Slenderman by CeeRee Fields (best ebook reader for pc .TXT) 📕

“See, you’ll be safe as a bug in a rug.”

He snorted at that. “Bugs aren’t safe in rugs. Marta vacuums every week so they’d be sucked up.”

Jo smiled. “I forgot about that. You about ready to try to sleep a bit more?” Lord knew she was ready to drop.

“I think so.” His arms tightened around her. “I love you, Jo.”

“Love you too, hon. Now crawl under the covers. Lisa’s already pulling the trundle bed out so she’ll be nice and comfortable next to your bed.” Jo tucked Rian in and tweaked his nose. “Just don’t step on her when you get up.”

Lisa coughed but didn’t interrupt Jo calming Rian down.

“I’ll remember.” His eyes blinked a few times. Jo turned off the lamp and headed for the door.

Once the nightmare was over and the adrenaline rush had calmed, Rian usually slept the rest of the night.

Rhys was propped on the wall outside of Rian’s room.

“Evan?”

“Didn’t even wake up.” Rhys laced their fingers together, and they headed for their bedroom. “Are they any closer to finding Lucy?”

“No, Redden said she didn’t cross at any border crossings that he could find.”

“So she’s still here.” Worry wound through every word.

“I don’t think so. I think she’s gone. How? I’ve no clue, but I think she’s holed up somewhere drinking fruity drinks and wearing a smug smile.” Jo ground her teeth at the image. “We’re still meeting your friends tonight, right?”

“Yes.”

She refrained from grumbling. This Valentine’s Day was their chance at a do-over since their last one had been a nightmare. Just because she had to share it with his friends didn’t mean it would suck necessarily, but if she had to arrest one, then she would not get lucky tonight. Which would suck since she had bought the gorgeous bustier and black silk stockings Rhys had been eyeing in her lingerie catalog. She’d even purchased the harlot red for him instead of black.

“It won’t be so bad, and I think you’ll enjoy meeting Gabriella,” Rhys said as they slid into bed. “She’s down to earth like you but is more artistic, since she’s an interior designer.”

Oh God. Jo wouldn’t have much in common with an interior designer. The only thing she knew about decorating was how to get blood out of a carpet at a crime scene and how to patch up bullet holes in walls. She doubted either of those points would be good conversation starters with Gabriella. Shrugging, she would treat it as an interrogation and focus the conversation on the woman and Rhys’s friends. That should keep Jo from making too many mistakes.

Her smile returned. Then again, maybe she could torture Rhys through dinner by letting him know what was under her dress. If she took that route, he’d be distracted to the point he wouldn’t be able to say what the conversation was even about, and when they hit the house, he’d all but rip the dress from her. It would be a win-win for her. Thank God she’d talked her mother into taking in Rian and Evan tonight. It meant the house would be Jo and Rhys could do anything they wanted in their home after dinner.

~ ~ ~

The precinct was relatively quiet, and Jo caught up on paperwork which had piled up to the top of her computer screen. With the last signature for vacation approval done, she set it in the blue folder and took it to Captain Walker’s assistant for his approval before it went to HR.

“Come on Jo, I’ll walk you to your car.” Sullivan pulled on the gray peacoat Elle had given him for Christmas. It looked so much better on him than the tan trench coat he’d worn for years.

Jo slid her leather jacket on and slung her backpack over her shoulder. “Do you and Elle have plans tonight?”

“Yes, I’m taking her to dinner and dancing at Ruth’s Place. They have a jazz group coming to play, and Elle loves jazz.”

“Ruth’s Place? Wasn’t that a strip joint?” Jo thought for sure it had been a strip joint. When did it turn into a restaurant?

Sullivan held the door open for her. “Not anymore, though they kept the pole in . . . you know what, it doesn’t matter. It’s a great place to eat and dance. Elle loves it. We can go there for lunch sometime and let you check it out.”

“Unless they bleached that place down, my ass is not sitting in there.”

“For crying out loud. Of course they ripped everything out and redid the place from top to bottom. I should know, considering how many times I had to go down to break up fights when I was a beat cop.”

The cold wind of February slapped Jo in the face and made her shiver. She hated the cold, and the heavy gray clouds let her know rain was on the way.

“Well then, I’m game. Besides, you and Elle will have a great time since you like jazz too.”

“True. You, however, have no taste in music.”

“Screw you, Sully. Rhys and I love the same kinds of music, and it’s rock, not something to put us to sleep.” Jo waved his reply away. “More importantly, what’d you get her?”

“A Coltrane album she’s been missing. Coltrane Jazz Atlantic 1354.”

“I hope she likes it.” Not that Jo knew if the album or the band was any good but based on Sullivan’s glee-filled expression he’d done well.

“She will,” his tone brooked no argument, and she smiled at having gotten under his skin again. He was too easy to tease.

“And Rhys?”

“No idea. I can tell you I’ll be wearing sexy lingeri—”

“Enough! Seriously, you didn’t get him anything else for Valentine’s?”

Jo looked both ways before crossing the street. She didn’t care what the hand said, as a rookie she’d gone on several crash calls where the person had run the red light. “Nope, we’re having dinner with his friends then it’s just us and an empty house.”

“Christ. You two need to find a hobby.”

They stepped into the parking