“What’d you find out?” Gill doesn’t even wait for a greeting.
“I need a team over at her place in an hour. I want new locks on her door and windows with an alarm. We’re going to putmotion sensor lights all around the place and a camera on the back of the house.”
“Okay, boss. I think we’ve got all the equipment here. I’ll get Lewis and Tucker started over there, and I’ll follow.” Switching topics, Gill says, “I’ve almost got that list you wanted from LoveBet.net. It doesn’t look like she went out with many of them. She had at least a hundred guys kiss her, though.”
“What? She kissed a hundred of those losers?” I was pissed.
Gill chuckles at my nasty tone. “That’s what LoveBet calls it when someone shows interest on their website. It’s one of their stupid little descriptors.”
I roll my eyes and rub my aching neck. My recent activities with MacKenzie seem to have strained my neck. I grin again—the strained neck is well worth it. I turned my attention back to the conversation. “All right, I’ll see you over there in an hour—I want to personally supervise this operation.” MacKenzie’s apartment is going to be as secure as technology and I can make it. I click off the phone and check the time. I’ve got just enough time to get to my place to shower and change. If I call in my order to Mama Mabel’s, whatever the hell that place is, I should be able to pick it up on my way back to MacKenzie’s.
I call out to my Bluetooth, “Call Mama Mabel’s.” The phone rings about a dozen times before someone finally answers.
“What?” the woman shouts into the phone. It sounds like a freaking party at the other end.
I shout back, “I need an order to go.”
“You sure about that?” The woman cackles into my ear.
“I’m sure.”
“What you want, sugar?”
“Mac ’n’ cheese and fried chicken. Enough for six people.”
“All righty, be ready in fifteen minutes.”
I get the sense our call is over. “Uh, wait,” I yell again.
“Uh-huh? Whatcha need, sweetie?” She sounds like she’s about a hundred and fifty years old.
“Can you include some sides with that? Biscuits and butter, mashed potatoes with plenty of gravy, a couple of sides of vegetables. Anything you choose.”
“You sure you want all that food, baby doll?”
“I’m sure.” My guys can eat a lot of food.
“Well, best give me thirty minutes for that, sweetie. Gonna cost you. Cash only.” The call ends without another word.
I was hoping she’d tell me how much it was gonna cost me, but apparently not. “Jesus, how much cash do I need?” At a stoplight, I pull out my wallet and open it. I quickly count a little over five hundred in cash. “Surely, that’s enough.” I chuckle at the notion that Mama Mabel’s would cost more than Alinea. Not possible, because Alinea is really expensive.
I call out to my car again, “Find Mama Mabel’s.” My navigation system lights up, and I can see the place is located in the neighborhood just to the east of MacKenzie’s. I hit the gas so I can get home, shower, change, and get to Mama Mabel’s while the food is still hot.
When I pull up to MacKenzie’s place, I see our van and Gill’s pickup. We all get out at the same time. “Got everything?” I look at Gill.
“Yeah, I think so. She knows we’re doing this, right?”
“She knows we’re doing something. I’ll break the details to her gently.” I grab the bags of food from my car and walk around to the back of the house. I knock on the door and wait. I knock again. I wait again. I pull my phone out of my pocket and punch her code.
“MacKenzie. Open the door.” No response from my girl.
“MacKenzie? Open up.” Again, no response.
Setting down the bags of food, I walk back to where my guys are waiting. “Go ahead and get set up out here so we don’t losethe light. I want the motion lights up today. Gill? Camera?” As they disperse, I hear my phone vibrate.
“What are you doing here? I was asleep.” Mackenzie yawns into the phone.
“Open up, sweetheart. I’ve got food.”
