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“Until the person who attacked you is behind bars,” he said.

“But that could be a long time before an arrest is made,” she said in protest.

“Then you’ll be here for a long time. Monique, I intend to keep you safe. I’m partially responsible for what’s happened to you.”

“Why are you responsible?” she asked.

“Because I was part of your plan when I knew it was a bad idea to begin with. I should have stopped you before we even got started. Now, eat up before it gets cold.”

“You couldn’t have stopped me,” she replied. The whole scene felt surreal. A week ago, she would have never expected to be sitting in Jacque’s kitchen having breakfast. She definitely hadn’t foreseen having to stay in his shanty for her own safety.

And yet she wanted to be here. She’d initially thought she wanted to go home, but if she looked deep inside, she would admit that she was terribly frightened and didn’t want to be alone in her shanty. In a couple of days, she would feel stronger, both physically and mentally, and then she would move back home.

The person who had attacked her had tried to kill her last night. That person had been unsuccessful. Would the assailant come at her again? It was a very good possibility.

The search for her mother’s book had turned deadly, and she had no idea the identity of the monster. Even though she didn’t want to be a burden to Jacque, at least for now she was grateful to be here and under his protection.

They finished eating in silence. “Where are your pain pills?” he asked when they were done.

“They’re on my nightstand, but I don’t need one right now.” She didn’t want to depend on pills to get her through this.

“You definitely need one. You’ve been squirming in your chair, and you moaned between bites,” he replied.

“I did? Now I’m embarrassed.”

“No need to be embarrassed. Monique, you need to take the pills until some of your pain subsides.” He got up from the table. “Why don’t you go stretch out on the sofa, and I’ll be right back?”

She had just lowered herself to the edge of the sofa when he returned with a glass of water and her bottle of pills. He handed both to her. She swallowed the pill and then looked up at him.

“I appreciate that you’re protecting me, but you don’t have to play nurse.”

“Somebody has to do it,” he replied gruffly. “I’ll go get you a pillow so you can rest here, unless you’d rather go back to the bedroom.”

“I’d much rather stay out here with you,” she replied.

“Then I’ll get you a pillow. Do you need a blanket?”

“No, thanks, I’m fine.”

A few minutes later, she was stretched out on the sofa with a bed pillow behind her head and the pain pill starting to work. Jacque had also brought her cell phone to her, obviously knowing she needed to make a few calls.

As he cleaned up the kitchen, she first called Angelique and then Dominique. Daniel had told both of them about the attack and that Jacque had been with her. He had also told them to give her some space to get settled in at Jacque’s. If he hadn’t told them that then she knew both of them would have already tried to see or contact her. Both were grateful she was staying with Jacque and happy that she was okay.

She then called Debbie and told her boss what had happened. “I should be in tomorrow for my shift,” she said.

“Like hell,” Jacque said as he came back into the living room and caught that part of her conversation. “You need more time to rest.”

“Debbie, my keeper says I need more time to rest, so I’ll get somebody to cover for me tomorrow, and then I’ll be in for my shift the next day.”

Jacque huffed in obvious irritation but didn’t say anything more as he sat in his recliner. It only took her a couple more phone calls to get the schedule at the shop sorted out.

“Going back to work day after tomorrow is way too early,” Jacque said once she was off her phone. “You’re pushing yourself too hard, and the doctor said more than anything you needed to rest.”

“My work doesn’t require any hard labor,” she replied.

“That doesn’t matter. Being up on your feet, waiting on customers and unloading boxes is work and not the kind of rest the doctor wanted you to get.”

“I’ll be resting until I go back to work.” A drowsiness swept over her, and she knew it was the result of the pill she had taken. She gazed at Jacque, who wore a deep scowl. “Are you going to be a big cranky-pants the whole time I’m here with you?” she asked groggily.