He nodded, pleased. “Just let me know where you’re going,okay? Somewhere public is good. I’ll have Deacon shadow you.”
She groaned. “Really? This will be hard enough without knowing I have an audience.”
“I could be there instead. You’ll never see me. Don’t worry.”
“I don’t know…”
“Addy, it’s necessary,” he said softly. “I know this is a huge pain, and it’s intrusive, but until we know who and why they’re after us—all of us,you included—you’re in danger.”
A small silence. “I’m scared, Noel. When we’re together, none of this seems real. But I remember what happened. Before. I-I don’t want that to happen again. I worry for you. And I sure don’t want anyone I know caught up in it. You think I should just tell Brent over the phone that we’re done?”
“No.” As much as he didn’t like the thought of her withanother man, she needed to feel at least a measure of normalcy in her hometown. The people on their tail didn’t want the police involved. Only in private would there be more danger. “Just let me know where you’re going and I’ll be there. Don’t worry, honey. You’re safe as long as you’re in public.”
“Okay. I was thinking he and I would go to the Treehouse Café for lunch. We’ll be there aroundtwo-ish. I’m almost done here at school, then I’m going to stop by Solene’s to drop off a sweater she leant me. Brent works nearby, so we’ll meet up at the daycare before driving to Treehouse together. Then you can drive me back to my car, okay?”
“You need to go together?” He didn’t like that.
“It’s our thing. We’re friends, and that’s kind of what we do.”
“Fine.” He madea few notes. “I’ll see you at two. Text me if you have any problems. Anything at all.”
“I will. I love you.”
He felt warm all over. “I love you too, Addy.”
She hung up and he went back to his garden. He had a feeling he’d have the biggest and best crop this year with all the positive energy he’d been feeling.
An hour later,Deacon and Hammer found him typing in the basement on the secured server. Noel thought he might have found someone else to add to their list.
“Noel, you need to see something.” Deacon sounded grim.
Behind him, Hammer nodded.
“What’s up?” He followed the pair upstairs to Deacon’s laptop. The television showed a soccer game,muted in the background.
“This.” Deacon turned the laptop to show the feed from Addy’s school. “You see that guy?”
Noel peered at one of the maintenance men. “That logo…”
“Yeah.” Hammer nodded. “Same red letters, same logo as the one Bob was wearing. You remember Bob? The dead guy whose neck you snapped?”
“Hell.” Noel was already getting his keys when Deacon swore.“What now?”
“There’s someone at Solene’s who’s been bothering me. A new handyman she’s been dealing with. Says his name is Franks. Weird thing is I found a buried set of prints under the Franks name. His other prints come up Jon Wilkes.”
Noel felt panic when he should have been ice-cold. “Deacon, you go to Solene’s. Hammer, you stay here with the baby. You can feed us intel whileprotecting him. I’ll pick up Addy at the school.”
“She’s not there,” Hammer said. “She left ten minutes ago. Best bet, head to Solene’s and meet her there.”
“Let’s go, guys. I have a feeling all hell’s about to break loose.”
