kept staring at the baby. Ari was performing her top ten cutest moves to a rapt audience of one.
Feeling like an outsider, she was about to get testy when he sniffed, and she realized he was crying. Not the way she cried with big fat tears and a river of snot pouring from her nose. He was having a manly cry, and she loved him for not being ashamed to show it.
Wait. What? She loved him? Control-alt-delete.
“She’s so tiny. Is that normal?”
The urge to giggle was fierce, but she didn’t give in. “Haven’t you ever seen a real baby before?”
“Well, not really,” he grumbled. “Why doesn’t she have hair? Is she supposed to be so light?”
With a tired mommy sigh, she shook her head and looked at him as though he was half a coconut short of a full load.
“Tell you what, I’ll give you some websites to explore.”
“Um, Mr. Wanamaker?” a polite police officer called out as he pushed open the bedroom door.
“Here,” Arnie answered.
“Wanamaker? Excuse me, what?”
He winced from her frosty tone. “We have a lot to talk about.”
“Sorry, sir, but Detective Shelton would like a word.”
“Oh, I just bet,” he murmured under his breath. He looked at her and then at Ari. “Is it okay if I hold her? For now?”
Having the sense it would require the Jaws of Life to pry the baby from his hands, she gave an indifferent shrug and waved him from the room. “Just so you know,” she informed him from behind as they walked into the living room, “if she poops, I’m just a bystander.”
They walked into a scene from a crime show. There were cops everywhere, mingling with a forensic team taking evidence. The woman who set everything in motion was in handcuffs, but the minute she saw Arnie, the lady turned a fire hose of crazy on him full blast.
“He’s a killer, is that in your report? Ask him! Ask him,” she shrieked.
“Oh, Jesus,” Arnie muttered.
“Shut up, Giselle,” Ned snarled.
“Fuck off, you sniveling wuss.”
A very large man stepped forward. He was dressed a little bit like a certain detective from an old TV show her dad loved. If he said his name was Columbo, there was no way she’d be able to stifle a laugh.
“Wanamaker?” he barked in a raspy voice.
Arnie nodded. “Sorry, I’d shake your hand but mine are full.”
The shaggy-haired cop wearing a rumpled and ill-fitting sport coat glanced at the baby, and said, “Cute kid.”
He turned to her. “Ma’am. I’m Detective Shelton. Which one of you wants to go first?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “How ’bout you? Miss Warren, is it?”
“Um, yes.” She looked at Arnie. “Give her to me.”
He jerked away. “I thought you said I could hold her.”
“I did, but I need to see her at all times. It’d just be easier while they ask their questions if she’s with me.”
“You’re mistaken if you think I’m leaving your side ever again. Where you go, I go. Isn’t that right, Shelton?”
“You two are amusing as fuck,” the disheveled detective replied. “King said there’d be epic groveling.”
“Is everyone and their freakin’ brother talking about me and my life?” Her temper exploded. “Is this a joke to you two?”
Arnie looked like he’d been caught with his briefs down, and new century Columbo just looked bored.
“Give me that baby,” crazy lady shrieked as they led her from the apartment.
“Am I allowed to smack her one more time?” Summer asked as sarcastically as possible.
“Come on,” Detective Shelton said with a wave. “Let’s give the forensics team some room and take this outside.”
Ned walked up to them. “Do you need anything else from me? I’d like to go to the hospital now and check on my other boy.”
“Someone from your team is already en route to walk him through reporting the gunshot wound.”
“You have a team?” she asked Arnie with dry amazement.
Ned squeezed Arnie’s forearm and smiled in Summer’s direction. “Young lady, you are in for one hell of an awakening.” He winked. “The minute I’m sure Stan is okay, I want to hold that baby.”
In the driveway, she stumbled to a halt. It was past one thirty in the morning, but it looked like the whole neighborhood was standing in the road. Flashing lights lit the night sky. Wall-to-wall police cruisers and LAPD vans lined the street. Yellow tape cordoned off the Gerry’s house and the one where Todd lived. Unbelievably, a police helicopter circled overhead.
A news van was also present. She groaned at the thought of