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“Fuck a heads-up. You should have asked permission, so I could say no.” I glanced at Callie, who was scowling.
“Get in the car. We’re leaving,” I growled.
“You know where I am now. Can’t we—”
I was not in the mood for this shit.
“We can’t,” I snapped.
“Blake, don’t talk to me like I’m a child,” she said angrily.
I glared at her. “Car. Now.”
I turned back to Andrew. “She’s here for me to protect her, Andrew. Don’t ever fucking compromise my ability to do that again. Do you understand me?”
I’d had to dress him down like that once when we worked together. He’d learned from it. I hoped that went for this time too.
“Understood, Blake. I’m sorry. Before you go, I was going to tell you after Cal and I got back, there was an arrest early this morning. Guy burned Vincent’s photo in front of the capitol in the middle of the night. He might be our guy.”
It pissed me off that it happened early that morning, and I was only just hearing about it. That, on top of him taking Cal away from my home without my permission, had me about to blow my stack.
“What’s his info?”
Andrew told me his approximate age, build, and background. And that he’d apparently gotten drunk before pulling his little late night stunt.
“That’s not him. He’s probably not involved in any way.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Whoever’s behind this wants Ellis to resign. They’re going so far as to threaten his daughter. That sound like somebody who gets tipsy and has a little bonfire at the capitol building when nobody’s around?”
He shook his head. “No. Not really.”
“Stay on guard. I think they’re still out there.”
He nodded, and I said, “Drive safe back to Austin. And don’t let me see your ass around here again without discussing it with me first.”
After he walked away, glancing apologetically at Callie as he passed me, I braced myself for her reaction.
When I turned, she stood there with her arms crossed, and her hip cocked.
“You didn’t have to be so rude,” she snapped. “Once again, Blake, I’m not a child.”
I walked past her and pointed at the cruiser. “Good. Then don’t act like one. Get in.”
As I got in, she stood rooted in place for almost a full minute before getting into the car. “Fine. But we’re not done talking about this.”
“You’re damn right we’re not. But it can wait until we get home.”
I called Vincent Ellis to ask about Andrew’s recent behavior. I asked about his schedule. His level of concern over the threats. And whether Vincent knew he’d driven to Austin and taken Callie out for coffee with my knowledge.
He didn’t.
Callie gaped at me the entire time, hearing every word through the car speakers. She finally couldn’t take it anymore.
“Dad, I’ve been cooped up since I got here. He took me out for coffee and to catch up. Andrew’sfine.”
I let them talk for a minute. Then the governor addressed me.
