want your word on that.”
“The OCFS believes my word doesn’t mean much.”
“To me it does. Promise me you’ll come here, and that you won’t get the kids and disappear.”
“All right, I promise to come there. Once more.”
Really worried about the boy, he clicked off and checked a message Jules had left. “Hi, honey. It’s Julianne. Anabelle got the okay. I’ll explain the details when I see you. Don’t worry, I’m going to be fine.”
Chapter 7
* * *
Seth opened his front door. Once again, his brother Gideon stood in front of him. “I’m gonna start charging you rent, big brother.”
“Funny.”
“You know about tonight?”
“Yeah. I had to drag it out of her, but Sanders told me everything. I came to make sure you aren’t gonna do anything stupid.”
“You said you didn’t want to be my keeper.”
“I don’t.” His tone was grumpy. “Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t come. Let me in.”
Seth stepped in and allowed Gideon into his apartment. “I don’t feel much like talking.”
“We’ll watch ESPN, then.”
“Yeah.”
“Get beer.”
He liked being with someone who talked in one-or-two-word sentences. He liked not wallowing in his guilt over Julianne dating online. He liked that his brother was here.
Part way into the game, Seth muted the TV. “How will it go down?”
“Hopefully, fast. Anabelle and Julianne will go in and several plain-clothes cops will be there eating. Another will be the maître d’ and one the bartender.”
“So the only people in jeopardy are the cops and Julianne.”
Gideon pivoted to face Seth directly. He wasn’t much of a toucher but he squeezed Seth’s shoulder. “I know, I don’t like it either. If she was my girl, I’d be tearing my hair out.”
“Would you have suggested something like this?”
“If it didn’t include my future sister-in-law, I would. The plan is good policing.”
Seth unmuted the TV. Somehow, that made him feel better. And he was glad to have a chaperone. After the promise he’d made…
“Seth, don’t come to the Hidden Cove Inn to help. Trained personnel have to do this.”
“And you.”
“Yes. I mean it. If you come, I’m not sure we’ll make it as a couple.”
“I know, love. I’m not going to interfere. I promise.”
“I’ll call you when it’s over.”
“I’ll wait. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“You either…”
Seth couldn’t focus on the game so he pulled out his phone. Reread Johnny’s email.
Thanks for meeting me last night. I’ll do what you say, go through the fair hearing. But I don’t have alotta hope.
I have enough hope for both of us.
I don’t get you, Seth. How can you be so sure this’ll shake out right? Be so optimistic?
Ha, if the guy only knew. Still he answered.
I have faith in the system. I believe that the OCFS officer can’t say no after he talks to the kids.
Okay. Be in touch.
Man, Seth prayed this would work out for Johnny. He prayed he didn’t give the kid false hope.
He closed his phone.
Man, it felt like nothing was going his way.
* * *
When Julianne opened the door to Anabelle’s car, the staid cop whistled. “Wow. You look like a million bucks.”
Julianne slid onto the leather seat. “This is what full body spanks will do.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep. You?”
“Nope. What’s under my dress is my somewhat heavy body.”
“You’re in great shape. I need to work on that.”
“I’ll help you out after this is all over.” It seemed a spontaneous offer.
Julianne sniffed. “Did you put on perfume?”
“Yeah, in deference to my female side. I can’t usually do girly things in my life.”
They made small talk about Anabelle’s shimmery silver dress and Jules’ gold sequined one. They discussed how women were taught to care about their appearances.
And finally, how to trap a predator.
Anabelle said, "Let’s go over what we’ll do one last time.”
“That might calm my nerves.”
“We go in and sit at the bar as if we’re looking to pick up guys. The Inn agreed to allow no other patrons inside. If after an hour, Jason doesn’t come, we cancel the operation. And try again in a few days.”
“I hope we can get this over tonight.”
“That may happen, Julianne. But it might not. We’ve been watching the Inn and he hasn’t showed up this weekend. As I said, what we have so far isn’t enough to put him in jail and we’ll have to keep trying. But in the end, if this doesn’t work, we’ll pick him up even if he isn’t going to go to prison.”
“I understand.”
“So, we’re hoping you’ll be approached. And hassled. I’ll stop it when we have enough of a case for aggravated assault.” She drove into the parking