Hunted (Sheppard & Sons Investigations #8)

Chapter 1

Nina

Everyone at Grannie’s is family . I’d heard it a million times, only I wasn’t a Sheppard. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if I was a Novak, despite it being the only name I’d ever known.

I wasn’t family, but Grannie’s was a family business and Mary, the owner, had welcomed me with open arms.

Being Chase’s favorite babysitter helped everyone accept me into the fold, and I found they invited me to more extended family events.

I’m so grateful for getting hired at Grannie’s so soon after losing my previous job.

Getting fired sucked, and in a moment of weakness I’d confided in Beth that I could use more hours while I looked for another job.

Babysitting didn’t pay well, but I was desperate.

Not a lot of employers would work around my class schedule, or tolerate my grandmother’s cancer treatment schedule.

They didn’t understand that just because I attended classes online didn’t mean I could control my schedule.

Any more than I can control my grandmother’s.

After I’d apologized for blubbering, Beth encouraged me to apply at Grannie’s Coffee Saloon, where she was the manager. Beth was also the owner’s best friend; between her reference and Chase’s glowing letter of recommendation, written in blue crayon, I was pretty much a shoo-in.

Mary hired me on the spot, offering me a full-time position with benefits and a flexible schedule. I didn’t even care what the job paid—it was generous—because I could add my sick grandmother to my health insurance.

Getting hired at Grannie’s was like winning the job lottery, giving me the ability to help my grandmother with the expenses her fixed income didn’t cover.

“Nina, can you help me bring in the decorations?” Mary asked. She’d closed the shop early, not worried about missing the income from the Sunday afternoon crowd.

“The money I’ll lose is less than the cost of renting a hall, so it works in my favor,” Mary’d explained after I asked. “And people are understanding when you say you’re closed for a family celebration.”

Family comes first.

“Of course.” I’d be happy to help even if she hadn’t invited me to Madi’s engagement party.

The doorbell above the glass coffee shop door rang as John Sheppard, Mary’s husband, walked in. He kissed Mary on the cheek before saying, “Their flight was delayed, so we have an extra sixty minutes.”

“Is Jay still picking them up?” Mary asked.

“Yes, and before you ask, Jay and Cate know to bring them here.”

“What if they want to go straight home?”

“Jay will think of something.”

“Matt’s still on vacation, so it’s not like Jay can play the boss card,” Mary argued.

“Don’t worry, he’ll get them here.” He hugged her and kissed her temple. “Now put me to work.”

I want what they have.

“I’ll let you lug in the boxes so Nina and I can start decorating.”

“Keys.”

Mary and I hung purple, silver, and white streamers and then decorated the dark wood tabletops with purple and silver tablecloths.

“Madi will love it, but I’m not so sure about Matt,” Mary said, surveying the dining area of Grannie’s.

The bell jingled, and Mary’s youngest son, Jay, and his wife, Cate, walked in.

“Jay, shouldn’t you be on the road?”

“Hi Ma. I’m fine. How are you?” I couldn’t imagine talking to my mother, late mother, with so much sarcasm.

“Sorry, I’m just surprised to see you.”

Mary hugged them.

“We’re grabbing coffee, then hitting the road.”

“Want me to get it for you?” I asked.

“Thanks, Nina, but I can pour them,” Mary said. “John, the caterers will be here any minute. Can you help Nina finish up?”

“On it.”

John and Mary had the kind of fairy tale marriage that every girl dreamed of having, including me. Especially me.

I didn’t have high hopes; no one wanted to date a broke college student caring for her sick, elderly grandmother.

You’re young. I heard Nana Sue’s voice in my head. There’s plenty of time to find the love of your life.

I was twenty-six, so it wasn’t like my biological clock was doom-ticking. I have plenty of time. Dating would be easier after I graduated next semester, but in the meantime, I had to focus on completing my hospitality degree, caring for Nana Sue, and working.

After my recent promotion to assistant manager, I was determined to work even harder to prove my worth. I won’t get fired from this job. The promotion increased my income and gave me invaluable experience in the industry.

Win-win.

And I get all the free coffee I can drink. Win.

“Okay, Nina, what do you need me to do?”

“I um,” I wasn’t prepared to give John Sheppard, who personified intimidation, orders.

“I know when I’m outside my wheelhouse, so you’re in charge.”

“Okay. We need to blow up the balloons.” Mary wanted to make a silver and purple balloon arch.

“Please tell me there’s a machine for that.” John’s smile helped put me at ease.

I scrunched my face and admitted, “There’s a hand pump.”

I’d attached less than half of the balloons to the metal frame when reinforcements arrived. And by reinforcements, I meant the staff of Sheppard & Sons Investigations, the company John owned with his three sons.

Both Sheppard parents owned their own businesses. Madi, a nurse practitioner after twelve years as a corpsman in the Navy, was the only Sheppard child not involved with SSI. Her fiancé, Matt, however, was a bodyguard on their payroll.

After the greetings were over, John traded the balloon pump for his granddaughter, Natalie, and put her father, Jack, to work.

There were too many cooks in the kitchen, so I stepped aside and let the family finish decorating.

“Hey Nina,” Meg said, bouncing her niece, Rose, on her hip. “Are you doing anything fun for summer break?”

I never do anything fun anymore. I stopped the negative pattern and smiled. “Not really. Just working.”

“That’s too bad,” Emily said, bouncing her son, Richard, Rose’s twin, on her hip. “Any interest in babysitting the twins so Jamie and I can take a night off?”

I loved babysitting, and not just because the cash was tax-free income. I loved kids and wanted a large family of my own someday. Babysitting was great practice.

“I’d love to, but why aren’t you asking Mary?” Or your parents.

“We want to socialize the twins outside the family.”

Outside the family. Because no matter what Mary said, I wasn’t really a part of the family. Though I’d love to be part of a big, loving family like the Sheppards.

From what I’d heard, Emily had worked from home so she wouldn’t need daycare when she finally returned to work, so it’d make sense for them to hire an outside babysitter to socialize the twins.

“And you’d be perfect for the job. You’re part of the Grannie’s family, and everyone knows Chase loves you.”

I gave Emily my number and told her I’d be happy to provide the name and number of a reference. “Their oldest is four, and their youngest is nine months. I started working for them two years ago.”

“I’m sure we won’t need it, but thank you.”

Beth’s word was more than enough for Emily.

“Miss Nina!” Chase barrelled towards me.

“Hey Chase,” I leaned down to hug him. “What’cha got there?”

“Pictures of Dino. Want to see?”

Dino—pronounced Die-no, like dinosaur, because Chase loved the long extinct reptiles—was Chase’s dog. Beth convinced Chase he didn’t need a puppy and helped him choose a three-year-old golden retriever from the shelter.

“Of course I do.”

Meg, Emily, and I oohed and aahed as Chase gave us the backstory of every picture. As soon as he’d shown us the last one, he asked, “Can I hold a baby?”

“Your Uncle John has Natalie, why don’t you go see him,” Beth suggested.

“Okay.” He wove his way around the tables and boxes of decorations scattered on the floor.

I’d be a happy mama if I my kids turned out like Chase.