Page 48 of My Return to the Walter Boys
Katherine and George didn’t have many rules when it came to me and the Walter boys spending time together, but if I was alone in a bedroom with any of them, then the door was supposed to stay open. We startled apart, but thankfully, it was only Alex.
“What the hell?” Cole exclaimed, shooting a scathing look in his brother’s direction. “You can’t barge in here without knocking. Get out!”
Alex briefly glanced at us, his expression sheepish, before fixing his attention on the window. “Sorry, but no way am I missing this.” He strode across the room in four large steps. “You’ve got the best view. Well, second-best view, but everyone else is already packed into Jack and Jordan’s room.”
“View of what?” I asked, setting aside my physics notes.
“Get over here and watch. I think they’re about to come out of the house.” His voice sounded odd, almost like he was horrified and fascinated at the same time.
Cole and I exchanged puzzled looks. Not wanting to miss whatever was about to go down, we both scrambled off the bed and joined Alex at the window.
The squad car parked next to the Buick made me gasp. I had a bad feeling about why the police were here or, more specifically, who they were here for. Knowing Isaac, if he were present, he’d probably place a bet on himself being the culprit as well. My hunch was confirmed lessthan a minute later when two officers escorted him off the porch and toward the waiting car, cuffs around his wrists.
“Holy shit,” Cole said, craning forward over my shoulder to get a better look. “What do you think he did this time?”
“Lee was in the kitchen when the doorbell rang, and he caught part of the conversation before Mom kicked everyone out,” Alex replied, eyes locked on his cousin as one officer opened the back door while the other put a hand on Isaac’s head and steered him in. “Apparently, they were asking questions about the fire alarm incident at the dance.”
“He set it off onpurpose?” Cole asked, his mouth hanging open.
Last night, after making a quick exit from the rooftop, the two of us had rejoined what remained of the dance in the school parking lot. Most people were leaving early for after-parties, but there was still a decent-size crowd waiting around to find out what happened. We’d run into Alex and my friends right as the fire truck arrived, but they were as in the dark about the situation as we were. Cole and I hadn’t lingered long after that.
I bit my lip. “If he did, then this is really bad.”
The two officers momentarily stood outside the car discussing something, but the conversation didn’t last long as it was still raining. They both climbed in, doors slamming.
Alex, who up until this point seemed to find the situation entertaining, finally realized Isaac might be in major trouble. His eyes widened as we watched the police car turn around, headlights sweeping across the gloom of the front yard before heading down thedriveway. If I squinted, I could make out Isaac’s head of messy black curls in the back seat.
“Define bad,” Alex said, his gaze sliding to me.
Cole dragged a hand through his hair and sighed. “Potential misdemeanor bad.”
“I’m not sure what the laws are like here, but in New York, you can be sentenced up to a year of jail time,” I said as the police car finally disappeared from view. “Isaac is a minor, though. I’m assuming he’s never been charged with anything before, so the most he’ll probably get is some community service and a fine. Maybe probation.”
My answer made Alex’s brows shoot up. “You’re surprisingly knowledgeable on the subject. Is there something you’re not telling us, Jackie?”
“Teacher’s pet by day, criminal mastermind by night,” Cole teased.
“My best friend’s dad is a judge,” I said, probably a little too defensively, because both boys noticed and exchanged grins. It was a bizarre sight, seeing them take delight in the same situation when usually they were at odds with each other.
“You have a judge on your payroll?” Cole whistled. “That’s an impressive operation you’re running, New York.”
“Can one of your underlings get Isaac off easy? Preferably with a bribe, but I’m not opposed to a little physical intimidation if it gets the job done,” Alex added.
I shot them both a glare, even though I wasn’t actually mad. “If you don’t watch it, I’ll send one my underlings to end you in your sleep.”
Despite the gravity of the situation, Alex and Cole both laughed. Even though it was at my expense, the sound made me feel lighter. Both of these boys meant so much to me, but after everything that happened between the three of us and the lingering tension between the pair, I didn’t think something as simple as enjoying one another’s company was possible.
I knew it wouldn’t last. Cole and Alex would go back to avoiding each other as soon as the moment passed, but for the time being, my heart was warm and full, and I let myself enjoy it.
***
Since I hadn’t received my caramel fix yesterday, I convinced Alex to stop at Caffeinated Pursuit on the way to school Monday morning by promising to read over hisA Tale of Two Citiesessay. I was hustled into taking his, Nathan’s, and Lee’s coffee orders as well, but it was a small price to pay. Sleep hadn’t come easy last night; I tossed and turned until nearly two o’clock, worrying about what would happen to Isaac. Slowly but surely, all the Walter kids were worming their way into my heart, even the annoying ones.
The line to order nearly reached the door, so I pulled out my physics notes to pass the time while I waited. One last review session before my test wouldn’t hurt, especially after Cole’s attempts to distract me yesterday. As I scanned through practice problems on Newton’s third law, I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation taking place ahead of me.
“—in Luke Snyder’s car!”
“That’s hardly surprising. Whohasn’tended up in his back seat? At this point, it’s practically a rite of passage. No, the real bombshell is that Alex Walter and Kim Henderson got caught hooking up in the janitor’s closet by Mr. Piper.”
