The Other Game: A Dean Carter Novel (The Perfect Game #4) (10 page)

“He won’t let me do a thing, Dean!” Cassie came back to the kitchen to hand me a plain black tee, and I nodded a silent thank-you. “He’s been babying me all night and morning.”

“It’s called taking care of you,” Jack said. “And I’m trying really hard, but you’re being a pain in the ass about it.” He pointed at her with a greasy spatula before turning his attention back to the sizzling bacon.

“Just let him help you, Cass,” I said as I pulled the shirt over my head. “He’s never done it before, and I want to watch.” I raised my eyebrows to waggle them at her, but cringed at the discomfort as I slid onto the bar stool next to her.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s just that facial expressions tend to hurt a little.”

“Tell me about it. I had no idea how much my jaw moved until it hurt every time I moved it.” She placed her hand against the side of her face.

Jack set a plate with a pile of bacon in front of us and then started cracking eggs into the same pan. “Eat,” he demanded.

“Gladly.” I reached for a slice of bacon and bit down, and the grease and flavor exploded in my mouth like heaven. “So good. Why is bacon so good?”

Cassie moaned as she took a bite as well, and when Jack turned around, his eyes firmly focused on her mouth.

“Kitten. Don’t make those sounds during breakfast. We have company.” He nodded in my direction, and she rolled her eyes.

“Dean’s not company. He’s family,” she said, and I couldn’t stop my smile.

“Thanks, sis.” I nudged her shoulder with mine.

“I heard you told the cops I was your sister,” she said, still chewing on her first piece while I’d already moved on to my fourth.

I shrugged. “It just came out. You’re not mad, right?”

She pulled her head back in surprise. “Why would I ever be mad at that?”

“I don’t know.”

Jack joined us at the bar, carrying one plate filled with eggs and another piled high with toast. He set them down between us and I tried to stifle my shock.

“Wow. Jack, I’ve never—”

“Just say thanks and shut up.”

“Thanks. Shut up,” I said as I stabbed my fork at the pile of eggs.

Cassie leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek. “This was really sweet. Thank you.”

“Anything for you,” he said.

I started to fake gag like I normally would to tease Jack, but stopped myself. The truth was that it was nice seeing my brother so happy, so I decided to take the high road this time.

“I talked to the cops this morning while you were in the shower,” Jack said. “Still no word on the guy or your camera.”

I choked, pounding on my chest with my fist. “What? What happened to your camera?”

Cassie turned to face me, her expression sad. “You don’t know? I guess you wouldn’t, huh? He stole my camera. That’s what started the whole thing.”

I dropped my fork and it fell to my plate with a clang. Stunned, I just sat there, shaking my head. “I didn’t know that. I’m so sorry, Cassie.”

“I’m going to find it,” Jack said with conviction. “A guy like that doesn’t steal a camera just to keep it. He’s going to try to sell it somewhere and when he does, I’m going to find it. And if I don’t, I’m going to buy her a new one.”

Cassie smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Her camera represented her future, and I could only imagine what having that taken away must feel like.

We spent the rest of the meal in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. When I finished eating, I stood up and set my dish into the sink.

Jack’s tired eyes met mine. “Leave it. I’ll get it.”

“I can clean up. You cooked,” I said, but he shook his head.

“No. I got it. Go sit down. Rest that hard-ass head of yours.”

“You’re worse than Gran.” I sighed, and he tossed a piece of toast at my back as I headed for the couch.

Cassie stood up and started gathering the other dishes. “You don’t have to clean up, Jack. I can help.”

“I know I don’t have to. I want to,” he said as he took the dishes from her hands. “Let me do this, Kitten, please. I wasn’t there last night, and it kills me, okay? I feel fucking helpless. And don’t get me started on the bruises and cuts on your beautiful face. Just let me do this for you. It makes me feel better.”

I watched him trying to convince her, knowing it wasn’t the whole truth. Nothing he did for Cassie would make him feel better unless it was catching the guy who did this to her. When she relented and headed to her bedroom for a nap, Jack and I talked about how to do exactly that.

“I want you to show me where everything happened,” Jack insisted. “And tell me what he looked like, anything you can remember.”

“No problem. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to drive there every fucking day until we find this guy. He wasn’t there for no reason. He has to live close by or hang out there. He’s going to show back up, and I’m going to be there to greet him.”

I couldn’t argue with him because I felt the same way he did. Jack wanted to find the asshole that hurt his family, and so did I.

“I’ll look for him too,” I offered, but he snapped at me.

“No. I don’t want you anywhere near this asshole again. You can help me try to find her camera.”

“Okay.” I nodded. That sounded reasonable. “How do we do that?”

