22. Hartley

22

HARTLEY

“Would you put that down?” I chastised Forest. He was bored out of his mind and kept touching everything in my studio.

“What is it?”

“Nothing you’ll ever use.” I didn’t have time to explain things to him. I had commissioned pieces to work on. The more people who saw Dexen’s suits, the more clients I had. And they wanted more than suits. Not that I was complaining about the money flowing in and demand rising, but I didn’t need to chase Forest around like he was a curious toddler.

Tomorrow, I had a new employee starting. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get all my old employees back. They didn’t wait for me to get on my feet again, nor should they. One at a time, I’d slowly build my staff. This way I could ease into having to pay people rather than a steep payroll right away. Plus, I was still paying off my grandfather’s debt. It was going down though.

Glancing over my shoulder, I looked to see where Forest drifted off to next. He even brought his laptop with him, but since he was still new to his role, he didn’t have a lot to do yet.

Sheldon leaned against the wall near the front door. I had two guards on me today. Rory was currently outside, checking the exterior, while Sheldon’s eyes followed my brother’s ass as he walked around the space.

I put the fabric I was holding down and walked to Sheldon. “What are you doing?” I asked.

“My job.”

“Is it watching my brother walk from one side of the room to the other?”

He didn’t bother to be ashamed. He simply shrugged and said, “It’s a good view.”

“You know Forest is straight, right?”

“Huh.”

“What do you mean, huh?”

“I caught him looking at me a few times and before you say it, it wasn’t in an oh there you are kind of way. He was looking at me.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. I don’t have time for this.”

I went back to work, though my mind wouldn’t stop thinking about what Sheldon said. Was Forest interested in him? All my life my brother had been straight, never having a problem finding women to bring home when he moved out. Whether he still was didn’t matter to me. I’d have his back either way.

Sheldon wouldn’t be a terrible choice for Forest. With his calm personality and the way he was able to diffuse a situation, Sheldon could be good for my brother.

A laugh rang out. I lifted my gaze to find Forest leaning against the counter where Hazel tapped her pen and held my brother’s eyes. I chuckled. There was my brother, the flirt. At least he was sober. Forest wasn’t good at hiding when he drank. I was grateful he was doing well in the short time he’d been in Dremest.

When I glanced at Sheldon again, he shrugged and looked out the front windows. Whatever. My brother’s sex life wasn’t my business. As long as he was healthy, safe, and happy, that was all I cared about. I also doubted Hazel was interested. I hadn’t seen her give him more than a passing glance.

Time ticked by and eventually Forest drifted back to me. “What are you going to do with the apartment upstairs?”

“Hmm?”

“Didn’t you say when Jordan gave you the studio it came with an apartment?”

“It did, but I haven’t given it much thought. I’m not comfortable renting it out to a stranger, given everything happening with Gil. I don’t know who I can trust.”

“Rent it to me.”

I stopped what I was doing and faced my brother. “You don’t enjoy living in the building with us?” The thought of him leaving shouldn’t have hurt, but I just got my brother back. Granted, this was only two blocks from home. I still wanted Forest close. It was selfish of me.

“It’s not that. There are a lot of people in the building at all hours.” I read between the lines. Forest didn’t feel like he had enough privacy.

Before I could reply, Sheldon drifted into our conversation and our space. “You should stay until we find Gil.”

“That asshole doesn’t even know me. Besides, I’ve seen the security system in here. It wouldn’t be as if I wasn’t protected.” Forest’s eyes met mine again. “Please, Hart. I need to spread out.”

I sighed. “On one condition.”

“Anything.”

“If you drink or feel yourself spiraling, I want you to tell me. I don’t want to lose you again.”

Forest reached for me, bringing me into a hug. “You didn’t lose me before. I was so down after losing Pop I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You have all of us now. You’re not alone.”

“Thanks,” he whispered.

Forest being here would worry me. Not because of Gil as much as him being alone. I’d still see him when I worked. I could even bring him breakfast if he liked.

Sheldon returned to the door, facing away from us. Rory stepped inside but didn’t do more than nod before going to the back.

It was really tempting to ask Forest to help me pay off the debt. Instead, I kept my lips pressed together. What he paid me in rent would go toward the house. Hell, for all I knew, Forest had his own bills to pay and he could have gotten less for his condo than he wanted. We hadn’t had much time to chat since he showed up.

Sheldon pushing off the wall had me looking to see what caught his attention. An unmarked police car stopped at the curb. At least I recognized it and wasn’t startled. Where Jordan was concerned, every day could be a new reason for the cops to lock him up.

Barrett exited his vehicle and rounded the hood. Sheldon met him outside, the two talking for a moment before they entered. I liked Barrett and wanted to trust him. Jordan said I shouldn’t, but Barrett had been nice to me. That didn’t mean I was about to spill secrets to him.

