price was single. She had known for a while, even before they had been thrown together. Yet her curiosity soared to the forefront and her question came out before she could think to censor it.
“Was her mom like that? Always keeping you guessing?”
Forget the stop-sign red. JJ felt like her face had gone directly into fire. She hadn’t meant to overstep that far. She tried to backtrack in a flash.
“Sorry, that’s too personal. I just haven’t heard you or her or even Corrie talk about her, so I was just curious.”
She glanced over to see the corner of Price’s lips turn up.
“Don’t apologize. I’d wonder too,” he said. “As smart as Winnie’s mom was, she was just as fun. StraightAs and straight chaos. She’d be the cool, calm, collected student at school and then would rope us into so many different kinds of shenanigans that not a day went by with her that I didn’t feel like I was in some kind of sitcom.” The smile didn’t leave. It simply softened. “But then she got pregnant, and we had to really sit down and think about things. She’s a good woman, but she never wanted to be a mom. That used to drive me up the wall, but now that I’m older and I’ve seen some things, I respect the resolve she had back then. She knew what she wanted, what she was capable of, and stuck to her guns. Then, on top of that, she gave me room to do the same. She never once pushed me to be a dad.”
He patted himself on the chest in a teasing way, but JJ had a feeling he was being genuine.
“I chose that job myself. Pay’s bad but I don’t mind the work.” His smile amped right back on up. “She still reaches out and emails with Winnie on occasion, but as far as interesting to me now, it’s just not there. Not many people have had me on swivel either since we parted ways. Though I did date a lady who had a doll collection that took uptwoof her bedrooms a few years back. I bet she’d get a kick out of that cow shaker collection Ms. Wilkins left you.”
Price laughed at his own comment. His arm was still around her. It was comfortable.Hewas comfortable.
And, apparently, to him JJ was interesting.
The thought warmed her.
It also saddened her.
She couldn’t afford to be interesting anymore. Not until she could find her brother, stop Lawson and get herself into a position to keep the last of her family safe. No one could ever find out that Elle and Able Ortiz’s children were alive.
Which was why JJ had decided long ago that she didn’t have the luxury of a life for just her.
Interesting or not.
* * *
Night fell andno one from the department or elsewhere made a peep. JJ and Winnie had put together an easy supper from what they had taken from their house and the three of them had enjoyed it while watching an HGTV show on Winnie’s phone.
Price forgot for a bit that them being there wasn’t exactly in their plans. It just felt nice and relaxing.
JJ fit in and that was nice.
It was also something that Winnie commented on after she had gotten ready for bed. Price sat on the ugly paisley duvet cover and watched as his daughter tried to find the right words.
“I know you told me that you aren’t going to lie to me, but you aren’t going to tell me the entire truth either. I just want to say, I hope whatever is going on with JJ that you help her fix it. I don’t know what did it, but something about her is different. Like she isn’t trying as hard anymore in general. And it’s not like a bad thing. I actually like this version of her more.” Winnie made a frustrated noise. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’d like to see more of this JJ, and I hope whatever had her so pinned up before gets straightened out. And that you’re the one to help her do that.”
Price’s eyebrow rose sky-high at that.
“Me? Why me?”
At this, Winnie shrugged.
“Because you two are a good team.”
It was a simple answer but one that sank heavy against Price. He told his daughter good-night and spent the next hour alone downstairs. It wasn’t until he heard footfalls from the main bedroom that he decided that feeling needed some clarification.
Heneeded some clarification.
He took the stairs one at a time, but there was a new anxiousness in him. It was still there as he went past his daughter’s closed door and still there when he lightly knocked on JJ’s. Even after JJ opened the door and came into view, that feeling was still moving around there in his chest.
“We need to talk,” he said.
There was no hope in the world for him, he’d realize later, after JJ nodded and then stepped aside.