Page 27 of End Game

Ash stepped over and unlocked the door. Phin slid the heavy glass back, stepped inside, and lifted his nose in the air. “Smells delish.”

“Lock it, then come have a bite before you go.”

“No complaints from me.” Phin smiled at Kayla. “Morning, boss.”

“Would someone tell me what’s going on?”

Setting four eggs and three strips of bacon on a plate in front of Phin, he said, “I got the same reception.”

Phin lifted a brow. “Might have something to do with keeping her in the dark.”

“Her highness just appeared.”

“One more comment as if I’m not sitting here, and I’m throwing you both out and keeping the food for myself.”

Opening the fridge, Ash pulled out a bowl of cut fruit and set it between them. Kayla looked at his offering as if she expected a bug to crawl out of the center. “You’ve been busy.”

“I had a lot of hours to fill.”

“You didn’t sleep?”

He plucked his black evening coat from the back of a chair. “Don’t leave her side today. Text me if you detect anything suspicious.”

“Ten-four.”

“No,” Kayla said, glancing between the two of them. “Absolutely not.”

Grabbing a bacon-to-go for himself, he tossed the last slice to Crispy after confirming she was still breathing. The cat stared at his offering for a full second before deigning to accept.

“Did you just feed my cat bacon?”

“She likes it.”

“I’ll leave tonight’s litter box for you to clean up.”

He pointed his bacon at her. “You either let Phin shadow you today or I talk to Detective Morgan about assigning someone to you. It’ll put an extra burden on a department that’s already criminally underfunded and understaffed, but?—”

“I don’t need anyone following me around like a duckling.”

“Hey!” Phin grumbled around a mouthful of eggs.

“Protection,” Ash corrected.

“I have a full schedule today, as does Phin, I’m sure. We can’t be in each other’s pockets.”

“I moved some appointments,” Phin said, stabbing a chunk of juicy pineapple. “I’m all yours.”

“Then it’s settled.” Ash grasped the sliding door’s handle.

“Wait,” Kayla said. “Where are you going?”

“Hunting.”

12

After a power nap, shower, and fresh clothes, Ash returned to the Krowne residence to walk through the crime scene without the filter of fear for Kayla’s safety clouding his analysis.

By the time he drove from the gate to the mansion’s front entrance, Jillian Krowne awaited him on the massive ten-foot-wide stoop, framed by large ceramic vases containing evergreen topiary and clusters of purple, yellow, and maroon violas at the base.

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