Imperfect Justice (21 page)

“You and Ty work hard. I know Royce needs some tough love.” Gerald sighed, his face aging before Jared’s eyes. “And Becky needs a good man in her life.”

“Royce and Becky need to grow up,” Jared scoffed. “Hopefully they’ll do just that.”

“I’ve never had to worry about you though,” his father said softly. “That’s what your mother used to say. ‘We don’t have to worry about Jared. We know he’ll do the right thing.’”

For the second time that night, Jared found it hard to swallow. “I miss Mom.”

Gerald nodded, his expression sad. “I do too, son. More than you can possibly know. Someday when you fall in love you might understand what it feels like to have her taken from you too soon. But I know she’s waiting for me. We’ll be together again.”

“Not too soon, Dad. You’ve got things to do here.” Jared’s voice came out thick but his father didn’t seem to notice. He was gazing off somewhere in the distance. Or perhaps to the past.

“No, not too soon. But someday. I’m not afraid of death. But I still have things to teach my children and grandchildren. I’m not done yet. That’s what I’m really afraid of…running out of time.”

Jared had to blink back the tears that had sprung to his eyes. “I’m afraid of that too.”

“That’s why I like telling the old stories. If I can hold onto them maybe I can hold onto me for a little longer.”

“Tell me the one about when you were in high school and you and your friend stole the other team’s mascot. I love that story.”

Gerald chuckled. “That was Roscoe. Best friend a man could ever have. Died a week after graduation. Tractor tipped over on him and he was crushed underneath. I still miss him.”

“You never told me that part. I just assumed he moved away from Fielding.”

His father turned to him, his expression solemn. “When you have children you tell them the happy stories. It’s only when they’re all grown up that you can tell them the unhappy parts. The real life parts.”

“Am I grown up enough?” Jared asked, his throat tight and his eyes burning.

Gerald nodded. “Let me try and remember the things I didn’t tell you. Let’s start with Roscoe.”

Jared settled back in his chair as his father began the story he’d told so many times before, only this time it would have a new ending. A more honest ending.

For the first time in a long time Jared really listened as his father spoke. He didn’t get impatient or interrupt. He didn’t glance at his phone or think about all the things he needed to do. He just listened.

Chapter Sixteen

M
isty and Jared were cuddled in bed watching television. He’d taken his father home about an hour ago and had barely said a word since he’d returned. He wasn’t a man given to brooding but his thoughts seemed very far away. She hated to interrupt him but she was worried he was upset with her.

“Jared?” She pillowed her head on his chest, breathing in his clean, masculine scent. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” he answered, clicking the remote from one channel to another. “Why do you ask?”

She was walking a fine line here. She wasn’t his wife and he didn’t owe her any explanations. She was however the mother of his child and his life affected hers.

“You’ve been acting kind of not like yourself tonight. Are you mad at me for inviting your dad to dinner or for drawing those pictures? I just wanted him to have something to look at that reminded him of the past.”

Jared sat straight up, dislodging her from her comfortable spot. “Shit no. I thought it was really sweet. Especially as Dad didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet that first night at dinner.”

“He had a lot to deal with that night between you, Royce, and Ty. I won’t even mention your sister.” She propped herself up with a couple of pillows. “I found your dad sitting on our porch. He looked…lost.”

Jared’s lips twisted and he rubbed the back of his neck. “He was lost. Literally. I talked to him about it when I walked him home and I think he won’t try to take a walk without one of us from now on.” He gave her a sheepish smile. “I kind of volunteered you for that if I’m not around.”

“I’m happy to do it. He’s a nice man, which I have to admit I didn’t expect from the way you’ve described him. He doesn’t seem like the drill sergeant you’ve told me about.”

Jared lounged back and crossed his long legs. “Tonight was the first time in a long time that he’s opened up in any way to me. It probably won’t last but I was glad it happened.”

Misty stroked Jared’s arm, trying to soothe his troubled mind. “When was the last time?”

“When Mom died. For a few days after the funeral he was different. Kind of like he was tonight. Then he went back to being Gerald Monroe. I love him no matter which one he is but I have to admit tonight was nice. He said I turned out okay.”

“You definitely turned out fine. Did you have any doubts about that?” Misty wondered. Jared was a man among men in her eyes. She’d never known any better in her life.

Jared looked at her and for a moment she saw the uncertain little boy he must have been trying to please a demanding father. “I think I do alright. But I wasn’t sure he knew. That he even really noticed me.”

It was no wonder they’d been pulled toward each other that wintry night. They’d both tried to win their parents’ love and approval. Misty had done it by caring for her often drunk mother who would be out all night with some strange man. Jared had competed with his brothers and sister for his larger-than-life father’s attention.

“Looks like he has. I think he’s noticed a whole bunch of things about his children but he’s just not one to say too much. Kind of like you.”

She pointed her finger at Jared’s bare chest and smiled.

“Like me, huh? I don’t talk enough for you? What do you want me to say?” A grin spread across Jared’s face and he scooped her up in his arms, keeping her prisoner while he nibbled at her shoulder. “How about I tell you that your spaghetti sauce is really good? Is that what you want to hear?”

Misty giggled as his tongue tickled a sensitive spot but her heart squeezed in her chest at his words. Those weren’t what she wanted to hear and that was the sad thing. She wasn’t begging for her mother’s approval anymore.

