Center Mass (Code 11-KPD SWAT 1)

I grinned. “I got your back, now.”

She smiled. “You do.”

I didn’t tell her about her neighbor. Not yet.

I didn’t want to ruin Christmas for her, and I needed a few more days to think about it before I started explaining it to her.

I, at least, needed to read the note myself.

I knew one thing, though, I needed some information. I needed John Atoms to work his magic.Chapter 21I’m training for a marathon. A Netflix marathon.

-T-shirt

Reese

Luke and I haven’t fought very much. In fact, we’ve only had two minor arguments to date since we’d started seeing each other and I’d temporarily moved into his place.

I say temporarily because my place was ready for me to go home, but he told me I wasn’t allowed to go. And after I’d learned about my neighbor, hearing about the letter he’d written, I knew it was in Rowen’s and my best interest to stay, even though I was reluctant to put him and Katy in danger.

He assured me, though, that he could take care of us. And I trusted him.

The first argument we’d had was over me not staying the night with him in his bed.

The second had been over Weston.

He’d told me repeatedly that Weston still had a ‘thing’ for me, and that I was the one that Rowen had been talking about, not Lydia.

After I’d filed the motion to have full custody of Rowen, Weston had gotten a lot more persistent, and it was taking a toll on not just me and Rowen’s relationship, but mine and Luke’s as well.

I’d told him he was fucking nuts, that there was no way Weston was still interested in me.

At least my ex wasn’t overtly obvious about it like his was.

“You told him you’d think about it,” he growled, yanking his shirt over his head and shoving his arms into each arm hole with a viciousness that eluded to his lack of control.

“I did,” I said calmly. “But only because I knew you’d help me. I didn’t realize by saying yes I was declaring something. Which I still don’t believe I did.”

He glared at me and buckled his utility belt back in place. Armored in full.

Perfect.

“What else did he say?” He asked carefully, crossing his large, bulky arms across his chest.

Weston had called me that morning, two weeks after Christmas, pleading for me to talk to him.

And one week since a temporary motion to have full custody of Rowen without visitation had been granted.

I shook my head. “He didn’t. Said that he needed help with the wife, and that was it.”

My thoughts went back to earlier that morning when Luke had told me he’d seen Weston and Lydia, his ex, hugging outside her store again.

And the multiple times we’d seen the two of them out to eat in the past month, or at the movies.

We saw them together all the time; which in and of itself, was odd. Especially since Weston wasn’t being discreet about it…you know, since he had a psycho Sally for a wife.

Then, it’d been a surprise. More of an ‘Oh, wow. That’s weird.’ Kind of thing. Now, though, it was on the verge of being a, “What the fuck is going on?” Kind of thing.

“You think something more is going on than what they’re letting on, don’t you?” I asked, sure that I was reading him right.

He shrugged. “It makes sense. When was the last time you saw his wife?”

I thought about it for a few moments, then shrugged. “I hear her all the time on the phone, screeching about this and that. Rowen hasn’t mentioned her lately, though.”

He nodded. “I was thinking the same thing. I haven’t heard Rowen say one thing about the ‘crazy coon lady.’ Since, at least, three or four weeks ago.”

The ‘crazy coon lady’ was what Rowen called the wife. Mainly because Rowen said that she had dark circles under her eyes all the time, and screeched like an owl.

“What are you thinking?” I asked slowly.

His eyes lifted to mine. “I have no clue. I’ll need to think on it for a while. Give it some time.”***“It’s really odd. Why did he come back when he did?” Luke asked Downy later that night.

Downy sat at the kitchen counter where Luke had bar stools lined along the bar top.

His big, scarred hands were tapping restlessly against the countertop as he listened to Luke talk.

They were brainstorming, trying to come up with solutions to a few of their many problems.

The conversation had degraded the moment Luke brought up my upcoming meeting with Weston.

I sighed in exasperation. “I’ve told you already, it was because of Rowen. He wanted to be closer to her.”

Downy wisely kept his mouth shut, but he was really enjoying the show.

“Why would he leave the job he’s spent years at and move here exactly a month after you did if it wasn’t because he wanted you. Then, you were there anytime he wanted you to be. He could come see his kid anytime he wanted, even if it wasn’t all that often. Then he could leave the exact same way,” Luke said, gesturing with his hands as he did. “Now you move, and suddenly he’s all, ‘I’m going to be there for my child now.’ When before he wanted nothing to do with her?”

I glared at him, poking my head out of the kitchen to make sure the girls were still watching TV before I turned on him. “I don’t fucking know, okay?”

He didn’t react to my outburst.

“If it was really because of the wife that he started to make an effort at bringing Rowen into their lives, then why wouldn’t they be happy? Why do I keep seeing Lydia and him together all over town if they’re so ‘happy’?”

That was a good fucking question.

I threw my arms up. “I don’t know; why don’t we just ask them? Pretend that you want to hook back up with Lydia, ask her if she knows what’s going on.”

I wanted him to do that less than I wanted a hammer smashing all of my fingers, yet I didn’t see any other options. Not if he wanted answers.