“But how will you get around?”
“I have to go out with Caleb, so I’ll be with him.” She shakes her head. I see her wanting to fight with me. “Go get dressed, I already packed your lunch box.”
I drop her off and head back home to sleep, waking when my own alarm rings at 6:00 a.m.
I’m on-site at Burke’s house at 7:00 a.m., and he’s outside, coffee mug in his hand.
“Morning.” He nods at me. “Caleb called me last night to give me the scoop.”
“Yeah,” I reply, my jaw getting tight.
“Got to be honest with you, I don’t think it’s Claire.”
“Why do you say that?”
“If it was her, she would fuck with you directly and not with your work. The tires on Collins’s car was probably her. Girls are known for keying cars, throwing a rock through your front window, or anything that is directed at you personally. But stealing tools from your company’s jobsites? I just don’t think that’s her. Though I will go over and have a talk with her today.”
I’m about to say something to him when Caleb calls.
“Hey, I’m on my way to you.” I can hear his truck door slamming. “We caught something last night that I think you need to see.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
COLLINS
“How you feeling?” Roman asks me when we get back into the ambulance after three calls back-to-back.
“Tired,” I huff out as I grab my seat belt and buckle myself in, “but I’ll survive.”
“Why don’t we swing by and grab something to eat? You haven’t eaten anything all day.”
“There hasn’t been time.” I look over at him. “Don’t go soft on me.”
“I’m not going soft on you.” He chuckles. “I’m just making sure if your man comes around asking me questions about if you’re eating that I’m not lying to him. I don’t want him to kick my ass.”
“He’s not going to kick your ass.” I roll my eyes at him as he drives down Main Street. “Let’s get a sandwich from the bakery, and we can have donuts.”
“Is that you telling me you want donuts?”
“Maybe.” I try to hide my smile, but I can’t when he parks. “Yes.”
He laughs as we start walking to the bakery.
I look to the side and see my father on the sidewalk, as if he were waiting for me. “Um.” I reach in my back pocket to grab my wallet. “Can you order me a chicken salad on a croissant and whatever donut is good?”
“I got it.” Roman looks over at my father. “You’ll be okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” I really don’t want Roman to hear any of the conversation we are going to have.
“I’ll be watching,” he says, and goes into the bakery.
I turn and see a couple of people looking my father’s way as he crosses the street to get to me. Not surprising, he’s wearing the same clothes as he was wearing last night.
“Collins.”
I try to ignore all the eyes that are probably aimed at us. “What do you want now?”
“Is that any way to talk to your father?” he asks me, his shoulders back, his head held high like he hasn’t done anything bad in his life.
