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“What?” she asked when he hung up.
“There’s a change of plan. Something I have to do. Alone. I’ll need to drop you off at a police station.”
“Who called you?”
He didn’t answer, as he cut across traffic toward an exit that she knew led to Macadam Avenue.
“Zach, who called and what did he say?”
“Just be patient.” He dialed a number, swore, then left a brief message. “Len, it’s Zach Danvers. I’ll need police protection for Adria. Call me back ASAP.”
“Wait a minute,” she insisted as he pulled into the lot of a restaurant near the Willamette River. “What’s going on, Zach? You can’t just dump me off and leave me. Who the hell called you.” His lips tightened at the corners and he avoided her gaze. “Oh, God” she whispered and knew in an instant. “Eunice.”
“We’ll wait until I hear back from Len.”
“Why? What did she want?” Fear caused the back of her throat to go dry. “Oh, God. She wants to meet with you, doesn’t she?”
“Just stay here, inside, where you’ll be safe. I’ll be back soon.”
“Are you crazy? I’m not sitting around here waiting while you go and face her.
“She’s my mother,” he said without any emotion.
“And a killer.”
“We think.”
“We know, Zach!” Adria grabbed his arm. “You’re not going alone. I’ll come with you.”
“No.”
“This is all because of me.”
“And if we’re right and she’s behind this, then you’ll be in danger, but I won’t. Stay here. I’ll call Len and tell him where you are. The police will come by or I’ll be back and you’ll be safe.”
“Oh, yeah, right,” she threw back at him as raindrops drizzled down the windshield. “Aren’t you the one who said I needed a bodyguard, round-the-clock protection? What if someone followed us here? What if Eunice or whoever is banking on us splitting up? What if she’s in collusion with a partner and used the phone call to lure you away??
??
“Hell.” Obviously the same thoughts had crossed his mind. “Isn’t there anyone you can trust?”
“So that you can dump me off? I don’t think so! Who would it be? Someone from your family? Trisha? Jason? Or the Polidoris?”
“Okay, okay! I get it.” Impatiently he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as the Jeep idled.
“I think it’s better if we stick together.”
Instead of arguing, he reached under the seat and pulled out a handgun in a holster.
“You have a gun?” she asked, shocked.
“Yeah. I’ve been on some jobs where I thought I might need protection. Never used it. But I have a permit for a concealed weapon. Do you know how to use it?”
“I grew up in Montana,” she said as he handed her the weapon.
“Could you shoot it if you had to?”
“Yes.” But she wasn’t certain. Of course if someone threatened her life or Zach’s…Just the thought of this caused fear to jet through her blood.
