Shiver(40)
“No arguments here. All right, let’s head back. I wonder what Mom fixed for lunch.”
His stomach growled. “Let me grab a change of clothes from the rental.”
They walked back to the road and dug out the snow-buried vehicle. Aidan went to open the SUV, but found it already unlocked. Had he been so out of it the night he’d arrived he’d failed to lock the door? That wasn’t like him. Even though he’d grown up in an area that didn’t have a crime rate, other than what his own family had added to the community, he was careful. He’d lived in the big city of Seattle long enough to make locking his doors a habit.
He opened the door to find his clothes thrown all over the back of the vehicle. His suitcase lay gutted along with his carry-on bag.
“Do you always travel with such a mess?”
“Someone’s been through my things.” Who would ransack his car way out here? And what the hell were they looking for?
CHAPTER TEN
Aidan pushed his plate aside.
“I need to borrow a gun.”
“Do you really think a gun is necessary?” Raven asked. She didn’t care for guns, even though she knew how to handle one. They’d returned from Earl’s, and had grabbed something to eat in Fiona’s kitchen. Well, at least, she had eaten. Aidan had picked at his tuna fish sandwich. She could tell he was shaken up over his stuff being ransacked. “It was probably some kids causing mischief. You know what it’s like in the winter with nothing to do. You find something to do. Legal or not just to kill the time.”
Aidan held her gaze, his eyes dark with secrets. “I need a gun. Whether you think it’s necessary or not, I’d rather be prepared.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” She placed her hands on the table when he didn’t answer her. “I’m not taking my son back to that hellhole without knowing what you know.”
He pursed his lips. “My Uncle Roland is wanted for questioning.”
“Questioning in what?”
“Murder.”
She rolled her eyes and twisted her lips. “Birds of a feather.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard it before.”
“Fine. So you think he might be here?” She remembered Roland Harte well from when he visited his brother. He was a crafty bastard who had enjoyed the misfortunes of others. “Why would he be here?”
“I don’t know.” He raked a hand through his hair. “All right, this is what I need. I want Fox to draw me a map. I don’t want him anywhere near Earl’s place—”
“No arguments there.”
“—and I need a gun.”
“I don’t have a gun.”
It was his turn to roll his eyes. “This is Alaska. Everyone has a gun.”
She couldn’t argue that.
“When will Lynx be back?”
“I have no idea. He’s on an eagle rescue, remember?”
“Pike. He won’t have any problem loaning me one of his.”
“You aren’t going to get Packin’ Pike involved in this. When Dad was killed, he put us all into lockdown. He was so afraid something would happen to us that he went overboard. It took years to get him back on track.”
“Yet you still managed to get knocked up with a guy you met in a bar.”
She sucked in her breath feeling as though he’d sucker punched her.
“God. Raven, I’m sorry.” He threw his hand up and shook his head. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“I’m sure you haven’t been the perfect Boy Scout in all these years.”
He scoffed and looked down at his feet. “No. That I haven’t. I really am sorry, Raven.”
The door slammed, and in trotted Fox. Raven stiffened. Fiona had noticed the dimple and it was only a matter of time before someone else did. What if that someone else was Aidan? Then what would she do? She didn’t want to find out.
“Hey, guys.” Fox smiled, happy to see them. “Whatcha ya doing?” Fox hung up his coat and scurried over, dragging his backpack.
“Nothing.” Raven reached out and gave him a hug, which he barely tolerated. “How was school?”
“Stupid.” Fox took a seat. Raven and Aidan sat across from each other, now Fox sat between them. Raven saw the irony in the situation. If Aidan found out who Fox’s father was, the poor kid would always be caught in the middle.
“Why stupid?” Aidan cocked his head much the way Fox always did.
“I don’t like math.”
“Now, Fox.”
“What, Mom? Math sucks.”
“You owe the swear jar a dollar, young man.”
Fox slouched in his chair. “Man, this day bites.” He looked at Aidan under his lashes. “Sorry.”