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“Great. Some fucking psychopath is out to get us and that’s the best you can do? Be vigilant? I’m out of here.” The brunette—Tracy, Olivia thought her name was—grabbed her purse and strode across the room to the door.
Olivia jumped when it slammed shut behind her. The detectives shared a look before refocusing on the trio still in the room with them. Rogers spoke first. “Have any of you noticed anything strange since the photo shoot?”
“Like what?” Shannon was finally sounding more like her usual, confident self.
“Anything at all,” Michaelson said. “Anyone paying too much attention to you during a showing or being a little too friendly?”
Olivia looked over at Shannon. Seeing her own answer reflected in her friend’s eyes, she turned back to the detectives and shook her head. “No. Nothing comes to mind.”
“You’re sure?” Rogers pressed. “Nothing at all? Nobody getting a little handsy or wanting to know too much about you?”
“We already said no,” Shannon snapped.
“Is that all?” The steel in James’s voice was unmistakable. Olivia looked up at him, not in the least surprised to see a muscle twitching in his jaw.
“For now.” Rogers jerked her head toward the office door. “We’ll be in touch. If you think of anything out of the ordinary, anything at all, let us know immediately.”
“We will.” With that, James ushered them out and down the hall, through the front door of the funeral home.
“I can’t believe this.” Standing in the middle of the crowded parking lot, Shannon fumbled in her purse for the gum she’d taken to chewing to kick her cigarette habit. Her hands trembled as she popped a piece free from the wrapping. “What the fuck is going on?”
“I don’t know.” Leaning into her husband, Olivia pressed her face against his chest. “Why would someone be targeting us?”
“Jealousy?” Shannon jerked a shoulder. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“I tend to agree.” Tucking the phone he’d just been texting on back into his pocket, James ran a soothing hand down Olivia’s back. But despite the gentleness of his touch, she could feel the violence in him, simmering just beneath the surface. “Maybe someone who has a problem with successful women.”
The laugh Shannon barked out lacked any humor. “So, half the men in this fucking city? Goddammit, if I get murdered and prove my mom right, I am going to be so pissed.”
Fear wrapped its cold fingers around Olivia’s throat. “Don’t say that. Nothing is going to happen to you.”
“Trust me, I’m not keen on anything happening to me.” But there was a tremor in her voice when she spoke again. “I feel like an idiot asking this, but I-I really don’t want to be alone tonight.”
“You can stay with us.” Stepping forward, Olivia wrapped her arms around Shannon’s neck. “Tonight, tomorrow, as long as you need to feel safe.”
“Thanks.” Shannon’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “But shouldn’t you ask Mr. Sexy first?”
Shit. Shannon had a point. Releasing her, Olivia stepped back and turned to James, who was watching her with a mildly amused expression. “It’s all right, isn’t it, James? Shannon lives alone and we don’t even know what happened to Nancy.”
“Of course, she can stay with us tonight.” He shifted his attention to Shannon. “As long as you need, actually.”
Swamped with relief, Olivia threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered.
“Of course, little one.” With a brief kiss for Olivia, he turned to Shannon. “Why don’t you go home and grab whatever you need and meet us at our place? Do you have to go back to work?”
Shannon shook her head. “No, and I don’t have any showings or anything scheduled. I’ll meet you guys there in about an hour. And thanks. I know it’s a huge inconvenience.”
“It’s not,” James said firmly. “We’ll see you there.”
After a quick hug for each of them, she took off for her car. James slipped an arm around Olivia’s waist and led her to the passenger door of his SUV and helped her in.
“I’m sorry. I should have asked first,” Olivia said the second he climbed inside and shut the driver’s side door behind him.
“It’s all right, little one. You were upset and worried. I’m not mad.” He started the car and backed out of the parking space. “But I am going to put a plug in your bottom for the rest of the night.”
“What? Why?”
Reaching over, he squeezed her hand. “You have a tendency to forget yourself, and our rules, when Shannon is around.”
