Page 136 of The Advocate’s Ultimatum

Bay nodded. “But I waited first. I thought she’d come right back out.”

“She didn’t?”

“No.”

“So, you went inside.”

Bay’s breathing slowed, controlled. “He was standing real close to her.”

“Doing what?”

“Talking close. Touching her hand. But I could tell she was scared.”

Rage flashed through Bay so quickly it was gone almost as soon as it appeared. “I told her to leave.”

“Did she?”

“Yes.”

“And Todd?”

“He laughed and said she came to him because she was tired of being owned.”

Sabre felt the line like a bruise. “What happened then?”

“He stood up and tried to touch me too.”

“Did you leave?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because if I left, he’d follow.”

“So, you confronted him?”

Bay nodded. “He kept smiling like he’d won something. Then he said I could make it easy.”

“How?”

“By bringing her back. I told him that would happen over my dead body. Then he grabbed me.”

“Did he hit you?”

“He didn’t get that far.”

“You had a knife?”

“No. I grabbed it off the counter. But I should’ve brought one with me.”

“Why?”

“Because I was watching a man like Todd at night.”

Fair answer. “Did you plan to kill him?”

“No.”