“Hartley,” he greeted with a warm smile and an outstretched hand. “It’s nice to see your business is doing well.”

I shook his hand. “Thank you. I’m definitely busy.”

Forest stood behind me like I couldn’t handle talking to someone on my own.

“You’re new,” Barrett said. He extended his hand. “Barrett North.”

Forest shook his hand. “Forest Weathers, Hartley’s brother.”

“It’s nice to meet you. I didn’t know you lived locally.”

“I recently moved back.”

Sheldon slid closer, his hands in his pockets. “Detective North.”

“Sheldon, it’s nice to see you again.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“You’re a cop?” Forest asked. Barrett didn’t look like one. He had on dark jeans, a fitted shirt, and a gray wool coat.

“Detective,” Barrett corrected.

“What can we do for you?” Sheldon asked.

“I’m just doing my rounds, making sure everything’s okay.”

“Sure you are.” Barrett had to be used to this from Jordan’s guards.

“Hartley, can I speak with you for a moment?”

“Not without me present,” Sheldon interjected.

Good god, I didn’t have time for this either. Why was everyone trying to suck my minutes away on shit that wasn’t work? I was trying to earn a living.

“Let’s go,” I said and started for the back, where there was a break room I had set up. A fridge was already in the room, as well as a microwave. I added a coffee maker and a basket of snacks. It wasn’t much but it was better than nothing.

Sheldon went to close the door, but Forest pushed through before he could, closing the door behind him. My brother didn’t know everything, but he knew a lot. Hopefully, he’d keep quiet and let Sheldon or me talk.

“It was easier getting to you than Jordan today,” Barrett began. “I can play the visit with you off. Plus, this pertains to you.”

“What does?”

“There was a break-in at the house you used to rent. It’s still empty.”

“Okay, but what does that have to do with me?” It wasn’t like I still lived there or had anything to do with my old landlord. He didn’t contact me after receiving the call from Jordan.

“Our officers responded, and every room had been torn through. The drawers were open, cabinets, closets.”

“There couldn’t have been much there. Everything I had was packed and moved with me.”

“You’re right, but they took prints. Want to guess who’s they found?”

“Gil,” Sheldon said.

“Bingo. Now why would he purposefully leave his prints? He’s not a stupid man. He has the chief on his side, who is completely confused as to what the fuck Gil is doing.”

My shoulders slumped. I hated every fucking moment that asshole was out there walking free. “To fuck with Vail.”

“Mmhmm.”

“He’s good at mind games,” Sheldon supplied.

“I’ve seen a lot of cases involving obsessed exes, but this is a lot.”

“You fucking think?” Forest interjected loudly. “Can’t you find him and put a fucking stop to this already?”

“Hey,” Barrett barked. “I get that this affects people you care about, but don’t yell at me. I’m trying to fucking help.”

Sheldon put his hand on Forest’s back. “Easy. Barrett may be a cop, but he’s on our side in this. He wants to find Gil too.”

My brother visibly deflated. Sheldon really had a magic touch. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Barrett said. “Hartley, please tell Jordan what happened.”

“He’s not going to like that you were here.”

“Yeah, well, Jordan doesn’t always like the things I do. I’ve learned to live with it. Besides, it was either visit you, which was easy, or get to one of his guards to give him a message for Jordan. Here I can check on your business and see how you’re doing. Everyone at the station knows Jordan wouldn’t call us to help with a break-in.” He was right. Jordan wouldn’t call them except to prove his innocence regarding Gil.

I licked my lips, then forced myself to stop. I used to do it more when I was younger and nervous. Those nerves were hitting me again. This time for Vail. The thought of telling him what Gil did had me shaking. After what Vail went through in the cabin, how he tore through the downstairs while tears ran from his eyes, I hated having to say more to him. I wouldn’t keep it from him though. He had the right to know. If he got to a point where he didn’t want to hear about Gil, I trusted he would tell us.

“I’ll speak with Jordan and Vail.”

Barrett nodded. “Thank you. Let Jordan know I’ll be in touch if anything else happens.”

“I will, but he’s going to be pissed.”

Grinning, Barrett said, “Tell him with Reghan in the room so I can irritate them both at once.”

“Reghan is going to kick your ass one day,” Sheldon stated.

“Nah, but hopefully he’ll fuck me.” Barrett winked, then opened the door, leaving without another word.

I chuckled. Whenever those two got together, it was going to be explosive. They were on a collision course.

“Okay, time to get back to work,” I said. “I’m even more behind now.”

Sheldon had his hand on Forest’s lower back as we walked from the room and Forest didn’t shake him off. Maybe he needed the calm Sheldon provided, or maybe Sheldon was on to something with Forest.