Page 84 of Playboy

Gabby gave her a reassuring smile. “I know, but I think it’s time for a little break.” She pointed to her leg. “My leg is hurting a bit,” Gabby lied as her eyes darted back to the car. “I promise I’ll make you a lemonade slushie after dinner.”

“Okay.” Reluctantly, Amira agreed, and Gabby took her hand, leading her towards the house. As they walked, she kept an eye on the car. It hadn’t moved, but its presence unnerved her.

Once they were inside, Gabby closed the door and locked it. She took a deep breath and turned to Armira. “Why don’t you go wash your hands and get ready for dinner? I think your mom made your favorite macaroni and cheese.”

With a smile on her face, Amira rushed out of the room and up the stairs. Gabby took a moment to compose herself before heading to the kitchen, where she found Jocelyn and Clover chatting while Jocelyn finished up dinner. Hannah had already left to go home.

“Hey,” Jocelyn greeted her, smiling. But her smile slowly faded as she met Gabby’s eyes. “Is everything okay? You look a little shaken.”

Gabby hesitated for a moment before speaking. “I’m not sure. While we were outside playing just now, I felt like someone was watching us. When I looked down the street, I saw a car with tinted windows parked near the corner. It didn’t feel right. And when I looked again, I noticed the window was cracked, and I could see someone inside.”

Jocelyn’s smile faded, replaced by a concerned expression. “Are you sure?”

Gabby nodded. “I’m positive.”

Clover, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. “That does sound suspicious.” She looked at Jocelyn. “Maybe we should call Derek, just in case.”

Jocelyn nodded in agreement and reached for her phone on the island. “I’ll call him right now.”

As Jocelyn dialed Derek, Gabby glanced out the window, her eyes scanning the street for any sign of the car. But it was gone. However, the uneasy feeling persisted.

After a few minutes, Jocelyn hung up the phone. “Derek is tied up at the base, but he is calling Tink. He’ll send someone to check it out. Derek said, for now, to stay inside and keep the doors locked.”

“That’s good,” Gabby said, her voice steady despite the worry gnawing at her.

As if sensing her worry, Clover wrapped an arm around Gabby’s shoulders. “You did the right thing, trusting your instincts and bringing Amira inside.”

Gabby nodded. “I just hope it is a false alarm.”

“Well, the least we can do is feed the guys that Tink sends over.”

???

Gabby nervously paced the living room. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling she had. Jocelyn and Clover were sitting on the couch, their expressions mirroring her concern.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, making Gabby jump. But she quickly composed herself and went with Clover and Jocelyn to answer it.

When the door opened, Tink stood there, flanked by two other men.

“Hi, Tink. Thank you for coming over,” Jocelyn greeted him.

He offered a small smile. “No worries. You all know that I’m always a phone call away.” He said hello to Clover and then turned his attention to Gabby. “Hi, Gabby. It’s nice to see you again,”

Gabby nodded and smiled. “It’s nice to see you as well. However, I wish it were under different circumstances.”

He nodded in understanding. “So, where were you and Amira when you noticed the car?”

They all walked out onto the front porch, and Gabby showed the guys where she and Amira were playing. She told them about the feeling she got and then pointed to the spot down the street where the car had been sitting.

Tink told Gabby, Jocelyn, and Clover to go back inside while he and his men checked things out.

Minutes felt like hours as they waited for Tink to return. Gabby kept glancing out the window. Her mind was racing with different scenarios.

Finally, the door opened, and Tink walked in, his expression serious.

“Well?” Jocelyn asked.

“I had one of the guys drive around to see if he could spot the car, but he didn’t see it. However, we did find these.” He held up a small evidence bag containing nine cigarette butts. “Looks like whoever it was had been sitting there for a while.”

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