5. Hooking And Shacking

5

HOOKING AND SHACKING

" H i, Mom," Jarrett said to his mother two days later when he walked in the front door. "What are you making today? I brought an appetite with me."

"I've got a big pan of baked ziti, meatballs, bread and salad. Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting for dessert."

"Yum," he said. "Good thing I haven't eaten since Friday."

His mother lifted her eyebrow at him. "Don't lie to me."

"Fine," he said. "I ate yesterday, but since it was only pizza and a sandwich, that doesn't count. I was talking about the last thing I ate that counted was some of your soup I found in the freezer on Friday night."

"I heard you had a long day."

He wasn't surprised she'd heard what happened. It was hard to keep a lot of things quiet on this island but more so when it involved law enforcement.

"I did. I even took the day off to go fishing and all I caught was a woman rolling down the embankment."

"You didn't catch her," Alex said, walking in with his wife, Jennie.

"Yeah," Jennie said. "I heard that you saw it but couldn't row fast enough. You boys all think you're superheroes, but you couldn't fly to her."

"Ha ha," Alex said. "I'm just surprised Jarrett didn't leave his canoe and dive in to swim to her faster."

"I thought of it," he said. "But I wasn't close enough and figured ruining my phone that I needed to call for help wasn't a smart move."

"Jarrett has always been the smart one," his mother said.

They turned when the front door opened again and Mac walked in with his wife, Sidney, and their son, Jace. At over two years old, the toddler took off on a full run into the house slapping high fives, hugging his grandmotherandthen over to the chair his grandfather was in all but diving and landing next to him.

"Good lord," Jennie said. "How do you keep an eye on him when he's like that?"

Mac laughed. "He doesn't do it much at home because Sidney is pretty strict."

"I need to be," Sidney said. "Even more so now."

Jarrett lifted his eyebrow. "Is Mac in the doghouse?"

"I want to say yes, but this wasn't his fault," Sidney said.

"What's going on?" his mother asked. "Everything okay?"

"I'm fine," Mac said. "Sidney is the one in shock."

It was the grin on his brother's face. "Are you pregnant, Sidney?" his mother asked.

"I am. Not planned," Sidney said. "But not a bad thing either."

"Congratulations," his mother said, rushing to hug her daughter-in-law. "Sometimes the surprises are the best. When are you due?"

"Let's all have a seat," Mac said. "We are going to need it."

Jarrett frowned. That didn't sound good.

"What's wrong?" he asked right away. Everyone sat, but he stayed leaning against the wall. There weren't enough seats unless he grabbed a dining room chair and, for the moment, he'd rather stay in the room.

Mac was next to his wife holding her hand. His motheronthe couch too. Jennie was sitting on Alex's lap in the other chair.

"I'm due mid-April. I'm just out of the first trimester. And the shocker is that I'm having twins."

"Oh shit," Alex said. "Now I know why you said this has nothing to do with you, Mac."

Though they had twins in their family, none in their branch for generations. Far enough back it probably didn't count.

But Sidney was a twin, and unfortunately her twin sister died when they were kids.

"I had something to do with it," Mac said, grinning. "But now Sidney is going to have all sorts of ideas for her books."

Sidney was a popular children's author and illustrator. She used to be a bartender and that was how Mac and she met, but after Jace was born, she quit and focused on her writing and drawing.

To the best of his knowledge, his sister-in-law was killing it and working herownhours.

In hiseyes,you couldn't ask for much more than that in life.

"I'll just have to find the time," Sidney said.

"You know I'll love to help you out with the babies and give you some time to get work done."

His mother did that when Jace was just a baby. Going over several times a week and watching Jace, or his nephew coming here to spend time with his grandparents.

He'd watched Jace a time or two but not often. He just worked too much or could get called out.

"I'll need the help," Sidney said. "The biggest problem is the house. No way it's big enough."

"I've got a call into Drew to see if he knows of anything coming on the market or someone looking to move something. I think my house will go fast. It's a good starter home. Finding something bigger that I can afford will be harder."

"I told you we can get a fixer," Sidney said. "We know we'll have to."

"Like you want to be in construction with kids underfoot," Mac said.

