Page 68 of The Clover Chapel (Jamison Valley 2)
“I’ve got to work on my lesson plan for tomorrow. It’s almost done so I just need thirty minutes or so. You?”
“I was thinking we could drive out to the hot springs. They shouldn’t be too full of tourists this time of year, and it’s fun to get all hot in the water and jump in the snow,” he said.
“Sounds good. But I’ll leave the snow jumping to you.”
Chuckling, he reached for his ringing phone. “Brick.”
I really hoped that Jess was calling to tell Nick they had found my burglar. I felt safe with my alarm system and Nick staying the night, but it would be a considerable weight off my mind if the criminal was at least identified. Then maybe we could learn why my house had been targeted.
“Yeah. We’ll be here,” he said and hung up. “Jess is coming over in about ten. He wants to talk to us about a few things.”
“Okay. I’ll run up and get dressed. Do you think we’ll still have time for the hot springs?” I asked.
Even though he’d just mentioned the idea, I was attached to it. An hour sitting in a hot pool sounded amazing. My muscles were starting to get stiff from the snowshoeing yesterday. Bonus, I could check out Nick’s amazing body in a pair of swim trunks.
“If Jess’s business doesn’t take too long, we should still have time. Just wear your suit under your clothes. There isn’t a great place to change there.”
Nodding, I went upstairs, hoping Jess had good news.
Fifteen minutes later, we were all huddled around the kitchen island.
“Sorry for barging in on your Sunday,” Jess said. “But I thought you’d want an update as soon as possible and I didn’t want to bother you at school.”
“No problem. Is it about the break-in?” I asked.
“I’ve got nothing new to tell you. We’re at a dead end.” He frowned. “I’m here about Mason Carpenter.”
It had been a week since the “Kidnap-versary” party and I hadn’t heard back from Jess. He had promised to look into Mason’s home situation, and if he was here, it meant he’d found something. Hopefully, something to get my student some help.
“I had a meeting with Garcia this week. Told him I was concerned about one of Rowen’s classmates. He gave me the info you’ve been sending him these last few months,” Jess said.
“Did you tell him that I approached you?” I asked.
“No. But I did remind him a prebuilt case file wasn’t necessary before he could call me. He actually seemed relieved. I think he was worried I’d tell him to take a hike,” he said.
“Thanks.” I didn’t think my boss would have cared about our conversation, but at the same time, I didn’t want him to think I didn’t respect his authority.
“So what’d you find out?” Nick asked.
“Not much. But it’s a start. Kid moved over from Bozeman to live with his aunt, Kira Robertson,” Jess said.
“Don’t know her,” Nick said.
“You wouldn’t. She doesn’t run anywhere near the up-and-up crowd. Ran a background. Before Prescott, she got busted on two counts of marijuana possession and one drunk and disorderly. Lays low here so far, but I asked around the station and she’s been seen out with some of Wes’s old acquaintances.”
“Fuck,” Nick muttered.
“Sorry, I’m a little lost. Wes?” I asked.
“Wes Drummond. He ran the meth trade in Jamison County. Died a little over a year ago. Murdered by the same people who kidnapped Maze and Georgia,” Jess said.
“What is Mason doing living with her then?” If his aunt had problems with controlled substances, there should be cause to remove Mason from her care. A knot was forming in my stomach as I thought about what could be happening in that house.
“Called the Bozeman PD and had them pull the kid’s file. Mason’s mother got sent to prison a few months ago. That’s why he’s with the aunt. Mason’s mom makes Kira look like a saint. Could see why a judge would send him here. Anything was better than where he was at,” Jess said.
“What happened with the mother?” Nick asked.
“Five-year minimum sentence for prostitution and possession. Her record was a book. The final arrest that tipped the scales was right before the kid got placed here. They busted her high as a fucking kite, giving some guy a blow job while Mason was huddled in the corner. Found her apartment loaded with about every drug imaginable. Looks like she was storing it for her boyfriend, who was a junkie and small-time pimp.”
