For some reason, the words caused Jack’s heart to ping. She was a rare find, and he wanted her removed from danger.
“She’s very cool,” Brian agreed. “I’ve known her since she was a little girl. She was even cool back then.”
“Awesome.” Jason nodded. “What’s this got to do with her?”
“She could be in danger.” Brian’s affect never changed. “Someone on your community service crew killed Sasha. We’re certain of that now. We believe she was involved with a rival drug dealer. Do you have any idea who that might be?”
Jason’s eyebrows knit together and the look on his face reflected bafflement. “Um ... I think I would know if she was selling drugs. She didn’t like it that I was selling drugs. There’s no way she would’ve been doing it.”
“How certain are you of that?” Jack queried. “I mean to say, did she ever make mention of her aversion to you selling drugs before that last night?”
“I ... um ... no.” Jason shook his head. “She knew I sold drugs when we started dating. I told her ... because some chicks like that. You know what I mean.” He leaned to the side and offered Jack a coy wink.
“How would I know what you mean?” Jack argued.
Jason didn’t answer. “She said she was fine with it until I went up to the golf course that night. That’s when she freaked out.”
“But you weren’t surprised by that,” Brian pressed.
Jason shook his head. “No. Not even a little bit. I’ve dated plenty of chicks who fall apart when they realize I’m telling the truth. Most of them think I’m all talk. I’m a man of action, and that makes tender women freak.”
“Sasha wasn’t a tender woman, though,” Brian supplied. “She was working with another dealer, and it’s someone who had ties to the golf course. Would you happen to know who that is?”
“A lot of people deal at the golf course. There’s a hotel up there for the guests and you would be surprised how many people need a good doobie when they’re on vacation with the kids.”
“I wouldn’t argue with that,” Brian agreed. “Was the golf course anyone in particular’s territory?”
“Not really.” Jason honestly looked baffled. “I mean ... nobody was supposed to go over there because of the big guy’s son. Nobody listened to that, though. It was one of those things that was a rule but not really a rule. You know what I mean.”
Jack and Brian exchanged looks. Jason seemed to be circling a point, but not really getting anywhere.
“What do you mean by the ‘big guy’s son’? Is that a euphemism for something?” Brian asked.
Jason was blasé. “I don’t know what that means. The euphemism thing. He’s the boss’s son. The guy who owns the resort. He handled a lot of the traffic up there. I never met him or anything. I heard he was a real jerk, though. I did my best to avoid him. I never had a problem.”
Brian leaned back in his chair, his expression cloudy.
“Do you know who he’s talking about?” Jack asked.
“I know who the big boss is,” Brian replied. “Brad Dunham. He’s owned the resort for a good five years now. He doesn’t have a son, though.”
“Yes, he does.” Jason bobbed his head. “It’s not his real son, though. It’s his ... um ... stepson. That’s who it is.”
Brian’s frown deepened.
“Does he have a stepson?” Jack asked.
“I’m not sure.” Brian picked up the phone on the corner of the table and pressed a button, waiting a beat before speaking to whoever answered on the other line. “Ava, it’s Brian. You’re familiar with the resort, right?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. He already knew she was familiar with the property because she went trolling up there for dates all the time during the summer months. It was a well-known fact.
“Does Brad Dunham have a stepson?” he continued. “I don’t know his wife very well. I seem to remember talk that she had a child from her previous marriage, but then I never followed up on it.” He was quiet again, his expression never changing. “Do you happen to know the son’s name?”
Jack watched his partner, curiosity etching across his face and his belly. He knew the second Brian received the information they’d been waiting for. He also knew whatever information was being delivered wasn’t good.
“What is it?” Jack asked when Brian slammed the phone into the cradle and hopped to his feet.
“Greg Decker,” Brian replied. “He’s the stepson.”
“That means he’s the dealer,” Jack said grimly.
Brian nodded as Jason puzzled it out.
“Hey, are you saying that guy they put in charge of me for my community service was dealing, too? That is totally unfair.”
Neither Jack nor Brian bothered to admonish him for saying something so stupid. Their minds were already elsewhere. To be precise, they were on a pink-haired witch who had absolutely no idea how much trouble she was about to find herself in.
IVY STAYED OUT IN THE OPEN as she worked. It was one of the things she promised Jack. She didn’t want him worrying about her when he had other things to deal with. Of course, he was Jack, so he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from worrying.
For his part, Greg avoided contact with her. He spent all his time sitting under a tree, a bottle of water resting at his side, and glaring. Oddly enough, his disgust was directed at everyone in the crew, not just her. She was happy for that.
“It’s time for your break,” he called out an hour after they started working. They had mandated breaks in the community service rules, and he was adamant about sticking to them ... even when his charges would’ve preferred working through the breaks if that meant they could knock off early.
“Great,” Betsy announced brightly. “There’s little more I love than a break when