“We’ll look online. Craigslist, eBay, anywhere they sell used goods. But I’m betting this guy probably doesn’t have a computer, so that might be pointless, but we should search anyway,” he said as he paced Cassie’s living room. “And I’ll go to the local pawn shops, tell them to be on the lookout for it. I don’t know. Whatever else you can think of that might help.”

“Is she all right? I can’t believe he stole her camera.”

Jack stopped his pacing and hung his head, wrapping his hands behind his neck in frustration. “She’s really sad. She worked hard to save for it and now it’s gone. But I’m going to buy her a new one, a better one. She’ll probably hate it and won’t want to accept it, but I’m doing it anyway. She’s too good at it, and her future is too important.”

I studied Jack for a moment. “I never thought I’d ever hear myself say this, but you’re a really good boyfriend.”

“Damn right I am,” he said, giving me a mock snarl before heading into the kitchen to clean up.

“You’re a good brother too,” I added, and his lips curled up into a smile.

• • •

Melissa was supposed to stay at her parents’ house until Monday morning, but she came back early, bursting through the front door Saturday afternoon when we least expected her. Her jaw dropped open when she saw me and Cassie sitting on the couch, and she ran over to us, wrapping us both in a hug.

“Oh, Cassie, your face,” she said with a concerned whine.

“I know.” Cassie sighed.

“And Dean. How’s your head?” Melissa touched the side of my face, and I lost myself in her eyes.

“Still hurts,” I said with a small smile. “I thought you weren’t coming back until Monday.”

“It didn’t feel right to stay away from you guys. I know I can’t do anything, but I just wanted to be here. Where’s Jack?”

Cassie pointed toward her bedroom. “Napping.”

“I could use one of those, actually.” I stretched and looked at Melissa. “But now that you’re here, should I go home?” I pushed off the couch and hoped like hell I could still stay. I really hadn’t planned on leaving anytime soon.

“No, no. Of course not. You can still stay in my room,” Melissa said, and I breathed out in relief.

“Thank God. I wasn’t ready to see Gran and Gramps yet,” I admitted.

“Come on.” She looped her arm around my waist and walked with me to her bedroom as if I was too injured to do it myself.

“I like Nurse Melissa.”

She urged me toward her bed and watched as I lay down on top of the covers. Smiling, she reached for an extra blanket and pulled it over me.

“Do you need anything?” She ran her finger across my head lightly, inspecting the wound. “Dean, that looks really awful.”

“I know.”

I’d checked it out in the mirror earlier this morning. The wound was puffy and pink, its edges dark with dried blood. I guess if I’d gotten stitches like the cop recommended, it wouldn’t have pulled open again.

“Can I get you some more aspirin or water?”

Sensing that she wanted to be helpful, I let her. “Sure. Both would be great.”

Melissa left for only a moment before she returned to place the aspirin in my palm and the glass of water in my other hand. After I swallowed the pills, she reached for the glass and set it on her nightstand. Then to my surprise, the bed dipped as she crawled in next to me, and rubbed my back as I closed my eyes. It was a small gesture, kind and comforting.

I fell asleep to the feel of her fingertips drawing loops on my shoulder blades.

Even though I’d promised Jack I wouldn’t drive around and look for the guy, I still did. It had been three weeks since the assault, and I couldn’t sit there and do nothing when I knew that I was the only one who would recognize the jerk the moment I laid eyes on him. I imagined seeing him on the street and wondered what I’d do, not having the faintest idea.

Which was exactly why Jack was better at being bad than I was. He knew exactly what he’d do, and he’d do it without hesitation.

He scoured the Internet every night, searching all the resale websites, and visited every pawn shop in the area personally, describing the camera and asking them to keep an eye out. I’d also looked online, checking out Craigslist for not only our county, but the next two counties over, just in case the guy was smarter than we’d given him credit for.

I’d avoided telling Gran what happened that night and she never asked, but I had a sneaking suspicion that she somehow knew anyway. She was psychic like that.

After that weekend, I’d convinced Jack to stop only hanging out at Cassie’s place and to bring her by the house more. Not that I didn’t want to go over there and see Melissa, but I’d asked him more for our grandparents’ sake¸ knowing that they missed him and would never ask him themselves.

He’d done as I asked, which thrilled Gran and Gramps. They loved it when we were all at home, and adding Cassie to the mix was icing on the cake. Gran said it was too quiet when we were gone, and I wondered how lonely she’d be once Jack got drafted. Granted, I’d still be living there, but it wouldn’t be the same. Jack had always been the louder one.

My cell phone rang as I sat reading a textbook on my bed. I didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”

“Is this Dean Carter?”

