Missing (The Brannock Siblings Book 3), page 1
Missing
By: Jessica Wilde
Copyright © 2014 Jessica Wilde
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means without written consent from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Cover Photo from Shutterstock.com
Cover design by Jessica Wilde
ISBN-13: 978-1500858032
Other titles by Jessica Wilde
Every One of Me
Our Time
The Brannock Siblings Series
Leverage (The Brannock Siblings, #1)
Conned (The Brannock Siblings, #2)
"The beauty of life is figuring out how to live it with someone you love more than yourself."
~Isabelle Brannock
To my husband, the love of my life. You are my Gus, my Lucas, my Conall, Charlie, and Andrew. You are every possible hero I have and will ever write about and I'll love you forever. Thank you for taking this journey with me.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Other titles by Jessica Wilde
Prologue
Gus
"Another one bites the dust," I sang into the phone.
"Shut up, Gus Gus. You're next," Conall grumbled back at me.
He had just informed me that Emily had moved in with him back in Denver and things were going really well so far.
"So my big brother is shacking up with a good looking blonde who has a record," I teased. "That's hot."
He sighed into the phone and I could just see him shaking his head and clenching his fists. He probably wanted to punch me.
"God, I want to punch you right now," he confirmed and I threw my head back with laughter.
"Good. I wouldn't be me if I didn't tempt my siblings into beating the shit out of me. Ash got enough hits in to last her a while, but you, my brother, were too busy falling in love to pay any attention to me. I feel your pain."
He chuckled and the twinge I always felt in my chest when I was away from my family twisted. I missed them already.
When a rhythmic thumping sound came from the other side of my bedroom wall, I rolled my eyes.
"What the hell is that?" Con asked, irritating me more that he could hear the noise over the phone.
I shot to my feet and started for my front door. "It's my God damn neighbor. She's always turning on some bullshit music and blasting it so loud that it wakes me up."
I'd been working late shifts for months now and spent the mornings catching up on some much needed shuteye. My neighbor, a short, red haired pain in the ass, knew that and didn't give a damn about it. At least three times a week, she blasted some kind of kid music and annoyed the hell out of me.
At first, I just let it go and started going to sleep the minute I got home to make sure I got enough, but the last couple weeks since I'd been back in town, it had been too much. It was time to say something.
Conall was laughing, "Serves you right, man. You need to be nicer to her. By the way, how are things going with that girl from the internet?"
"Great, I'm meeting her in person next week and by the way, I'm nice to her. I just don't like cookies that taste like cardboard and thirteen year old chocolate."
When she first moved in several months ago, she had tried to be a good neighbor and bake me some cookies. She was hot, so I accepted them and planned on asking her out later on.
"It's the thought that counts," he mumbled.
"Not when it forces me to spend two hours on the toilet at work."
He laughed so hard I had to pull the phone away from my ear. Asshole.
Yeah, I wasn't exaggerating either. Ended up getting bottles of Tums and laxatives with big bows tied around them on my desk for the next couple weeks. It wasn't pretty.
When she brought me another plate, I politely declined and it ended up causing some tension. Found out she wasn't as angelic as I thought and she was an even worse cook. We'd had several arguments about her cooking when it made the entire floor smell like bigfoot had taken a big old shit in the hallway. The stench lasted a week and we'd been enemies ever since. Well, maybe not enemies. We just pretty much hated each other and let the other know by means of little pranks here and there. They weren't terribly mean, but one actually ended up getting the cops called on me.
I'd found a way into her apartment and left a 'Cooking for Dummies' book on her kitchen counter. I was in and out faster than you could say 'I was just trying to help'. No one saw me, but she knew who'd left it the second she laid eyes on it.
Thank the good Lord the officers who showed up were ones I'd worked with frequently, otherwise I would have had to deal with more crap for another few weeks. Revenge would have been sweet, but the consequences were unpredictable.
I yanked open my front door and started down the hall a short distance to her apartment. I wasn't going to put up with that crappy music anymore. I heard Emily's voice in the background and Conall could barely stop laughing long enough to tell her what was going on.
He'd been a lot happier since meeting Emily, a lot more laid back, even with all the shit that went down with her brother. It's too bad she didn't grow up with a good family the way we had, but what better way to get one than with us, right?
"I gotta go, Con. Time to throw down the law."
"Whatever, Gus. Emily says 'Hi'. Let me know how it goes next week. We'll see you soon, yeah?"
"Yeah. Later."
I pocketed my phone and took a deep, cleansing breath to calm my rattled nerves. I wasn't angry enough to accidently disrespect the woman, but I was definitely at the end of my rope. Work was getting crazy with all the kids gone missing and it was hard to not bring that shit home with you. It amazed me how many parents just let their children play around unsupervised.
