Chapter 1
Ronan
May, present day…
Ronan O’Mara loved Parents’ Day at Salem Elementary School. Originally, it had been a Mother’s Day celebration, but five years ago the school had changed it to celebrate all parents, so every child could participate.
The kids had come home with a sign-up sheet a few weeks back, asking what their contribution to the party would be.
Ten had signed Everly up for a platter of finger sandwiches, which the two of them painstakingly stuffed the night before.
Ronan knew Wolf was bringing Cope’s famous hummingbird cupcakes.
Ronan referred to them as “kitchen sink” cupcakes, because of the varied number of ingredients.
Aurora had signed up for a pasta salad. Fitz had been so excited to make it with her.
Other parents had signed up to decorate the classroom and to help serve the food.
Ronan noticed the colorful family drawings posted around the room.
He had quickly spotted the one Everly had drawn of their family.
It included not just himself, Ten, Ezra, and Everly, but their dog, Dixie, and cat, Luna, as well as ghostly images of Erin O’Mara and Bertha Craig.
Ronan had to admit she’d captured their family perfectly.
After the celebration was over, he was going to take their portrait home and frame it.
Ronan and Ten sat at a table with Jude, Cope, and Fitz, who watched as their kids served them lunch.
The point of Parents’ Day was to serve the adults lunch as a way to thank them for all their hard work. Ronan grinned as he watched Everly approach their table. She wore black pants, a white shirt and a bright blue apron. “Hi, Daddy! How can I serve you today?”
“The Mustang could use a tire rotation and an oil change.” Ronan laughed.
Everly rolled her eyes. “How about a chicken salad sandwich, chips, pasta salad and a fruit cup?”
“Add one of Cope’s cupcakes and you have a deal,” Ronan agreed. He couldn’t believe how grown up Everly looked in her server outfit and wondered if waiting tables would be in her future.
“And for you, Dad?” Everly beamed at Tennyson.
“I’ll have the same as Daddy, but with a tuna sandwich, please.”
“Great! I’ll be right back with your order!
” Everly hurried back to the food tables.
Ronan watched as she gave their orders to Betty, Kenny P’s Mom.
The kids in their class called Kenny “Booger Boy” thanks to his uniquely disgusting snacking habits.
Ronan hoped to hell the woman had clean hands.
Next year, he’d suggest the parents serving the food wear gloves.
With their orders placed, Ronan turned his attention to Tennyson, who was unusually quiet. “You okay?”
Ten sighed. “Maybe. I’m still struggling with what Autumn Miller did to me. To our family.”
Autumn Miller had been responsible for Tennyson being arrested and spending a night in jail several weeks ago.
She and her sidekick, former police captain Dutch Vance, had been responsible for throwing a brick through their living room window, shards of which cut Everly and Aurora.
They later attacked Ten at Salem Mercy Hospital.
Ronan had been having flashbacks himself. He couldn’t get the images of his crying, bloodied daughter out of his mind and of Vance holding a gun on his husband. Ronan knew if he was still struggling, Ten would be too. “You’ve been so down over the last few weeks, babe. What can I do to help you?”
Ten smiled at Ronan. “You’re not going to believe me if I tell you.”
Ronan leaned in closer. “You want to go away for an adults-only, clothing-optional weekend? We’ll pack flavored lube, get couples massages, order room service, and try out our new biker costumes.” He waggled his eyebrows.
“That’s not the worst idea you’ve ever had,” Ten agreed. “Not having to cook or clean up sounds like heaven, but I was thinking working a case with you would go a long way in feeling better and recovering some of my lost faith in law enforcement.”
“You want to come back to work for the Salem Police?” Ronan asked.
During the height of the Autumn Miller situation, Ten had been put on administrative leave by Police Chief, Cisco Jackson, after his arrest. That leave had been rescinded as soon as the truth of the matter had come out, but Ronan knew Ten had some residual resentment for the way he’d been treated by the Danvers Police Department, the Essex County Department of Corrections, and the Essex County Jail.
The fact that Ten wanted to go back to work was a miracle.
“I do,” Ten agreed. “I think it’s time.”
“You’re right, Dad,” Everly said, setting Ten’s lunch in front of him. “It is time to go back to work.” She did the same with Ronan’s plate.
“What do you know about that, little miss?” Ten asked. A worried look flashed over his face. The last time Everly told him about his future, it was to say that something bad was coming. She hadn’t been wrong.
“We’re gonna work a case together really soon.” Everly grinned brightly at her father.
“We’re gonna work a case? Who’s we?” Ronan asked, feeling as alarmed as he sounded.
Everly pointed between herself, Ten and Ronan. “All three of us. I’ve gotta go get your drinks. I’ll be right back.”
Ronan watched as Everly headed off. He took a breath to get his emotions under control.
Everly loved getting involved in the cases he and Tennyson worked, but Ronan hated that so much of her innocence was being stripped away.
On the other hand, who was he to turn down help that was always right on the money?
The Salem Police Cold Case files were filled with crimes that Everly could help solve. “Do you know anything about this?”
Ten shook his head. “I shut down my gift today. I didn’t want to hear what the other parents thought of me after I went to jail.” Ten’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“I hear that,” Ronan muttered. “I remember how hard it was after I’d been arrested for Corbin St. Pierre’s murder. People looked at me like I was the scum of the earth. It got better over time. The same thing will happen with you.”
“Here we go!” Everly handed each of her fathers juice pouches.
“I’ve punched the straw into a million of these things, but this is the first time I’ve ever had one to drink.
” Ronan took a sip and nearly gagged. It tasted vaguely like fruit punch, but with the horrible aftertaste of sugar substitute.
He had a feeling the drink would be more healthy with the full dose of sugar rather than the chemical sweetener used in its place.
“So, what’s this case you were talking about earlier?” Ten asked, before taking a bite of his sandwich.
“It’s something to do with a baby,” Everly said. “I gotta go get my lunch now that you guys are served.”
“A baby?” Ronan asked. “We’re not going to have another one, are we?”
Ten, his mouth full of tuna salad, shook his head. “No, we’re definitely not having another baby.”
“Oh, Jesus,” Ronan muttered, feeling gut-punched, “is someone’s child going to die?”
“I’m not getting anything about that and I’m not sure Everly is either.” Ten looked worried.
It was one thing for their seven-year-old daughter to work on cases with them that involved grown-ups hurting each other. It was another matter entirely to be part of a case that involved a dead child. Ronan took a breath, hoping to calm his shredded nerves.
“Here I am!” Everly set her plate on the table and took a seat.
“Explain what you know about this baby,” Ronan said, hoping he sounded calm and not completely freaked out, like he felt.
“I can hear a baby crying, but I can’t find it,” Everly said. “I don’t know what it means. I can’t see if it’s a boy or a girl or if it’s hurt or…” She looked up to Ronan.
Ronan knew exactly what Everly was hinting toward. “Why don’t we give this a little more time to develop and see where we are tomorrow, okay?”
“Sounds good, Daddy!” Everly munched on a chip. “Maybe we can go shopping for bikinis later, since we’re going to the beach for Memorial Day Weekend, right Aurora?”
“Yes! We need cute beach clothes, sunglasses, and new sandals.” Aurora squealed with excitement.
Ronan grinned as the girls discussed summer fashions. Maybe taking the kids shopping would get Ten’s mind off Autumn Miller and this baby Everly mentioned. He could use some new clothes for vacation himself. Maybe some new board shorts or a sexy speedo for private time with Ten.
Whatever their upcoming Memorial Day Weekend brought, Ronan hoped time away from Salem would help Ten get back to his old self and allow him to leave Autumn Miller and her machinations in the past.