something out.” Tightness pressed on her chest making it hard to breathe.
Cord let go of her hand and hooked his thumbs in his jeans. “If you had this money, where would you deliver it?”
A flash of hope crossed Brody’s eyes before it evaporated. He must have recognized it was a hypothetical question. “Probably at the same place where I lost the money.”
Piper was disappointed that her brother wasn’t being more cooperative. “Where’s that, Brody?” Nagging him wouldn’t do any good, but she couldn’t help it.
“In the back room of the bowling alley.”
Really? “That place is nasty.” She’d been there once.
Brody shrugged.
“Thanks. I’ll run down their names,” Cord said.
Brody picked up his pole. “Can I get back to fishing now?”
Piper huffed out a breath. If she didn’t think he’d be in danger at work, she’d have suggested he head to the garage. “Don’t be like that. Cord’s only trying to help.”
“He can help by staying away from us.”
Piper didn’t know how to respond. Having a brother who was so prejudiced embarrassed her. Hopefully, Cord understood that it stemmed from Denny’s sister leaving him.
Cord placed a hand on her shoulder as if to give her comfort. “It’s okay. I’m going to give Dram a call. I’ll ask him to stop by and make sure the men don’t bother Brody. That way, your brother can fish in peace.”
Brody puffed out his chest. “Fuck you, man. I can take care of myself.”
Wanting to shake some sense into him, she stepped over to her brother. “Brody, you can’t fight off three men. You’re in the middle of nowhere. If they find you, they might kill you this time.”
At least he had the decency to wince. “Do what you want. I’m fishing.”
Brody always shut down when he was scared. Cord move close, cupped a hand around her waist, and drew her near. “Let’s go. I’ll call Dram from the car.”
Piper faced her brother. “If you go anywhere, can you let me know?” She softened her voice the best she could.
Brody shoulders sagged. “Sure, though my cell’s dead, remember?”
She meant when he returned home. “I know.”
When she and Cord returned to his truck, he contacted his fellow officer, who she recalled was a bear shifter, too. Cord filled Dram in on the case, asking if he could stake out the area to keep an eye out for the assailants. He then disconnected. “Dram said he can be here in an hour and fifteen.”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you. Once more I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
“I just wanted to help.”
“So now what?” she asked.
“Your brother should be safe for now, assuming he doesn’t do something stupid, though I wouldn’t be surprised if these men try to find him—or you. Is there someone you can stay with while I check things out at the station?”
“Me? I don’t owe them money.” Only then did she remember the note. “Never mind. The note could mean that if Brody didn’t pay, they’d come after me.”
“Precisely. Besides, your window hasn’t been fixed yet, and I’d feel better knowing you’re safe.”
She had an idea. “You said you found his wallet, but I’m guessing there were no fingerprints on it, right?” If so, his department would’ve found the three men already.
“No. What were there were too smudged. I’ll have the department check the note, too, but I’m not hopeful.” He headed back down the road to the main drag. “I’m serious about not wanting you to be alone. Is there a friend you can stay with?”
She got along well with everyone she worked with, but she didn’t socialize with many of them. “I feel a little odd asking if I can stay with any of my coworkers. Many have families. How about I stay at your place? No one would find me there.”
A small smile lifted his lips. It was almost as if he’d been waiting for her to ask. “My place is half the size of yours. I doubt you’ll be comfortable
Cord let go of her hand and hooked his thumbs in his jeans. “If you had this money, where would you deliver it?”
A flash of hope crossed Brody’s eyes before it evaporated. He must have recognized it was a hypothetical question. “Probably at the same place where I lost the money.”
Piper was disappointed that her brother wasn’t being more cooperative. “Where’s that, Brody?” Nagging him wouldn’t do any good, but she couldn’t help it.
“In the back room of the bowling alley.”
Really? “That place is nasty.” She’d been there once.
Brody shrugged.
“Thanks. I’ll run down their names,” Cord said.
Brody picked up his pole. “Can I get back to fishing now?”
Piper huffed out a breath. If she didn’t think he’d be in danger at work, she’d have suggested he head to the garage. “Don’t be like that. Cord’s only trying to help.”
“He can help by staying away from us.”
Piper didn’t know how to respond. Having a brother who was so prejudiced embarrassed her. Hopefully, Cord understood that it stemmed from Denny’s sister leaving him.
Cord placed a hand on her shoulder as if to give her comfort. “It’s okay. I’m going to give Dram a call. I’ll ask him to stop by and make sure the men don’t bother Brody. That way, your brother can fish in peace.”
Brody puffed out his chest. “Fuck you, man. I can take care of myself.”
Wanting to shake some sense into him, she stepped over to her brother. “Brody, you can’t fight off three men. You’re in the middle of nowhere. If they find you, they might kill you this time.”
At least he had the decency to wince. “Do what you want. I’m fishing.”
Brody always shut down when he was scared. Cord move close, cupped a hand around her waist, and drew her near. “Let’s go. I’ll call Dram from the car.”
Piper faced her brother. “If you go anywhere, can you let me know?” She softened her voice the best she could.
Brody shoulders sagged. “Sure, though my cell’s dead, remember?”
She meant when he returned home. “I know.”
When she and Cord returned to his truck, he contacted his fellow officer, who she recalled was a bear shifter, too. Cord filled Dram in on the case, asking if he could stake out the area to keep an eye out for the assailants. He then disconnected. “Dram said he can be here in an hour and fifteen.”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you. Once more I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
“I just wanted to help.”
“So now what?” she asked.
“Your brother should be safe for now, assuming he doesn’t do something stupid, though I wouldn’t be surprised if these men try to find him—or you. Is there someone you can stay with while I check things out at the station?”
“Me? I don’t owe them money.” Only then did she remember the note. “Never mind. The note could mean that if Brody didn’t pay, they’d come after me.”
“Precisely. Besides, your window hasn’t been fixed yet, and I’d feel better knowing you’re safe.”
She had an idea. “You said you found his wallet, but I’m guessing there were no fingerprints on it, right?” If so, his department would’ve found the three men already.
“No. What were there were too smudged. I’ll have the department check the note, too, but I’m not hopeful.” He headed back down the road to the main drag. “I’m serious about not wanting you to be alone. Is there a friend you can stay with?”
She got along well with everyone she worked with, but she didn’t socialize with many of them. “I feel a little odd asking if I can stay with any of my coworkers. Many have families. How about I stay at your place? No one would find me there.”
A small smile lifted his lips. It was almost as if he’d been waiting for her to ask. “My place is half the size of yours. I doubt you’ll be comfortable
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