EVAN SCOWLED at the report in front of him the following morning. The car from the diner was registered to a William Howard from Philadelphia, but that told him very little. The name wasn’t familiar, and there was no particularly helpful information on him, other than the fact that he was nearing seventy years old. The car hadn’t been reported stolen, and while it obviously wasn’t being driven by the owner, it hadn’t been used to commit a crime as far as Evan knew. However, the situation did convince him that he was on the right trail. These guys weren’t necessarily the ringleaders of the organization he was looking for, but it was possible they were members. He put down the report, scowling once more.
“Any luck?” Pierre asked from next to his desk. Evan hadn’t even heard him approach, he’d been so deep in thought. “Looks like smoke coming out of your ears. Must be using at least a few brain cells.” He was kidding, and Evan smiled automatically, his mind still trying to develop a course of action.
“I don’t know—maybe.” He tapped the top of the desk a few times. “I think I may have found part of the group we’re looking for. But then again, maybe not. The car is new in town, and so are the guys using it. That alone doesn’t prove anything—nothing I have really does. It’s just a group of guys that my gut is telling me could be involved.”
“Do you have a way to get closer and check them out?” Pierre asked.
Evan sighed. “Maybe. That’s the hard part.” He really didn’t want to go there. He didn’t like the idea of involving innocent people in his investigations, and yet that was what he was contemplating. At least he hoped Wes was innocent.
Pierre pulled up a chair. “Tell me about it?”
“I followed the car to the diner west of town.” Evan slid the vehicle and DMV report across the table. “Not much to go on, but just enough to raise my suspicions. I met someone at the diner, had dinner with him because the place was packed and he was sitting alone, with a kid. It was a great cover to watch them, and it seems his brother might know these guys.”
“So, you’re thinking of trying to use the brother somehow to get closer?” Pierre asked.
“Yeah. Except I don’t know how.” Evan was stumped.
Pierre scoffed lightly. “That’s never stopped you before. Do you know his name?”
“That’s the thing. I have first names, and I could have had a last name if I had known.” Evan told Pierre about helping Wes on the sidewalk. “I was just trying to help the guy and scare off the bullies. The kid with him, his name is Greyson, and they live somewhere in the center of town because they were out walking.”
Pierre nodded. “How old is the kid?”
“Almost a year, I think,” Evan answered.
Pierre paused. “Okay. Do a search of birth records. The name isn’t all that common, so if it happened here, you might get a last name and you can go from there. If nothing else, you can narrow it down.”
That wasn’t a bad idea.
Evan formulated his search and got lucky. There was one child about that age, and the address associated with Greyson Douglas’s family was local. At least Evan had a first and last name now, as well as an address. He tapped his finger on the top of the desk as he thought. Evan needed a way to get closer to them, but he wasn’t quite sure how. The shitty thing was that he had blown any cover he might develop because he’d helped Wes already. Maybe he should just back off the case and let someone else take it. He hated the idea, because no one else in the department had the experience with this sort of work that he did, and it was going to take a great deal of skill to be able to infiltrate this group.
“I think what I need to do is somehow get close to the brother, Trey. Honestly, I think he’s the way into the drug organization.”
“What about the guy with the baby?” Pierre asked. “He could be using the kid as a sort of cover.”
It was a possibility, but Evan didn’t think so. Wes seemed too innocent and wrapped up in the kid. Besides, he said he had a job of his own and really looked like he was trying to build a life for Greyson. God, Evan really hoped Wes wasn’t involved in this crap.
“I don’t think so. He gave me some of the information I have.” Evan continued running possible scenarios through his head and kept coming back to the fact that he had so little to go on that he was going to have to take a chance if he was going to have even a slim shot at getting close to what he needed. Evan put the reports away and got up from his desk.
“Where are you going?” Pierre asked.
“I need to check out their house and figure out a way to somehow ingratiate myself. I know Wes isn’t my point of entry—I can tell that in my gut.” God, Evan hoped he was right. But Wes was the only lead he had, so maybe he could parlay that into somehow meeting his brother, and then Evan could figure out things from there. The only hitch in this plan was that he had to somehow convince Wes to keep a certain fact about him to himself. Yeah, it was a long shot and Evan knew it, but it was one he had to take if he was going to have any chance at success.
