“OK. You’re gonna rent a house?”
“I guess? How do people get houses when they’re on vacation?”
It’s dawning on me how out of her depth this woman is. It’s like she hasn’t thought one minute ahead of where she is right now. I’m starting to wonder if this is her first time out on her own. Ever.
“Try AirBnB, maybe?”
“OK. Is it an app?” She frowns, but then she pulls her phone from her bag, and I bristle.
“Hold on. Is that your regular phone?”
Her chin jerks back in surprise at the sharper tone I’ve taken. “Yes.”
I grab it out of her hand, but she swipes it back from me.
“Why’d you do that?” Lines crease her forehead under that silly blonde wig.
“It’s traceable.”
She scowls. “I know that.”
“You said you didn’t want anyone to track you here.”
Her eyes narrow. “I don’t. But how am I supposed to rent a house without using the app?”
I sigh. “We’ll use my phone.” I show her my passcode. “Yours stays off from now on, got it?”
“Yes, sir,” she says in a sarcastic huff.
“And you know not to use your credit cards, right?”
Her uncovered eye goes wide. “What? How will I pay for anything?”
I run a hand across the back of my neck. “You didn’t bring cash?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “Not that much.” She’s digging into the wallet on the back of her phone case.
“Well, shit.” Now I need to call Cass to figure out how to handle her money situation.
“I only have a few thousand dollars.”
A fewthousand ?
I tip my head to the side. “OK. That’ll do. Only cash from now on, got it?”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child.” Her words are clipped.
“Then stop acting like one.”
She winces, and I realize I crossed a line. She’s a grown woman, even if she doesn’t have basic life skills, and I have no right to treat her this way. “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate.” I shake my head apologetically, but she turns away, clearly stung by my words. “I was out of line.”
She nods, her lips pressed tight, but she says nothing.
Cass told me she needed some time away and didn’t want anyone to know where she was. But why did she run off given she apparently doesn’t know the first thing about living on her own? I’m starting to suspect there may be something serious going on. Something I need to know about.
I turn the engine off. “Listen. Why don’t you tell me what you’re really doing here.”
“Huh?” She blinks at me. “I already told your company. I need a bodyguard because I have a stalker, so it isn’t safe?—”
