“My gift told me.” With a giggle, Everly reached for Aurora’s hand, and together, they ran toward Cope, who knelt down to meet them.
“Thanks, Uncle Cope. You’re my hero!” She wrapped her arms around Cope’s neck.
“Mine too.” Aurora joined in the group hug. Aurora handed the blue stuffie to Lizbet, who squealed with joy.
“How do you like that? I’m a hero.” Cope grinned at Jude. He linked his arm with Jude’s. “You know what this hero needs?”
“A sloppy, wet blowjob?” Jude whispered into Cope’s ear.
“Yes, but I need a foot-long dog first.” Cope laughed. “Maybetwoif you play your cards right.” He waggled his eyebrows and tugged Jude toward the stand with the giant dogs.
“Come on, everyone, lunch is on me.” He waved everyone along, loving how the kids were skipping after him. “After lunch, we’ll see if Dad can win something for you, okay?” he asked Wolf.
Wolf shook his head, sending his shaggy hair flying. “That’s okay, Daddy. It was fun to see how excited the girls were. We can stop at the toy shop after lunch. They had some really cool rubber bugs I want to add to my collection.”
“You got it, buddy. Just promise me you won’t stick them in the girls’ beds or Ronan’s, got it?”
Wolf started to laugh. He held his belly and giggled for all he was worth. “How did you know I was gonna put them in Uncle Ronan’s bed?”
“Because it’s what I would do! Like father, like son!” Jude scooped his son into his arms. Maybe he’d get a pack of the rubber bugs for himself. Just because he was in the doghouse didn’t mean he could have a little fun for himself. Did it?
4
Cope
After snarfing down two foot-long dogs and an order of fries, Cope felt unstoppable. He couldn’t wait to head back to the hotel so he and the kids could hit the beach. Thankfully, Jude’s mood had brightened as the afternoon wore on, hitting a high point when he’d taken the kids into the toy store before they left. Wolf had gotten a bag full of rubber bugs, and Lizbet had fallen in love with a brightly colored beach ball.
Cope pushed Lizbet’s stroller along the beach access mat leading back to the hotel. The little girl looked as if she were about to drop off for a nap. He’d put her down in the portable crib on the beach. His daughter could sleep through anything, and when she woke up refreshed, she could play on the beach.
Catching sight of a group of people surrounding the back of the motel made Cope’s stomach drop. Christ, he hoped to hell someone wasn’t dead or badly injured. The closer he got to the crowd, the worse he felt. “Oh, fuck a duck,” he mumbled, noticing the first camera, then a second.
“There he is!” someone shouted. The crowd milling around the hotel turned and ran toward Cope as one. Some held microphones in their hands, while others had their smartphones turned in his direction.
“What the hell is going on?” Jude asked. “Who the hell are they here for? Me? Ronan? Fitz?”
Cope quickly scanned the group of rabid reporters. The answer came to him quickly. “Me, they’re here for me.” Turning to Ten, Cope pitched his voice low. “Take Lizbet and go around the front of the hotel. Can you take Wolf too?”
Ten nodded. “They’re not here to hurt you, but I’m sure Jude and Ronan will stick around and have your back.”
Cope watched as Ten spoke briefly to Ronan and waved Jace and the kids toward him. They took the side path toward the front of the hotel. When they were out of sight, he turned his attention toward the advancing mob. He thought he could pick out a word or two.
“Playboy…”
“Solve the case…”
“Longfellow.”
Longfellow didn’t ring a bell for Cope, aside from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and he very much doubted the media was here to talk about his poemHaunted Houses, but stranger things had happened.
As the mob came closer, Ronan and Jude stepped in front of Cope, while Fitzgibbon stood facing the direction they’d just come from, effectively covering Cope’s back. Both men held their hands up to the shouting members of the media. “You want to tell us what’s going on here?” Jude asked.
Several reporters started talking at once, their words jumbled and garbled.
“You, ABC 7, Bangor.” Ronan pointed to a youngish reporter with his station’s logo on his microphone.
“Chet Hines, ABC 7.” The reporter stood taller, obviously pleased to have been chosen as the spokesman for the group. “Is renowned psychic and ghost hunter Copeland Forbes here to solve the Case of the Penniless Playboy?”
Cope shook his head. He was really lost now. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m here on vacation with my family and friends.”
