Jardin's Gamble (Haven, Texas 9)

“Since when do our cousins care about the police?” Regent asked. “Or any sort of authority.”

“They don’t,” Jardin muttered. “Either he’s being obstinate or—”

“He doesn’t want to scare her,” Carrick said softly.

“Doesn’t matter. We know where she is now. Let’s go get our girl.”

21

Thea headed back to the diner. She’d just dropped the boys off at school and it was her day off. She was determined to talk to the owner today.

Sitting at the counter again, she endured Doris’s glare. “You here for pie?”

Thea shook her head. “Just coffee please.”

Doris grumbled under her breath. “What about breakfast? You need breakfast. You’re just skin and bones.”

Uh, she’d have to disagree. But she didn’t want to argue with the scary waitress. “I’m fine, could I please speak to Peggy if she’s not busy?”

“And what you want with her?” Doris snapped.

“That’s for her and me to talk about,” Thea said firmly.

“She won’t come out for just nothin’,” Doris replied.

“Fine. I want to ask her about renting the apartment upstairs.”

Doris grunted. “It’s just a one-bedroom.”

Thea forced a polite smile. “That’s fine.”

“You got two boys, don’t you? They need their own space. Where they gonna sleep?”

“We’ll be fine.” Not that it’s any of your business. “Can I please speak to Peggy?”

“Don’t worry about bothering Peggy, Doris,” a deep voice said from behind her. A voice she’d heard in her dreams hundreds of times. That deep note of command that didn’t fail to make her shiver.

Fuck. How did people keep sneaking up on her?

“I do need to speak to Peggy, please, Doris,” she said firmly. She would not turn to look at him. She would not.

What was he doing here anyway?

It had to be that rat, Maddox. He’d called him. But would he really have raced here to see her? Why?

“Doris, do not get Peggy. Thea is not moving into that apartment.”

She turned on the stool to glare at him, shocked to see Carrick standing beside him. They’d both come? Jardin was dressed in slacks, a dress shirt and a jacket while Carrick had on a black T-shirt and black jeans. Jardin’s clothes were rumpled. He clearly hadn’t shaved for a few days and the dark hair on his face only made him look more dangerous. Both of them looked like they hadn’t slept, and Carrick’s hair was almost standing on end, as though he’d been running his fingers through it.

“You know what?” Doris said. “I got other things to do. When you people make up your mind, let me know.”

“What are the two of you doing here? And why did you just tell Doris I don’t need the apartment. I have to have somewhere to live with the boys. We can’t stay at the motel indefinitely.”

“We came here for you,” Carrick told her darkly.

Jardin crossed his arms over his chest. “You like it here? In Haven?”

“Um, yes.” Why was he asking? What did it matter to him? And why were they here for her? So they could yell at her for leaving?