Page 14 of Aspen's Defense

Dillon nods reluctantly. "His name just crossed my desk last month on a list of new parolees from TDJC."

"He was in prison?" Noah growls.

"For a home invasion."

"Jesus fucking Christ."

"Would you recognize him if you saw him again?" Dillon asks me, his tone grim. His expression matches. I think his bad mood is getting worse.

"Yes."

"I'll scrounge up a photo and run it by for you to take a look at. If he's our guy, we'll start rattling cages until we shake him loose. I doubt he's gone far."

"She'll be staying with me," Noah says.

"Uh, no, she won't," I say.

"Yeah, you will. You aren't staying alone after what just happened. If they saw you, they may very well try to finish the job," Noah says, his expression implacable. "So you're either staying at my place, or I'm staying at yours. Either way, you aren't staying alone."

I glance to Jack for help.

"Don't look at me," my traitor of a boss says. "Your brother will have a shit fit if I let you stay with me, and that's drama I don't need right now."

Crap. Nash. He's going to lose his mind when he finds out about this, and there's no way he isn't going to find out. Even if I manage to convince Noah not to tell him, it'll get back to him eventually. I don't know how, but he always seems to know when something bad happens. It's like his freaking superpower or something.

"I'll stay with you on one condition," I tell Noah, hoping to forestall the inevitable for as long as humanly possible.

Noah's expression is rife with suspicion as he eyes me. "What's your condition, Dimples?"

"You can't tell my brother about what happened until after the sheriff finds and arrests his suspects." It won't keep Nash from finding out for long, but hopefully, long enough for the dust to settle. By the time I have to tell him the truth, the worst will be over, and there will be no reason for him to come swooping in to try to convince me to move back to Seattle.

I'll be able to buy half of the coffee shop, and then deal with him.

"You want me to lie to your brother," Noah says, searching my expression.

"I don't want you to lie," I say carefully. "I just want you to not mention it yet. That's all."

Dillon snorts softly. I shoot him a death glare. Sheriff or not, I still make his coffee and the scones he takes to Jules when he has to work late. He can be Team Aspen this once.

"Fine," Noah agrees. "I won't tell him. Yet."

"I'd like the record to reflect that I had nothing to do with this," Jack says.

"Uh, yeah, you do. Because you aren't telling him either." I cut my eyes at Jack. "Otherwise, I'm taking the day off while you deal with replacing the window and all the cranky customers."

Jack's eyes widen. "You wouldn't."

I eye him levelly.

"Well, now you're just being mean," he mutters.

I end up taking the day off anyway. Noah and Jack don't really give me much choice. They gang up on me and basically demand that I take the day off while the cleaning crew handles putting the shop back in order. Half an hour after the police clear out, I'm back in my car, headed home with Noah following behind me.

Brick meets us at the front door, meowing.

"Jesus Christ," Noah mutters. "That's the biggest cat I've ever seen."

I smile despite myself. Brick is massive. He appeared in my kitchen not long after I moved in. I have no idea where he came from, but no one ever does with the Cat Delivery System. It's just how the system works. He decided my house was his house and never left.