was turning him down. “It’ll be dark. You sure?” “I’ll be fine.”
“Great. It’ll be my way of apologizing for scaring you before. How’s eight o’clock?”
What was I doing? I couldn’t have dinner with him. What would I do with Molly? Angela couldn’t sit at night—and I wouldn’t ask her, not with so many nannies missing. No, I couldn’t go.
“Fine,” I heard myself say. “Eight o’clock’s fine.” My voice had answered on its own. “Great. See you there.”
I stayed in the conference room, jumbled, as if awakening from a nonsensical dream that I had to sort out. Why was Stiles asking me—a civilian—to get involved in a police investigation? And why had I agreed? No matter how much I wanted to help, I had Molly to think about. For her sake, I had no business putting myself at risk. I’d been impulsive. Maybe I should back out. Even as I had that thought, I knew it was wrong. I wouldn’t back out.
Molly, Angela, our home and neighborhood—they were being threatened, and I had a chance to help protect them. No way would I turn it down.
For the rest of the day, my eyes wandered to the clock, counting hours until dinner. I couldn’t wait. I was going to assist the police, however slightly. To be on the inside of this case. To help catch the damn kidnapper.
But there was something else on my mind as evening approached. I was intrigued by Detective Stiles, how his mind worked, how he approached a case. And, aside from all that, I liked the way he smelled.
ELEVEN
IT WAS DARK WHEN I GOT HOME.ANGELA REFUSED TO LISTEN. “I’ll pay for the cab.” “No way.”
“Why are you being so stubborn?”
“I’m not. Nobody’s going to mess with me, not in my neighborhood.”
“But it’s several blocks to your neighborhood.”
“Anybody tries to mess with me, I know what to do. I got a good pair of lungs, and I didn’t grow up with four older brothers without knowing how to defend myself.”
She pulled on green wool gloves dotted with little red and white christmas trees and headed for the door. “Bye, Molly,” she called.
Molly looked up from her coloring book long enough to say good-bye. I walked outside with Angela. At least I could watch her to the corner. But across the street, carrying a large crate down the walk from charlie’s house, was a better solution.
“Yo, Jake,” I called. “How’s it going?”
He started, surprised, then popped the crate onto the back of his pickup, looked over, and waved. “Yo—how’d that salt work out?”
“Good,” I shouted. “Real good. Thanks.”
“Who’s that?” Angela whispered.
“Jake,” I whispered back. “You know him—”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. He helped us move out Molly’s crib.” “That was him? He looks different.” “His hair’s longer.”
“ ‘Sup?” Jake approached our front steps, smiling broadly. His eyes, deep set and too close together, seemed sunken in the dusk. He was unshaven, shoulders bulging through a zippered hoodie.
“You busy right now, Jake?”
“Why? Something I can do for you, ladies?”
Angela covered her mouth. “Zoe, don’t—”
I squeezed her arm. “Angela, you remember Jake. Jake, Angela.”
He grinned broadly, teeth sparkling, chest out. “Sure. How’s it going?”
“Yeah, okay.” Angela gave him a disapproving once-over. “Angela insists on walking home, Jake, and I don’t think it’s safe.”
“No way. It’s not. You want a lift, Angela? Where you headed?”
“I don’t need a lift. I’m fine.”
“No trouble. You gotta be careful these days. I just gotta run into that rehab for a second, then I’m headin’ out anyway. I’ll be right back. Stay put.” He took off down the street and turned in to a half-renovated townhouse.
“I’m not speaking to you no more,” Angela announced. “You got no sense of boundaries between us. What’s my business is not the same as what’s your business.”
“I just want you to be safe.”
“It’s not your business if I’m safe. Besides, I’m not talking to you.” “Fine.”
I walked her down the stairs to Jake’s pickup. We stood there, not talking, breath steaming, waiting in the cold. A minute later, Jake came running back carrying a lunch box and a paint-stained tarp. He tossed them into the back.
“Hop in.” He opened the door and reached gallantly for Angela’s hand.
“Get her home safe, Jake.”
“You got it. No problem. Glad to help out. Any time.” He preened like a shining knight. Or a horny rooster.
Angela fried me with her eyes but climbed into the truck. Jake closed the door after her and ran around to the driver’s side. “She couldn’t be safer, don’t you