Page 54 of Tactical Revival

“Thank God. Are you sure? Do you need anything? Honey, you should not be on your feet.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her,” I say.

“Listen to that man,” she scolds Margot, who shoots a smile my way.

“I will. Soon. How has your stay been? Is there anything you need?”

“We’re just fine,” Mr. Avery says. “You go get some rest. We’re headed to the diner, then to do some antiquing.”

“Oh, you should stop by?—”

“We have a plan,” Mrs. Avery interrupts holding up a piece of paper. “You go rest. Now. I insist.”

“Okay. Fair enough. But please come knock on my door if you need anything,” she says.

“We will.” Mrs. Avery offers me a final wave before looping her arm through her husband’s and heading out the door.

“Well, you heard her. So let’s go get you some rest.” Forcing her to leave her work behind, I guide her toward her apartment, then hold open the door for her.

She stops just inside the door and turns to me. “Are you going upstairs?”

Something in her tone catches me off guard. “I can stay on the couch if you need me to.”

“Yes, please. I don’t—I don’t want to be alone.”

“Then I’ll be right here.” In demonstration, I plop down on her couch. “Yell if you need me, okay?”

She nods. “Thanks, Jaxson.”

“I’ll always be here for you, Margot. For you and Matty. No matter what.”

My phone rings, the shill tone ripping me from sleep. “Payne,” I answer, tone gravelly. It’s dark, nearly pitch black in the living room of Margot’s apartment.

“Andie and I just pulled up to the B&B, can you let us in?” Elijah asks.

“Sure thing. Is everything okay?”

“We found Lanetti.”

“I’m coming.” I end the call and rush to the front of the B&B, then open the door for them. He hands me a paper cup of coffee as he passes by. I lead them to Margot’s open apartment, then flip on a floor lamp. “Is she alive?” I ask, dreading the answer but desperate for it at the same time.

“She is,” he says. “But she’s pretty bruised up and is asking for you.”

I set my coffee aside and pull on my boots.

“How’s Margot?” Andie asks as she shrugs out of her jacket.

“I checked on her about an hour ago, and she was doing okay.” Truthfully, I’d only nodded off about thirty minutes ago, since I’d been checking on Margot every hour.

“I’ll check on her soon. Are you okay?” Andie asks me.

“I’m not the one who almost died,” I tell her.

She rolls her eyes. “You men and being afraid of your feelings.”

“Come on, you can hammer him later. We need to get to the hospital.” Elijah kisses Andie, then heads for the door.

“Have her call me when she wakes up?”

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