“Like I said, you’re brave but also seven kinds of stupid.”
She knew he was right, which really annoyed her. “I saved a man’s life.”
He opened the refrigerator. A sign, she knew from experience, that meant he was done with that subject. But she wasn’t. He was police. He could answer her questions.
She made the hand signals for “down” and then “roll over,” doling out treats when the dog complied. He was a champ, just like Cooper had been. “I was surprised there wasn’t a mention about the guy in the news.”
His answer came from the depths of the refrigerator. “Moms is definitely falling down on the job. There’s not even cold cuts in here.” He slammed the refrigerator door, hunger making his features sharper. “Guess I need to cruise by Mickey D’s.”
“Aunt Fredda’s out now buying groceries. Probably buying bacon and those sweet rolls you love.” She watched his eyes roll heavenward. “While you wait, you can tell me about the man whose life I saved. You have to know something about him.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, as if it ached. “I wouldn’t say anything to anyone about him. In fact, it’d be best if you just forgot about him.”
“Why? Oh no.” Her stomach took a nosedive toward her Doc Martins. “He didn’t die, did he?”
“No, nothing like that. Only, well, you’ll want to stay away from the inquiry. All right!” He’d spied through the entry to the dining room the fresh pound cake cooling on a rack on the sideboard.
“What inquiry? What’s going on, Jarius?”
“Did I say anything was going on?” He pulled the longest knife from the wooden knife block on the counter and headed for the dining room.
Carly trailed him. “You’re evading my questions and trying to put the burden on me. Just like you used to do when we were kids.”
“I don’t need to evade.” He grinned as he positioned himself before the heavenly smelling confection that was his mother’s pound cake. “I’m a grown-ass man, in case you haven’t realized.”
“Not so grown you didn’t just give yourself away. That cocky smile doesn’t fool me. What’s going on? And don’t lie. I’ll make you pay. Just like when we were kids.”
“I don’t think so.” He slid the blade into the cake. “You got nothing on me.”
“Oh yeah? Who just cut the pound cake your mom made for the church social tomorrow?”
“Aw damn!” Jarius dropped the slice of cake he’d scooped up like it had bitten him. “You’re still a menace, you know that?”
“And you never learned to say ‘may I.’ And don’t think you can mend the cake by pinching the edges together like that. You’re only making it crumble.” She leaned in to better watch his efforts. “You’d better tell me what you know about last night so I can help you think up a reason why her cake is ruined.”
Jarius hauled back from the sideboard with a big sigh and began licking cake crumbs off his fingers. “And here I thought we were tight, cuz.”
“You were saying?”
He wet his lips then glanced at the cake as if it was the site of a horrific accident. “There’s a reason the fire wasn’t on the morning news. It’s because the department refused to give out any details. Said the cause of it was undetermined.”
Carly folded her arms. “Why would they do that?”
“Because of who was involved.”
“Me?”
He grinned. “You may be a certain kind of famous in some places but the man you saved is the reason the authorities shushed things up like a morgue.”
“Stop trying to be mysterious.”
“I’m going to give it to you straight but then you forget it. He’s a fire investigator named Noah Glover.”
“Why would a fire investigator be passed out in a vacant building? That doesn’t make any sense.”
Jarius shrugged and reached down to rub the ears of the shepherd who’d come up to him. He got his fingers licked for cake crumbs in return. “So, you two didn’t talk, or anything?”
“Jarius, I swear if you don’t answer me!” She pointed to the cake.
He glanced at it and winced. “Apparently, he was trying to commit suicide.”
“Really?” She folded her arms. “You used to tell better lies.”
“I’m serious as a heart attack. Before Glover was a firefighter he was a cop. That’s how I know him. A little. But don’t you go telling anyone, at all, what I just told you. The department is on lockdown where this investigation is concerned. The only thing you’ll get if you talk about it is deeper into a mess you don’t want any part of.”
Carly chewed her lip. “Why do they think it was a suicide attempt?”
“You promise to fix this mess?” He waved a hand at the cake. She nodded. “Everybody in his unit got an email from him last night. It was his suicide note.”
Carly felt all the air leave her chest.