Rory: Hope City, Book 7 by Maryann Jordan (uplifting books for women txt) 📕

11

Rory pulled into the driveway of his parents’ house, staring up at the huge, two-story brick home that he was raised in—and had recently moved out of again. Glancing to the side, he spied the Kings’ house, and untold memories of the two families growing up together filled his mind. His mom still fixed a large Sunday noon meal and loved nothing more than having all or as many of her children who could make it around the table. He recognized several of the cars already parked in the driveway, so he knew he wouldn’t be the only one at the meal.

Stepping through the front door, talking and laughter came from the back where the large kitchen that led into the family room was located.

“Uncle Rory!”

He scooped up his niece, Colleen, offering her a hug and kiss. Placing her feet back onto the floor, she scampered off and he bent to kiss Colleen’s mother, his sister, Tara, before shaking hands with Tara’s husband, Carter. Sean came down the hall toward him and the two brothers greeted each other with handshakes and backslaps. “Did Harper come today?”

“Yeah, she’s in the kitchen with Mom.” Sean held his gaze before glancing around to see that they were alone, then dropped his voice. “Heard you were at the Cock the other night. You okay?”

“Yeah. I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything, have you?” Sean was an arson detective, but their brother, Kyle, and Carter were detectives with the narcotics division.

“No, but I’ve given Harper strict orders not to go back.”

“And how did she take that?”

Sean grimaced. “Okay, let’s say that ‘orders’ didn’t go over so well. But we agreed that she’d only go when in the company of others, and they’d never leave their drinks unwatched.”

Carter stepped forward into their huddle and shook his head. “It’s not my case, but I heard they haven’t made any headway. All they had was a generic description, and the guy made sure to not face any of the security cameras.” He glanced around as well. “Tara’s concerned about Caitlyn and Bekki King being there a lot, too.”

“Rory, I didn’t know you’d come in,” his mother said, gently elbowing the other men to the side to offer a warm hug, ending their conversation. She leaned back and smiled. “I’m so glad you got to come today.”

Her brown hair had silvered, cut in a style that swung just above her shoulders. Her smile was easy, readily given, just as her hugs were. “Are Kyle and Kimberly coming?” he asked.

“They’re coming later. They hope to make it by dessert.”

“Hey, Rory!” Caitlyn walked from the kitchen, a platter of rolls in her hand, grinning at him as she made her way into the dining room.

“Hey, stranger,” came a soft voice from behind. Turning, he saw Erin smiling at him. Wrapping his arms around her, they hugged tightly. Sharon clapped her hands, calling the family to the table. Making his way into the dining room, Rory was finally able to greet his dad. Still tall and well-built, Colm, a retired FBI agent, greeted him with a hearty hug. “Good to see you, son. Let’s get to the table before your mom fusses and the others grab all the food.”

The meal was a lively event, much like those he remembered growing up. The conversation centered around the family members, their jobs, their activities, and even the Kings next door. By the time the meal was over, he felt like he’d caught up on all the news and gossip. As dessert was served, his brother, Kyle, came in with his fiancée, Kimberly, joining in the fun.

As they began to clear the table and take the plates back into the kitchen, he managed to fall in line next to Harper. Catching her eye, he whispered, “Will you have a moment before we all leave? I have something I wanted to ask you.”

“Of course!” She glanced around and said, “There’s plenty of people to clean up. We’ll step outside.” She set her plate down, sent a smile toward Sean, then followed Rory out onto the back patio.

Harper was pretty, soft-spoken, and nurturing, all a good match for his brother. She turned and waited expectantly. Suddenly tongue-tied, he lifted his arm, crooked his elbow, and squeezed the back of his neck with his hand.

“Rory, what’s on your mind?”

Sighing heavily, he said, “Sandy.”

Harper startled, her chin jerking back slightly. “Sandy?”

“I was with her the other night—”

“Sean told me. At the Celtic Cock. Yes, I know.”

Nodding, he hesitated before plunging in again. “I noticed she was shaken by what happened. I drove her home to make sure she got there safely, but… well…” His voice tapered off, and he looked at Harper, somehow hoping she’d understand what his unvoiced question was. No such luck.

Cocking her head to the side, Harper said, “Thank you for taking her home, Rory. I’m not sure what you’re looking for, though. I’ve talked to Sandy since then, so I’m aware of what happened.”

His shoulders slumped, and he dropped his chin to his chest, staring at his boots for a moment. Finally, gaining his courage, he lifted his head. “I got the feeling that she was more shaken about the events than just what she witnessed. I wondered if… if there was something that had happened to her… uh… you know, before…”

Harper held his gaze for a long time. Her tongue darted out and licked her lips, appearing to consider her words carefully. “I’ve known Sandy since we became freshman roommates in college, and there’s very little we don’t know about each other, good and not so good. But I’m afraid, Rory, that any specific questions you have about her past would need to be answered by her.”

“Yeah, I get it. I just felt kind of helpless. Like there was something I wanted to do but didn’t know what it was.” If he hoped that Harper was going to offer him consolation or platitudes, she didn’t. Instead,