“Would you like anything?” she asked Thomas.

He shook his head. “Unless you can make him disappear, I’m good.” He lifted his still full glass of club soda.

Hank leaned forward, elbows on the table, staring toward the center of the restaurant. “What do you know! Edward held the chair for Clara,” he said in a hushed yet still loud whisper. “I’m surprised he remembered that’s the right thing to do on a date.”

“Maybe he read Emily Post.” Thomas shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Listen, we can still go out the back door and they’ll never know we were here.”

Thomas didn’t want to get caught. Though Edward wasn’t speaking to him, his brother had taken his advice and started to move forward in his relationship with Clara. Thomas believed his brother would forgive him next. At the very least he still held out hope. But if Edward discovered Thomas and Hank lurking here, he would probably pile another wrong onto the list of grudges he already held against him.

Hank shook his head. “If you’re going to be such a downer you should’ve stayed home.”

“You’ve got a point, but someone had to make sure you behaved.” Thomas had had visions of Hank crawling on his hands and knees, ending up beneath Clara and Edward’s table in order to hear their conversation.

“I don’t buy that excuse. You wanted to see how things worked out between them for yourself.” As Hank spoke, he leaned around the booth once more. “They’re talking like civilized people!”

Thomas wouldn’t let Hank get sidetracked. “If I’m so interested in Clara and Thomas, why are you the only one spying?”

“Because someone has to, and I fill you in as soon as I see something worth reporting! Come on. Admit you’re as interested in these two getting together as I am.”

Thomas hated it when he couldn’t argue with his brother’s reasoning. Thank goodness, it wasn’t often that Hank was right.

Thomas leaned back in his seat, arms folded across his chest. “Of course I’m interested. I want Edward healthy so we can be a family again, and these baby steps he’s taking with Clara will help lead him back to us, too.”

“Aha!” Hank picked up a fork and waved it at him.

“But that doesn’t mean I’d invade their privacy to do it.”

“Stick-in-the-mud.” His lips turned down in a classic Hank-pout.

Thomas shook his head, suppressing a grin. He’d already decided not to respond.

Suddenly the ringing of Hank’s cell phone broke the silence. The loud song called attention to their booth, and as Hank fumbled to find his phone, the song continued its seemingly never-ending chorus.

“Why didn’t you put that thing on silent?” Thomas hissed.

“Because I don’t know how.” Hank finally found the phone and flipped it open, ending the serenade. “Talk to me,” he said, again in a too loud whisper.

“Who is it?” Thomas asked.

Hank put up a hand, telling Thomas to wait, his concentration on the call. He listened, nodding until he finally said, “Holy cow!”

“What?”

Hank ignored him. “Yep, he’s with me. I’ll let him know and we’ll call you when we get home.” He disconnected and placed the phone on the table. “I knew I shoulda brought my shotgun.”

“For the last time, what is wrong?” Thomas asked.

“That was Derek and you’ll never believe why he called.” Hank met Thomas’s gaze. “That lunatic Elizabeth Perkins escaped!”

Thomas blinked, certain he’d heard wrong. And if he hadn’t, how was such a thing possible?

He leaned closer to Hank. “Do you think we should tell Edward, so he hears it from family first and not from some stranger?”

“No need to tell me anything, I overheard everything,” a deep, familiar male voice said.

Thomas cringed.

Edward stood by their table, Clara beside him. “Odd choice in restaurants for you two, isn’t it?”

“When did you notice us?” Thomas asked, mortified.

“When ‘Old McDonald’ rang on the phone.”

Thomas shot Hank a deadly look before turning his attention back to Edward. His brother looked neat. He was dressed in a pair of pressed pants and a clean button-down shirt. No tie. Hair freshly trimmed and combed, the same as his beard. He looked fantastic. Like the brother he’d almost forgotten he’d ever had, Thomas thought, and barely refrained from complimenting him. He didn’t want to embarrass Edward, especially in front of Clara, who stood patiently while the three men talked.

“I just wanted to be close by in case you needed me,” Hank said in an attempt to defend his actions. “Isn’t that right, Thomas?”

Thomas clenched his jaw tight. Hank was covering, but Thomas had promised himself he wouldn’t deceive his brother. Not by omission or by lying to himself, either.

He gripped the napkin in his lap. “I came to keep an eye on him.” Thomas jerked his thumb toward Hank. “But to be even more truthful, I also feel like I have a vested interest in whether you two end up together.” The admission didn’t come easily, but Thomas was pleased with himself for making it.

“Why?” Clara asked, clearly appalled. “I wouldn’t date you even if Edward were foolish enough to end things between us.” She placed her hand on Edward’s shoulder. “Not ever.”

Thomas admired her spunk and unnecessary defense of his brother. He should have realized the potential for misunderstanding. “What I meant was that if Edward could work toward a resolution with you, maybe you will make peace with me next.” He steeled himself for his brother’s verbal punch, but to Thomas’s shock and relief, Edward’s face seemed to soften.

“Why is nobody dealing with the fact that that crazy Perkins lady escaped?” Hank blurted out.

“Oh, Goddess, help us,” Clara said, turning her attention heavenward. “Some men just don’t have the sense she gave a goat.”

Clara was right and Thomas groaned. Leave it to Hank to break a potential peace by mentioning the Perkins family.

Hank raised his hands in a gesture of defeat. “Don’t everyone get your knickers in a twist. It’s an honest question, but I realize I shouldn’t have asked.”

Thomas turned his gaze to Edward, awaiting his volatile reaction.

Edward drew a deep breath. “It’s fine. The Perkins lady has nothing to do with me.”

