We All Sleep Alone (Finley Creek #11) - Calle J. Brookes Page 0,89
world worked, after all. She’d long ago lost that bit of naivete.
“I’m the one who is sorry. I am sorry I never did anything to let people know that I was different than they were. I was in a bubble for a while, a bit blind to the goings on at FCGH. That’s my fault. You can come to me with anything now, Izadora MacNamara. I hope you realize that. Forever.”
She didn’t get a chance to respond. His mouth was on hers.
Maybe.
It may have been hers that was on his. She couldn’t really tell.
But now he was kissing her. Differently than he ever had before.
71
Talk about awkward. Izzie spent most of the evening trying not to stare at him. Sleeping next to him was going to be hard tonight. She had a feeling that things had changed between them irrevocably. Izzie couldn’t figure out what she wanted to do about it.
It was about an hour after dusk when he stood.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to go grab some more to drink at the camp store. You want anything?”
A moment of peace. Time to think.
“A phone. I want to call home.”
He hesitated, then handed one to her from the glove box. “It has twenty minutes on it. When you’re finished, take out the SIM card.”
“As Nikkie Jean would say, ‘Aye-aye, Lieutenant.’”
Izzie waited until he was out of the van, then dialed in a familiar number. Annie answered on the second ring. When Izzie identified herself, she thought her friend was going to cry.
“I’m ok, Ann. I promise. How are things there?”
Annie reassured her that everyone was ok. Even Jake.
There was one word Izzie didn’t want to hear.
Bail.
Wallace Henedy was out.
He’d been out since the day after the attempted abduction.
“How is Nikkie Jean handling that?”
Izzie listened as her friend spoke, needing the connection.
When Annie asked about Allen, for the first time in her life, Izzie kept what she was feeling to herself.
She wasn’t ready to share it, yet. Even with her best friend. But something…something was going to change between them. Soon.
72
He hurried through grabbing the snacks she’d asked for, then grabbed a paper. It wasn’t exactly a newssheet—far from it—but it was based in Finley Creek. If nothing else, the Snotty Garlic might be something she enjoyed. The gossip rag was a favorite with her crowd. He’d seen her and Annie and Lacy giggling over it a few times before.
He grabbed her some chocolate after checking the packaging for allergen contamination.
He liked taking care of her. It made him feel useful again.
Once he was certain he was alone, he pulled out the second disposable phone. He dialed quickly.
Elliot answered on the second ring.
“It’s Jacobson.”
“You all safe?”
“Yes. What’s happened?” He’d received a text from Elliot’s private number from a line that only a handful of people had. Demanding he reply immediately to set up a time to talk.
“They are going after Jake hard. Their apartment was ransacked early this morning. Cat was let out. Jake’s still searching; Izzie loves that cat. Gabby is having Mel get a crew in and clean things up. Yours was hit yesterday.”
“So they know where she lives.” Allen didn’t give a damn about his own place. He had more important things to worry about.
“Yes. Is there any way anyone knows she’s with you?”
“No. As far as anyone at the hospital thinks, we barely know each other outside of what happened at W4HAV—and we don’t exactly like one another. We’ve had a few public disagreements. Rumor has it we despise each other.”
“All anyone has to do is see how you look at her, Allen, to know the truth of how you feel. Don’t forget that.”
“I’m taking the battery and SIM out of this phone until seven each morning. Just before we leave.”
“Smart. Keep her safe.”
“I’ll do that. Were you able to get a message to my sister?”
“Off the books. Sent one of Chance’s security team; not TSP. He’s going to quietly keep an eye on her until you make it back.”
“Thanks.”
“Thank you. All of this ties into TSP stuff that’s older than we are. Hopefully, we’ll be able to end it soon. Without any more collateral damage. You don’t have to do this; it’s appreciated.”
Allen looked out the window, the van clearly visible. He could see her shadow. “I think maybe I do.”
“I understand. Good luck. I mean that.”
Allen disconnected, and carried his purchases to the desk.
“You from around here?” the clerk asked, eying the RV suspiciously. Allen could barely see Izzie’s silhouette through the tinted windows.