running back had been with the sickly cub. “He didn’t want to make a big deal
of it. Didn’t want a lot of people to know he had adopted her. LaBryce wasn’t just
thinking about how cool it would be to own a pet jaguar. He was moved by the whole
situation, donated thousands to the ASPCA. He went to extra lengths to make sure Charm
had an enclosure that mimicked her natural habitat. He spent months learning how to
handle her. If you own an exotic pet, the USDA has the right to inspect your home.
It’s not like having a big tabby cat. Not even close.”
Kai pulled onto J. Turner Butler Boulevard, where several billion-dollar subdivisions
had popped up during the building boom. He seemed to be mulling over this new information
as he drove.
He looked at me. “Okay, so if LaBryce is so enamored with this animal, why would he
leave her out? He must have known that there would be a chance one of the officers
would shoot her.”
I frowned and shook my head. He wouldn’t. There was no way. “It must have been an
accident. I think you should find out who was supposed to be taking care of Charm
tonight. I know you believe that LaBryce left her out on purpose, but I don’t think
so. “
Kai scoffed. “Right.”
“I’m serious. LaBryce has to have someone care for her when he’s out of town.”
“We have people who will be looking into it. Believe me, we’re investigating everyone
who might have been involved in the murder. But right now, we have to concentrate
on our most viable suspect.”
We turned off JTB and sped toward the end of a cul-de-sac, finally pulling up to a
long drive. Kai turned off his light and held up his badge as we slowly passed two
officers in a squad car. We rolled to a stop about fifty feet from the front of the
house.
I slid out of the truck and my sister’s high-heeled sandals sank into the grass. I
noticed Jake Nocera eyeing the front windows of the house as he talked on his cell
phone. “Yeah, we got someone on the way. No one was hurt. I opened the door, nearly
shit my pants, and closed it.” He noticed me and Kai and walked toward us. “You make
sure Walker stays in custody until I get back. We’re gonna have a little talk. I’ve
gotta run.” He slapped the cell phone closed and paused to look me up and down. “Not
quite dressed for big-cat wrangling.”
I felt heat creep into my cheeks and noticed more than a few pair of eyes focusing
on my cleavage. Inwardly, I cursed Emma’s fashion sense and sent Jake a frigid glare.
The rest of the oglers didn’t warrant a glance.
I held up my cell phone and turned to Kai. “What’s your number?” He told me, and I
programmed it into my phone. “I’ll call you when I get her secured.”
I hurried quietly toward the large, ultramodern house. It was angular and sleek with
a lot of glass and dramatic lighting. Of course, I’d been there plenty of times. I’d
made it my personal mission to make sure LaBryce was living up to his promise to learn
how to handle a big cat. I was the person who’d taught him those techniques. At first,
I hadn’t liked anything about the big, cocky football player. Except that he clearly
wanted to care for an animal that might have had to be euthanized otherwise.
But much to my surprise, and I’m sure his, LaBryce and I had become friends. We didn’t
agree on everything. I refused to help him with photo shoots where he wanted to use
Charm as a prop, and he couldn’t understand why I was such a hard-ass when it came
to not feeding her people food. Ever. But we both cared about Charm, and when she
was still a cub, I’d bring Moss over and they would play.
During those visits, LaBryce and I would chat. I learned he wasn’t the brainless football
player I’d thought, and he really did love his jaguar. There was no way he’d endanger
her by allowing her out of her enclosure unsupervised. He wouldn’t just set her loose,
of it. Didn’t want a lot of people to know he had adopted her. LaBryce wasn’t just
thinking about how cool it would be to own a pet jaguar. He was moved by the whole
situation, donated thousands to the ASPCA. He went to extra lengths to make sure Charm
had an enclosure that mimicked her natural habitat. He spent months learning how to
handle her. If you own an exotic pet, the USDA has the right to inspect your home.
It’s not like having a big tabby cat. Not even close.”
Kai pulled onto J. Turner Butler Boulevard, where several billion-dollar subdivisions
had popped up during the building boom. He seemed to be mulling over this new information
as he drove.
He looked at me. “Okay, so if LaBryce is so enamored with this animal, why would he
leave her out? He must have known that there would be a chance one of the officers
would shoot her.”
I frowned and shook my head. He wouldn’t. There was no way. “It must have been an
accident. I think you should find out who was supposed to be taking care of Charm
tonight. I know you believe that LaBryce left her out on purpose, but I don’t think
so. “
Kai scoffed. “Right.”
“I’m serious. LaBryce has to have someone care for her when he’s out of town.”
“We have people who will be looking into it. Believe me, we’re investigating everyone
who might have been involved in the murder. But right now, we have to concentrate
on our most viable suspect.”
We turned off JTB and sped toward the end of a cul-de-sac, finally pulling up to a
long drive. Kai turned off his light and held up his badge as we slowly passed two
officers in a squad car. We rolled to a stop about fifty feet from the front of the
house.
I slid out of the truck and my sister’s high-heeled sandals sank into the grass. I
noticed Jake Nocera eyeing the front windows of the house as he talked on his cell
phone. “Yeah, we got someone on the way. No one was hurt. I opened the door, nearly
shit my pants, and closed it.” He noticed me and Kai and walked toward us. “You make
sure Walker stays in custody until I get back. We’re gonna have a little talk. I’ve
gotta run.” He slapped the cell phone closed and paused to look me up and down. “Not
quite dressed for big-cat wrangling.”
I felt heat creep into my cheeks and noticed more than a few pair of eyes focusing
on my cleavage. Inwardly, I cursed Emma’s fashion sense and sent Jake a frigid glare.
The rest of the oglers didn’t warrant a glance.
I held up my cell phone and turned to Kai. “What’s your number?” He told me, and I
programmed it into my phone. “I’ll call you when I get her secured.”
I hurried quietly toward the large, ultramodern house. It was angular and sleek with
a lot of glass and dramatic lighting. Of course, I’d been there plenty of times. I’d
made it my personal mission to make sure LaBryce was living up to his promise to learn
how to handle a big cat. I was the person who’d taught him those techniques. At first,
I hadn’t liked anything about the big, cocky football player. Except that he clearly
wanted to care for an animal that might have had to be euthanized otherwise.
But much to my surprise, and I’m sure his, LaBryce and I had become friends. We didn’t
agree on everything. I refused to help him with photo shoots where he wanted to use
Charm as a prop, and he couldn’t understand why I was such a hard-ass when it came
to not feeding her people food. Ever. But we both cared about Charm, and when she
was still a cub, I’d bring Moss over and they would play.
During those visits, LaBryce and I would chat. I learned he wasn’t the brainless football
player I’d thought, and he really did love his jaguar. There was no way he’d endanger
her by allowing her out of her enclosure unsupervised. He wouldn’t just set her loose,
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