“Maybe you should have a better plan.” Pierre patted the top of the desk. “I need to get over to the courthouse, so I’ll leave you in your quandary.”
“You’re a big help, you know that?” Evan called. He wasn’t doing himself any good sitting at his desk stewing. The answers and the chance he needed were somewhere, and he needed to find them. The only lead he had was a car and an address, and he was going to see if he could get lucky.
EVAN DROVE through town in an old, unmarked, and highly forgettable Toyota Camry. It was dirty, a little scuffed, and something absolutely no one would pay any attention to. He kept his eyes opened for the Cadillac, but didn’t see it. Not that he actually expected to. That would be too damned easy.
He found a parking spot near the corner on Louther Street and settled in to wait and think.
A few people passed on the sidewalk, no one paying him any attention. Evan got out of the car, stood at the corner, and leaned against the side of the church. With his dirty clothes, frayed and faded blue shirt, and a pair of jeans that were only a little thicker than paper and about two sizes too big, he appeared homeless and down on his luck. Basically, he didn’t want to be noticed. And if people did see him, their attention would pass right over him. He was here to watch, not to draw attention, and it was working.
At one point after noon, judging by the way Evan’s stomach rumbled, a silver Acura pulled into the parking spot right in front of the address he had for Wes. No one got out, and after a minute, the driver honked the horn. A man practically popped out of Wes’s house and jumped into the car, which then sped away down the street. Another person came out, bearing a resemblance to Wes. Evan was pretty sure it was his brother. He got into another car and left behind them.
Evan jumped back into his car and followed toward the light at Hanover Street. There was another car in between as the light turned green, and Evan kept them in sight through the intersection and out of town. He had to be careful not to get too close. It got harder to be inconspicuous and go unnoticed once they reached the countryside, but there were few options for heading out toward Newville. Evan didn’t speed and took his time, watching where they turned off and continuing on to alleviate suspicion. He then doubled back and saw the two cars in front of an old house about a mile down the road. There was no sign of the Cadillac, and as he passed, guys were unloading what appeared to be cases of beer from the trunk of one car and grocery bags from the other.
Just fucking great. He’d located a party, and from the look of it, they were settling in for a while.
He debated staying to watch if anything happened but decided to continue on, at least for now. He knew where Trey was going to be, and maybe Evan would get lucky and the other men would show up. One thing Evan had learned was that it took patience for things like this. Making the first right turn he was able, Evan headed back toward town. He was spinning his wheels trying to find a way into the group, though an idea was forming in the back of his mind.
If these guys were up to no good, then the best way to get in with them was to somehow do something to help them, or at least Trey. A plan of sorts developed, and he continued back to town to make a few arrangements with Pierre.
IN TOWN, Evan passed Trey and Wes’s house. Wes was strolling down the block with Greyson’s stroller. Evan followed them and parked ahead, then got out of the car as they drew near.
“That’s different,” Wes said as he approached. “Are you undercover?” he whispered. “I don’t want to give anything away.”
“No. I was just watching some people, and it’s easier to do that when they ignore you.” And Evan had learned long ago that the homeless and people others didn’t want to deal with could easily be dismissed and not even seen. He peered into the carrier, where Greyson was asleep, his little hand clutching a toy.
“I’ve been trying to get him to nap for the last few hours. He refused to go to sleep. I get him in the stroller, and he’s out like a light.” Wes smiled, but it seemed strange. “What are you doing here? Is there some trouble?” His gaze narrowed and tension filled his frame. There was something going on, and the suspicion was only heightened by the way Wes kept glancing around. Evan wondered what he was afraid of and what might have changed since the day before. Wes wasn’t talking, and Evan debated pushing him to ask, but he was afraid that would only make Wes clam up more tightly, so instead, he walked with him and pretended he hadn’t seen anything.
