Somebody to Hold (Tyler Jamison #2) - April Wilson Page 0,80

toilet, and a small table and chair, both bolted to the floor. There’s a small, glass-block window high up on the exterior wall that lets in natural light. The opposite wall is nothing but steel bars with a pass-through for food trays. It looks like I’ll be eating in my room.

Hearing the metal clang as the guard closes my cell door and locks it is surreal. I’ve stood on the outside of these bars many times while I interviewed inmates, but never in my life did I dream I’d find myself on the inside of one of these cells.

But I also never dreamed I’d have someone in my life whom I loved so much that I’d give up my career for him without a second thought.

For the next hour, I pace the length of my cell, stalking back and forth like a caged animal, all the time wondering if Ian’s all right.

Chapter 30

Ian Alexander

“So, what do you want to do?” Sam asks as he watches me unpack.

“Nothing.”

After he and Beth showed me to my suite—a spacious room with a king-size bed and a private bath—Sam has been my constant shadow. He sits at the foot of my bed and watches me put away my stuff.

I put my toiletries in the bathroom and hang up my clothes. I put socks and underwear in a dresser drawer. My phone charger goes on the nightstand.

“You don’t have to babysit me,” I tell him. “I’m not going to fall apart.”

Sam shrugs. “I have my instructions.”

I stop to look at him. “From whom?”

He rolls his eyes at me. “Who do you think?”

Smiling, I sit down next to Sam. “I appreciate the support. But I’m fine, really.”

“There’s a basketball court on the roof,” he says. “We could shoot hoops.”

“I’m not much into sports.”

“There’s a full-service fitness center in the building that we can use, and we’ve got a home theater here in the apartment. Do you want to watch a movie?”

“Maybe later.” I check my phone for a message from Tyler, but there’s nothing. I do have a text from my mom, checking up on me.

I look at the time. I’ve been here barely an hour. “Do you think he’s locked up yet?”

Sam bumps his shoulder against mine. “All right, that’s enough of that. No brooding. I’ve got an Xbox in my room. Do you want to play Call of Duty?”

“Isn’t that really violent? Thanks, but I’ll pass. I’m stressed out enough as it is.”

Sam frowns. “You’re not making this easy.”

That makes me smile. “I can’t believe Tyler gave you instructions.”

“He called last night. He said, ‘Keep Ian occupied. Keep him busy. Don’t let him dwell on the fact that I’m locked up.’”

The knowledge that Tyler is taking care of me, even remotely, warms my heart. “That sounds like him.”

“Eeen!” Luke squeals as he runs into my room. Beth follows behind him. Cooper brings up the rear and stands in the open doorway with his arms crossed over his chest as he watches our little gathering.

Luke hands me his beloved toy camera. Then he attempts to pull himself up onto the bed. I lift help him up and sit him between me and Sam. As he says something I can’t possibly understand, he hands me the camera.

“He wants you to take his picture,” Beth says, translating.

I pretend to take his picture, which thrills him. Then he takes the camera from me and climbs right onto my lap.

Cooper pushes away from the doorjamb. “Tyler seems to be taking it pretty well, all things considered.”

Beth shakes her head. “I can’t believe they fired him.”

“Has he said what he’s going to do next?” Cooper asks.

I nod. “He’s thinking about going into private investigation. Saving my sister and those other girls really had an impact on him. He said it was nice to be able to prevent deaths instead of solving murder cases after the fact.”

Cooper nods. “I can see him doing that.”

Beth sits next to me. “I think he’d make a wonderful PI—ooophf!” Flinching, she presses a hand to her abdomen.

“Are you okay?” I ask her.

She seems a little pale to me, although it’s hard to tell since she’s so fair.

She nods. “I’m fine. I’ve been having Braxton-Hicks contractions on and off all day.”

“All right, who’s hungry?” Cooper asks. “It’s about time for lunch. What sounds good?”

Luke scrambles off the bed and runs to Cooper, throwing his arms around the man’s legs and jabbering something incomprehensible.

Cooper scoops the toddler up into his arms. “I know you’re hungry, little man.