“Take mine,” Joshua told her, offering his keyring.
“I’ll give them back later,” Sarah told him, then turned to Esther. “I’ll wait outside, ma’am. Sergeant Daniel Lopez, Officer Emily Hayes, and I will escort ACA Campbell and his husband to their home whenever they’re ready.”
“Then to the hotel,” Esther added.
“Yes, ma’am. Then Officer Hayes will escort Mr. Campbell-Abrams…” she indicated Joshua.
“Please. It’s Josh,” Joshua interrupted.
She smiled at him and nodded. “She will escort Josh to Rainier Clinic and remain as his on-site protection. Sergeant Lopez and I will escort Colin back to these offices and remain here with him.”
“Then back to the hotel after work,” Esther said.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m operating with a six-man security detail. Profiles and preliminary schedules will be on your desk by the end of the day.”
“I’d like to see a copy of those reports,” Colin told his boss.
“No,” Esther told him, her voice sharp. “This isn’t your responsibility. You focus on your casework. I’ll handle security.”
“But, boss…” Colin began, but Esther cut him off.
“You have enough on your plate. Step back, Colin.”
Joshua heard his husband sigh and mumble: “Yes, ma’am.”
Lieutenant Mitchell gave Esther a slight bow and turned to leave the office, pausing to tell Colin. “We’ll be outside when you’re ready.”
Colin nodded. “We’ll be right out, Sarah, and thank you.” He turned back to Esther, who was huddling with Norman Clayton. “Unless there’s something else, we’re going to head to the house now, boss-lady.”
She nodded and walked to his side, then laid a hand on Joshua’s arm. “I’m sorry, Josh. I know you’re upset, but this is all probably overkill. I just want to keep you and Colin safe.”
“We don’t know that it’s overkill, Esther. We don’t knowanythingexcept that Lexi Moreno is threatening to kill my husband and has quite likelyarranged the murder of one of this office’s informants.Safe? Right now, safe feels a long way off.”
Esther gave a long sigh and bowed her head. After a moment, she met Joshua’s eyes. “I’ll stop by the hotel later,” she said. “Bring you both up to speed on anything the investigation turns up.”
Joshua gave her a nod and turned away.
“Thank you, Esther,” Colin said. He led Joshua out the door and down the hallway a few steps, then grabbed his arm and spun him around. “Would you take iteasy,bud? I know you’re upset, but Jesus, Josh! That lady is myboss!”
Joshua jerked his arm out of Colin’s grasp. “I’m not going to be ‘lawyered,’ Colin. She’s notmyboss, and I’m not going to let what’s happening here be covered over by a thick layer of jurisprudence-flavored rhetoric.”
“What are you…”
“Don’t act like you don’t know. I’m beinghandled! Bought off with reassuring words and legalistic double-talk! Security details and controlled environments! It’s allbullshit!”
“Josh, it’s not! It’s what will keep us safe until we can…”
“Until we canwhat? All Lexi Moreno has to do is wait.Waituntil they drop the investigation into Hannibal’s murder—he’s small potatoes, they won’t chase it forever.Waituntil they decide Lexi’s missed his chance or lost interest. Then they’llsend us home, and sooner or later–he’ll finish what he started.” Joshua looked away, jaw tight, pain etched in every line of his body. “He’ll kill you, Colin. He’ll fuckingkillyou!”
CHAPTER THREE
LINES OF DEFENSE
In the hallway outside Esther’s office, Colin caught Joshua’s arms and pulled him close, forcing his husband’s eyes to meet his. “Josh. I know you’re scared. Hell, so am I. But this isn’t just a bunch of lawyer talk — this is how we survive. Esther knows what she’s doing. I know whatI’mdoing. You need to trust us.”
Joshua’s jaw tightened, but he stayed silent, his chest rising and falling fast beneath Colin’s grip.
Colin slid his hands up and down Joshua’s arms, then drew him into the alcove, voice dropping. “Listen to me. There’s a reason guys like Elias don’t go after prosecutors. Theyknowit’s pointless! The system would replace us the very same day, and every law enforcement agency in Virginia would come down on Moreno Enterprises with ahuge, multi-agency sledgehammer. It would be unending and relentless. It’s bad for business. Lexi’s gone rogue, but Esther’s putting the right measures in place to keep us safe until it’s over.”