“I was the youngest in my family and I don’t have kids, so I’m really not familiar with the schedules of youngsters.” Evan noticed that the few people who passed gave him and Wes some pretty interesting looks. Evan was used to that sort of thing when he dressed like this. He clamped his lips shut, wanting to take these people aside and lecture them on the fact that just because someone might be poor or struggling was no reason to be rude or to go out of your way to avoid them. Still, he was trying to maintain his look, so he lowered his eyes as people passed and said nothing in order to maintain the illusion.
“Doesn’t it feel weird to have people treat you that way?” Wes asked.
“A little. But I suppose it’s worse for those who have to live this every day, shunned by others and alone. Without even a roof over their heads or knowing where the next meal will come from.” He had never experienced that part of the illusion himself.
“I guess,” Wes said softly. “Can I ask why you’re doing this? Is it because of those guys at the diner yesterday?”
Greyson stretched and fidgeted in the carrier before settling once again, and Wes started moving slowly down the sidewalk. Evan knew he couldn’t stay with Wes too long or he’d stand out and appear suspicious.
He took a second to decide how he wanted to answer. “I’ll tell you if you tell me why you keep watching up and down the street every thirty seconds and are as nervous as a cat.” For a second Evan thought Wes was going to deny it, but he seemed to come to a decision to talk to him and nodded. “I don’t think we can talk here. I’ll meet you at the coffee shop on Pitt just off High in ten minutes,” Evan offered. It was becoming pretty clear to Evan that he needed some information on what Wes’s brother was doing and that Wes might be able to give him that information.
If Evan were honest, he felt like a jerk doing this to Wes. He liked him. Hell, it had been quite some time since someone he had only spent a few minutes with made his heart beat as fast as it did. There was something about Wes that called to him. Evan knew it was his job to notice things about people, but with Wes, he really seemed to catch even the smallest things, like the way his sparkling blue eyes had clouded slightly in fear when Evan had asked why he was nervous. Was it the urge to protect his brother and family… or had Evan been wrong all along and Wes was not quite as innocent as he appeared? Evan needed to tread lightly. He had let himself get too close to someone in an investigation before, and it had burned him badly, nearly costing him his badge and sending him to prison. Evan held his breathing steady as he studied Wes, because Evan wasn’t going down that road again. His heart simply couldn’t take it once more.
“Okay,” Wes finally answered, and Evan figured there was probably a 50 percent chance that Wes wouldn’t show up and Evan would have to figure out his next move once he saw how things turned out. But his gut told him that Wes knew something.
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll meet you and Greyson there.” Evan turned without another word and shuffled back to the car and got inside. He started the old car, praying that the engine turned over. It cranked and started on the third try, and then he pulled away into one of the borough parking lots on a back alley. Evan reached under the seat and got a clean shirt, happily getting out of the one he had been wearing, then quickly changed into a pair of newer shorts and stashed his other clothes out of sight before exiting the car.
He was surprised to see Wes and Greyson waiting for him inside. “What would you like?” Evan asked Wes.
“A mocha, please, and a bottle of water.” Wes was so polite and tentative, and Evan really hated that, because there was so much intelligence and sharpness behind his eyes. He wondered just what had beaten Wes down so badly.
Evan went to the counter and got the drinks, as well as a couple of muffins and a sugar cookie, brought them back to the table, and took a seat.
Wes thanked him and gave Greyson a small piece of cookie, which he seemed to like. Then he made up a bottle using the warm water and gave it to Greyson, who sucked on it like he was starving. “You can start,” Wes said, and Evan nodded.
“To answer your question, I’m not really sure. I’m still trying to figure it out.” That was about as honest as he thought he could be.
Wes sighed. “I’m torn and not sure how to proceed. See, I saw that car last night and my brother was talking to those guys. I didn’t see Trey get into the car, but he spent a lot of time on the sidewalk with them. Then today he shot out of the house like a bullet when someone honked, and I’m not sure what he’s up to. Trey doesn’t have the best decision-making skills in the world.” Wes checked on Greyson, who seemed to be watching them both over his bottle. Man, the little boy was completely adorable, with his huge eyes and the way he watched him. It made Evan want to forget what he was here to do for a second, and that could be trouble.
