“How squeaky clean?” Amy asked.
“Suspiciously clean.”
“Have you tried asking Cass? He has lived here longer than us,” Clint said.
“Ask me what?” Cass walked into the room before looking at the cupcakes and shaking his head. “Just ask her out if you like her so much.”
Clint and Amy laughed.
Lonnie shook his head. “I don’t need dating advice.”
“So what do you need to know?” Cass asked.
“What do you know about Alexis?” Lonnie asked.
Cass looked at all of them before tipping his head. “Let’s talk.”
Lonnie followed him, but Clint and Amy stayed behind. Based on the look he had, he only intended only for Lonnie to follow, and the others knew it.
They stepped into a private room, and Cass shut the door. “What do you want to know?”
Lonnie explained the same things to Cass that he had told Clint and Amy. Cass nodded along and scrubbed his face.
“I don’t know much. All I know is that a guy I’m familiar with brought her here,” Cass said.
“What do you mean?” Lonnie asked.
“I mean, she was brought to this town and left here.”
“And what does this guy do?”
Cass rubbed his fingers over his chin. “He works for the U.S. Marshals.”
Lonnie frowned. The Marshals.
If they were in town bringing her here…
Lonnie’s eyes widened. “Do you think she’s in witness protection?”
It all would make sense. She feared someone; that much had been clear. It would also explain her incredibly basic background. None of it was real. It was put in place with her new identity, and Lonnie would bet Alexis wasn’t even her real name.
“I don’t know. But all signs point to yes,” Cass said.
“That explains a lot,” Lonnie said softly.
“Did something happen?”
“The last several days I’ve gone into her shop, she’s been jumpy. She’s worried, and it all started when that video was posted.”
“She’s in it?” Cass asked.
“Briefly. But yes.”
“I don’t know for sure, but if she is in witness protection, it’s for good reason.”
Lonnie nodded. “I’m going to keep an eye on her.”
“I’ll do the same.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” Lonnie held out his fist, and Cass bumped it with his.
“Anytime.”
Lonnie left the room and went into the tactical gym, where Amy and Clint were now throwing punches at each other. He had a lot to think about. He now understood why she hadn’t called. If she told him she was in witness protection, she would break a huge rule that could put her in jeopardy. But he wanted to protect her, and he had to find a way to let her know she could trust him. Fortunately, this was the perfect place to work out a plan.
He pulled on a pair of boxing gloves and went over to a punching bag, where he planned to spend the afternoon.
