right here. Waiting.”
Her eyes filled with tears, and Logic went to her, wrapping her in a hug. He leaned down. “Ignore it. He’s a fuck. He’s not here.”
“Bailey! I can hear someone. I will skull fuck that asshole who’s staying with you.”
Oh yay. Now they had death threats against him too.
Go Team Whitehead!
He made himself roll his eyes dramatically while twerking wildly.
She stuck out her tongue. They had always been able to make each other laugh through the worst times.
He was here. If he had to, he’d take her to California with the kids. There had to be a way to stable the horses, right? He knew there was a rodeo out in Salinas.
Jesus Christ.
“Goddamn it, Bailey, you answer me. I’ll go after everything you care about.”
“Don’t do it,” he whispered. “Let the bastard twist.”
She nodded, her hair falling in her face a minute. He checked on the kids, but they were enthralled with the yellow thing under the sea.
Finally the roaring hysteria became incoherent and not worth saving, so he hung up and stopped the recording.
“Dave’s on the way. I’m right here.”
“I know.” She grabbed his hand. “He’s really crazy. I mean, like, for real.”
“He is. This will have to help. Someone has to do something now.” He was tired of this bullshit.
“Can you… can you ask your PI where he is? I want to make sure he’s not here or near the school.”
“Totally. Let me call Adrian.” He got on the horn. “Yo. Buddy. Morrow called here having a fit. You have eyes on him?”
“He’s sitting in his house. I’m watching now.”
“Okay. Keep him on a tight leash, huh? He’s got our blood pressure up for sure.”
“No problem. You holler if you want me there.”
“Will do.”
He thought Adrian would be a good bet if they needed help. The guy was something else, like ex-FBI or something. Dave would make Bailey feel better, though.
Speaking of, Dave came zooming up the drive, coughing dust, coming to a stop behind Bailey’s SUV with a squeal.
“Here comes the cavalry.”
“Hooray?” She sighed. “It’s not his job to babysit me.”
“He’s not here to babysit. He’s here because he’s into you.”
“Shut up.”
“And you’re into him.” Logic liked to think he’d opened her eyes.
“Go check on the babies.”
“Fine.” He winked, but headed off with a couple of sippy cups of milk and a few more cookies. Boom.
Mason was asleep and Amanda was nodding off, so he left them to their nap and leaned on the doorframe between kitchen and family room.
Bailey was white as a sheet, and Dave looked like he’d swallowed a bug.
“We got it all recorded, Dave.”
“Good.”
Logic looked back and forth between them. “Okay, what did I miss?”
He wasn’t stupid, and reading people’s faces was part of his job.
“There’s been a complaint brought to the sheriff that you’re a sexual predator and are spending a lot of time with young men at the schools.”
He blinked. “What? I’ve not even got a traffic ticket.”
Dave sighed. “I know that, but the sheriff is going to speak to the teacher up at the high school, and you’ll be asked to do a background check. It’s bullshit, but…”
“But I’m a flag-waving out queer man?”
“Welcome to Cooper.”
“Welcome home, you mean. Jesus. I guess it’s better than getting another punctured lung, but at least guys like Quint Bellamy keep their hate out in the open.”
Bailey’s eyes welled up. “This is all my fault. I’m so sorry, Bubba.”
“Stop it. You didn’t make the asshole crazy. Can’t you use the phone call?”
“She needs to block him. Can you send me the recording? I’ll get it to the sheriff.” Dave sighed. “We know it’s bullshit. Everyone’s supposed to have a background check to do official school stuff.”
“Contact the Monterey County school districts. I teach classes for them all the time.” He shrugged. His record was clear. He would check out fine.
“I know, man. I know you’re cool. I wanted you to be aware.”
Somehow that didn’t make him feel better. “Well, thanks for the heads-up. I’ll stay away from robotics club until you give me the all clear. You’ll have to explain it to Mrs. Grange.”
Dave’s face fell. “Ah hell. That’s scary.”
“Not my problem.” He hated it here. He wanted to go home. But he wouldn’t, not until this was over.
“I know.” Dave turned his hat in his hands.
Anderson opened his phone and clicked a few times. “I sent that file. We’ll block him on Bailey’s phone.”
“I’m sorry, man.”
He looked up at Dave. “Dude, you have my back, right?”
“I do. Fuck the Morrows and