Page 77 of It Runs in the Family

I burst out laughing and Stella joined me.

Cal shot us a hateful glare. I was pretty sure he hadn’t heard Stella, but he knew we were laughing about him and he didn’t like it.

“Ribs are ready,” Garrett announced. “Go fix yourself a plate in the kitchen, then I’ll cut you off some here at the grill.”

Everyone started to get up and head inside, but I hung back with Stella, who didn’t seem to be in any hurry to go in.

“Where’s Garrett been keepin’ you?” she asked, her eyes bright with merriment.

I laughed. “I try not to butt into his life. Especially his Sunday night shindigs. I’m here tonight because I’m staying with him.”

She studied me, some of her amusement gone. “Because of the sewer leak.”

“Yeah,” I said a little too quickly. “In any case, I was out with Mary Ellen and Ava all day and when they dropped me off here, they saw all the cars, and their nosy asses had to come in and see all the ‘hot deputies,’” I finished, using air quotes.

Stella lifted her chin. “I’m glad they could tell how hot I was from the street.”

I laughed again. “They do have a hotness radar. I thought it only applied to men, but obviously, they have good taste.”

A grin spread across her face. “I like you, Iris Riggs.”

“I like you too, Deputy Stella, but it’s Iris Gardner.”

“Even better,” she said. “Your mother must have known you’d be pretty to name you after a flower with that last name.”

My face flushed as Garrett called out, “You’re barkin’ up the wrong tree, Stel. Iris’s into guys.”

Stella shrugged. “It doesn’t mean she’s not pretty, Garrett.”

“Wouldn’t know, Stel,” he said, keeping his attention on the ribs as he started to cut into them. “Never looked at her that way. She’s like my little sister.”

“And it doesn’t mean we can’t be friends,” she said. “Let’s go grab a plate.”

“I ate before I came,” I said, then lowered my voice. “Hey, can you tell me more about the cartel rumors?”

Sympathy washed over her face. “Cal’s right. They’re just rumors. Chatter.” She tilted her head. “You don’t have anything to worry about, Iris. Even if they’re movin’ in, the chances of you bein’ in danger are pretty slim.”

“Yeah,” I said absently. “I figured. But if they’re here…” My voice trailed off, because I had no idea what to ask.

Her eyes narrowed. “Do you know something, Iris?” She didn’t sound threatening like Cal would have. She sounded worried.

I offered her a weak smile and turned my back to the door so my cousins wouldn’t hear. “I had a weird encounter in the parking lot of the Stop-n-Go off Highway 32 last night,” I said, keeping my voice down. “I came straight to Garrett’s after it happened and he asked Nate to come over and take a report. But I don’t want Mary Ellen and Ava to know, otherwise they’ll freak out.”

“Which is why you’re stayin’ with Garrett.”

I nodded.

“What happened?”

I told her pretty much what I’d told Nate—the truth—that the guy was looking for Selena but didn’t know her name and thought I knew her because he’d seen me chasing her at T-Birds.

“Do you know why they’re looking for Selena?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No, but I can’t get ahold of her. I saw her at T-Birds Friday night, so I know she was okay then. I’m just worried about her.”

“You should be worried about yourself too,” she said with a frown. “And you have no idea who this guy is?”

“None, but Nate was gonna work on getting some surveillance footage from inside the store.” I grimaced. “The outside cameras don’t work.” When she gave me a questioning look, I added, “I work there.” I flinched. “Or I did until I got fired on Friday after my idiot coworker told our boss I was stealing from the register so I’d go out with him.”