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Phone to his ear, Chase waited impatiently through two, then three rings. Halfway through the third, Emmett picked up.
“What the hell is going on?” Chase barked into the phone.
Emmett’s voice went as rigid as rebar. “What happened?”
“Two spies or journalists talked their way past Mimi and into my front yard. They snapped several pictures of us.”
“Wearing what?” Emmett asked. Smartly.
“Clothes. We weren’t doing anything.” At the time.
“What’s Mimi doing there?” Emmett’s question was more to gather intel than pass judgement.
“She was dropping off pie when the weather snowed her in.” And that was all the detail his friend was getting. “Care to explain why I’m fighting off paparazzi at my vacation home?”
“A blog posted early this morning. I literally read it five minutes ago. Haven’t had a chance to think through the implications let alone call to alert you.”
“In the same vein as the letter that arrived with the photo?”
“I don’t know. It’s gone.”
“What do you mean it’s gone?”
“The letter and the photo. I assume you didn’t throw it out?”
Emmett knew him—knew he wouldn’t throw away a photo of Mimi even if it was a photo where she was protesting the very industry that he upheld. “I locked it in the lap drawer of my desk.”
A sniff that might mean could’ve guessed came through the phone.
“What gives with the Bigfork welcome? Opportunists?” Chase asked.
“Too soon. The only way someone could’ve tracked you down was if they already knew you were there. Who knows Mimi is there?”
“Her sister.” But he doubted Kris was their culprit. She and Mimi were close. “I have no idea what Kristine would gain by ratting out Mimi.”
“Lucky find, probably,” Em concluded. “They were after a reaction from you and got a twofer when she opened the door.”
“Send me the link to the blog, will you?”
“Will do. I’ll question the staff. If the leak’s not on Mimi’s end, it has to be on ours. Enjoy the rest of your vacation, boss.” Then he was gone.
Chase expected to find Mimi wringing her hands after hearing his side of the conversation. Instead, she stood with her arms folded awaiting explanation.
“I promised I would shield you from any backlash, and that’s what I intend to do,” he told her. “In the meantime, this changes things. I suggest you stay put rather than—”
“This doesn’t change anything. I’m not staying here. I can’t stay here. I don’t live here. I have to work.”
“Mimi—”
“I can handle myself, Chase.” She unfolded her arms and let them dangle at her sides, looking suddenly tired. “I’ve been handling myself without your help for a long time. You don’t have to be a white knight.”
“I’m not trying to be a white knight,” he snapped. She didn’t know the world of politics. They wouldn’t give up until they found the dirt they were looking for. “They’re going to harass you, and then harass your family.”
“You said you would handle it. Handle it. I am not hiding and waiting for them to go away before I resume my life. What’s the point in my hiding here?”
Because I want you here.
“I can protect you here,” he said instead. “Provided you don’t buzz in anyone else through that gate.”