Still, a little one like Greyson brought into focus exactly what Evan was doing and why he did the job he did. More than anything, Evan wanted to make the world a little less dangerous so kids like Greyson could grow up safer and have a better chance in life than he’d had.
“Then tell me what you can.” There was no use having Wes betray someone if he didn’t have to. Evan understood family loyalty, and it was pretty clear that the conflict with Wes was about his family, especially with what he’d seen regarding Wes’s brother. “Do you know what he’s up to, or are you only afraid he may be involved with something that isn’t right?”
“I guess I’m worried. Trey knows that I won’t put up with illegal stuff, and my mom and dad won’t either, but they will turn a blind eye to things they don’t want to know about.” Wes sighed. “Mom and Dad are good people who work really hard. They didn’t have many advantages in life, and they really wanted a better life for me and Trey.” He bit his lower lip adorably, and Evan raised his hand but stopped himself from soothing it. “They can’t deal with his bad behavior.”
“So they turn the other way?” Evan knew that ignored problems didn’t just go away. If anything, they grew and got a hell of a lot worse.
“I don’t want to say that, but they don’t go looking for it. Mom and Dad react to what Trey does, but they don’t watch for his behavior, so nothing gets headed off.” Wes tickled Greyson, who pulled his bottle out of his mouth, smiling a single-little-tooth smile. “Trey knew he was a father but didn’t bother to tell any of us until the mother dropped Greyson here in his lap and left. That was it.” He shrugged. “Not that I would change a thing. Greyson is amazing, and I always wanted to be a daddy, so here I am.” He sighed softly. “Picking up one of Trey’s messes. Just one in a very long list.”
“I think I understand. Your parents love him and want the best for him, but they can’t deal with Trey. He’s just overwhelming and takes more of their attention than they can or are willing to give.” Evan thought he was starting to get a pretty good picture of how things were working in Wes’s family. Trey did pretty much anything he wanted because there was no one to stop him or tell him no. And when he fucked up, there were no consequences because his mom and dad did their best to bail him out. “Do you know where Trey is?”
Wes shook his head. “But you do, I’m willing to bet.”
Evan nodded. He wasn’t going to lie. “It looked like they were gearing up for one hell of a party. I don’t know if he’s with the guys from the diner or not.”
Wes hesitated. “I’m going to guess that he probably is. Look, I don’t want Trey to get in trouble. He likes to think he’s a leader, but Trey doesn’t have the smarts for anything like that. Trey is a follower and a hanger-on. He wants to be the center of attention all the time, so he does things to get what he wants. And if these guys he’s hanging around with are bad news, I can bet that whatever they’re up to, they’ll sucker Trey into it, dump whatever mess they make in his lap, and be gone, leaving him to settle the bill.” Wes handed Greyson his bottle after he’d dropped it. “I wish Mom and Dad would tell him that he has to find a new place to live. He needs responsibility and to learn what it takes to live on his own. If I didn’t have this little guy, I’d be out of the house, but he takes more money and support than I can give him alone. At least right now.”
“Does Trey help?”
Wes scoffed. “Are you kidding? He gives money to Mom and Dad sometimes, and I think he figures that’s being used for Greyson too. Trey ignores him, like if he doesn’t see him or play with him, then Greyson doesn’t exist and his own bad behavior can be overlooked.” Wes rolled his eyes.
Evan nodded. “You know you could petition the courts to have his parental rights terminated on the grounds of abandonment and neglect. Greyson is his son, and if he isn’t providing for his basic needs or spending any time with him, then you could argue that. It would give you more legal standing, should anything happen.” He didn’t normally give this kind of advice, but it was clear to him, even after spending such a little time with Wes, that Greyson was the center of his world. Evan really liked that. Anyone who was willing to give his heart to a child who wasn’t his own had a soul of gold, and maybe that was what Evan had been looking for all these years.
