Luke Chapter 13

LUKE

"This plan of yours is insane." William shakes his head. "I don't think I can get behind it."

I roll my eyes from the passenger seat of his car. "Look, we just have to drive around with it for a while. Make him think that we are letting our guard down and she is leaving the estate. Then we lead him outside of town. He will take the bait."

"I think putting yourself at risk is insane."

"You do it all the time." I hate to do that to my brother that is helping me out, but I really need to be a part of this. I really need to feel like I am doing something to help Jessica.

He groans. "It's my job. I was trained for this. They don't train for this in bartending school."

"No they do not. That doesn't mean that I can't protect myself. I held my own when I waited for you to get to the cabin. That guy was huge and I'm fine. I can help. Since half of your department should be retiring, I think you should accept all the help you can get."

"True, but there are other cops."

"How spread thin are you?"

"It's not as bad as you make it seem. Not all that much happens in this town. When it does it's all over the news. We have this handled."

"It's not like I am asking a whole hell of a lot. Just to ride with you when you take the chip."

"What does Jessica think of this plan of yours?"

I shy away. "Jessica doesn't know and I am not going to tell her. She would be upset and probably feel guilty. I want this done. I don't want to keep waiting around for this guy to make his move. She needs to be able to live her life. She can't stay with our parents for the rest of her life."

"You mean you want her to move in with you."

"I didn't say that." Am I that obvious to everyone? Does Jessica know how I feel?

William rolls his eyes. "I have seen you watching her. Every time you two are even remotely close to each other you have to touch her in some way. You like her. I don't think that is something to be ashamed of. Besides, I'm a detective, it wasn't all that hard."

"I'm not ashamed of it, but it is too soon for her. I don't want her to have the added stress. This guy really ran her through the wringer. I don't want her to even come close to thinking I will do the same. She needs more time."

"Have you talked to her about it?"

"No, because I don't want to put more on her plate. She needs to deal with this before I even come close to saying anything to her." I shake my head. "There will be a chance for us, when all of this is over. But if she decides that she needs to try to get her old life back, I'm not going to hold her back."

William shrugs. "Mia wasn't exactly in the best of positions when I fell for her."

I laugh. "Yeah she was wanted for armed robbery."

He shakes his head. "My point is, maybe she is stronger than you think. Mia was. Maybe Jessica needs to know you feel for her."

I shake my head. "No, not until this is done. This is different."

"How? Brock was trying to take Mia. He blackmailed her into a relationship that she didn't want. She got away and realized her own feelings without thinking about Brock and what he wanted."

"The difference is, she used to care for Sydney. She was in a relationship with him. Until he turned psycho on her. I think some part of her was in love with him. Mia never felt for Brock. Jessica needs more time. I'm not going to rush her."

William waves me off. "Alright if that is what you think is right then I won't pressure you. I am just trying to help."

"More importantly I want to help with this part."

William shakes his head. "I could get in trouble if I let you do that. You are considered a civilian."

I groan. "You only break the rules for the brothers you like."

"Who did I break the rules for?"

"David when he was trying to get to Megan. You gave him a police escort."

"Yeah, well I also wrote him a ticket."

"Still."

He pulls the car over. He turns over giving me his full attention. "Alright, I'll do it, but we do it in an unmarked car. I have Dex on the line so that if anything happens he can call back up. But no one outside of him knows about this. I mean it Luke. Not our parents and not our siblings. If things get sketchy I want you to hide and let me do my job. If you get hurt I will never hear the end of it. Is that clear?"

I can't help but smile. "Crystal."

"Also this is just the ride around, this isn't the actual trap. You will not be there for that. I can't put you in that kind of danger."

"But won't he be looking for me?"

William rolls his eyes. "If he has been using the tracker, then he will be looking at that and not who is actually in the car. That is the whole point of the plan. I am not going to put you in that kind of danger."

I hold up my hands in surrender. "Alright, I'll back off. Thanks for this. I know this is hard for you. I just want to help. I got you into this mess."

William sighs. "If it was any of us who saw her being abused, we would have stepped in. Don't let Dad tell you any differently. As far as I am concerned this is just another day on the job. It's not some special assignment that my brother gave me. This is what I do Luke. Trust me to do my job."

"I do trust you. You are my brother."

"Then you can believe I have this under control. We will get this guy. He's a shithead that doesn't deserve to be on the streets."

"I just really don't want to see my brother get shot again."

"I'm better than I look. It was a lucky shot. I can handle my own."

I pat him on the shoulder. "I'll trust you."

"Good, because I would hate to think you would try to follow me."

I laugh. "Last time I was fourteen. That hardly counts."

It feels good to laugh with my brother. I think for the longest time I thought that they all just thought I was useless. Lately I have seen that they like me just the way that I am. I know Dad doesn't think so, but I think that has to do with his own issues. I have always felt like an outsider, but right now, I feel like part of the family.