town on top of it.”
Twenty
Conroy perched on the edge of an unoccupied desk. No papers, no computer. “Everyone sit down.”
Dean folded his arms carefully, trying to do it despite the pull in his shoulder. Savannah was here, as was Mia—the police lieutenant, and Conroy’s fiancé.
Ellie turned an office chair toward the police chief and folded her hands in her lap. Dean wanted to make a crack about the teacher’s pet, but he didn’t. How dare she get mad at him for withholding that information about his father? This was his father. Why was it any of her business if he kept it to himself, or not? Until he chose to talk about his past, or his parentage, it wasn’t anything she needed to know.
And until he was sure it was relevant here, he had a right to privacy.
Apparently she didn’t think so.
Jessica and Dean’s brother stared at each other longer than he thought was necessary. It was like looking at Juliet and Romeo, only, if he had to guess, it seemed they were taking a break from the whole relationship thing.
He needed to go back to working on setting up his therapy center. If it wasn’t for the fact he’d been injured in this as well, he’d be out the door.
This wasn’t just about a woman he respected and was attracted to being in danger anymore.
This was now personal.
Dean dropped his arms, sticking his thumbs in his pockets. It didn’t hurt that much less than folding his arms.
Conroy said, “First of all, is everyone all right?”
That wasn’t where Dean had thought Conroy would start. He nodded. Jess tugged a chair toward her sister and sat. “I’m better now.”
“You’re on medical leave until further notice.”
“But—”
Conroy held up his hand, and she closed her mouth.
Dean said, “Good idea.”
Conroy twisted to face him. “If you were one of my people, you’d be on the bench too.”
“But I’m not.”
“From now on, everything that happens gets run by me.”
Dean saw Jess’s smug smile. He ignored it. “Fine. My backup is OUTCONUS right now anyway, so we could use the help.”
Conroy said, “That is becoming apparent.”
Ellie raised her hand. “I have a question.” Conroy waved her on, and she said, “What does OUTCONUS mean?”
“Outside the continental US.” By way of explanation, Dean said, “I live with a private security team. They’d come in handy right about now if they weren’t on a job.”
“Oh. Yes, I’d imagine they would.”
Conroy said, “This is beyond what each of you can handle, so we’re going to work this together.”
Dean nodded. “If we ID each of the men from the photo, we can interview them. Find out which one keeps trying to attack us. And why.”
He, for one, was tired of getting a new injury each time he went somewhere. Now Ellie’s cabin had been destroyed. Would she even be able to figure out her grandfather’s secret? It was a good thing they could at least investigate and hope to find the perpetrator. She could solve her little mystery on her own time, finally safe.
Then he could go back to his work knowing he’d done everything he needed to. A good woman would be safe again, and he’d get on with his life’s work. Keep moving forward. Dean needed to be in motion or bad things happened. He didn’t need a resurgence of the nightmares or his other issues.
“And your friend who left?” Ellie said, “Is he okay?”
Dean pulled out his phone. “He got home.”
“Who is he anyway?” Jess threw the question at him like an accusation.
“Someone you’ve never met yet.” Dean shrugged but saw Ted eying him out the edge of what he was seeing. Dean said, “Which is his business.”
Jess grabbed a paper from the desk closest. “What’s his last name?”
Dean didn’t answer.
She looked at him. “And his date of birth.”
Dean kept his lips pressed together.
“Is he part of that security team? Someone you picked up on the side of the road?” Jess waved a pen as she gesticulated. “A criminal you’re hiding up there at that huge house?”
“His. Business.”
“So you are covering for him.” Jess glared at Dean. “Keeping his secrets and protecting him.”
Beyond Jess, Savannah eyed Dean in a way he didn’t like while Ted fidgeted. The kid had never been able to keep a secret and apparently that hadn’t changed. None of the cops needed to know that Stuart lived in their house.
“Lying about this, like you lied about that photo.”
Beside her sister, Ellie shifted. Uncomfortable even though she’d called him on the same thing.
“Privacy and