I stopped reading and placed the book to my side. “Yes?”

“This is Officer Santos from the Fullton State Police Department,” he said, as if I wouldn’t remember who he was.

“I remember you. Did you get him?”

“We got him,” he said with a smile in his voice. “He was trying to pawn the camera he’d stolen. He’s at the downtown station. Do you think you could come here and ID him?”

I sat up immediately and hopped to my feet. “I’ll be right there.”

“Great. Thanks.”

I grabbed my keys and jumped into Gran’s car. Once I arrived at the station, I dialed Jack’s phone before I left the car, knowing that he’d be in the middle of his new after-practice ritual of driving the streets, looking for the guy.

His breathing was heavy when he answered. “What’s up?”

“They got him,” I said, cutting straight to the chase.

“The guy?”

“They caught him trying to pawn Cassie’s camera. He’s in jail. I have to head down there to identify him.” I hoped he could hear the relief in my voice.

“Can I get her camera for her?” Before I could answer, he asked, “Do you want me to come with you? I should probably come with you.” His tone turned defensive, and I knew he wanted to see the guy for himself.

“I’ll find out about the camera when I get there, but I think it’s evidence now, so she probably can’t have it back yet,” I told him. “I’m in the police parking lot now, so I’ll just head in and identify him. You should go tell Cassie they got him.”

“I will. Thanks, and be careful,” he said.

“It’s fine. I’ll call you after.”

I shoved the phone in my pocket and sucked in a breath as I walked through the station’s glass doors. A woman sat behind a reception desk in the waiting room, finishing up a call as I headed toward her.

“Can I help you?” she asked when she put down the phone.

“I’m Dean Carter. Officer Santos asked me to come down to identify a suspect.”

“Have a seat, please.” She pointed toward the row of chairs. “I’ll be right back.”

I sat down and tapped my feet, my nerves stretched taut as I waited for her to return. I definitely wasn’t looking forward to seeing this guy again. Just being here brought back unpleasant memories.

The glass doors swung open, and I was surprised when Brett walked in.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

He gave me a friendly slap on the back before sitting next to me. “Jack told me they got the guy. Thought I could help identify him.”

“Cool. Thanks. How was Jack?”

Brett blew out a breath. “Mixed. He seemed relieved, but I think he wanted to catch the guy before the cops did.”

“That wouldn’t have been a good thing.”

He nodded. “I know. We all tried to tell him that, but he’s unreasonable when it comes to Cassie.”

“Nah, he’s just in love. And Jack’s protective of people he cares about,” I said, used to defending my brother’s level of intensity.

The receptionist seemed surprised to see Brett when she came back to the waiting room. “Oh, now there’s two of you? I’ll let Officer Santos know. He should be right out.”

Brett and I made small talk as we waited for Santos. I wondered what the hell was taking so long; it wasn’t as if the station was busy. No sooner had the thought entered my mind than the doors to my right swung open.

Officer Santos stepped toward us, his hand extended, “Dean. Brett. Good to see you again. You’re looking much better than the last time I saw you,” he said to me with a nod.

“Thanks.”

“Follow me,” Santos said, and we trailed behind.

He led us down a long corridor and into a viewing room. A large pane of glass that I hoped was a one-way mirror was inset in one of the walls, and five guys stood on the other side of it, looking like they’d rather be anywhere else than here.

Officer Santos explained how things would work. “You can see them, but they can’t see you. They know you’re in here, though. Just let me know if you recognize—”

“Three,” Brett and I both blurted at the same time.

Officer Santos nodded before pressing a button on the wall. “You can send them back, thanks.” He turned toward us and shook his head with a grin. “You didn’t even let me do the fun part.”

“What part was that?” I asked.

“Asking them to step forward, turn to the left, then to the right. It’s the only part that makes them really nervous.”

“Sorry. I’d rather just get this all over with,” I admitted, although the idea of torturing the prick sounded fun in a sadistic, vengeful way.

“I understand. Thank you both for coming in.”

Officer Santos walked us out the door and when I asked about Cassie’s camera, told me that it was state’s evidence now and it had to stay with them until after the trial, which could be months.

Cassie would hate hearing that, but I felt a little better knowing that Jack was going to buy her a new one, even if she claimed to not want one.

As Brett and I pushed through the doors and walked into the warm night, I said, “I’m so glad that’s behind us.”

Brett laughed. “You and me both.”

“Thanks for coming down, man.”

“Anytime. See ya at school.”

We gave each other a knuckled fist bump before heading in opposite directions.

Personally, I was just thankful the piece of shit was behind bars and couldn’t hurt anyone anymore. I was also glad the cops had found him before Jack did.