He watched fresh fear slice through her.
"I didn't mean to scare you," he said. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I'll keep you safe. I promise."
"But . . .but who murdered her? And why? We don't know what's going on. How are we safe here?" Her voice rose at least two octaves, panic pulsing in every syllable.
He squeezed her hands trying to anchor her. "All good questions. I'll find the answers. You get some rest. I need to make some calls."
"There's no way I'm going back to sleep in that house."
"No, you're not. You'll stay here. The apartment is secure. I don't want to have to clear Emil's entire house right now." He inclined his head toward his bedroom. "Take my room. I'll take the couch after I've talked to WhiteRock."
"Do you think whoever killed her is still here, on the property?"
"I doubt it. But no reason to take chances tonight. Get some sleep. Do you need anything?"
"Do you mind if Nutmeg sleeps in your bed too? He likes to sleep with me. He's used to sleeping with Victoria."
"Sure," Nash said. He rubbed Nutmeg's head. "The little guy's had a rough night too. I wouldn't want him to have to sleep on the floor like an animal."
She didn't smile at his attempt at humor. But appreciation shone in her tired eyes. "Thank you."
He watched her walk into his room and shut the door.
Dear God, please help me keep them safe.
Chapter 11
Asoft knock pulled Lena from her dreams. She checked her phone. Six-thirty in the morning. The knock sounded again.
"Come in," she said.
The door cracked open. "Sorry to wake you," he said. "I made some breakfast. Wish I could let you sleep in, but it's best if you get back to the house before Delphine shows up."
Memories from last night crashed through her. And Nash's expression told her she wasn't hiding her terror very well.
"I'm going with you," he said. "I didn't mean that you would be alone. I just don't want Delphine getting suspicious. I don't know if she's involved in anything that happened last night, but I don't trust her. It will make sense for me to be at the house this morning. I need to turn in receipts to Delphine from the car being servicedyesterday. And then I'll find some other excuse to stay in the main house while you take a shower or whatever you want to do. I won't leave you there alone."
Her eyes felt swollen. And raw. Her body didnotfeel rested. Her head bobbed along as he talked. She was not looking forward to facing a mirror. Did he say something about a shower?
"I made coffee," he said.
"Thank you. Coffee sounds wonderful." Just the word perked her up.
"Delphine usually shows up a little before eight, so come eat some breakfast, and then we can head over to the house."
The whole morning would have appeared spectacularly uninteresting to the casual observer. Lena poured her second cup of coffee for the morning in Emil's kitchen while Nash invented reasons to stay in the main house. He turned in his receipts and told Delphine he was going to stick around to fix a sink clog in the hallway bath.
"The sink is clogged?" She pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Yes, but it's not a problem. If you call a plumber, they won't come all the way out here till tomorrow at the earliest. But I can fix it."
Delphine looked relieved. And totally convinced he could fix a clogged sink. Which Lena was sure he could, if one was actually clogged.
Nash busied himself under the sink in the hallway bath for an hour—doing what, she had no idea—while Lena got ready. When his ruse with the plumbing had played its part, Lena walked to the bathroom doorway with Nutmeg on the leash.
"I'm going to take Nutmeg on a walk down the beach," she said to Nash, knowing Delphine was probably listening.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked. "I don't have anything to do today until the party tomorrow night."
