Page 66 of Hard Knock Hero

“What now?” I asked.

He stopped the truck halfway down the next block. “We all get some sleep. We can regroup tomorrow. As far as I’m concerned, this investigation is still off the books. I need to sit down and puzzle this out.”

“Today’s my last day in Hartley,” Aiden reminded him.

My heart seized.Today. It was way past midnight. Time was slipping past too quickly.

Owen turned to glare at Aiden in the backseat. “Which has no bearing on my plans whatsoever. Something like this can’t be rushed. If you don’t want to be involved further, that’s fine. But don’t go thinking you’ve got a crucial role to play in this, Shelborne. Hartley is my job. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a passing ship in the night. And judging by the interactions you’ve had with the Rigsbys so far, it’s a hell of a lot better for you if we keep it that way. It would be best if you left town sooner rather than later.”

We got out of the truck and Owen took off. Aiden and I walked back toward the diner. He reached for me again, but his hand felt stiff on my shoulder.

His last day.

Maybe he was going to take Owen’s advice and decide to leave now. Get it over with before any new trouble started.

Please don’t, I thought. It didn’t matter to me that he would leave in a little over twenty-four hours. I wanted every moment with this man, even if that would make it hurt more when he finally left.

Then his touch softened, his gloved hand sliding down along my arm, and I exhaled. I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding my breath. Aiden’s hand glided to the small of my back, massaging lightly at my waist. He kissed the top of my head. “Glad you’re safe.”

“Me too.” I raised my chin to kiss him. Our lips met softly, right there on the street in the dark. As if neither of us could wait long enough to get inside. We had to kiss right here, right now.

“Let’s go to bed,” Aiden said, and my heart beat faster at all the meanings of that phrase. We started toward the diner again.

We saw the silhouette at the same time and stopped in our tracks. A man was leaning against the back wall of the diner.

“Stay relaxed,” Aiden said under his breath. “We were just out for a walk. Be cautious, but don’t act like we have something to hide.”

All of which I could’ve figured out for myself. But I appreciated Aiden’s calm. His presence made me a lot braver than I would’ve been alone. He’d had that effect on me since the first night we met.

“Okay,” I whispered. Aiden’s hand remained at my waist.

The two of us started forward again. The figure by the door shifted his weight. He had a large backpack with him, resting by his feet. But I couldn’t see his face.

“Can I help you?” I called out.

“I thoughtIwas here to help.” He stepped forward. Broad shoulders, though his clothes hung loosely on him. His hair had grown past his chin, hanging into his face over a scraggly beard.

But I knew my brother’s voice.

“Trace?” I let go of Aiden’s hand and dashed over to him. “I didn’t even recognize you.” I pulled him down into a hug. He was just as tall as always, an inch or two taller than Aiden. But he was nowhere near as bulky as the last time I’d seen him. He’d lost weight.

“What are you doing out here in the dark?” I asked.

Trace pushed the hair out of his face. “The guy I carpooled with dropped me off. It took us long enough to get out here. I didn’t want to bother with finding a hotel.” His eyes moved past me to Aiden. “Is this your…?”

“He’s a friend.”

Aiden came forward, holding out his hand. “Aiden Shelborne. I’ve heard a lot about you. Glad to finally meet Jessi’s brother.”

“Heard a lot about me, huh?” Trace squinted at me.

I shrugged. In truth,Ididn’t know that much about my brother. He looked like hell right now, and I had no idea why. “It’s freezing. Let’s go inside.”

Trace picked up his pack, which was overstuffed and looked like it was set up for a backpacking expedition into the wilderness. He, Aiden, and I went into the diner. Trace was walking slowly, though I couldn’t tell if he was limping or just exhausted.

I turned on the light in the kitchen, and Trace dropped his pack on the ground just inside the back door. But his eyes were moving everywhere. Taking in the kitchen and the dining room.

Aiden leaned against the prep table, crossing his arms.

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