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Millie's eyes met mine.

Onyx Security.

If Code Drakos had camera feeds of the jobsite, it wasn't precautionary. Code didn't do precautionary. He did targeted.

"The only reason Renzo stops talking," Millie said, "is if he's trying to protect someone." She said it flatly, a fact she'd learned from experience.

Angelica pulled out her phone. She found a contact, pressed call, and put it on speaker before either of us could ask who she was calling.

It rang twice.

"Angel." Jase's voice was unhurried. "Is everything okay? I'm here in Wyoming, I can’t come over if you need something quick."

"Oh." A small pause. "I thought you were working on this project here in town with Code."

"No, this Wyoming situation has me tied up. What do you need?"

"Nothing, I just." She found her footing. "I was thinking about the situation with Renzo and Adam's project. Do you think Code and the rest of the team have things covered? I know Renzo's worried."

A beat of silence.

"Yeah, they'll get the sons of bitches." His voice was easy, certain. "Don't worry."

"But it's pretty bad, isn't it?"

Another pause. Shorter this time.

"Wait just a minute, Angel. You're pumping me for information." It wasn't an accusation. It was almost amused. "You don't actually know what's going on, do you?"

"Of course I know what's going on." Breezy. "I'm just worried about everyone here."

"Bullshit." He infused warmth into the word. "Now keep your nose out of things. Everything is handled."

He hung up.

Angelica lowered the phone and looked at us both.

"So," she said. "It's serious."

I'd been thinking about the visit at Millie's for the entire drive back to town, and then I'd gone home, changed three times, and reminded myself that all my nephews thought I was cool.

The little man I wanted to impress opened the door before I knocked. Wearing a green dinosaur shirt, with a sock on one foot and no sock on the other, James flung the door open with the supreme confidence of the well-loved.

He looked at me and didn’t say anything, turning instead and bellowing over his shoulder. "Dad! Zoe’s here!"

Adam appeared immediately, his face a thundercloud. “James, what have I said about you unlocking the door and opening it?”

James chin trembled. “That I shouldn’t.”

Adam crouched down in front of his son. “That’s right, you shouldn’t. And it’s my fault for not having the chain on the door. But, son, I need you to listen to me. You can’t just open the door like that.”

“But you said Miss Zoe was coming over.”

“I know, but until I check and make sure it’s Miss Zoe at the door, we don’t open it. Got it?”

James gave his father a solemn nod. “Okey-doke.”

James turned his attention back to me with the direct assessment that only very small children and very old people got away with.