Sequoia Valley: Risk (Free Preview)

9

Bob’s Grill, where Jâsim and José had chosen to meet for a late lunch, was loud. A popular family restaurant, especially in the evenings, the dining area was filled with the sounds of families—adults conversing, mothers’ sharp tones as they tried to make their children behave, and the loud screams of laughter of young children. It was like visiting Badr’s house when all the children were home, but ten times louder. 

“I forgot how loud it gets in here on weekend afternoons,” José remarked as he sipped from his cup of soda. “We can have the waiters pack up our food if it’s too loud for you.”

“I’m fine,” Jâsim said. “It almost sounds like Badr’s house.”

José laughed at that. “Those kids must be a handful.”

Jâsim smiled. “Kind of. I do wonder why the good kid got all the naughty ones. Badr was always perfect, if my mother’s stories are to be believed.”

“If his kids are a handful, just imagine what your kids will be like,” José said with a smirk. “I’m sure you were absolutely not perfect.”

“You’re wrong,” Jâsim sniffed with mock disdain. “Little Jâsim told me today that his mother said the two of us are the perfect pair for finding trouble.”

José laughed. “Oh, I can imagine that. You were the bane of every professors’ existence in college.”

“It’s not my fault they didn’t have a sense of humor,” Jâsim said smoothly. “They would enjoy life a lot more if they laughed sometimes.”

José shook his head and grinned. 

“Is Ashley out with Mr. Wrong the One-Hundredth today?” Jâsim asked curiously. That was usually the time José invited him to hang out at times Ashley was off work. 

José grimaced. “Yup. Don’t think it will last for much longer. She’s complaining about him almost every time we’re alone.” He picked up his burger to take a bite. “I thought of hanging out with Aileen, but she won’t leave the apartment, and I’m sure she’d be pretty uncomfortable with me staying over for more than a few minutes when Ashley isn’t with us.”

Jâsim shot to attention. It was the same thing Mrs. Jamison had mentioned. “Why isn’t she leaving the apartment?” Is she sick? 

José hesitated, as if uncertain whether he should answer or not. Finally, he shrugged. “It isn’t really a secret, I guess. It’s all over Wakefield’s.”

Wakefield’s was a store some distance from the apartment building Aileen was living at, practically on the outskirts of Twin Pines. “What is?”

“Jeremy Quinn chasing Aileen into the women’s bathroom,” José said. “I’m not sure what happened in there, but she was pretty shaken up when I got to her. She was a bit battered, too, but nothing serious. I think the mental trauma was worse. She hasn’t left the apartment since. Ash and I visit her now since she won’t come out with us.”

That explained a lot, like why she’d suddenly stopped hanging around the park. A jolt of anger passed through him. Just earlier that day he’d been hearing the effects Fareed had left behind on his sister’s broken spirit from her young son, and now Jeremy Quinn was still trying to destroy Aileen Byrne’s life as if he hadn’t already done enough damage. 

“Did you catch him?” he asked hopefully, already knowing the answer. If Jeremy had been arrested, Aileen wouldn’t be hiding. 

“No, but once we do catch him, he’s going away for a lot more than domestic assault and harassment.”

Jâsim recalled José’s vague mention of Aileen’s ex-boyfriend being under police surveillance before. “What else has he done?”

“Now that’s confidential information,” José replied with a grin. “But Aileen won’t have to worry about him for a long time as soon as we can catch up to him.”