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13. Perfect Mate

13

PERFECT MATE

" H appy Thanksgiving," Jarrett's mother said two weeks later.

"The same," he said. "Am I the first one here?"

"You are," Alice Bond said. "I'm just putting snacks together. Alex had to work last night so I think he's sleeping. He'll be going in later tonight too. Mac and Sidney should be here soon. She wanted to get Jace down for his nap here and then he'd be up for dinner."

It was almost noon and they'd be eating at two. If Alex worked last night he was home a little after eight and would sleep for four or five hours. All of them were used to not getting a lot of sleep.

Since Jarrett had a scanner at his house, he didn't remember anything going off, at least on this side of the island where his brother worked. He only had the scanner set for that area anyway. He wanted to know what his brothers were doing as much as Mac and Alex did. It was the family protectiveness in their blood to know if they were needed.

"Jace will be ready to go by then," he said. "Can I help you?"

"Nope," his mother said. "You can watch football with Dad. All you kids work so hard and you don't get a break. I'm almost done."

He hated that she did so much but knew there was no arguing. He didn't even bring anything on a holiday anymore either because it's not like he was going to make a dessert like Sidney did. Nor was he going to put snacks together. He'd just go buy them, but his mother insisted she liked to feed them.

"Dad, want a beer?"

"I've been waiting for someone to get here so I could have one," his father said.

Jarrett smirked. He knew his mother watched his father more as he'd gotten older. Bill Bond had been Amore Island Chief of Police until he retired and Mac took over. She worried about his health, but the occasional beer wasn't hurting anyone. His mother was caring and protective in her own way to those she loved.

"I'll grab them then," he said.

He walked to the kitchen, pulled the fridge openandgrabbed two cans of beer, then opened and poured them into the glasses his mother set down.

He snagged a piece of cheese she'd just put on a platter only to get her grin.

His mother was right behind him with the plate of meat and cheeses that she put on the coffee table in the middle of the room. He handed the beer to his father and sat in the recliner next to him, then put his feet up.

He had one of these recliners at his house and it was where his ass got planted when he had the time to slow down and not do any work.

"Thanks," his father said. "How are things going? I heard it's been a busy few weeks."

Being the onlyfull-timeinvestigator on the island, it felt as if he never got a break. Even on theweekendhe got calls all the time.

There were other investigators that cameover one or two days a week, but they were based on the mainland and split their time, often taking on the cases that carried over from Boston to Plymouth and the island.

Anything that happened solely here landed in his lap.

Though plenty was pushed to Amore Island PD and their detectives, there was just as much that was state police.

"It has been. At least the break-in at Van's rental should be closed for now."

His cousin Kelsey's boyfriend had a few rentals on the island. Van was a 9-1-1 operator, but they all recently found out that he was Kyle Raymond's business partner. Van's grandfather had passed and left his assets and shares of his investments to Van.

"Do you think it was something that simple?"

"No," Jarrett said. "None of it makes any sense to me and I'm still digging, but I can't find anything. The guy breaks into a house and doesn't take anything. Doesn't destroy anything and then leaves quickly. It's sloppy, the break-in."

"And to do nothing more than walk around says he's looking for something," his father said.

"Exactly. The renters said nothing is missing."

"Which means he might be back?" his father asked.

"No," he said. "That's the thing. The guy says it wasn't him, that he wasn't even on the island. But once we showed him proof he washere andcoming and going in the van, he said he forgot he was at the casino. But since he's got a lawyer, not much more has been said."

"Damn lawyers," his father said.

"My feeling too. There is no actual proof he broke in. No fingerprints. Nothing more than a neighbor who described a van with letters on it for a business that doesn't exist on the island. Miles came over and left in a van the same color, no lettering."

"So you've got nothing," his father said.

"Pretty much, other than Miles knows he was caught in a lie and is being watched."

"Which could be enough," his father said. "But I'm sure you've got plenty of more cases keeping you busy."

"Always," he said, taking a sip of his beer.

Enough that he didn't get to see Andi much either. They'd had one date last week.

She was catching up on all her missed appointments from the week of her accident and working late. She hadn't even taken one day off last week but did have two nights she was home earlier and they could have had dinner if he wasn't held up.

Saturday she worked and Sunday was the day they finally got to spend a few hours together.

She was alone today.

It bothered him and he wanted to invite her but knew she'd say no. And he'd have a lot of questions to answer with his parents. Or his mother at least.

Three datesinand several communications a woman over a few weeks wasn't enough to invite her to a family dinner. It'd be putting her on the spot, especially after he'd told her how his mother was with the women her sons dated.