She wanted Jared’s.

And that was the last thing she would ever ask him for. He wouldn’t want that and she would never put him on the spot.

“I have a great idea.” Jared was still smiling and his blue eyes were lit with mischief. “How about we go to the cabin when I get this case buttoned up? Just you and me. We’ll make love, go for a hike, maybe eat some s’mores. What do you say?”

“I didn’t even know you had a cabin. Please tell me it has indoor plumbing. I’m not much for roughing it.”

“It’s a cabin, not a tent. Running water and electricity. I haven’t been there for ages.”

And she knew why. He had more responsibilities now – her and the baby. But she did want to be alone with him away from the prying eyes of the town.

There she’d admitted it. She liked Jared, she liked living with him, and she liked making love with him.

“Then let’s go,” she agreed. “When do we leave?”

“As soon as I solve this case,” he declared. “I do have some important things to take care of in the next few days but mostly I’ll be waiting on the state crime lab.”

Her puzzled expression must have clued him in that she had no idea what he was talking about.

“The call I got earlier. It was about a murder,” he explained.

“That’s what I thought. Do you know who did it?”

“No, but I have a strong suspicion. But Boyd Hicks wasn’t a well-liked man, so honestly there could be several people who wanted him dead.”

“Charming,” she observed. “It sounds like it might be a tough case to solve.”

“We’ll get him.” Jared’s tone held complete confidence. “There was some evidence at the scene. Hopefully it will link back to the murderer. Then we add in motive and we take the case to the prosecutor.”

“Easy peasy,” she teased. “At least you make it sound that way.”

“Some cases are and some aren’t. I know which way I want this one to go.”

“Maybe you’ll get lucky.”

His lips skimmed down into the valley between her breasts. She sucked in a breath at the trail of heat his lips created. “I’d like to if you’re in the mood.”

When Misty was with Jared she was always in the mood. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she whispered in his ear. He reared back in surprise but his expression was one of delight.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded happily. “Rayne told me about it and I’d like to try it. Can we?”

“Honey, I love your try anything spirit. Let’s get these clothes off.”

His fingers plucked at the buttons of her pajamas and she sighed in pleasure with every touch. She wasn’t her mother but Misty intended to enjoy tonight with Jared very much indeed.

Jared slammed down the phone and growled with frustration, glad that it was only him and Knox in the station house at the moment. Luckily it was a quiet day. No ringing phones, no petty issues dragging him away from the Boyd Hicks case. Just the smell of burnt coffee and stale donuts. He needed to walk over to the diner and put some real food into his stomach.

Not being the most patient of people, dealing with the state crime lab never put him in a good mood. They were always backed up and everyone thought their evidence was more important than anyone else’s.

“I take it the news wasn’t good?” Deputy Knox was standing over Jared’s desk with an amused smile.

Jared exhaled slowly to calm himself down. “The DNA off the cigarette won’t be ready for at least a week. Maybe more. Have you made any progress on those tire tracks? The lab is telling me weeks on that too.”

Knox was a damn good deputy who had been on the forensics side of the fence earlier in his career. Jared had been lucky to hire him and that’s why he’d made sure to give Knox plenty of responsibility and recognition.

“You were right. They’re not an ATV. They belong to an oversized type of truck like an F-250 or larger.”

“The kind of truck you might use to transport a dead body,” Jared confirmed. “It makes sense.”

Unfortunately that didn’t narrow it down much. Every damn cowboy from here to Billings drove a truck like that.

“I sure wouldn’t try moving a body in my girlfriend’s Prius,” Knox laughed. “But I’m also guessing that the truck might have a top on the truck bed or at least a tarp. They wouldn’t want anyone seeing a dead man back there.”

The phone rang again and Jared rubbed his temples before answering it. “Monroe.”

“Hey, Jared. It’s Griffin.”

Griffin Sawyer was the sheriff of Hope Lake and a damn good one but he usually didn’t call the office during the day.

“What can I do for you? Is Jazz okay?”

Griffin chuckled on the other end of the phone. “Jazz is amazing and wonderful. No, this call is about what I can do for you. I found that Dale Hicks you were looking for.”

Jared had let all the men know about Boyd Hicks’s murder and Dale Hicks as a person of interest.

“Have you talked to him? Where is he? I need to talk to him.”

Finally something about this case was going right. Jared picked up a pen to write down the address.

“He’s staying at a friend’s campsite near here. Deputy Levi stopped them about some litter early this morning. He had no reason to detain them so he had to let them go. But he called me and I told him to sit on them until you get there. He’s watching their campsite from a ways away so they don’t get spooked.”

Jared scratched down the location, his blood pumping in his veins. “Listen, I appreciate you keeping your eyes out for him. This will really help our investigation.”

“No problem. I know you’d do the same. Good luck. I hope you get your man soon.” Griffin signed off and Jared snagged his car keys from his desk drawer.

“Knox, you’re with me. We’re headed for Hope Lake.”

Dale and his friend could be armed and dangerous. Jared didn’t want to walk into a situation like that alone.

During the drive Jared and Knox discussed the strategy of how to deal with Dale. Doubtful the man would be cooperative.

Jared pulled alongside an official Hope Lake SUV and rolled down his window. The deputy in the truck did the same.