She read it again, her brow pulling together. “No more delays. He wants to come tonight and get it done.”
She tilted the screen toward me, and I read it myself.
Jimmy:I have the papers. Let me come over and we can finish this. Tonight. No lawyers. Just us. I’m done dragging it out.
“What do I do?”
Cal and I had been coordinating in case an opportunity like this occurred, and the net was already in place.
If Jimmy Watson was ready to make his move, there was no better time to let him walk into her house and try to do it.
“Are you up to this?”
I’d already briefed her on the plan, and the police were aware, too.
She bit her lip. “Not really. But it has to be done.”
Lucy was so brave. I was proud of her.
And if this worked, there would be no need for a safe house.
“Tell him you’re alone,” I rumbled. “Tell him it’s a good time.”
She typed it out and hit send.
Lucy trusted me.
I intended to protect her trust with everything I had.
The goal was that after tonight Jimmy would be locked up in a cell.
But I was fully prepared that one of us might die, ideally him and not me.
Lucy would be safe, though. I’d make sure of it.
A short time later, headlights swept across the front of the house.
“Lights off in the kitchen,” I said quietly, as I brushed a quick kiss across her lips. “When he comes in, take him to the coffeetable and try to get him to sit down facing you. Keep him talking.Don’tlet him get behind you.”
“Bronson, I’m scared.”
“You’re going to be fine,” I promised her. “I’m going to be eight feet away. You have my word.”
She held my gaze for a moment, then nodded.
Lucy was braver than she gave herself credit for.
And after tonight, we’d know for sure if Jimmy was behind it all.
Her nightmare was about to end.
I moved into the kitchen and turned off the light. Then I pressed myself against the wall with my gun drawn. The darkness swallowed me whole.
His knock came quickly.
She opened the door, and I heard Jimmy Watson’s voice for the first time, smooth and practiced.
It was the kind of voice that had spent decades making people feel like they were the only person in the room. I could see how she’d fallen for him all those years ago. Too young. Too impressionable. No one in her life to tell her he was the quintessential bad guy.
