You liked Napoleon, huh?” Scott drove, exiting Napoleon’s neighborhood ten minutes later.

“He’s so charming.” Rachel lay her head back on the passenger’s seat. “He’s so eclectic and I love the way he talks. So down-to-earth and witty.”

“He liked you too.” He made a right. “I thought he was gonna steal you away for a second there.”

“Hm, I thought about it.”

“Really?” He poked her side, tickling her. “Get that thought out your mind.”

“He’s a wonderful person.” She gazed at the lights of the strip mall as they passed the parking lot. “You’re so lucky to have people like him in your life.”

He gripped the steering wheel. “I hate you couldn’t experience what I did growing up. Makes me feel bad how I always complained about my dad and you didn’t even have parents to take care of you. I can’t imagine how that was.” He stopped at a red light.

“Thank god I had my brother.”

“So, uh…” He continued driving. “What were you and Napoleon talking about when I was on the phone?”

“I wasn’t the first person you rescued.” She raised an eyebrow.

“He told you about Anthony?” He glanced through the rearview mirror. “The boy who almost drowned at the lake?”

“Why did you let Bobby take the credit when you saved him?”

“I didn’t let him take it.” He tugged on his seatbelt. “Bobby said he did it, and dad wouldn’t have believed me, anyway.”

“Why not?”

“I wasn’t much in his eyes.” He steered with one hand. “I didn’t fit the image of the son he wanted like Bobby did. Bobby was the splitting image of my father. They acted the same. They liked the same things. Bobby was more my father’s brother than mine.”

“Was he real strict? In his picture he looks mean.”

“He was strict with me.”

“Only with you?”

“Whenever I wanted to do something I got a lecture, but Bobby didn’t even have to ask when it was something he wanted.”

Rachel shook her head, scoffing.

“He wasn’t abusive or anything but he had expectations and if you didn’t follow them he didn’t let you forget that.”

“It’s sad your father didn’t realize how wonderful you are.” She stroked his hair. “Do you miss him?”

“Every day,” he said above a whisper. “I always wanted to ask him why I was such a disappointment. Why couldn’t he see my differences as strengths instead of weaknesses? I swear if I ever have kids, I won’t treat them differently from each other. You shouldn’t do that. You should love your kids no matter what.”

“Do you doubt your father loved you?”

He faced the window where she couldn’t see his expression.

“Scott?”

He drove on in silence.

* * *

“I mean it, man.” Bobby jogged beside Scott the following Saturday morning, struggling to keep up. “We need to stop.”

“Stop?” Scott kept a perfect stride, barely breaking a sweat. “We’ve only done three miles.”

“Three?” Bobby panted, holding his waist. “Feels like three hundred. You trying to kill me?”

“Can’t hang?” Scott smirked, enjoying having the upper hand over his brother for once. “You’re in terrible shape to be a cop.”

“I don’t jog around the city every day.” Bobby rolled his eyes. “I’m a detective who sits behind a desk reading reports.”

They ran through the trail of Sunway Park, passing several joggers and people having picnics at the tables.

Bobby huffed and puffed. “You had to pick the hottest day of the year to do this?”

“You’re not getting any younger.” Scott increased his speed. “Besides, I invited you out here for brother time. You’re always whining about us having friction.” He took controlled breaths. “I’m making an effort.”

“Yeah?” Bobby gawked at a busty brunette woman in lime green shorts and a tight T-shirt. “Holy…” He spun around when she passed. “Did you see the knockers on her? Tits for days. Maybe I need to come out here more often.”

Scott laughed, keeping a smooth pace. “Pervert.”

“It’s cool you wanted to spend time with me, but I get the feeling there’s something more to it.”

“I can’t just want to spend time with my brother?”

“Let’s take a break.” Bobby stopped, pulling Scott’s arm. “I feel like I’m sixty-years-old.”

“That’s why we need to keep jogging.”

“I’m serious.” Bobby yanked the top off his water bottle, squinting from the sunlight. “I need a break. Please.”

“Okay.”

They sat on a bench underneath the trees.

“Ooh, Jesus.” Bobby stretched his long legs. “Next time you wanna bond invite me to a movie, shit.”

Scott chuckled, sipping water from his bottle.

“No more bullshitting.” Bobby drank water then spit in the grass. “What did you really want?”

Scott rubbed the thighs of his jogging pants. “Promise not to say anything to anyone.”

“Tell me first.”

Scott shook his head. “Promise first.”

“Okay, I promise.” Bobby fanned his shirt. “Man, it’s hot today. What is it?”

“It’s about Rachel.”

“Do you ever not think about that woman?”

“No.”

“Napoleon told me you brought her to his place the other night. What the fuck is going on, Scott?”

“I’m in love with her.” He set the water bottle in the grass beside his feet. “And, before you lecture me on there’s no way I can be in love so fast, I don’t want to hear it.”

“This is insane. Bet you don’t even know her middle name.”

“Louise.”

“Where did she go to school? What about her family?”

“She’s never been out of Willowick County, and her brother raised her. I know what I gotta know.”

“I don’t trust her, and I never will. Something’s off.”

“She told me the trouble she’s in.” Scott rubbed his knuckles. “It’s bad, Bobby. Worse than I thought. I’ve been holding it in because I promised not to tell you, but I’m scared of what could happen to her.”

“I don’t even care.”

“She’s in debt to Dario Fusco.”

“Dario Fusco?” Bobby grabbed Scott’s wrist. “Dario fuckin’ Fusco?”

“I take it you’ve heard of him.”

“I’m sure there’s not a cop alive that hasn’t.” Bobby let him go. “Fusco is one of the biggest dealers in the South. He’s a coke king, Scott.”

“She told me.”

“And, you act like it’s no big deal? Fusco is the type of man who’d kill his child if he fucked with his money. He doesn’t give a damn who he hurts.”

“I need you to look into him and see what you can do—”

“Are you crazy? First of all I’m a Massachusetts detective. Duh. I have no jurisdiction in Florida whatsoever. Even if I did have the jurisdiction, you’d still need the FBI and even they can’t get anything on him.”

“What about that girl you dated, Caitlyn? She works for the Feds, right?”

“I’m not gonna go digging around in Fusco’s business for nobody. Now if this doesn’t make you leave Rachel alone, I don’t know what will.”

“I’m not turning my back on her.”

“Listen to me.” Bobby grabbed Scott by the neck. “Fusco will kill you.”

“He’ll kill Rachel if she doesn’t get him seven hundred grand.”

“Tough titty.” Bobby let Scott go. “She shouldn’t be mixed up with Fusco in the first place. That tells you she’s shady.”

“You got it wrong.”

A petite woman pushed a pink stroller past them.

“Her brother dealt drugs for Fusco and stole his stash,” Scott said. “Fusco is coming after Rachel because her brother disappeared.”

“How many times do I have to say I don’t give a fuck?” Bobby stood, leaning over him. “Your ass is walking away right now.”

“No.”

Bobby leaned back, holding his head. “What is wrong with you?”

“I’m invested in Rachel now. I won’t abandon her. Either I help her out this mess or she and I go down together.”

“Wow.” Bobby leaned to the side, holding his waist. “That must be some damn good pussy.”

“Stop it.” Scott stood. “Don’t talk about her like that.”

“Why am I here?” Bobby held his palms out to Scott. “I can’t help you with Fusco.”

“I need you to have my back. Can you do that?”

“Why should I look after your safety when you won’t? Please, if this is the last time you listen to me, listen good. You need to leave Rachel alone and forget you ever met her.”

Scott got his water bottle. “Break’s over.”