Page 77 of Unseen Danger

“How long did he get?” Sof paused her pacing behind the sofa across the room.

“Five years for third degree assault.”

“You’re kidding.” Bris’s features twisted with incredulity.

“That’s nowhere near long enough.” The anger that flashed in Sof’s eyes was obvious even from this distance.

“That’s what the judge said, right, Nev?”

Nevaeh gave Jazz a nod, the okay to tell the rest.

“She said she was ‘dismayed,’ wasn’t that her word?” Jazz didn’t stop for Nevaeh to answer. “Dismayed that five more years was the max she could legally give him, since she knew he was a threat to others and society as a whole. And then she slapped him with the lifetime restraining order.”

Everyone turned their focus to Nevaeh again. She moistened her lips with her tongue. “Yeah. He’ll go back to prison if he comes within fifty yards of me.”

“Well, that’s something.” Bris leaned back against the sofa cushions. “He’d have to be a world champion idiot to bother you then. Unless he loves living in prison.”

Bris was right. Logically, Walter probably wouldn’t come near Nevaeh again. For his own sake, he shouldn’t want to.

But her fears didn’t listen to logic.

“Until we can eliminate him with a solid alibi or other evidence, Johnson is a suspect.” Phoenix’s voice cut through the worry clouding Nevaeh’s mind. “But not the only possibility.” She turned her head slightly, seeming to aim her gaze at Cora from the shadow under the bill of her cap. “Also track down all inmates who served time at Whitlow Heights Prison while Nevaeh was there.”

“That will be a lot. I was there for two years.”

“No problem.” Cora gave Nevaeh a small smile. “If you can provide the date range, I can match that with the incarceration records.” Her mouth shifted into an apologetic press of her lips. “And if you can let me know if you had any problems with other inmates, that would be helpful.”

That was a new idea. Nevaeh hadn’t thought once about any of the other inmates since she’d left. For obvious reasons, since any memory of the prison could trigger her PTSD. Surviving this conversation was nothing short of a miracle of will power and support from the girls.

“Good idea.” Bris reached for her coffee mug on the table. “We don’t want to overlook anyone by focusing only on the most obvious suspects.”

There were too many suspects now. All of the inmates she’d ever had contact with plus all of D-Chop’s acquaintances, which Nevaeh was pretty sure could end up well over one hundred if they went into his past, too. How would they ever narrow down a list that huge?

“In the meantime,” Phoenix halted the overwhelm rising in Nevaeh’s chest, “you’ll stay with Sofia until we can isolate the perpetrator.”

“What?” The word popped out before Nevaeh thought. She glanced at Sof, who gave her a teasing grin.

“That’s the reaction every hostess wants to hear. Afraid to see the condition of my house?”

Nevaeh chuckled. “No. But you have a kid now and a husband. You’re newlyweds.”

Sof wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, who have known each other our whole lives. Don’t worry, I promise we won’t gross you out with any PDA.”

Public displays of affection weren’t Nevaeh’s concern, but the idea of Sof and Michael grossing out her and Grace with their romantic affections made her laugh with her teammates. “My point is you have a full house and a full life already.”

Sof shook her head. “Never too full for family.”

Nevaeh shook her head with a smile. True, they were family, but she couldn’t intrude on Sof’s new household, and she needed space of her own. As much as she trusted Sof’s support, she was not about to have a PTSD episode in front of her young daughter and husband. And if someone really was after her, there was no way she was bringing that kind of danger to the doorstep of ten-year-old Grace. “I really appreciate it, Sof. But I’ll be better off at my own place.” She slid her gaze to Phoenix. “I need that.”

The boss watched her in silence. Was that agreement or her thinking? “Jazz can stay with you instead.”

Perfect. Jazz had already seen the PTSD. They both knew the worst and best about each other. Hadn’t fazed them yet.

“We’ll patrol your house as we can on an unpredictable schedule.”

Nevaeh probably should save her pride by saying she didn’t need the extra protection. But the truth was she didn’t mind a bit. Knowing Phoenix or Sof were out there could help keep her fears at bay.

And could ward off whoever had paid her a visit last night.

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