Page 18 of Choosing Stella

“I know.”

“But it does give us an independent timestamp consistent with what you told them.”

I let out a slow breath.

“That’s something.”

“Yes.”

Dempsey’s card sat on the coffee table.

“Locke, they think I might have killed him.”

“They’re looking at you because you were in his penthouse, and your card was found beside his body.”

“That isn’t reassuring.”

“It wasn’t meant to be. I’m telling you why I don’t want you handling this alone.”

My fingers tightened around the phone.

“What do I do?”

“I’m going to call Thomas Bancroft.”

“Who?”

“He owns Bancroft Risk Group, a private security company I use when a problem is beyond normal protection.”

The deadbolt was still thrown across the front door.

“You think I need that?”

“I think Bellacorte was murdered, you’re now tied to the scene, and someone may have interfered with the casino’s security system. I don’t know what any of that means yet.”

I didn’t either.

“I want someone with you until we do,” Locke said.

I didn’t argue.

“Okay.”

“I’m calling Thomas now. Stay inside. Keep your phone with you. If the police come back, call me afterward. If anyone else contacts you about Bellacorte, don’t engage until we know who they are.”

“All right.”

“I’ll call you back as soon as I have something.”

The line went dead.

I stayed on the couch.

Sleep wasn’t happening now.

Neither was another tarot reading. My head still throbbed from the first one, and I’d had enough warnings for one night.

My phone rang again less than ten minutes later.