“Thank you. Can you hang back?” I asked. “G, take Nina upstairs, please.”
“Come on, Neen, let’s get you upstairs.”
He gave her a nickname?
Once the door shut behind them, John asked, “What’s up?”
“Just confirming Shepherd Security can track us. Nina doesn’t know.”
He nodded before saying, “You’ll be most vulnerable on the road.”
“We know.”
“Let me increase your escort.”
“One car is enough, but I’ll trust your judgement on how many you assign.”
He nodded, the trademark Sheppard grin on his face.
“What?”
“I expected you to argue more.”
A week ago I might have, but this was bigger than me and I needed the help.
“Let’s get upstairs. The sooner we get Nina to the safe house, the better.”
While we walked, John updated me on Sue’s housing situation. Madi had found a reputable care facility that’d take her. She’d have her own two-room apartment, and it’d be easy for SSI to keep her safe.
“Any objection to me sending Blaszek and his SEAL buddy Kroupa to the safe house once you’re settled?”
“I thought Kroupa and his K-9 were staying with Mrs. Novak?”
“I think his skills are better utilized at the safe house,” John answered.
“Nina already told Mrs. Novak about Havoc, so I don’t want to change that.”
Plus, this was already hard on Nina, adding strangers to the mix could freak her out.
“You care about her.”
It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t answer.
John accepted my lack of response as confirmation.
“She’s a great girl. You could do worse.”
He was the third person to call me out on my feelings in the last four hours.
Feelings I thought I’d been better at hiding.
“She’s too young.”
Are you trying to convince your uncle, or yourself?
It didn’t matter. Her age was a fact, not a matter of opinion.
So was mine.
