“Good plan.” He kissed me softly on the lips. “Can we go to sleep now? This talking is exhausting.”
Chapter 27
Idressed in casual slacks, a teal colored blouse, and tan flats for work and planned to get there early before everyone else. There was so much paperwork to do that I was tempted to wear jeans, but I also had some client meetings and needed to look like a lawyer.
As I was rushing to the door, my phone rang and I snatched it off the counter. “Hello?”
“Anna? It’s Thelma and Georgiana,” yelled a high pitched voice.
I winced. “I can hear you. The phone lines are good between here and London.” My friends were currently in London trying to meet the Queen, and my bet was on them.
“Oh.” Thelma lowered her voice. “Okay. We were on theinternetsand saw the articles about you. Do you need backup? We can get a plane home.”
“No,” I burst out. “I mean, no thank you. That’s very kind of you, but everything is under control. Continue on your senior tour and have a great time, and don’t forget that you promised to bring me lots of pictures to look at when you get home.”
The two elderly ladies had become my friends when I’d had a case against them, and I think they might’ve adopted me as their granddaughter without filing any paperwork.
“Good. Call us if you need us. Georgiana met a gentleman here, and he’s hot. He’s Scottish. Gotta go.” Thelma hung up.
I exhaled slowly. The last thing I needed was Thelma or Georgiana back in town trying to help me out in a bar fight.
Aiden emerged from my bedroom in clean clothes from his drawer, so he wore jeans and a T-shirt. “Everything okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah. All is good.”
He loped his way toward me and nudged my chin up with his knuckle. His unique scent of male washed over me. “I mean it. Are we okay?”
“Yes.” I smiled. We’d had sex, talked, and then snuggled. “We’re good.”
“Good.” He dipped his head and kissed me. “We need to go dark for a bit.” He walked to the front door and opened it.
Bud Orlov sat on my porch with his legs extended to the ground and his face to the sun.
“Bud?” I moved beyond Aiden as the police officer turned around to face me.
Bud stood and brushed off his jeans. “Morning.”
I looked at Aiden as he shut and locked my door. “What’s going on?”
Bud rolled his shoulders beneath a worn Nickelback T-shirt. “I’m on Anna duty.” He paused. “Again.”
I took in his buzz cut and square features. For a guy built like a wrestler, he sure became dramatic sometimes. “I don’t understand. Am I being arrested?”
“No,” Aiden said, moving beyond Bud to place a kiss on my head. “I called Detective Pierce and said you needed protection. He was able to push the request through because Sasha was killed and found on your porch. You’re a person of interest, either as a witness or a suspect, so a protection detail has been assigned to you for the time being.”
“Me,” Bud said glumly. Geez. Get a guy shot once, and he never lets it go.
I angled my neck to check out the flowers by the garage. No bleeding Kurt was in sight. “What about Kurt?”
“He’s been reassigned to another unit back in Los Angeles,” Aiden said, his tone not inviting questions. Wow. He had been serious about the no mistake rule. “My bike is hidden up the lake road. I’ll see you later.” He dodged behind the garage and pretty much disappeared from sight.
Bud flipped his sunglasses onto his head. “While on detail, we take my car. I already secured yours in your garage.”
I hefted my bag over my shoulder. “I have enough men bossing me around right now, Bud. You don’t want to be another one. Trust me.”
“Fair enough.” He led the way beyond the garage to a silver Chevy truck with a decent hitch. “Even so, I’m driving, and we’re taking my truck because I know how it handles.”
I studied the hitch.