His heart began pounding in his chest, and all Wes had done was look at him with those sapphire eyes. This kind of attraction was something Evan honestly didn’t understand. All his previous relationships had been the kind where they met, liked each other, and decided to try to build something. Each time, things had crashed and burned in spectacular fashion. But this felt like someone had lit a fire inside him. All he wanted to do was touch and look. Every time he turned away from Wes to check out the area around him, his attention was pulled back a lot sooner than it probably should have been.
“Are you on duty?” Wes asked.
Evan checked his watch, shaking his head. “Not any longer.” Officially he had come off shift an hour ago, but that didn’t matter so much when he was working a case like this. The department got a lot more than their fair share of hours from him, so stopping to have a coffee or a muffin wasn’t going to be an issue. Granted, the department would expect him to be working the case, and while he was in a way, his mind—and body, for that matter—were on a whole different wavelength.
“I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble for being in here with me.” Wes took Greyson’s bottle and slowly pushed the stroller back and forth.
Evan scrunched his nose, and Wes got up, lifted Greyson out of the stroller, and headed back toward the bathrooms.
“I’ll be right back.”
Evan nodded and turned toward the front door as more people came in. It was an old habit, one that had saved his butt more times than he could count. He continued watching until Wes and Greyson returned. Wes held Greyson on his lap, bouncing him slightly and offering him a teething cookie.
“Hey,” Red, one of the police officers from Carlisle, said as he came in. He was in his uniform, which presented Evan with a problem. “What are you doing in here?” Red asked more gruffly. Most of the guys on the force knew Evan, and when he was on assignment, they weren’t supposed to treat him like a brother in blue. “No trouble,” Red said, his gaze drifting over to Wes. It became pretty clear pretty fast that Red wasn’t sure what to make of the situation.
“I haven’t done anything wrong, so I’d appreciate it if you left us alone,” Evan said quietly, and Red flashed him a fake look of annoyance and moved on.
“What was all that about?” Wes asked in a whisper. “Does he hate you? Is there some rivalry thing between the departments or something?”
Evan chuckled. “No. Red is a great guy and a friend. I signaled to him that I was undercover.”
“Why?”
“Because the people I’m after have been dealing in things that are really bad. We’ve had crack, smack, and crystal showing up here, and they’re all really low quality. It’s like someone doesn’t know what they’re doing, or they’re buying the lowest-grade stuff out of Philadelphia and bringing it here to sell. Either way, people are getting hurt. We’ve gotten close to them a few times, but they slip away.” He wasn’t going to go into any greater detail.
“Okay. I won’t tell anyone who you are if they ask,” Wes promised, leaning over the table. “Do you think my brother is involved?”
“I’m not sure. Like I said, every time we get close, they scamper. It’s possible the men from the diner are involved, but it’s hard to tell. This situation is becoming critical. People are dying, and I need to get to the bottom of it. I’m trying to find a way into the group, but I’m not having any luck.”
Wes nodded slowly. “And you thought that if you got friendly with me that you could use that as a way to get to know my brother, and then he could introduce you to his friends.” Wes stood and put Greyson in the stroller. “I see how things are.”
“That isn’t it at all. I hadn’t even met you before yesterday, and while I suspected that there might be a connection when you mentioned your brother, I didn’t set out to follow you or anything.” Sometimes things just worked that way it seemed.
Wes sat back down. “Maybe not. But you brought me here because you wanted to know what I knew about my brother.” He was clearly angry and suspicious.
Evan leaned over the table and lowered his voice. “I’ve been up front with you. I don’t understand why you’re getting angry. It’s possible that your brother could be getting involved with some very bad people. I don’t know yet, but the only way I can get that information is if I can somehow gain access to these people. If the guys in the Cadillac are who I think they might be, and your brother is friends with them, then that could be my way in. I’ll be honest about that. But if you think that me befriending you has anything to do with that, then you’re wrong.” He sat back up once again.
“Then why are you here?” Wes asked as Greyson fussed. He was probably picking up on the tension and didn’t like it. “I mean, needing some information I can understand. I don’t want Trey to get in trouble, but if he’s already in it, then maybe you can keep him from getting any deeper. But….” Wes considered him, his eyes looking deeply into Evan’s. “I don’t quite understand, is all.”
