Jarod's Heart (King Brothers Stories #2) by Elise Manion Read Free Book Online

they live with themselves?”
    “I don’t know,” she said, “but I’m sure you’ll catch them.”
    Brad walked in the door and headed for them. “Who’s a monster?” he asked.
    “Drug dealers,” they said in unison. She grinned at Eli. “Especially those who deal to children,” she clarified.
    “Ah,” Brad said. “You busted Aiden Lawlor last night. Congratulations.”
    “Yeah, at a high-school kegger.” Eli explained what had transpired. “Sophomore. Too damn young.”
    “Agreed,” Brad said, pausing for a moment before he continued. “I suppose the kid didn’t volunteer who was supplying?”
    “Not before his dad picked him up. I’m hoping he’ll talk some sense into Aiden to help us apprehend the ringleaders. Maybe the DA could make a deal with them,” Eli pondered.
    “You’re willing to cut a deal?”
    “It’s the kid’s first offense. Why ruin his life when he can help us catch the bigger fish?”
    Brad sighed. “Well, let me know how I can help, Eli. Maybe one of us could reach out to the Lawlors. I know your wife is getting close to her due date. You should be home with her, right?” He put a hand on Eli’s shoulder.
    “Oh, I will, but this could make my career, too,” he said, and then added, a bit hopefully, “Maybe I can get my shift changed, at the very least.”
    From Lauren’s standpoint, she didn’t care who busted the creeps responsible, so long as the ring leaders were off the streets.

    JAROD LOOKED OVER Eli’s arrest report and grimaced. The teen’s family ran in the same social circles as his own parents, Derek Lawlor having made his fortune in mining. Most of the mines had closed down, but Derek still had a few that were producing. He didn’t know them very well, but Jarod didn’t believe them to be bad people.
    Of course, Jarod didn’t consider himself a bad person, either, but Miranda had still gotten herself involved in the drug world, just like Aiden Lawlor. The lingering question of why she’d done it sometimes kept Jarod awake at night.
    The drug culture had rapidly spread in the five years since she had left. All his investigations had led to nowhere. His informants had either clammed up or disappeared altogether. Just when he had thought he’d made some headway, the trail had run cold or led straight to a dead end. It was almost like they had known his next move before he did.
    There was a perfunctory knock on Jarod’s open door before Brad stepped into his office. “Heard about Eli’s bust. Can’t believe that any kid of Derek Lawlor’s would be involved with selling meth. And where the hell is he getting it?”
    Jarod leaned back in his chair and gestured to one of the two padded chairs in front of his desk. Brad acknowledged the invitation to sit with a nod.
    “Yeah, Aiden is a rich, sixteen-year-old little snot, whose parents are parishioners of the same church as my family.” Jarod rolled his eyes.
    “Do you know the kid?”
    “Not personally, no. But Dad worked with Derek to remodel his mining office, and I’ve heard rumblings about a hotel remodel. I’m not sure if their relationship extends beyond business.”
    Jarod tapped his pen on the desk in an agitated fashion before he admitted, “I’m desperate enough to use my parents’ connection to help persuade the Lawlors to allow Aiden to be interviewed, with their lawyer present, of course. Or at least to point out the benefits of him cooperating with us.”
    Brad nodded as if he agreed, but said nothing.
    Jarod was disgusted with the circumstances, but he needed answers. He gave Brad an assessing look and asked, “What do you know about the kid?”
    Brad shook his head. “Nothing, only the family name, pretty prominent, like you said, and I don’t recall Aiden ever being in trouble before.” He shrugged. “You sure you want to involve your parents in this case?”
    “Hell, I’m not sure of anything anymore,” Jarod sighed. “I’m hoping someone will get overconfident and