Drake pulled down a mug and poured some of the liquid magic into it. “Come on Trenda, can’t you put them off?”
She leaned against the counter and folded her arms. “Don’t you want to see them?”
He stared at her incredulously. “Of course, I do.”
“Then this weekend, let them come over and say, ‘hi’.”
“I said no.”
“They’ll be hurt.”
Drake should have known that. Dammit, where was his head?
“Hey.” Trenda stepped forward and put her arms around him. “I didn’t tell you that to make you feel bad.”
“I know you didn’t. Okay, Saturday it is.” He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Where’s my niece?”
“Piper’s dressing her. Bella loves her Aunt Piper.”
“More than me?” Evie asked as she walked into the kitchen. She headed straight for the coffee. Drake pulled down a mug.
“Bella sees you more often. Piper is new and shiny.”
“Larry said he’d have supplies sent up Saturday,” Evie said as she started pulling out food for breakfast. “He asked me to e-mail him a list of what we needed.”
“Not grits,” Aiden said as he walked into the kitchen.
Evie snickered. “I’m so making grits for breakfast.”
“As long as you make more biscuits, I’ll choke down some paste.” He took the mug that Evie handed him, and she went and got herself some more coffee.
“So, what’s on today’s agenda?” Aiden asked.
“We find out what Delmar and the judge have been up to for the last twelve years. I want to know just how deep they are into the drug trade with cousin Huey.”
“How do you intend to find that out?” Trenda asked as she and Evie started preparing breakfast like a well-oiled machine.
“I’m calling some friends of mine who are going to investigate those two within an inch of their lives. They’ll have all of their financials, including everything they’re hiding.” Drake chuckled.
“What?” Evie asked.
“I think your brother just had an evil idea,” Aiden said.
“Yep. Clint is my teammate, he and his fiancée Lydia are scary on computers. I think it would be great to see how they could fuck with the sheriff and Comey.”
“I like it!” Evie bounced on her toes.
“You’re a bloodthirsty little thing, aren’t you?” Aiden said speculatively.
“That fucking sheriff almost killed my brother, damn right I’m bloodthirsty. Let me talk with Clint and Lydia. I can point them in the right direction.”
“What do you mean?” Drake asked.
“She means she has files on damn near everyone in town,” Trenda answered.
“I might not have his financials. But I know who the judge has been sleeping with for the last five years. I also know the sheriff had a deal to run prostitutes through the LeeHy Motel.”
“Yeah, but you stopped that by reporting minors being taken across state lines to the state police,” Trenda said.
“Was that true?” Aiden asked.
“She was gone by the time they got there, but they shut down the operation. Delmar was pissed.”
“How did you find out about all of this?” Drake demanded.
“I pick up side work as a housekeeper at a lot of different places across town. Like the courthouse, the motel. Hell, I clean people’s houses. I’ve worked every place but the sheriff’s office. It’s amazing the information you pick up.”
“Goddammit, Evie, are you out of your little mind?! That’s dangerous as hell.” Drake yelled.
“But cousin Huey doesn’t need his house cleaned. How come everyone with the meth trade seems to be dirty? Pun intended.”
Drake’s head was pounding. The only saving grace was that Aiden looked just as upset.
“What’s all the ruckus about?” Karen said as she walked in the kitchen.
“I’ll tell you what it’s about. My sister thinks she’s Jamie Bond. She’s been spying on everybody in town.” Drake pulled down a mug and poured Karen a cup of coffee. Once again, she was wearing pink. Some SEAL he was, pink was now becoming his favorite color.
“Jamie, what do you know about me?”
“Word on the street is that you’re from Alaska, you have a master’s degree in education, and you have an online shopping addiction.”
Karen raised her mug. “You forgot to mention that I have the hots for your brother.”
Evie snickered. “That damn degree didn’t do you a damn bit of good.”
“Hey!” Drake protested as he gently put his arm around Karen. Gratified when she leaned into him. “Did you call Lacy?”