LITMIR.BIZ

      Chapter Eight

      Cooper stood just outside the doors to the media room, recognizing most of the songs on the DJ’s playlist, and for that he had Marissa to thank. He didn’t feel old, but he was cruising toward forty, only a few years left. His stepdaughter was keeping him teen relevant.

      The administrators at the school and the volunteers, mostly women, had taken him up on his offer to help chaperone, as if he were sent from heaven. They posted him outside the main door, while others kept vigil on the other exits, just in case some enterprising teen decided to escape. Kids were clustered in groups all over the main floor and on the stage above. Two of the volunteers were on the stage as well, a man and a woman, though they seemed more interested in talking to each other than watching their charges.

      He looked down the empty hallway that led to the main doors of the school, the length of a basketball court away. There was another chaperone outside the media room’s second door to the hallway, which also was the nearest exit to the bathrooms. A couple of kids had told him they wanted to use the facilities and he’d turned them back in and said to use the other door, to which they’d groaned and muttered comments about being jailed.

      He smiled to himself. Laura had wanted to exert her parental superiority, which was an ongoing need of hers; she believed he and Marissa were somehow plotting against her. She was therefore constantly making sure they knew who the real boss was. Tonight, he’d thwarted her by simply going along with her suggestion to chaperone. He’d learned early in their marriage that it was the best way to blunt her need to turn everything into a fight wherein he was always at fault. His seemingly easygoing attitude had won him major teasing at the station. Howie tried to make out that he was “pussy-whipped,” a completely politically incorrect term that was also spectacularly inaccurate. Cooper hadn’t explained his tactics to Howie. He didn’t much care what anyone thought. What he cared about was working for the department and solving crimes and being there for Marissa. That was his life, and he was satisfied with it.

      But then his thoughts turned traitorously to Jamie Whelan again. She’d hovered on his mind all day, no doubt about it. He’d wanted to reach out and hug her when they were standing in the parking lot.

      Like that would make better what had happened to Emma.

      Emma.

      “She was here for like ten minutes,” Race Stillwell had told him in disgust the night of the attack. “Did you have something to do with it?”

      They’d been standing outside the house after Emma left.

      “Me?” Cooper had held himself back from shoving Race up against his car. Race had always been pugnacious; his younger brother was even worse.

      “Well, what the fuck. She’s babysitting. Took over for her sister for the Ryersons.”

      Cooper had a quick mental image of Dr. and Mrs. Ryerson. Nadine Ryerson oozed a certain sex appeal, while her husband seemed uptight and quiet. A MILF, one of his friends, Mark Norquist, had said of her, but then Mark was always saying stuff like that.

      Cooper shrugged. He’d been thinking of blowing off the Stillwell party himself, had only gone because Emma might be there. Had spontaneously asked her sister at school that day to come because she looked like Emma.

      “Let’s spook her,” Dug Douglas said. “It’s almost Halloween. We know where the Ryersons live.”

      “She should still be here,” Stillwell growled.

      They were standing by their cars. Race’s words burned Cooper. He knew it was a bit crazy, but he thought of Emma as his. They’d shared a few kisses, but Emma had made it clear she wasn’t interested in anything further. Race was practically obsessed with her, however. Anything Emma did, any tiny little thing that seemed to show interest in him, he blew up into a major deal. Patrick “Dug” Douglas, his eternal sidekick, was always trying to help Race in his quest for Emma Whelan.

      “Let’s do it,” said Robbie Padilla.

      “I’m in,” Mark Norquist agreed, and Tim Merchel, Cooper’s closest friend, said the same.

      It was decided that fast. Race said he had to get things settled at the party and then they would all coordinate at the Ryersons’. Dug, as ever, stayed with Race, and the rest of them were supposed to catch up with them later.

      Cooper tried to talk Tim out of it. “Let’s not go. Video games at my house,” he tried to entice his friend.

      “Are you kidding? It’s almost Halloween. Let’s get some pumpkins. Line ’em all up at the house. Ring the bell. Give her a scare.”

      “She’s babysitting. There are kids there.”

      “They’re probably already in bed. What’s the matter? You still hung up on her?”

      “It was never like that between us.”

      Tim smirked. “Race wants it to be that way with them. He’s planning to pop her cherry.”

      Rarely had Cooper ever even noticed that kind of crude talk among his friends, but when it was directed toward Emma, it made him uncomfortable. “Well, he’s not gonna do it.”

      “Why? You got there first?”

      “Shut up, man.”

      Tim cackled. “Oh, that’s right. She’s moved on to college guys. We’re all too immature for her.”

      “Why’re you getting on Emma?”

      “Chill, dude. I’m just yanking your chain.”

      Cooper’d let it go then. Clearly, Tim, and probably all the guys, knew of his feelings, whether he thought he was hiding them or not.

      Tim drove Cooper, Mark, and Robbie, and soon enough they met up with Race and Dug about three blocks from the Ryerson home.

      “Have you seen Emma’s sister?” Robbie asked. He was the shortest guy in the group, but he worked out and had strong biceps he loved to show off. He also was proud of the facial hair he could grow and was currently sporting a dark, Fu Manchu mustache. “She’s just as pretty.”

      “And younger. Maybe you have a chance with her, Haynes.” Tim grinned

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