“Retired military. Three tours in Iraq.” Colt rested his hands on his holster, a gun and a taser flanking his hips. “I’m still getting acclimated to civilian life. Don’t quite know all the rules yet,” he said while tapping his index finger on the holster.
Gavin took notice. “I suppose I should thank you for your service. And for bringing Nat her phone.” He turned toward her. “At least I know why you haven’t returned my calls.”
Natalie didn’t say anything.
“I have some notes from Dr. Lawrence,” Colt interjected. “About a patient. She asked me to go over them with you in private.” Colt glared at Gavin. “Confidential. HIPAA laws. You understand.”
“Whatever. I have a club opening tonight. Three Grammy winners making an appearance. I have to go make them feel welcome.” Gavin grabbed his coat off a hook by the door and turned toward Natalie. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”
Colt closed the door behind him. “That the guy?”
“Did Kaylin ask you to check in on me?”
“Rusty did. As part of my new assignment. I have to admit he was right, though. Seemed like a piece of work, your ex.”
“He’s harmless. Just persistent.”
“Persistence is a problem with abusive spouses.”
“I wasn’t abused,” Natalie said, suddenly defensive. “He was just a shitty ex.”
Colt handed Natalie her phone. “You want me to stay for a while just in case he comes back?”
“Don’t you have something to tell me? From Kaylin?”
Colt shook his head. “Security guards aren’t privy to patient files. I just said that to get rid of him.”
“Oh,” Natalie said. “Thanks for that.”
“By the way, I didn’t mean to look at your phone, but it buzzed a lot while I was walking over here, and I thought it might be some kind of emergency . . . ”
Natalie checked the missed calls and messages on her phone. Gavin must have been sitting in her apartment, texting and calling her to no end, not much different than when they were together.
“That’s not normal,” Colt said, gesturing to her phone.
“He can be intense. I liked that about him, at first.”
“You going to be okay tonight?”
“I’ll be fine. He wasn’t lying about the club opening. He’s been planning it for a long time.”
“You don’t think he’ll come back while you’re asleep? Does he have a key?”
“I’ll get it back.”
“You think he’ll jus give it up?”
“He has to,” Natalie said, then second-guessed herself. “Doesn’t he?”
“Doesn’t mean he will.”
“I’ll ask in the morning. He’s more reasonable when he hasn’t been drinking.”
Colt expressed a look of concern.“I have to be honest. I’m a little worried about you.”
Natalie crossed her arms. “I think I’ll be safe in my own apartment,” she insisted. “Kaylin’s blown this whole thing out of proportion.”
“She’s just looking out for her best friend.”