Hello people! We live in Detroit. It's not purgatory, but it isn't the golden gates of heaven either.
Con's reminder that I was going to be meeting someone great next week calmed me down. I hadn't meant to tell Con about it and if I found out he spilled the beans to Luke, there would be hell to pay. Being a detective for missing children didn't really leave much time for me to go out and meet people. I'd joined a dating site in secret, one that didn't require you to give real names or pictures, just to see what happened and ended up talking to the coolest girl I had ever met. She was funny and smart and I had a good feeling she was absolutely gorgeous. We'd agreed to not send any pictures once we started talking since we both didn't feel comfortable with it. But we talked on the phone a couple times a week and it was a miracle I hadn't been caught while I was back in Oakland.
I pounded on the door and waited. A few seconds later, the music turned down and I heard giggling from the other side.
The door opened a crack and there she was, hiding behind the chain with a knowing smile. Damn, she's pretty, I thought. Too bad she's an evil-
"Can I help you, Fergus?" she asked sweetly.
"Yeah, Red, you can. The music is too loud, has been for weeks."
She rolled her eyes and shut the door. My jaw dropped in shock at her rudeness until I heard the sound of the chain sliding and she opened the door a moment later, a little wider so I could just see inside her apartment. It was a mess.
Figures.
"My name isn't Red, it's Aiden."
Same difference. The meaning for Aiden is 'fire'. She has red hair. Big fucking coincidence if you ask me.
"Whatever, Red. Just turn the music down. I gotta get some sleep."
"Don't ask me. It's not my music."
"Then whose is it?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.
She smiled and took a step back, opening the door a little wider. Behind her was a tiny little red haired beauty dressed in a princess gown and holding a wand with a heart on the end of it. The top of her head would probably reach up to my mid thigh, she was so small. Her little smile looked like an angel's and she giggled when Red told her to say hi.
I swallowed, knowing exactly what I'd gotten myself into.
"Fergus, did you have something to tell Little Aiden?" Red asked sarcastically.
I turned my eyes to her and shot daggers into those dark brown swirls of hers.
"You named you're daughter after you?" I asked, trying to be an asshole on purpose.
She rolled her eyes again, "She isn't my daughter. She's my niece. My sister liked the name and when she came out with red hair, it seemed fitting."
"She's the reason for the music? Almost every day?"
She smiled again and I felt my stomach flip. Why'd my arch enemy have to be so smoking hot?
"Yep. I watch her while her mom works. She's a nurse so it changes every so often."
I swallowed again and looked back down at the little girl. She had freckles covering her face and
"Um…"
"Yes?" she pressed, and for the first time in my life, I turned away from a challenge.
Just walked away without a word.
I heard her chuckle softly and clenched my fists. Then Little Aiden giggled and squealed, making my heart do a tiny flip. It was a beautiful laugh.
I hurried into my apartment and leaned against the door.
"What the hell was that?" I asked no one and rubbed my sternum, hoping to relieve the panic in my chest.
I don't know how long I stood there, but my phone chimed with a text message, pulling my thoughts back to reality. I loved kids, always wanted some for my own. That little girl was a wakeup call, though. She tugged at my heart with just a smile.
My phone showed a text from MysteryGirl. We hadn't given our names either in case we decided this whole thing wasn't going to work out. She was definitely my type of woman. Thought like me, had a dirty mind, and I couldn't wait to lay eyes on her.
MysteryGirl: Why do neighbors suck?
I smiled.
We had a lot in common.
Chapter 1
Aiden
"No. Uh uh! No way am I wearing that!" Aiden shouted at her sister, Lily. The flowery concoction that the woman had pulled out of the back of her closet made her want to cover her eyes to avoid getting a headache from all the bright, nauseating colors.
"What? It's gorgeous! It will look so good, I promise."
She laughed. Loudly. Heartily. Because that was the funniest damn thing she had ever heard. "Lil, you of all people should know that colors like that," she emphasized, pointing at the offending scrap of material, "do not look good with colors like this." She pointed to the mass of bright red curls on the top of her head. "I'd look like the love child between a rainbow and a unicorn. It's too much."
"Seriously?" Lily scowled at her, "Do you have to be so dramatic? God, it's like I'm dealing with Aidy all over again."
Aiden Murphy was not dramatic. She told the truth. Always. No matter what. And that dress, the one her sister was still holding in front of her, looked like unicorn barf. It was just so sad.
Her sister had always been her best friend, even when they were kids. They looked so different from each other so the kids in school never thought they were sisters which probably made life a lot easier back then. There was no competition between them.
