Page 35 of Keep

“And what about you?”

I tossed one of the spilled peanuts back into the box and tried to make a bad joke. “I’m a little hungry but other than that I’m fine.”

“Dalton, you need to take this seriously.”

“Trust me, I am taking it seriously.”

There was a surge of noise on Cami’s end, the babble of many voices.

“Damn it, the press conference is starting,” she said.

My phone buzzed. I glanced at it long enough to see Andy had finally responded with a text asking me to meet him.

“Go to the press conference,” I told Cami. “I’m not sure what to make of this yet. Just promise me you’ll stay around people at all times tonight, just in case.”

“Dalton, I don’t like this.”

“I don’t like it either. Promise me, Cami.”

“All right,” she agreed. “But only if you make me a promise too.”

“What’s that?”

“Promise you won’t go anywhere alone until we get this figured out.”

“Fine. I’ll catch up with Alma and ask her to protect me.”

“Dalton!”

“I’m not kidding. The purse she lugs around must weigh twenty pounds and could do some serious damage to a pair of kneecaps.”

“Promise me,” she insisted.

“I promise. Look, Andy just texted. He wants to meet.”

“Don’t go alone.”

“He’s my friend and he’s a cop, Cami.”

“You promised.”

“Okay,” I relented. “I won’t go alone.”

She sighed. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” I said in return and waited until I heard the connection click off on her end.

Andy was probably waiting for my response. I was too keyed up to text back and forth right now so I dialed him directly.

“Dalton,” he said. “Did you get my message?”

“I got it.”

“I’m sorry I took so long to get back to you. It’s been a hell of a long day.”

“Andy, things have escalated.” My fists clenched. “They’re threatening my wife.”

“What do you mean?”

---