Thomas had never been so relieved.

“Are you nuts?” Hank blurted out.

“He means, are…” Thomas started to rephrase Hank’s words, then realized he couldn’t. “I don’t know what he means. But…are you sure that’s how you feel?” he asked Edward.

After all, his reaction was quite a turnaround from the past.

“No,” he admitted. “No, I’m not sure. But it’s what I’m working toward feeling. And repeating that mantra day and night is keeping me calm. So I’d appreciate it if you would help me on that mission. And if you can’t, then stay away.” Edward squared his shoulders, challenging his brothers.

Thomas wanted to applaud.

Clara smiled. In fact, she beamed, radiating pride and happiness in Edward.

Thomas didn’t blame her.

“Now if you don’t mind, we’d like to get back to our date,” Edward said.

Thomas nodded.

Hank did the same.

Thomas waited until after Clara and Edward were out of hearing distance.

“Amazing,” Hank said before Thomas could speak.

“Agreed.” He looked around for the waitress and signaled for a check. “Now do you want to go find out what happened with Elizabeth Perkins and how Lauren and Jason are holding up?”

Hank nodded, a big smile on his face. “I thought you’d never ask!”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

LAUREN STARED OUT the window overlooking the lawn in the front of the house. The sun had set a long time ago but the police car parked out front kept vigil.

In case her sister showed up.

And Jason had insisted on staying over for protection. In case her sister showed up.

As if Lauren needed protection from her own sister. She may have misjudged Beth’s deviousness and mental state, but she’d never accept the fact that her sister could hurt her.

But Lauren knew better than to argue with the men who insisted she needed watchdogs. The little lady needed protection, the old cop had said. Lauren bristled at the memory.

“Are you going to watch the police car all night?” Jason asked, coming up behind her.

“It’s not like I’m going to get any sleep.” She continued to stare out into the dark night. The car was barely visible, but she knew it was there.

“I’m sure we could find something more interesting on TV.”

She shook her head.

“Do you want to talk?” Jason placed a hand on her shoulder, his strong touch meant to reassure her.

But how could anything calm her now? His musky scent aroused her, but she wasn’t in the mood for sex or conversation. She still needed to process her sister’s escape. The charade. The lies.

She exhaled, her warm breath fogging the window in front of her. “No. I just need time to think.” About how she’d been so easily deceived.

She tried to reassure herself that she wasn’t alone. The doctors had been fooled, as well.

Jason removed his hand and, despite not wanting the attachment to him, she felt the loss.

“I just want you to know, I am sorry. I didn’t want to be right about your sister.”

She inclined her head. “I know. And you’ve been a gracious winner.” She couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eyes and see the pity there.

“There are no winners in this situation.” Without warning, he gripped her arm and turned her around. “And I don’t take any pleasure in your pain.”

She believed his words. She just couldn’t deal with anything beyond the fact that her sister, the sister she’d sold her car to protect, was an escaped felon.

“Did the prison say when Beth’s doctor would call you?” Jason asked.

They’d heard about the escape from the institution but not any details about how she’d managed the feat. Lauren only knew it involved fire. Her sister’s weapon of choice.

“Lauren?”

Jason’s voice brought her back to the present and she shook her head. “The prison says he’s tied up with the police.”

A loud knock sounded at the front door. Since receiving the news, they’d locked the doors.

Lauren wasn’t in the mood to answer. “Would you mind?” She waved toward the entryway.

“Of course not.” He headed for the front door.

No sooner had the creaky hinges sounded, indicating he’d opened the door for their visitors, than she heard familiar male voices.

“We came as soon as we heard the news,” Jason’s father said, his tone kind and concerned.

“I can’t believe the loony-toon arsonist escaped!” Hank wasn’t as compassionate.

Lauren cringed at the description. But she was forced to admit it was on target. Her crazy sister had set fire to The Wave last year and apparently she’d set another one today to facilitate her escape.

Nausea rose in Lauren’s throat.

“Uncle Hank, if you’re going to talk like that in this house, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” Jason defended her honor.

At this point, Lauren wasn’t sure she deserved to be defended. She’d talked to her sister for hours and never once detected something was off.

She straightened her shoulders and headed to the entryway to greet the men. “Jason, he has every right to be upset. Everyone does.”

Jason shot her a grateful look. “Lauren’s being generous. Now you do the same for her.”

Lauren smiled. “Well. I see you decided to come into this house after all. What changed?”

Thomas flushed, his cheeks turning red.

Nothing seemed to embarrass Hank. “We wanted to see how Jason was doing. Imagine if your crazy sister came here and realized you and my nephew were a thing. News like that might send her over the edge. If she’s not there already.”

At his words, Lauren’s blood chilled. “Oh my God. What if she recognized you? What if she already knows?”

“Recognized him how?” Thomas asked.

Jason placed a calming hand on Lauren’s shoulder. This time she did take comfort from his touch.

“Lauren and I visited her sister in prison,” he said.

Hank’s eyes opened wide, and without warning, he reached over and smacked Jason on the side of the head.

“Hey! What was that for?” Jason raised a hand to his head, rubbing the spot.

“For being an idiot! You went to see a Perkins in prison?” Hank yelled.

Lauren’s temples began to throb. “Look, we didn’t tell Beth Jason’s last name, so there’s a chance-”

“There’s no chance!” Hank insisted. “I heard when the police raided this house last year they confiscated files on almost every citizen. Especially us Corwins. Trust me, she knows.”

Lauren’s gut told her he was right.

“Could it be that the visit upset her enough to precipitate the breakout?” Thomas asked, always the polite, rational brother.