Jarod's Heart (King Brothers Stories #2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

meant that he had to deal with people who were at their worst. His innate sense to defend and protect people often put strenuous demands on his emotional well-being, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
    She understood what he was going through. Every time CPS showed up to pick up a child, she had to fight back the tears. She understood what it was like for those kids because she’d spent some time with foster parents herself.
    Shaking off the gloomy memories of her childhood, she got busy with her work. Unfortunately, Marguerite was hovering nearby, trying to glean information through Lauren’s one-sided conversation with the sheriff.
    Lauren understood that by calling her on her cell phone and not going through proper department channels, Jarod had been protecting the little boy, but the news about Avery and Luanne would be out soon enough. They didn’t need Marguerite’s talent for storytelling to move the story along. News got around quickly enough in Timbisha, and it had taken Lauren years to wipe out the reputation her mother had built for her. She would do everything she could to keep Jarod’s trust regarding the little boy he’d found today.
    Maybe that ’ s why no one knew what Miranda was really like? Jarod had protected her. She’d have to think about that when she got home. Right now, she needed to get busy.
    Two hours later, Jarod and Brad returned to the station with their prisoners. Eli’s shift had ended earlier, but he’d logged in overtime at the Decaturs’ and he would be back again this evening for the night shift. Rookies had the worst schedules. She worried that Jarod was making Eli work too many hours, especially with his wife being pregnant.
    She sat at her computer trying to focus, but she had too many unsettled thoughts spinning around in her head. Her distraction was exacerbated by Jarod, who sat at his desk, directly in her line of sight, filling out his part of the reports.
    “I think he’s gay.”
    “What?”
    Lauren turned in her office chair to see Brad leaning against the wall. He was grinning, teasing her. From his vantage point, he could see that Lauren had been gazing into Jarod’s office.
    “I’ve never seen him with a woman. He doesn’t even talk about woman,” he puzzled.
    Lauren shook her head. “You’re rotten. You know that he’s private, Brad.” She turned back to her computer, trying to ignore him.
    “He lives with his parents,” he began to tick off each item on a finger as he began listing reasons for believing that Jarod played for the other team. “He doesn’t date, and he doesn’t even go out. I think the evidence is pretty clear,” Brad stated, a dimple showing in his cheek.
    He was being ornery, trying to get her goat, and it was working. Before she could defend Jarod again, Marguerite’s heels clicked across the tile floor to stand next to Brad. She must have smelled blood.
    “I agree with Brad. Not once has he ever complimented me. It’s not normal.” She was completely serious.
    Brad stifled a laugh at Marguerite’s arrogance behind a choking cough.
    “Look, you guys, I’ve known him a long time. He’s not gay, I promise,” Lauren whined, sounding a little too frustrated with them.
    What was with these two?
    “Answer me this, Lauren: besides that skank he called ‘wife,’ have you ever seen him with a woman? Because I sure haven’t,” Brad smirked, stoking Marguerite’s thirst for blood, who fiercely nodded her head in agreement.
    “I knew Miranda in school,” Marguerite informed them. “She probably left him because, well…you know…” and here she began to whisper loudly, “he’s gay, and he probably didn’t know what to do with a woman in bed.”
    Brad was laughing out loud at Marguerite’s ridiculous explanation, unable to control himself any longer.
    “All right, knock it off you two. I don’t want to hear another word on the subject.” Lauren was standing now, shaking her head.
    The invocation of Miranda’s