"If you find something before the babies are born, I'll help out," his father said. "Gives me something to do."

"We all will," Jarrett said. He was fixing his own house when he had time but would put that on hold to help Mac. Just like he helped Alex get work done on his house.

"Sounds like it's settled to me," Mac said. "I'm not going to be too picky about the location since the station is in the middle of the island, but I'd like to not be too far on either end. As you know, options are limited."

"Maybe we can talk Drew into selling me my old house," Sidney said. "It's plenty big enough and in a good location."

"No," his mother said. "You were assaulted in that house and Mac shot someone. That is no place for you to raise your family."

Jarrett was thinking the same thing but wouldn't voice it. He didn't need to. His mother did.

Sidney's ex from another country had found her and attacked her in her home, his brothercomingin andsavingher, thenshootingthe dick before he was arrested.

"I told her that too," Mac said. "Glad I've got support there."

"I'm sure you'll find a house before the babies come, but if not, when they are little it won't be too hard," his father said. "You guys all shared rooms."

"Mac never had to," he said.

"That's right," Alex said. "Mac got hisownroom and then I shared with Jarrett until Mac moved out and then I got his room."

"And you both survived," his mother said.

"Barely," Alex said. "Jarrett is a neat freak."

"I think he's only a neat freak because you were a slob," Mac said.

"He isn't as bad as he was," Jennie said. "I won't tolerate it."

"You give him hell," Jarrett said.

"Now that the good news is out there," his mother said, standing up, "I'll put some snacks out."

"I'll help," Jarrett said. Since he was standing it was easy enough.

When they were in the kitchen his mother said, "You've always been my little helper."

"Thanks," he said. "Makes me sound like a wuss."

"Hardly that." His mother pulled out a plate with cheese and meats on it. Then she got down a box of crackers. There was a bowl of mixed fruits.

He carried in the bowl and plate while his mother had the crackers and it was all set on the dining room table. Then he went back to get some silverware while his mother brought out the paper plates.

He knew the routine. It was what they always did for gatherings.

Since he helped bring it out and set it up, he put some food on a plate and pulled out a chair to sit down.

Mac was there next getting some food and sitting next to him and then his father.

"Anything new to report about Friday?" his father asked.

Jarrett looked at his brother. "Nothing to report at all. A woman fell because she tripped."

His father laughed. "I know you two. That isn't all there is to it. I heard a US Marshal got to town fast. Faster than a relative could manage."

He had looked into Jack Wilson and saw that he was based out of Tulsa and before that Denver,prior tothat, he startedoutin Utah. He'd moved around some.

Did that mean that Andi was from either of those three areas? He had no clue.

"They are sticking to the relative story," he said. "I haven't heard otherwise."

"He's still in town," Mac said.

"Yeah," Jarrett said. "I know." He wasn't surprised Mac was keeping an eye out to see when Jack left. "He came over on the ferry. Must have been dumb luck to catch it when he did since they don't run as much this time of year."

"I talked to Egan and asked him to let me know if a flight is booked out. He'd said so far nothing."

"I'm sure he'll be gone soon," he said.

"Did you look into this woman?" his father asked.

"I didn't," he said. "Did you, Mac?"

"No. I don't want to alert anyone or anything if she is in Witness Protection."

"That was my thought. I know where she works and where she lives," he said. "I'll keep an eye on things as much as I can."

"The same," Mac said. "I can send a patrol around without being obvious."

"Enough talk about work," his mother said. "Neither of you ever get a full day off."

"I'm off today," Jarrett said. "I don't plan on going in."

"Unless you get a call," Alex said. "You're never really off unless you are on vacation andactuallyleave the island. And when was the last time you did that?"

Too long for him to remember. "Does it matter?" he asked. "It's not like I've got a pretty wife or girlfriend to go anywhere with. Most of my single cousins are all hooking up or shacking up."

"And as long as you continue to use the words hooking and shacking you're going to stay single," Alex said. "I learned and you can too."

Since his brother was known for being a bit of a playboy before he met Jennie, he knew it was best to keep his comments to himself and went back to eating.

It seemed everyone knew in the room and let it all drop.

Jarrett didn't need to be lectured or reminded of the fact that he was alone more often than not.