Page 64 of Necessary Evil

“I’ve been busy.”

Well, no shit.“So was I,” Lucy gritted out. “But I still took the time to call.”

“I’ll stop by later.”

“I’ll be asleep.” She hung up on him. Asshole. Just when she’d thought things were starting to go smoothly.

“That didn’t sound good,” Bobby said.

Lucy sighed. “Welcome to my life.” She eyeballed the bed. She was so tired, but the bedspread looked a little grimy. “He said hang out for a bit and he’ll send someone to investigate it.”

“Fuck that. I’ll protect you. Let’s go. I’m not letting some biker thug push you around.”

Bobby opened the door and strode outside before she could stop him. She hurried out after him. Squinting into the darkness to where she’d noticed the bike, she didn’t see anyone now.

They made it to her rental car without incident, and she locked all the doors and peeled out of the parking spot before Bobby could even buckle his seatbelt. She deliberately veered the car toward the dark patch where she’d seen the motorcycle and rider. Her high beams swept the area, but no one was there.

“What the hell are you doing?” Bobby asked.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, rubbing her forehead and continuing to drive out of the parking lot. “Maybe I’m losing my mind.”

Bobby put a hand on her arm. “Take it easy. Let’s go out for some fried clams and beers and put this whole day behind us.”

Lucy nodded. I’d like to put this whole weekend behind me. Or perhaps not all of it. The parts with Evan had been the highlight of her month. Was he acting weird just now or was she blowing shit out of proportion because she needed a drink and twelve hours of sleep? When Evan had escorted her to work this morning, he’d kissed her like he meant it before she walked into the building. And not twelve hours later he was acting cold again.

The seafood restaurant was by the water, and their seafood bisque almost brought Lucy back to life. Bobby, however, was falling asleep in his clams. One beer and he was sleepy. It was almost cute. Lucy stuck to diet cola because she needed the caffeine.

Travis kept blowing up her phone, but she let him go to voicemail. She’d deal with him tomorrow, when she was fresh.

“Are you all right?” she asked as they were settling the check. She waved off his halfhearted attempt to give her money.

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I don’t think my boss was too impressed. My second day there and the cops showed up.”

Lucy winced. “Did they fire you?”

“I’m a temp. They ended my assignment.”

“You’ll get another one.” She handed the waitress her credit card.

“I guess. And then when there’s another unsolved mystery they’ll come breaking down my door again.”

“Bobby, you’ve worked too hard to relapse.”

“I’m clean,” he said. “And I’m going to stay that way. I like it here with you and with Jenny. Although I’m thinking about getting away for a few days.”

“Please don’t go to California,” she said.

“Nah. Maybe down to Atlantic City.”

Lucy wrinkled her nose. “All those games of chance are rigged.”

“I like them. They’re fun.”

“Why don’t you take Jenny with you? She’s got some vacation left.”

Bobby shrugged. “We’ll see. I might just want to be alone to get my head on straight.”

The waitress came back with the receipt and Lucy signed it. As they were walking back to the car, Lucy said, “I worry about you when you’re alone.”

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