Kissing Reno [Brac Village 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) by Lynn Hagen (good books for 8th graders TXT) 📕

the hall was his dad’s spy. He drew in a slow and steady breath, telling himself not to explode. For one, it was his dad. Although the man had become cranky and distant, Baker still respected him. He remembered a man who used to laugh deeply and spend time with him, teaching him things and doing what dads were supposed to do. Since his mom passed, he hadn’t been the same. Baker longed for the relationship they used to have, but told himself that time had passed and not to dwell too hard on what used to be.

His father was old school. He didn’t buy anything not American made, grew up on a farm—had one himself when he married Baker’s mom—and believed in liberty and freedom. He was an all-American kind of guy. He was a good guy, fair, kind, and always helped others. Baker never remembered him speaking a harsh word about anyone when he was growing up. The distance between them now was killing him.

Second, he didn’t want to be stuck in this cell. He wanted out. Baker didn’t belong in here any more than Miss Fortuna did for spying on him. Curling his fingers around the bar, Baker glanced down the hallway to make sure he didn’t see anyone. “I need to talk to you. It’s very important.”

His father moved closer, his dark-blue eyes filled with concern. “What is it?”

Shaking his head, Baker prayed his dad listened to him. “Not here.” Baker backed away when the man from the parking lot came down the hallway, heading right for them.

“Son, this is Detective Bianchi.”

Baker had been correct in his guess that the guy was Italian. He looked like he was mixed with something else, but Baker didn’t want to stare too hard to figure out what. He was already behind bars. He didn’t want to remain there for offending the cop. One loony-ass cop after him was enough.

“How did you get in here?” Detective Bianchi asked, his accent thick. “You aren’t on the books.”

Baker was afraid to tell how he had ended up in the cell. Didn’t all cops stick together? What if every policeman in the station was dirty? Baker just didn’t know anymore. He had grown up with the belief that cops were there to help people. Johnson had proved that theory wrong. Now he was hesitant, afraid of the man who stood in front of him. His eyes flickered over to his father for strength before he whispered, “Officer Johnson put me down here.”

Baker really wished Reno was here right now. He felt too damn vulnerable and needed the comfort of his mate. With the way his father had been acting, he wasn’t even sure his dad would help.

“Did he say why he arrested you?” Bianchi asked.

Scratching at his neck, Baker nodded. “He came to my apartment to arrest me for an unpaid ticket.”

Bianchi, who had been standing there with an inscrutable expression, widened his eyes, but didn’t say a word. His father had the same incredulous stare.

Baker’s eyes flickered to Detective Bianchi’s hand when he heard keys jingling. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’ll need you to wait in the interview room until I figure this out.”

That was better than waiting down here. Bianchi shoved the key into the cell door and opened it. Baker had never relished his freedom as much as he did now. He stepped out of the cell quickly, praying he never felt the claustrophobic feeling of being locked up again.

“Follow me.” Detective Bianchi led them down the hallway. Baker peeked into the cell where a man was lying down, his beefy arm over his eyes. That had to be the guy who had been talking to him. Baker wanted to ask what he had done, but kept his lips sealed. It was none of his business.

The detective showed them to a room that had a table and a few chairs. Interview room, my ass. Baker had seen enough cop shows to know that the large glass on the wall was a two-sided mirror. This was an interrogation room. He wanted to turn and run as far as he could from this place, but obediently took a seat at the table. His father took the chair next to him.

“It shouldn’t take long to clear this up.” The detective closed the door behind him, and Baker knew that they were locked in. He glanced around, wondering if someone was behind the mirror. As his eyes swept the room, he noticed a camera mounted in one of the upper corners of the wall. He wouldn’t be surprised if there was a listening device in there as well.

Baker imagined a slew of cops behind the mirror that was fixed on the unfriendly grey wall, waiting for him to confess to a murder or something. Taking a chance, Baker leaned up and cupped his hand to his dad’s ear. Thankfully, his father didn’t pull back. As a matter of fact, he leaned in closer.

“There’s—” Baker wasn’t sure how to say what he had to say without sounding like a crazy person. Before meeting Kenway, if anyone had told him that shifters existed, he would have laughed in their face and thought they needed a heavy dose of therapy or drugs. “There’s more than humans in Brac Village.” He knew he was betraying Reno’s trust, but Baker had to let his dad know what was going on.

His dad did pull back then, shaking his head. Baker felt the hope that his dad would be in his corner slip away. “Do you know what you are saying?”

He knew, and even to his ears it sounded outlandish. “It’s true.”

His father began to rub his forehead. His expression seemed conflicted. “I want to believe you. I do, but what you’re telling me…” Glancing at Baker, he could see the struggle of what to do in his dad’s eyes.

“I’m not crazy,” he whispered.

“Not here.”

Baker wasn’t sure what that meant. Did his father believe him? When the man