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She turned and gave him a wry look. “Seriously. What are you? Ten?” The fact that his code spelled BOOBS on an upside-down calculator shouldn’t surprise her. She should have expected it. He’d bet that she’d seen everything from hoes to gigolos over the years given her line of work.
“Your system sucks.” She moved to the entry where the floor creaked. “This is the best thing you’ve got right now. This creak will let you know they’re in, but then it’s too late.”
Red felt a pang of disappointment at her words, but he knew she was right. “What do you suggest?” he asked, hoping she would have some ideas.
Viv gave him a small smirk. “I’d suggest an entire overhaul of the security system here. I’d start with some state-of-the-art motion sensors and a robust surveillance camera system.” She walked onto the porch and gestured towards the cameras he had mounted. “One has gum stuck right there on the lens, and the other appears to be hosting its own wasp hotel. Do you ever bother checking out the live stream?”
“Live stream? I have a live stream?”
She sighed. “You are going to be a huge project.”
“In other words, you’re going to charge me a fortune.”
She walked past him and back into the house, tapping his shoulder with her pencil. “Exactly—if I agree to continue. Your safety has to be as much a priority for you as it is for me.”
Red nodded, impressed by her expertise, and entertained by her personality. “Okay. Just tell me what to do.”
She laughed. “Oh, I will. That’s my favorite part of this job.”
Viv looked around thoughtfully before turning to him. “You also need a new lock. I can pick this with a paperclip and a credit card.”
“Seriously?”
She nodded. “Watch me.” She locked the door and walked outside and less than two minutes later she was standing in front of him. “You’re getting a dead bolt.”
Red nodded, feeling a sense of embarrassment. He had always thought his door lock was secure, but Viv proved otherwise.
As they continued to walk around the house, Viv pointed out several other areas that needed improvement. Red felt a sense of gratitude and relief that Viv was there to help him, even though it stung his pride to realize how vulnerable he’d been.
After an hour, Viv had finished her inspection and was ready to leave. Red felt a sense of disappointment that their time together was over, but he knew that she had given him a lot to think about.
“Thanks, Viv,” he said, walking her to the door. “I appreciate your help.”
Viv turned to him, giving him a small smile. “No problem, Red. Just doing my job.”
Red watched as she walked down the steps and got into her SUV. He couldn’t deny the attraction he felt for her, even though he knew she was strictly professional.
When she left, he closed the windows and locked up his house to the best of his ability and headed to Bishop’s Brewhouse where he found Doc sitting at the bar by himself. He’d watched just about everyone in town play and lose tic-tac-toe to Doc. He’d heard a million times that it wasn’t about the game, it was about the wisdom that Doc imparted on people while they shared a beer. He’d never been brave enough until that moment.
He slid into the stool beside Doc. Not knowing what to do, he simply sat there and stared at the mirrored wall across from him.
“Are you buying or playing?”
Red turned to face the old, grizzled man. If Wilford Brimley and Tom Selleck had conceived a child together, it would have been Doc Parker.
“Does anyone ever win?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll pay.”
Cannon strolled in from the back room with a guy Red didn’t know following close behind him. The man stepped forward. “I’m Jackson. What can I get you?”
Red pointed to Doc’s almost-empty mug. “He’ll have another, and I’ll have the same.”
Cannon’s eyes grew saucer large. “Pull the beers and disappear. This is a mentoring session, and that guy might be here all night if Doc is feeling chatty.”
Red pulled a twenty from his pocket. “I’m not playing, I’m paying.”
