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Jeff nodded.
Lucy’s blood pressure rose. No one was listening to her. “You are not?—”
The radio clipped to Jeff’s waistband crackled, and he turned a dial at the top to silence it. “Mom’ll come around, especially now we know the threat followed Lucy here.”
Enough was enough. “Stop it, all of you.” Lucy stood abruptly, knocking over her glass of water. The room went silent as the liquid ran a path down the center of the conference table. “I mean it. Stop. Will, if we are staying together it’s because we want to, not because you feel like you have to. And I’m not asking for you to pay for extra security. Jeff, extra patrols that don’t interfere with your other cases would be great, but I don’t need a babysitter. And Parker, can you please get me a napkin or something?”
“She’ll be all right.” Jeff threw a lopsided grin at William before addressing her. “I’m still assigning extra patrols, and William staying with you is a good idea.”
“She can move in with me,” Parker said as he dug through a cupboard and held up a roll of paper towels.
“Not happening.” William put an arm around her waist, clearly staking his claim. She glared at him. She didn’t want to appreciate being marked as a possession, but she did. Also, it ticked her off at how comforting his arm was. Ack.
Jeff raised both eyebrows at them. “She can’t move in with Simon and me. There’s barely enough room for us and the dog. I can ask Mom, though. She might be game as long as you’re into Wheel of Fortune marathons and willing to eat butter pecan ice cream with her before bed.”
Oh hell-to-the-no. She wasn’t living with Dixie.
She crossed her arms in defiance.
“Lucy, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than with you,” William replied. “Trust me when I say this is not a hardship for me.”
Her heart plunked straight to her toes at William’s words.
“Can I get a copy of the video?” Jeff turned his radio back on and stood. Apparently, the meeting was over.
“Absolutely,” Parker said as he opened the door and stepped outside with Jeff.
“Will?” Lucy scowled at him and gestured around the room. “I feel like this is a dream and I don’t even know what just happened.”
“You got a roommate, and there’s been a big break in your case. Focus on that.” He sat across from her so their knees bumped. Her treasonous nerves thrilled at the innocent touch. Down, girls.
He threaded her fingers with his, and the nerve endings in her hand sighed. “You’re frustrated, but we’re going to keep you safe.”
Now, what was she supposed to do with that?
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Lucy really wanted to know how to block the upheaval that had become her life. Running away hadn’t helped. The changes she’d made did nothing. This whole thing continued to spin wildly out of control.
Fine. This would be her reality for a while, so she decided to carpe her diem, whatever that meant.
Another small break in the case, and Jeff found Robbie had been staying at the Pillow Talk Motel under a false name. Paid cash. But he’d left.
As soon as that news came through, William went further than security for the office. He added another necessary ding in her self-reliance when he hired a private bodyguard for her, all the way from Denver. He moved fast, and the bodyguard arrived within hours. The guy stuck to her like peanut butter on jelly—a constant, unspeaking shadow. She understood William took her security seriously, but she’d already lost so much independence.
Bitter anger washed over her whenever Robbie came to mind. Her fear had lessened over the day, replaced by fury.
Another glance in her rearview mirror and yes, Mr. Bodyguard—Neilson—stayed right behind her in his shiny black SUV. She parked in front of her apartment to find Dixie lounging on the porch with a rifle propped against the railing. She wore a neon-pink-floral muumuu dress with matching lipstick that didn’t quite make it inside the lines.
“Hey, Dixie,” Lucy called as she stepped from her car.
“Glad ta see you’re still alive.” Dixie grabbed her rifle and hauled it under her arm.
Neilson cleared his throat and stepped in front of Lucy. His aviator glasses covered his eyes so she couldn’t study his expression, not that she’d had any luck reading it all day. He achieved the ultimate poker face seemingly without effort. “Rifle, ma’am.”
“She’s okay,” Lucy said, stepping aside so she could talk to Dixie. “She’s my landlady.”
“Figured I’d stand guard for a bit. Jeff said I don’t have to use warnin’ shots if your guy shows. Who’s this ’un?” Dixie gestured to Neilson.
