Above the Law

Chapter Six

She shrugged, not sure why he was even asking. She hadn't meant to say anything when he was interrogating her, and now that she was in a better state of being, she doubted she'd say much of anything to him. "Okay, I guess."

"Ooooh, Ed! A dog," a voice squealed. Eden turned to look at her sister and so did Yates.

Detective Yates drew his bushy brows together and stood back up. He watched as the young girl came strolling over, bags swinging by her side. She looked the complete opposite of her sister; her features were soft, her eyes warm. She looked carefree and trusting, while her sister looked troubled and apprehensive. He looked back to Eden, her eyes were on her sister before dropping to Bear, who was licking her hand.

Lily's eyes lit up and glided over the detective before landing back on the dog. "Can I pet him?" she asked, her voice was sweet and girlish, more so than normal.

"Sure," he said, his brown eyes not leaving Eden's crouching figure.

Lily sat on the ground rather than crouching, looking between Eden and Detective Yates.

He rose a brow at the on looking girl and she blushed scarlet, her eyes dropped to the dog.

"Eden," he said quietly, eyeing her bags of groceries.

He large green eyes looked up to him and so did the eyes of Lily. "What?"

"Do you want a ride home?" his voice was low, quiet, but he wasn't actually giving her a choice; he wasn't letting them walk home or take the bus. And really, he just wanted an excuse to get close to her again.

Eden stood up, suddenly extremely nervous. "No—no, we're fine taking the bus. But thank you."

"Ed," Lily groaned, "the bus is gross."

"We take it all the time, Lily," Eden said.

"But—"

Detective Yates bent over and picked up some of the bags. "I'm driving you home," he said with a note of authority that left no room for discussion.

Eden opened and closed her mouth. Her eyes narrowed, but grabbed her bags all the same. Lily was ecstatic at being given a ride home. Eden was dreading it.

They walked, Bear only slightly in the lead and Eden and Lily following slowly behind Yates. He stopped at a black Toyota Corolla and unlocked his trunk and started putting the groceries inside. He walked around to the passenger side and held it open. Eden didn't move, but Bear did, he hopped right into the seat.

"No, Bear, backseat. Good boy." He continued to hold the door open and Eden eyed him warily before climbing in.

Lily got into the backseat with Bear and started petting him again.

Detective Yates started his car and shifted into gear, his hand brushed against Eden's knee and she jumped. He opened his mouth to apologize but Lily beat him to it.

"What's your name, Sir?"

He glanced to Eden. "Parker."

"How old are you, Parker?" Lily pressed.

"Almost twenty-six."

"Hmm. Eden's birthday's next week. She'll be eighteen. That'll make you only eight years older than her."

"Lily, stop," Eden said.

Lily smiled toothily. "But you think my sister's pretty, right, Parker?"

Yates looked sideways at Eden. Eden looked down at her hands. "You do not have to answer that," Eden said. "Please don't answer that."

Yates didn't think she was pretty. Pretty wasn't a strong enough word. She was beautiful, stunningly so. She looked more like a painting than an actually person; her tan skin, full lips, a light trace of freckles covered her small nose and slightly pink cheeks. But what made her most like a painting were her eyes. Her eyes were distant, haunted even. Her rare shy smiles didn't reach them, and it looked as if one hadn't for years.