“You’re kidding!”
Wyatt snatches the evidence and storms toward the desks.
Now we all hate Brad.
“Sergeant! My cousin, Alexis Cocker, has been wrongfully arrested. This restraining order is a joke. The number is for a Pizza joint. The address is a popular coffee place in West Midtown.”
Wyatt goes back and forth with the sergeant on duty until a robust, grey-haired authority figure emerges from a door and pauses with curiosity as their debate grows louder.
For a few more ignorant seconds they keep at it.
Max and I loudly clear our throats.
Wyatt looks over and both he and the sergeant see they have a higher-ranked audience of one, and stop talking.
Sam chews on a new fingernail.
“Who’re you?”
“I’m deputy Wyatt Cocker.”
Wise crinkles narrow around the man’s eyes.
The sergeant begins, “Chief Morrison, this kid—”
“Cocker?” Morrison leans forward, not sure if he heard that right.
“Yes, sir.”
“Explain this situation.”
With a respect for authority I’ve never witnessed Wyatt have with anyone except the elder members of our family, he explains, “My cousin, Alexis Cocker, has been set up by someone she’s dating. He placed a call tonight claiming she was at his house, when her sister…” He points to Samantha. “…maintains that they were not at his residence. Alexis was on a date with another guy. This restraining order has a fake phone number and address that actually belong to popular establishments. She’s being held in the jail here, and I have reason to believe this was done to keep her in line.”
Max snarls, “Motherfucker.”
I growl, “He’s not going to know what hit him.”
The sergeant doesn’t like Wyatt at all. He puffs out his chest. “Chief, there’s also a Hunter Cocker back there. This guy wants me to get both of his cousins out and to clear their records, and he’s not even in our district!”
Morrison leans on his heels, a penchant for burgers after midnight apparent around his middle. “That’s very interesting. Were they both harassing this…” He reads off the report, “...Brad Cleary, if that is his name?”
I burst forward, “Hunter’s our brother, and Lexi’s brother. I mean, Alexis.” Motioning to Max and Samantha, I explain. “We’re all siblings. Hunter was taking the fall for me. I drove recklessly getting here because I was worried about my little sister, sir. That’s on me. I’d rather you switch us out over keeping him here, if he has to stay. He’s the youngest and I really don’t like the idea of him in a cell.”
Chief Morrison stares silently for four long seconds. “You people really know how to stick together, don’t you?” Exhaling loudly he pivots. “Don’t anybody leave!”
A half hour later we’re still sitting here.
“I think he’s trying to find out who Brad really is,” Wyatt says while Max and I stare at that door Morrison disappeared through. Sam has chewed off the red nail polish on every end of her fingernails, but that’s not stopping her from going deeper. “He used to be one hell of a detective. I bet he’s on the guy’s trail—he’s gotta make sure Lexi really isn’t a stalker.”
A door opens and we look over at the sight of Dad with his powerful twin, the ex-Senator of Georgia.
Samantha, Max and I all shoot up from our chairs.
Wyatt tries to protect us. “Uncle Jason, Uncle Justin—”
Justin shuts him up with a loud, “Shhh,” as he motions for our dad to speak. “Since these are yours…”
Dad glares at us in grey jeans, stylish sneakers, and a light blue sweater that makes his eyes look the color of ice. Or maybe that’s just the disapproving chill.
We talk at the same time and he catches overlapping bits until the puzzle comes together and he finally waves for us to stop. “Alright enough! Max, what exactly did Hunter do?”
I raise a hand. “That one’s for me. Max wasn’t there.”
“Okay Caden, why don’t you explain it to me why your baby brother is behind bars if he didn’t punch this asshole Brad out? Because that I would’ve accepted.”
Max reminds him, “Dad, I told you Brad was bad news way back, remember?”
“You’re really going to do the I-told-you-so thing right now?”
“No.”
“That’s what I thought.” His sharp eyes cut to me. “Caden, explain.”
I give a quick summary of our argument and Hunter’s solution.
Dad blinks, leans in, and lowers his volume to clarify, “Wait, let me get this right. He jumped out and said, Fuck you, Copper?”
I shove my hands in my pockets. “Minus the Prohibition-era slang, yeah.”
Dad and his twin exchange a look and start laughing.
With a frown over his badge, Wyatt says, “Hey, that’s not funny!”
Uncle Justin claps a hand on his nephew’s uniformed shoulder. “Yes, it is.” He walks off to talk with the chief. “Jason, come with me.”
“Let’s see how your brother likes community service.” Dad heads off.
Max, Samantha, and I exchange a look knowing that Hunter will hate it more than staying behind bars for a week.
Under his breath Max demands of Sam, “Tell me Brad’s last name!”
Her caramel doe-eyes widen. “Who?”
CHAPTER 15
ELIZABETH
I t’s been a boring five days of normal since our not-so-accidental meeting at Digby’s. Caden has been acting like the chemistry I felt never happened.
Were Gwen and I wrong?
There was booze involved.
He and I were out of our element. It was just a casual nothing that will never be repeated, so let it go.
That’s what I keep reassuring my curious psyche every time confusion sneaks up. I’ve thrown myself into work, determined to put the memories of sexual undercurrent behind me, observation room included.
It was very hard at first.
But today I’ve finally accepted it.
It’s easier, and I’m over it.
Until I eavesdrop on Dr. Dev Mangal telling him, “Did you know Lily has
