We All Sleep Alone (Finley Creek #11) - Calle J. Brookes Page 0,102

almost seven full days after she’d found her way to the Barratt. She hadn’t known he would be one of the ones coming to talk to them.

She should have. Jake had a way of coming to her rescue, almost as much as Allen.

“Jake!” Izzie jumped to her feet and met her uncle halfway across the room. He held open his arms and she jumped into them like she had so many times as a kid. Some habits were hard to break. He had always meant safety to her. “What are you doing here?”

She stepped away and settled onto the couch next to Allen. Her knee touched Allen’s; his arm went around her shoulders instantly. She practically sank into him, without even thinking that her uncle would see. She didn’t care. The two were going to have to get along. For her sake.

Because she loved them both. She knew that without question now. The last seven days with Allen recuperating at the Barratt had cemented that. The first few hours had been horrible, as Rafe handled the gunshot wound with help from Jillian.

Izzie had been a mess. Mel had helped her calm herself—and clean herself up. She’d had glass and wood splinters all in her hair.

Her cast had actually been grazed by a bullet, and she hadn’t even known.

It hadn’t been a bullet wound that went through Allen’s shoulder. It had been a nasty shard of shrapnel from the cabinet above the sink in the RV.

They were ok, now. Healing.

Most of their time had been spent snuggled up together in the suite after Mel and her family had left to return to Finley Creek for a few days. Mel and Houghton had returned the night before, with news that Elliot Marshall would be there the next morning.

Izzie and Allen had spent the time enjoying each other and playing with Oliver.

No one missed how close they were now.

She saw the way Jake’s expression darkened.

Jake understood exactly what they’d been doing. He was going to go into overbearing uncle mode at any moment. Izzie shot him a smirk; it was best not to let Jake get the upper hand. Or think he had any control over what she did with the man she loved.

Allen shot her uncle a challenging look that Izzie didn’t miss.

Well. It was best not to let either of the men in her life get the upper hand. She’d have to remember that.

They both had a similar take-charge arrogance. Both were more alike than they probably realized. They could drive anyone totally insane. Especially someone crazy enough to love either of them.

“We have some questions for Jacobson,” her uncle said. He shot Allen a cold stare.

“About what?” Allen said. He, unlike her uncle, sounded completely calm. Comfortable. Izzie leaned into him before she thought it through, as his arm slipped around her shoulder. Like he was claiming her. Allen was needling her uncle. Izzie leaned over and pinched his thigh. She leaned closer and whispered. “Be good.”

Allen shot her a look in response. One finger drew a lazy heart on the sensitive skin at the back of her neck. She fought a shiver.

Yes, it was going to take some careful planning to manage the two of them.

Izzie felt up to the task.

Elliot cleared his throat. Izzie looked at him.

Life was moving on, changing. Izzie wondered how her life was going to change now.

Because every instinct she had told her that it was about to.

“We’re still looking into who ransacked your condo, Allen,” Elliot said. “We have no real leads, but Bailey and her crew believe they were looking for something. We had to tell her where you were to keep her from digging deeper into your whereabouts.”

Allen shook his head. “Was anything taken?”

“We had your sister come do an inventory. Daryn Mawbry suggested it.”

“She’s been Shelby’s closest friend since childhood. Shelby and Daryn would probably know as well as I do if something is missing. She took her belongings when she moved in a condo four buildings down. Everything of value, I had already boxed up and moved into storage. I’m trying to sell my condo. There are very few things left out at this point.”

“Is it possible this was random? Some realized you weren’t there and went looking for valuables?” Izzie asked. “Are you working with a realtor?”

Allen nodded. “A friend of mine’s wife has been handling it for me, acting as my realtor.”

“Is it possible she showed it to someone and they realized it was empty, came back,