Page 24 of Shadows Redeemed
THE HUMID NEW ORLEANS air clung to Parker’s skin as he stormed down Bourbon Street, fury radiating off him in almost palpable waves. The usual cacophony of jazz and drunken revelry seemed muted, drowned out by the blood pounding in his ears. How dare they? How dare Jacob and Sage conspire to keep him off the case?
He stormed the streets as neon signs flickered overhead, casting garish colors across the worn cobblestones. Tourists stumbled past, clutching oversized novelty drinks and laughing too loudly at jokes only they understood. Any other day, Parker might have found the scene amusing, even joined it. Now, however, it just grated on his already frayed nerves.
He didn’t care what the others said. He was the one who called Sage, after all. There was no way he would allow them to push him off this case. He would get the answers he needed to prove his brother wasn’t the scoundrel they all claimed he was, and it didn’t matter that Jacob didn’t want him on the case. Parker refused to sit on the sidelines while everyone else did the heavy lifting. Not by a longshot.
A prickle ran down his spine, and he faltered mid-step. Someone was watching him. Following him. He could feel it. No one stood out, however, when he took a quick glance around.
Turning back around, he quickened his pace, weaving through the crowd with practiced ease. A flash of movement in his peripheral vision confirmed his suspicion. Whoever it was, they were good. But he was better. At least, he hoped he was.
He ducked down a narrow side street, the raucous sounds of Bourbon Street fading behind him. Ancient buildings loomed on either side, their balconies adorned with intricate wrought iron, and in the distance, a cat yowled. Parker’s footsteps echoed off the weathered bricks as he sprinted, taking sharp turns at random, ducking behind dumpsters and turning back around, darting down another alley.
After a few minutes of doing that, he paused to catch his breath. Had he lost them? He leaned against a graffiti-covered wall, listening intently. Nothing but the distant thrum of music and the occasional car horn filled his ears. Maybe he’d been paranoid after all.
A hand clamped down on his shoulder.
He didn’t hesitate. Instinct took over as he called upon years of wrestling with his brother when he would sneak up on him. He spun, grabbing his assailant’s wrist and using their momentum to slam them against the wall. However, his opponent was just as skilled. They twisted out of his grip, sweeping Parker’s legs out from under him. Both tumbled to the hard ground, groans ripping from their throats.
They grappled on the grimy pavement, neither able to gain the upper hand. Parker managed to flip his attacker onto their back, pinning them down. He raised his fist, ready to strike—and froze.
“Jacob?”
His brother glared up at him, breathing hard. “Get off me, you idiot. This is New Orleans. Do you know what’s on these streets?”
Parker scrambled back, a mix of emotions churning in his gut. Relief that Jacob was alive warred with lingering anger and a hefty dose of confusion. “What the hell are you doing here? Were you following me?”
Jacob stood, brushing dirt from his clothes and then checking the bandage on his shoulder. “If you got this bleeding again…” He winced with the pain, but otherwise seemed all right. “And I’m making sure my little brother doesn’t get himself killed. I knew you wouldn’t let it go.” Taking a slow breath in, he shook his head. “Go home, Parker. Better yet, go play footsie with Sage. Go back to Biloxi with her, even. It’s not safe here.”
“Not safe?” Parker scoffed. “That’s rich, coming from you. They’re accusing you of murdering your handler, Eric Fontaine. But you knew that?”
“Yeah, I knew that.” Irritation flashed across Jacob’s face. “Which is exactly why you need to stay out of it. This goes deeper than you know, and you poking your nose around will only get your nose shot off.”
“Then tell me!” Parker took a step forward, frustration bubbling over. “Stop shutting me out. Two days ago, you asked for my help. You said I was the only one whocouldhelp you, so stop pushing me out of the way now. I’m not some damn kid.”
“You’re right, you’re not a kid.” Jacob’s voice softened as he slipped his hands to his hips. “But you’re still my little brother. I won’t let you throw your life away in some crazed attempt to save my ass.”
Parker glanced at Jacob’s shoulder, noticing it held a different bandage than the one he had put on it last night. “Who patched you up?”
Jacob’s expression hardened. “Mind your own business.”
“Damn it, Jacob, thisismy business! You’re my brother. Everything that happens to you is my business. You need my help. What if whoever is after you goes after our parents? We need to solve this now.”
A tense silence stretched between them, and Jacob seemed to be wrestling with something internally. Finally, he sighed, a smirk slipping across his face. “So, you and Sage, huh? I noticed you didn’t return to your room last night. Plus, she answered your phone call and not mine, so…”
The abrupt change of subject caught Parker off guard.”What? I’m not—we’re not—” He stammered, feeling heat creep up his neck.
Jacob raised an eyebrow. “Come on, Park. I saw that kiss she gave you, and how she came to your room in nothing but a robe. At least, I’ll bet there was nothing under that robe but pure Sage. Plus, I saw the way you looked at her. And how you raced after her when she left in a huff. I’m not stupid or blind.”
Parker looked away, unable to meet his brother’s gaze, guilt filling him. “It’s not like that. We’re just… I needed her help to clear you. That’s it.”
“But you want something else from her, don’t you?”
He didn’t answer right away as he stared off into the distance. Then, after a couple of pounding heartbeats, he blew out a breath. “Yes, actually, I do.” He then turned back to Jacob, running a hand through his hair, frustrated. “But what does it matter? She’s part of the team now investigating you. Plus, she’s made it clear she wants nothing from me but my absence.”
Jacob’s expression softened. “Look, if you want a future with Sage, then you need to stay away from this mess that’s got me jammed up. You need to be alive to have that future and walking this path will see you dead sooner or later. Trust me. I know these people.”
Parker felt a flicker of hope. “You think I’ve really got a chance with her? You wouldn’t care?”
Jacob shook his head. “She deserves to be happy. You both do. I think you’d be perfect together. But you have to trust me and stay out of this. Let Sage and her team handle the investigation. I did some digging into them, and they’re good—damn good—at what they do from what I hear, so let them do it.”