Lily was beautiful. Always had been, even in those awkward years as a teen. Her blonde hair was thick and shiny, no matter how she styled it, it always looked amazing. Her eyes were green, not brown like Aiden's, and they made her look mysterious, which now days was sexy as hell. She'd always been thin and after giving birth to Aidy, her body seemed to suck back in to normal with some added curves here and there. But nothing compared to her smile. Lily could make anyone fall in love with her with those perfect teeth and a smile that could slay lesser men. It made Aiden extremely bitter that the man who stole her sister's heart was such a dick.
Lily was an amazing sister, an even better mother, and a rock in Aiden's life. The least she could do was be the best damn aunt that little girl could ever ask for.
"That's because Aidy thinks like her favorite aunt," she snickered.
"Her only aunt! And thank the Lord there aren't any others. I swear that little girl has multiple personalities already. I wouldn't be able to handle it," Lily replied with an exaggerated shake of her head.
"Oh, come on. She's not that bad. She's hilarious. I love spending time with her."
"Speaking of," Lily bit her bottom lip and twisted her eyebrows in that way that warned Aiden she was about to give another favor. "Would you mind watching Aidy tomorrow morning? I've got a staff meeting and I missed the last one so I can't miss it or I'll get written up."
Aiden rolled her eyes. Her sister was too nice of a person. "Why do you still feel like you have to beg me? Huh? You look so pathetic when you do that so just… stop. You know I'll do it. What time will you be dropping her off?"
Lily sighed with relief and finally… finally!... put the dress back in the far corner of her closet. Aiden wanted to pump her fist in the air once the deed was done, but she held it back.
"It will be about nine if that's okay. After the meeting, I have to log in a few in-service hours, though, so can I pick her up around two?"
That would cut into some serious getting-ready-for-a-hot-date time, but she couldn't say no. She was the queen of rushing so it was doable. Not like she needed a full four hours to get ready anyway. She would just have to cut the self-medicating of her nerves down to one glass of wine instead of two. She'd be good to go.
"No problem. Just call if you are going to be late. I want to make sure I look good tomorrow night," she said and stood to peruse the other clothes in Lily's closet.
"You wouldn't have to worry about that if you wore the dress."
"Ha! It would make sure I wouldn't get another date. Or it may ensure I don't even get the first one. He'd see me from a mile away, turn tail and run."
Lily smacked her on the shoulder with a scoff, "I'll have you know, that's the dress I was wearing on my first date with Brandon. He loved it!"
Aiden shrugged, "My point exactly."
Lily laughed and started to shut the closet doors, "Then you might as well forget borrowing anything of mine ever again. He always said he liked the way I dressed."
It was nice to finally be able to talk to her about Brandon without the consequence of some kind of break down. Her sister's ex-husband was always a tall, handsome, suave troll. He never deserved her, but she gave him everything. He was dangerous, exciting, and full of life and the bastard broke her heart. They divorced shortly after little Aiden was born since he cheated on Lily with a 5'10" bimbo tramp. Who, by the way, is a good two inches taller than him without the heels she always wears. It was actually quite hilarious to see them together because he looked so pathetic. It was hard for Lily, though, because she was suddenly a single mother with a job that required a large chunk of her time. A job she couldn't quit because she needed the money.
The man rarely spent time with his daughter which was okay with Aiden. That little girl didn't need him as a role model for a father. She would be better off without him. Lily had refused any form of child support and only took a small settlement once the divorce was final. Instead of living off of that for a while, she put every penny in an account for Aidy for college and she increased her hours at work.
Aiden moved from their hometown of Chicago to Detroit a year later when she finally put her foot down and forced Lily to let her help. They'd lived together until several months ago when Aiden found her apartment and Lily started dating other guys. She didn't date often, but it was enough to make Aiden feel like she was invading her sister's privacy.
"I feel sorry for Aidy. She's going to have to deal with those bright red locks like I've had to. It's a pain in the ass sometimes, you know? Colors are hard," she said, her shoulders slumping.
"Well, you both are beautiful and I love your red hair. It's you. It matches your charming personality, too," Lily chuckled and winked.
Aiden rolled her eyes and sprawled out on the bed.
"Speaking of charming, how's that delicious neighbor of yours?"
"Ugh! Please, don't reference him at the same time as using the word 'delicious'. He may be beautiful, but he's a total asshat. Just last week he came pounding on my door demanding that I shut off Aidy's music." She smiled, remembering the look on his face when he realized it wasn't her music. "God, his face was priceless when I told him to talk to Aidy."
Lily sprawled out next to her and studied her nails, "I still don't understand how you two are enemies. He seems like such a sweet guy."
He used to be sweet and for a minute there, Aiden was sure he was going to ask her out. Then he had insulted her cookies and instead of fessing up and telling the truth, he played it off as if he was on some kind of girly diet. Served him right if he got as bad of diarrhea as he said he did.
"He told me my cookies tasted like packing peanuts and when he was - and I quote - 'ready to die' he would 'keep me in mind'. He's a total douche."
