that respect with me,” Hawk said.
Jessica laughed. “I’m making my own money now,” she said.
“Oh good, I can quit my job and be a kept man.”
Everyone laughed at Hawk’s pronouncement.
“I have certain requirements for that job,” Jessica said. “You can fill out an application later.”
The laughter increased.
“Breakfast is served,” Austin said.
The group got up and started filling plates. After Jessica had taken her first bite she said, “Austin, this is delicious.”
“I would like to claim credit, but Lizbeth made the casserole,” Austin said between bites. “She’s a great cook.”
Jessica shot a glance in Hawk’s direction. She wondered if another Coleman brother was off the market.
“So what’s the plan,” she asked after she’d cleaned her plate.
“All you need to know is I hope he comes to Bookman Springs,” Jackson said.
“I can’t know the plan, but they can?” She pointed to the retirees.
“We’re the bodyguards,” Marty said.
“If Dobbs has been watching you, and I think he has, he’ll know the retirees are regulars.” Jackson took a sip from his coffee. “Having the retirees there won’t raise any flags. If Hawk, or any of his brothers, are there, Dobbs won’t come in to talk with you.”
“Listen, that’s true,” she said after a few moments. “But I don’t want to put the retirees in danger. If Grant has killed once, there’s every chance he’ll do it again.”
“We’ll be packing,” Marty said.
Jessica put her head in her hands, partly to hide her smile, but mostly to wonder what in the devil was happening here. This was supposed to be a happy day for her. She’d agreed to marry the man she loved, and here she was, trying to get a murderer to confess.
“Do you think he’ll come in tomorrow?” she asked.
“I hope so,” Jackson said. “But that’s part of the plan I can’t script. He may not even fall for it.”
“What happens if he doesn’t?” Jessica asked, lifting her head to look at the ranger.
“Then we go to Plan B.”
“Which is what?” she asked.
“I’m still working on it.”
“That’s good to know,” Jessica said.
The room quieted as people helped themselves to more food. Jessica had eaten all of her first plate, but now she felt as if it all might come up again. She hated the thought of seeing Grant again, especially since he would be angry. She’d only seen him like that when she’d broken up with him, and that had been a horrible time. When she’d given him the ring she thought he would hit her. Instead he thrown the bottle of wine he’d been holding against the wall, and she’d run from the room. She hadn’t seen him since then, and she really didn’t care to.
Suddenly she was glad the retirees would be with her when—if—Grant showed up. She’d been angry with them for spreading gossip about her, but they were correcting that mistake, and she was happy about it.
Hawk put his hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. Their gazes locked and she knew he could tell she was upset about everything. But he would be there for her, she knew that.
“So you’re going to take her to the station tonight?” Hawk asked.
“This afternoon would be better, and we will keep her there for a while,” Jackson said.
Jessica feared her expression must have been one of horror, because Jackson held up a finger. “No interrogation, I promise. In fact Hawk can come with you if you’d like.”
She nodded. She definitely wanted him there.
“It would work better that way,” Jackson said. “Hawk could bring you, and then you leave with him. After that I go talk to Grant.”
“And he comes to the bakery tomorrow,” she said. “Is he going to plant the ring at the bakery?”
“We’ll keep an eye on him,” Frank said. He pointed at his eyes as if to emphasize his words.
“We hope he does,” Jackson said. “But we shall see.”
In the end, no one had to do the dishes. Austin packed everything up and said he’d run it all through the dishwasher at the bakery.
“Tell the girls I’ll see them in the morning,” Jessica said. When people started to leave she realized she hadn’t signed the papers, or even read them. She watched a few cars pull out, and turned toward the kitchen. It was empty. She went to the dining room where Leslie sat with Hawk and Reed.
“This doesn’t seem like a good idea somehow,” Jessica said as she sat down at the table. “What happens if Grant flies off the handle?”
“He needs you as a scapegoat,” Hawk said.
She