Page 37 of Israel

“For heaven’s sake, let her in, Israel,” Ashley said behind him. “Or maybe you’re thinking she’s the stalker?”

“No, I’m thinking Roger is the stalker,” Israel said. “Why didn’t you tell me you helped with his mother’s medical expenses?”

Alicia stared at her. “You did?”

Ashley rolled her eyes. “Because that,” she said. “I didn’t want anyone to know. She was in an accident and they couldn’t afford a good rehab hospital. I felt sorry for him, that’s all.”

“I wondered why he always wanted to bring in your flowers,” Alicia said. “I just thought he had a thing for you.”

Israel sighed loudly. “Do none of you understand security at all? Or the psychology of stalkers?”

He moved the whole pile of flowers and things over to a table at the side of the room and began examining the bouquets for bugs, transmitters and dangerous objects.

“Singling him out like that is exactly the kind of thing that could make him think you two have a relationship. Same with him being allowed to bring in your flowers and gifts.”

There was nothing in the flowers. He was about to take his knife to the seams of the stuffed bear—Ashley didn’t need any more animals anyway—when Alicia said, “Don’t bother, Mr. Paranoia. She doesn’t keep them—there’d be no room in her bus to sleep. I donate them to local hospitals.”

She glanced at the jackalope on the bed. “Do you want me to take that one too?”

Ashley picked up the jackalope and clutched it to her chest. “Hell, no,” she said. “Nobody touches the jackalope. He’s sacred to my people.”

Alicia just gave her a “sure, whatever” look, but Israel couldn’t help grinning. She liked his gift. Score one for wooing.

“Roger still shouldn’t be bringing in things that haven’t been vetted by security,” Israel said to Alicia. “And I’m going to get them to do a more thorough check on his background.”

“Well, that sounds fun,” Alicia said brightly. “But I’m sure he’s just a kid with a crush. Hey, listen, Ashley, thanks again for giving me this afternoon off. I did want to let you know that Lance wasn’t thrilled about putting off today’s meeting, though. He wants to do it tomorrow at two. That good?”

“I didn’t put him off,” Ashley said, frowning. “I didn’t hear back from him.”

Uh-oh. Israel put the bear down and started drifting casually towards the door to his room. He’d hoped to get a little more time with Ashley before she found out he’d declared a holiday to her support staff without asking her, and the shit hit the fan.

He would rather have told her himself.

Alicia was looking confused. “No, he definitely said he got the memo that you would be taking today off and all regular meetings would have to be rescheduled. The same one I got.”

“Israel,” Ashley said, her voice cracking like a whip. “Don’t go. I still have some things to discuss with you after Alicia leaves.”

Israel stopped and turned, leaning against the wall by the connecting door. Ah, fuck. He might as well get it over with. He’d overstepped his bounds and he knew it—he’d just been hoping to ‘fess up and explain before she found out on her own.

Alicia was looking back and forth between them, sensing the tension in the air.

“You know,” she said, “I really need to go right now, as it happens. I have…a thing. That I have to do. Somewhere else.”

She scooped up the flowers and the bear, and then made a beeline for the door and escaped.

Ashley turned to Israel. “You did it, didn’t you,” she said. “You used my email account to send messages in my name that I didn’t authorize. Didn’t you?”

Israel bit his lip, then nodded. “Yeah.”

She took a deep breath, shaking her head. “I’m—I—you—” She was starting to shake. “I can’t believe it. I am so pissed off at you in so many ways I don’t even know where to start.” She shook her head again. “How could you do this to me?”

He opened his mouth to say something, and she held up her hands.

“No. You don’t get to talk. Because you probably don’t even know what you fucking did. I can’t—I can’t even.”

He opened his mouth again, and she spoke over him. “No, never mind, yes I can,” she said.

Okay. That was how that felt, not being allowed to even speak. Now he knew why she hated it.