15. Reese #2
“I think they’ll try. But if I can keep them hidden long enough, the ex will eventually give up.
He’s just one kid. The higher-ups will have a limit to the resources they’re willing to throw at it.
In the meantime, the plan is to pass them off as mine.
She’ll pose as my wife, and he’s my stepson. Only the family will know the truth.”
“Solid idea,” Zachary said.
“Is it?” Garrett asked.
“Yeah,” Zachary said, his brow furrowing like Garrett had asked a stupid question. “They won’t be looking for a family of Havens.”
I didn’t know whether to be gratified or alarmed that Zachary was the one to understand the plan so quickly. “Exactly. They’ll be looking for a single mom and her son, not a family of three.”
“And living with them will make it easier to keep an eye on things,” Luke added.
“Sounds legit to me,” Theo said.
“You gotta do what you gotta do,” Josiah agreed.
“I thought this was going to take a lot more explaining.” I took a drink of my beer.
“Do you remember where you are?” Luke asked. “This is Tilikum. We do weird shit all the time.”
“Yeah, pretending to be married to someone to protect her and her kid from a shitty ex wouldn’t even make the news here,” Theo said.
“You should talk to the SPS,” Zachary said.
“What’s the SPS?”
“Squirrel Protection Squad.”
“What?”
“Squirrel—”
“I heard you. What is that? Tilikum has enough squirrels to start an army. Why do they need protecting?”
“They don’t, usually. Although I guess that’s why it started. But they’re more like town security. If anything, they can keep an eye out for unwanted visitors.”
“I’ll talk to Rob Landon,” Garrett said. “He’s the head of the SPS. And I’ll alert Sheriff Cordero. If the deputies know to be on the lookout, we might be able to head them off before they cause trouble.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Appreciate that. And listen, for the time being, Summer doesn’t know I used to be a member. I’ll tell her. But the last few days have been kinda crazy, and it’s probably going to freak her out.”
Zachary winced. “Dude, don’t keep that from her.”
“I said I’d tell her. I just need to figure out how.”
The door opened, and I stared at the woman who walked in. She had dark blond hair and eyes that looked just like mine.
Annika—our baby sister.
Although, she wasn’t a baby anymore. She was a wife and mom of four.
Her eyes locked on me, and she took slow steps toward our table. “It really is you.”
I stood but hesitated. Would she be the one to get angry?
With a smile, she hurried around the table and practically jumped into my arms. I hugged her tight.
“This is surreal.” She stepped back, searching my face. “You look so different.”
“Sorry we didn’t wait for you,” Garrett said. “We weren’t sure if you were coming.”
“No, it’s fine. Sorry I’m late. Will got stuck in a tree.”
“Again?” Luke asked.
“Yes, but a different tree.” She shrugged. “He’s five and has no fear.”
“Glad he’s okay,” I said.
Zachary stood and pulled another chair over. “Do you want a drink?”
“I can’t stay. Levi’s on duty tonight, so I need to get home to the kids.” The heartache in her expression made my chest tighten. “But I wanted to see you, especially if you aren’t staying.”
“He’s staying,” Zachary said. “His friend Summer’s ex is in a motorcycle club, and he wants to kidnap their son. What’s his name?”
“Nate.” I was about to explain, but Z kept talking.
“So Reese brought them here and they’re going to pose as a family to keep them hidden. Also, Reese was gone so long because he got into a life of crime and felt guilty about it. But he’s not into that anymore. He uses his skills for good now.”
Annika’s eyebrows lifted. “Really?”
I nodded. “That’s actually a decent summary.”
“How old is her son?”
“Ten. He’ll be eleven in the fall.”
“Poor guy,” she said. “Sounds like he’s been through quite the ordeal.”
“He has, but he’s been a trouper.”
“Where are you staying?”
“At Mom and Dad’s for now.”
“We’re going to fast-track the new house,” Josiah said. “They’ll move in once it’s ready.”
“Oh, that’s perfect,” she said. “That house has so much potential. I’ll stop by Mom and Dad’s tomorrow and see if she needs anything.”
“As long as Will doesn’t get stuck in another tree,” Luke said.
“True.” With a smile, she met my eyes. “It’s so good to see you.”
“You too.”
She hugged me again, and after saying her goodbyes, she left. I took my seat and cleared my throat, trying to get rid of the lump of emotion.
Zachary took a drink of his beer and set his empty bottle on the table. “You all know what needs to happen now.”
Coming from him, that was ominous.
Josiah narrowed his eyes, Theo and Luke both nodded slowly in agreement, and Garrett leaned back in his chair, as if resigned to the inevitable.
“What?” I asked.
Zachary grinned. “You need to help us with a prank. As a sign of Haven solidarity.”
“A prank?” I asked. For most of my life, our family had been embroiled in a generations-long feud with the Bailey family, mostly carried out in the form of elaborate back-and-forth pranks. “I thought you guys quit doing that after Annika married Levi Bailey.”
“We did,” Luke said. “Mostly. We still get each other once in a while.”
“The more kids everyone has, the less often we do it,” Zachary added. “But I’m not talking about pranking the Baileys. We need to think bigger.”
“What do you mean?” Garrett asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
“We need to prank the whole town.”
Garrett sighed. “Just don’t—”
“I know.” Zachary waved a hand. “Nothing illegal, no property damage. I wouldn’t risk your job for a prank.”
“Then what do you have in mind?” Luke asked.
Zachary’s mischievous smile made him look like a teenager again. He rubbed his hands together. “I’ve wanted to do this one for years.”