Dead of Winter (Cold Case Psychic #15) - Pandora Pine Page 0,9

hip than he would be dressed in jeans and a faded Sox tee.

Ten opened his mouth to answer when the doorbell rang.

“Nana!” Everly cheered.

“I’ll get it. Your mother won’t believe her eyes.” Now that Kaye Grimm had stopped insisting he and Tennyson were going to hell for fornicating with each other, their relationship was much more cordial and lukewarm.

“Good Lord, Ronan. Who died?” Kaye looked only mildly concerned.

Ronan puffed out his chest. “We were asked to work on a decades’ old-”

“Nana!” Everly bellowed from the kitchen.

“Munchkin!” Kaye breezed past Ronan and headed for the kitchen.

“…cold case that Cisco wants us to investigate, and hopefully solve.” Ronan rolled his eyes. He didn’t know if he was more annoyed with Kaye for not listening to him or at himself for trying to explain.

“Do you see a ghost?” Jude shouted from across the street.

“No!” Ronan frowned. “Why”

“You’re standing on the stoop talking to yourself. I gave you the benefit of the doubt and assumed you were talking to someone else.” Jude hurried across the street with Wolf in his arms.

“Good morning, handsome boy.” Ronan took the baby from Jude. “I was talking to someone else. Kaye.”

“I don’t see Kaye standing here.” Jude waved a hand in Ronan’s face. “Do you see her standing her?”

“Jesus Christ, Jude! Kaye rang the bell, and when I opened the door and started talking to her, she blew past me to get to Everly.” Ronan sighed. It was still early, and he felt worn out already. “I don’t know why I bother.”

“I do. We need childcare.” Jude laughed and headed toward the kitchen. Jude Byrne was a man who knew where his bread was buttered. “Good morning, Kaye! Don’t you look lovely this morning.” And this morning, it was being buttered by Ronan’s mother-in-law.

Ronan shut and locked the front door and headed back into the kitchen.

“Ronan! Why didn’t you tell me you and Tennyson were going to work on the cold case murder of a teenage girl?” Kaye wore that for-shame look on her face.

“Must have slipped my mind.” Ronan shrugged and reached for his coffee. He pleaded for divine intervention with anyone who happened to be listening.

“Ding, dong!” Fitzgibbon called out. He walked into the kitchen a moment later, carrying Baby Aurora.

“Hi!” Everly called. She waved at the little girl as Fitzgibbon took off her coat.

“There you are, little angel.” Kaye plucked the baby out of Kevin’s arms and strapped her into her highchair.

“Is everyone ready to hit the road?” Kevin was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“You’ve elected yourself boss, I see.” Ronan tried hard not to sound bitter. He didn’t think he succeeded.

“Someone has to be in charge, and I have the most experience.” Kevin was all smiles. He crossed the kitchen to kiss Aurora goodbye.

“Like a decades-old hemorrhoid,” Ronan muttered. “We’re going to set up in Jude and Cope’s reading room if that’s okay with all of you.” Ronan’s attention was on Ten.

“It should be fine. Cope and I can share a room if we need to. Let me know when you want me to take a look at the evidence.”

“Why don’t you come with us now? You might as well be in on everything from the ground floor. It will save time later by not having to explain what we know to you.” Fitzgibbon gave his keys a jingle.

Ten nodded. “Good idea.” He gave Everly a messy kiss goodbye. “Love you.”

“Yaaa ooooo!” Everly waved before digging into the Cheerios on her tray.

Fitzgibbon practically ran to the door.

“I swear, if he starts getting all bossy, I’ll-”

Ten kissed Ronan, stopping his burgeoning tirade in its tracks. “You’re all excited to get back to detective work. Let’s not start out by stomping on anyone’s good mood. “

Ronan supposed Ten had a good point. “Thank you so much for everything, Kaye.”

“Just don’t go and get yourself killed.” Kaye didn’t bother to look up from the eggs she was scrambling.

Ronan opened his mouth to object, but Ten grabbed his arm and practically dragged him out of the kitchen. He supposed Ten had another point. Arguing with Kaye was never productive. “Bye!” he called over his shoulder. He could hear Jude making his goodbyes as well.

When they got outside, Kevin was sitting in the front seat of his Yukon. Ten climbed into the back-passenger seat, while Ronan sat behind Kevin. A minute later, Jude hopped into the front seat and Kevin pulled onto the street.

“I don’t want to be a wet blanket,” Tennyson began gingerly, “but this