Deadly Vacation (Hardy Brothers Security Book 10) by Lily Harper Hart

asked.
    “I don’t know,” Emma admitted. “I’ve been thinking about it. He’s going to need some help.”
    Emma’s brother, Jeff, had been locked up in prison for armed robbery for five years. Since he’d been trying to provide for himself and Emma after being abandoned by their mother, the judge took pity on him and gave him a light sentence. Jeff’s reentry into society was still going to be tough.
    “I’m sure we can help,” Mandy said. “I’ll talk to Judge MacIntosh. He knows some groups that will help Jeff find a job. We can also find a place for him to live.”
    “How is he going to be able to afford that? I think he’s supposed to go to one of those halfway houses.”
    “Those places are pits,” Sophie said. “We won’t let him go to one of those. I’m sure Peter can help find him a place to live. He’s got a bunch of safe houses if it comes to it. I’ll talk to him.”
    Peter Marconi was Sophie’s foster father and a high-ranking face in the Detroit mob scene. Given his professional ties, the Hardy brothers had been reticent to get involved with him. After a few months, though, they realized Peter was a criminal with an interesting code of ethics. They didn’t want to be associated with his business, but they had utilized his help a time or two.
    “Do you really think he would help?” Emma was hopeful.
    “I’m sure he will,” Sophie said. “He says that he would have killed your father himself if he knew what he was doing.”
    “That might have made things easier,” Emma said, averting her gaze. “For everyone.”
    Mandy decided to change the subject. “I say we ride the streetcar for an hour and then go back to the hotel and shower. When the guys get back, we can all split up tonight – and I mean really split up.”
    “I love you guys, but that sounds like a good idea,” Sophie said. “I think Grady and I are just going to order room service.”
    “I could deal with that, too,” Emma said.
    “That makes three of us,” Mandy said. “I’m actually hoping James’ surprise doesn’t involve leaving the hotel. Let’s just hope this streetcar shows up soon. I’m not big on sweating if I don’t have fun while I’m doing it.”
    Emma giggled.
    At that moment, a middle-aged couple approached the three women uncertainly. “Um, excuse me.” The man was the one who spoke. He had a fisherman’s hat on, and a worried expression on his face. “I don’t suppose you know where St. Andrew Street is, do you?”
    “Not off the top of my head,” Sophie said. “I do have a map, though.” She unfolded the map and studied it. “Let’s see … um … here it is.”
    The man leaned over Sophie’s shoulder and looked to where she was pointing. “That looks like it’s about two blocks away. Am I reading that right?”
    Sophie nodded and pointed to the east. “It should be right down there.”
    “Thank you so much,” the man said. “I would have kept going in the wrong direction if we hadn’t run into you.”
    “We’re going to a haunted house,” his wife piped in. “It’s supposed to have real ghosts.”
    “Oh, that sounds fun,” Sophie said.
    “No, it doesn’t,” Emma muttered under her breath.
    “Where did you hear about this house?” Mandy asked, intrigued.
    “Someone at our hotel mentioned it,” the man said. “It’s supposed to be really scary. My wife loves horror movies, so I promised we could go.”
    Mandy was also enamored with horror movies, and her blue eyes were sparkling when they shifted to Sophie.
    “You want to see the haunted house, don’t you?”
    “Just for a few minutes,” Mandy said.
    “Fine,” Sophie said. “If it’s too much for Emma, though, you’re going in alone and we’ll wait outside for you.”
    “Sold.” Mandy jumped to her feet and smiled at the couple. “We’ll walk with you. What are your names?”
     
    “THERE’S no way I’m going in there,” Emma said, eyeing the three-story monstrosity of a house with