He looked up when the door opened and Mac came in carrying a big diaper bag. It made him smile every time he saw it.

Sidney was next holding Jace's hand. His nephew rarely wanted to be carried, which might be a good thing for Sidney since Jace was a big toddler.

"Uncle Jarrett," Jace shouted. Or what sounded likethat.The syllables all mashed together.

"Hey, Buddy. Come give me five."

Jace raced over and climbed into the chair and on his lap, slapped him fiveandthen tried to climb over the arm and reach the distance to the other arm of his father's chair.

"I don't think so, Jace," his father said, reaching his hands over.

Jarrett transferred his nephew to his father's arms for the high five and then Jace climbed down and ran to the back of the house to see his mother.

"How are you going to manage three of them?" he asked Mac.

"Carefully," Mac said. "Mom and Dad had no problem with us and we are all two years apart or so. Jace will be a few months shy of three when the twins are born. At least he's potty trained now."

"Thank God," Sidney said. "He was pretty fast and the thought of three diapers at once gives me the shivers."

"I told Sidney that Jace should go to preschool more than twice a week once the twins are born. Or more now if she needs the rest and to get her work done."

"I can help out more," his mother said, bringing in another plate of snacks. This one cut-up fruit, and Jace had a bag of Goldfish crackers in his hand.

"I'll need it I'm sure," Sidney said. "In a few months. Fornowit's good. Those two full days a week give me a lot of time to get my writing and drawing done. The writing isn't a big deal, but the illustrations take longer. Not to mention the ones I'm doing for other authors."

"The less Jace naps, the harder it's going to be," Mac said. "You know that. You need your rest too."

"You're looking at me to help with this battle," his mother said. "I can and will, but it's hard for women to give in. It's a mother's guilt because Sidney is home and feels she can do it all."

Jarrett watched as his sister-in-law nodded her head. "I think if I went into an office daily I wouldn't think that way. But being home, it is harder."

"And you're losing your office to the twins so we've got to focus more on the house hunt," Mac said.

"Any luck yet?" he asked.

"Nothing. Or nothingthat ismuch bigger than we have or doesn't need more work than I can get done before the twins are born."

"I told Mac it doesn't matter," Sidney said. "Outdated doesn't mean it's not livable. I don't care if the kitchen or bathrooms are outdated if they function. We can work on those things in time. Space is more important."

"Agreed," his mother said. "Did you find something and don't agree on that?"

"No," Mac said. "We haven't looked at anything that has the space."

"I found something," Sidney said. "Yesterday."

"And you're telling me now?" Mac asked.

She pulled her phone out and then tossed it to Mac. "It's big. In our price range, but at the top. Needs updating. Not work to be livable. Just updating. The important things are new. Roof, furnace, and new windows."

"It's not that far from Jarrett," Mac said. "Around the corner."

"Let me see," he said when his brother was done looking. Mac handed over the phone. "I've passed the house. I didn't see a sign though."

"There is no sign," Sidney said. "The realtor told me they are trying to sell it like this first. It just went up this week. I want to check it out. Maybe tomorrow."

"It's a nice street," Jarrett said. "The area is quiet. That house is older, but it'swell maintained. I remember when the roof and windows went in last year."

"Storm damage," Sidney said. "That is why it was done."

"I don't care the reason, but it's a big expense we won't have," Mac said. "See if we can look at it tomorrow. It needs work though."

"That close to me," he said. "I can pitch in."

"You still have your own house to finish," Mac argued.

"My kitchen and the baths are done. The living room too. That's good enough for me. I'll get to the other rooms at some point. I'm the only one there." His deck and patio needed work, the front porch could use new steps, but they functioned well enough. The list went on and on.

"It's settled," his mother said. "Hopefully it's what you're looking for and we can all pitch in and get it ready if it works out. I'm going to check on dinner and then come in and relax with you all before I have to get the table set."

"That's right," Jarrett said. "Sit and relax and then we'll help you get the food set up when it's time to eat."

"Look at you sucking up and being all helpful," Mac said. "Always the baby of the family kissing Mom's ass."

He snorted over the joke. "Whatever."

"Leave your brother alone," Sidney said. "I hope our kids are like this someday too."

"Yeah," he said. "Listen to your wife."

"Like you know what it's like having a significant other," Mac said.

"Maybe someday Jarrett will find his perfect mate just like my other boys did," his mother said. "It's almost game time. Let's enjoy."

Funny how he never thought he'd find a perfect mate, but Andi popped into his head and he wondered what she was doing right now. And if she felt alone and missing her family.

Maybe he should check in on her too…

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