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Okay, I’d lost that one. I dug in the refrigerator. “Hungry?”
“Nope. Got to get to work. Need me to bring anything home?”
“Nah.” My phone chimed again, five times, ten. I knew what the messages would be. It reminded me that it was probably something I should mention.
“Everything okay?” he asked, getting off the stool and grabbing his thermos.
“Yeah. Probably more threat messages.”
“More threats?” he said, his voice going deeper. “You’ve gotten some before this?”
“About ten minutes ago.”
He scowled and put his thermos on the counter with a clunk. “Were you going to tell me?” He held out his hand. “Let me see.”
I handed him my phone. “I was going to tell you. But I saw you reading a newspaper on your cell phone and got distracted.”
He scrolled through them, his scowl deepening by the second. “These the same ones you got before?”
“Yes, it looks to be the same.”
“Any more like this, forward them to me as soon as you get them.” Blake finished and handed my phone back.
I put my phone on the counter and slipped my hands into my back pockets. “It just seems like someone trying to scare me.”
“Because it is. That doesn’t mean they don’t mean what they say.”
I shrugged one shoulder. “I’m not too worried about it.”
“It’s an escalation.” He glanced around for a second, then scoffed. “Damn it. County inspectors are coming today, so I have to be at the station. We’ll make more runs out here, just in case. And I’ll text regularly to check in, so be sure to answer me.”
“Okay, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Blake looked at me like I was crazy. “Callie, I’m glad you’re so confident about that, but we need to take every threat seriously.”
“I know. It’s just... you’ve got everything handled. I know you’re doing everything possible to protect me. I feel safe with you.”
His expression softened as he stared at me for several seconds. Then he cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’re not scared.”
My phone chimed again, but it was a message from Mackenzie. “Not a threat. Just a meme,” I said.
Reluctantly, he headed toward the door. “I’ll check in regularly. Call if you get at all uneasy. I’ll try to get done with the county as fast as I can.”
“I’ll be fine. But thanks.”
* * *
A couple of hours later, Blake had texted three times to check on me, and I assured him I was fine.
I’d just finished my uninspired sandwich and a salad when someone knocked on the front door. I was sitting at the kitchen island, in the direct eyeline of the door, and a man’s face was staring in through the window.
My whole body went rigid. Then I recognized the face.
I laughed in relief and hurried to open the door. “Andrew!”
“Hey, Cal.” He grabbed me in a tight hug. “How’s it going?”
“Good. What brings you all the way from Austin? Dad send you to make a report?” I ushered him inside, but instead of sitting down or following me to the kitchen, he stood awkwardly near the door and ran his fingers through his wavy blond hair.