Evan smiled. “You don’t quite understand when someone might be interested in you?”
Wes rolled his eyes. “Isn’t that something you can get in trouble with? Getting too close to a witness or a source… or something?” Wes sat back as if pondering the idea.
Evan knew it was a bad idea for him to get involved with anyone. “I can think you’re cute and wonder about you. I don’t think that’s against the rules.” Look at him, he was actually flirting… at least he hoped it came off that way. Otherwise he was sitting here making a fool of himself.
“You think I’m cute?” Wes asked, color rising in his cheeks as he rolled his eyes. “Is that some line you use to get people to cooperate with you?”
Evan shrugged. “I don’t know. Is it working?” He smiled again, and Wes laughed and shook his head.
“I wonder if you’re for real,” Wes said.
“Why?” Evan grew more and more curious.
Wes shook his head again. “Because hot guys do not flirt with me, and they certainly don’t spend time with guys who feed babies and have to change a diaper in the middle of coffee.” Wes took a bite of his otherwise untouched muffin. Then he had another, and Evan became transfixed by the way his throat worked, wondering what the tender skin would taste like and what little sounds Wes would make when he kissed him there.
Evan pulled his attention out of his inappropriate thoughts and back to the conversation at hand. It took him a second to realize what Wes had said. “You think I’m hot?” God, that had to be one of the dumbest things to cross his lips in years.
“Duh…. Of course you’re hot. I bet you have muscles for days under that bulky shirt. You try to hide them, but it doesn’t work very well.” The amusement in Wes’s eyes was a delight and drew Evan closer. “So you can stop acting coy and shy—it isn’t going to work.” Danged if that twinkle didn’t get brighter.
Greyson began to really fuss and whimper, and Wes rocked him slowly until he quieted. “I need to get him home so he can rest.” Of course, as soon as Wes said that Greyson settled.
“Think he wants a look around?” Evan offered, and Wes handed Greyson to him. “Well, aren’t you something else?” Greyson blinked. Evan tickled his belly a little, and Greyson smiled and giggled. What a happy kid.
Evan bounced him lightly, and Greyson took the chance to look around for himself. It had been quite a while since Evan had held a baby, and the warmth soaked right through his clothes. They shared smiles and a few more giggles. Then Greyson turned back to Wes, and Evan gave him back.
“I don’t know what is going to happen next, and I definitely hope your brother isn’t involved.”
Wes nodded. “It’s okay. If he is, then it’s his own fault.” Wes tucked Greyson back into the stroller. “Look, I don’t know how I can introduce you to Trey. He and I don’t travel in the same circles, if you know what I mean. But I’ll tell you if I see anything suspicious.”
Evan had to ask. “Why would you do that? I know your loyalties are pretty divided here.”
Wes sighed again. “Because if Trey is involved with people who are dealing drugs or worse, then it can’t have been for very long, and I’m hoping you can get what you need and bring these guys down before Trey gets in too deep. It’s what he does all the time. Like I said, he wants to be important.” Wes stood. “I know you know where I live. Maybe if you want to come over for a visit or something, you could meet Trey. I know you can’t tell him who you are, but maybe in a really clever way, you could warn him about what could happen. Scare him or something.” Wes bit his lower lip again. “Trey can be a real idiot sometimes, but I want him to be safe and I hate that people take advantage of him.”
Now Evan was in a precarious position. “I don’t know what I can do without telling him I’m a police officer. But—” This was a chance to further the investigation and get closer to Wes, two of the things Evan really wanted. “—I can try. Why don’t I meet you for dinner tomorrow night? I can bring chicken or something. What do you think?”
Wes nodded and smiled shyly. “I think I’d like that.” He finished the last of his coffee. “Thank you. I need to get him home, but I’ll see you then.” Wes left the coffee shop and headed down the sidewalk.
Evan sat alone at the table, wondering just what in the hell he was doing. Everything had the potential to blow up in his face, or if he could weave this labyrinth just right, he might be able to get everything he wanted. Evan should know well enough that was unlikely and he was going to have to choose eventually. Sometimes life really sucked.