Page 25 of Mine to Hold
Emmerson might not be the kind of man who would hurt her, but he was the kind of man who would run off with her heart.
5
Emmerson paced in the station’s hallway while Emmett finished taking Rumor’s statement. She’d already met with the sketch artist, but that hadn’t produced good results, even though she’d tried her hardest to pull that memory from her brain. His mother actually had to admit that Rumor had given it her all.
For his entire life, the station had been a second home. As a small boy, he used to love to come visit his mother. She’d been a beat cop back then, but she was a proud deputy and loved her job. Her aspiration had always been to be the chief of police and she’d worked damn hard to get there.
Emmerson remembered fondly the day his mother’s dream had come true. It had been a happy day in his house. His father bought a cake and pulled everyone out of school early. They had a massive party with friends and family. All Emmerson had ever wanted to do was be like his mother. To serve and protect the community in which he’d been raised.
His cell vibrated.
Rhett.
“Hey, brother, what’s up?” Emmerson asked.
“I’ve got a few more things on Rumor and you’re not going to like one of the things I found,” Rhett said.
Emmerson pinched the bridge of his nose. This morning he thought he needed space. Time alone with his thoughts. That’s why he’d gone to the dock. Of course, that was always where he went to think. But what he really needed was a friend. Someone to listen without judgment and that’s exactly what she’d done. She was more than a breath of fresh air. “I’m listening.”
“I found her last foster care family situation. It wasn’t the greatest. But the disturbing part is one of the other kids who was living there with her at the time was a young man by the name of Tony Angelo. He went to prison about six months after he aged out of the system for having a suitcase full of drugs. They tried to pin a murder on him, but they didn’t have enough evidence to do it. He was due to be released seven years ago, but shit went down in prison that tacked more years on his sentence. He got out six months ago.”
“Okay. That’s not a connection I want to hear, but that doesn’t mean Rumor and this Tony idiot were friends.”
“Nope, but you have to admit, that’s a little too close for comfort and I want to dig deeper.”
Emmerson sighed. “Yeah. Just let’s not poke a bear we can’t put back in a cave.”
“One more thing,” Rhett said. “This Tony guy, he’s up and disappeared.”
“Fuck. I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Nor do I, but if I were you, I’d keep all this information from our mother. At least for now. She’s not a suspect. And this has no bearing on the case.”
“Unless you connect Tony to Tom Hemming’s drugs. Then it might be a different conversation and I need you to look for that connection.”
“Agreed,” Rhett said. “What about Emmett? Nathan?”
“I’m not ready to loop them in yet. Too many cooks in the kitchen, if you know what I mean.”
“Look at you being a rebel.” Rhett laughed. “When Mom finds out, she’s going to sit your ass to the sidelines. Without pay.”
“I’m getting kind of used to it,” he said. “I can deal with Mom’s wrath. I just don’t want my brothers pissed off. Those few years with Jameson after he found out Steve was his biological dad were pure fucking hell.”
“The worst. I’ll be in touch.” The line went dead.
Emmerson let out a long slow breath. His brothers were his lifeline. His father, the voice of reason.
His mother? Well, she was his boss. He took orders from her and did the best he could to make her proud.
He loved her with his whole being. And he knew she loved him back.
But sometimes, she could be a real pain in the ass.
His mother stepped from her office with that confidant swagger that came from being a cop for over three decades. She was as tough as nails, and while she had a soft side, she rarely chose to show it. “You need to go home and sleep.”
“I will as soon as Rumor’s finished.”
“I don’t like her living in your pool house.” His mom folded her arms and leaned against the wall. His mom was a force to be reckoned with. She had the best resting bitch face of anyone he knew. She was direct and never held back her opinion. As a boss, he valued and respected her. She knew when to follow the letter of the law.
