Free Scarlet Nights by Jude Deveraux

taken care of him after that case and seen what he went through over it.
    “I made an appointment for you tomorrow,” she said.
    “For what?”
    “For the house closing that I’ve been nagging you about for an entire year . It’s at the title company in Williamsburg, and now that you’re there, you can do it.”
    “But I’m here on a case, so maybe another time would be better. I could—”
    “No! I am not going to give you more time. I made the appointment and I texted you the address. Show up there at two, sign the papers, and the place is yours.”
    “A farm! What do I want with a farm?”
    “We are not going through that again,” Tess said, her teeth clenched. “Whether you like it or not, I swore to our grandmother that someday our family would own that place, and I’m keeping that promise.” Tess would never tell her brother but she’d sworn on his life, and Tess superstitiously feared that if she were to break the vow, the horrible old woman would come out of the grave and take her revenge.
    Mike interrupted Tess’s ugly memories. The truth was, what else was he going to do after he retired but live close to her?
    “Tell me again why you and Rams don’t live on the place?”
    “He has a piece of land that he wants to build on. I’ve told you all of this. And I’ve also told you that I think you’ll like that old farm. You can move around, and fixing it up will give you something to do after you retire.”
    Mike’s voice went back to teasing. “Okay, so what’s your plan for me with this farm? Am I supposed to grow corn? Or do you guys up here raise cotton?”
    “That would be better than the vile job you have now. But when you visit, just don’t forget about the old man who’s the caretaker. He greets guests with a shotgun, so you’d better call first.”
    “You’re not talking about old … What was his name?”
    “Brewster Lang.”
    “That’s right,” Mike said. “How could I forget that name? Grans’s only true friend in all of Edilean. You don’t think he’s as mean as she was, do you?”
    “I think he may have taught her all she knew.”
    Mike gave a low whistle. “He couldn’t be that bad.”
    “Tell me when you’re going to the farm unannounced and I’ll alert the hospital to expect a man with a body full of buckshot.”
    “Point taken. But he must be nearly a hundred years old now. Is he able to ever leave the place?”
    “It’s not New York, where everything is delivered, so I assume he has to get food.” She paused. “Here comes Rams. I have to go.”
    Mike laughed. “I forgot to ask: How’s the honeymoon?”
    Tess’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant, but I haven’t told Rams yet. Buy my kid a pony and keep it on your farm. I love you. Bye.” She hung up.
    When Mike clicked off the phone, he was surprised at how good Tess’s announcement made him feel. A baby? A fat little kid sticky with fruit juice, a soggy diaper, a dimple in his cheek? He could almost see the boy.
    “And me living on a farm,” Mike said aloud. “A kid, a pony, and a farm. I might as well shoot myself now.”
    He went back inside, ate dinner by himself, wrapped up the leftovers, and put them in the refrigerator. He went for a run and returned to see that Sara’s door was still closed, but there was a light on. After his shower, he slipped a note under her door saying he was going to bed and to please help herself to the food.
    When he was in bed, he listened but heard no sound from her. He felt bad that all his questions had made her so angry that she’d gone without dinner.
    After his run, he’d stopped at his car to get some of the files the captain had given him, and he stayed up until midnight reading them. Whereas he’d seen the criminal files, he hadn’t had time to read the in-depth reports.
    He’d never before been involved in the Economic Crimes Unit,so reading about how the Vandlos worked fascinated him. Stefan was ordinary—seduce