Page 51 of Still Her

“So… you’ll be able to hear what’s going on?” I look down at him. I’ve stopped pacing but I’m still swaying nervously side to side.

“Everything. We have some of the newest, top of the line equipment. We will be listening the whole time, we will give you a safe word to use, and the second you say it, we’ll move in.”

“But… you’ll be a floor below us. How would you get there fast enough?”

Jack’s head tilts down and his glare shoots Morris daggers, warning him that he better have a good answer to that.

“Once you’re inside the penthouse and we can hear that Eli’s attention is diverted enough by you, we’re going to send two uniforms up to wait in the vestibule, just outside the suite. When we hear what we need, or you calling a stop to it with the safe word, we’ll radio them to head in,” Morris responds without a blink. I nod, satisfied as I can possibly be with that plan.

“Mayzie, I know this is scary, but it won’t last forever. It will be over before you know it. And I know you can do this.” He tries to give me a sincere look while Jack closes his eyes in annoyance, probably trying not to strut over to Morris and yank him off the couch. “Any other questions? Alright,” he continues when we all shake our heads, “I’ll be back here tomorrow beforehand. Make sure your security detail expects us.” He stands up off the couch and heads towards the door.

“I’ll walk him out,” Jack grumbles, getting to his feet and following the detective out of the room.

* * *

JACK

“I’m going to be in that room with you, while you’re listening to what’s going on.”

“No way. That can’t happen, Jack. You’re too close to her, you’re too emotional.” The look on Morris’s face is a mixture of surprise and irritation.

“Damn right I’m emotional,” I snap back.

“Right, and that runs a risk. If you lose your grip on yourself, you could blow our concentration on what we’re listening in for.”

“Listen, if you’re going to come into my home and give me this song and dance about how Mayzie can do this and I can let her because you and your girl were ready to do it, be ready to eat your words.”

The detective just gives me a hard stare in return, so I press on.

“If you’re going to compare your situation with her to the one Mayzie and I have going on, then we’re going to do things the wayyouwere going to. If my wife goes in that room, I’m going to have her back. I’m going to be facing this with her, which means I’m going to be in there with you, listening, going through it too.”

He looks around for a minute, like he’s consulting the walls for their opinion and pressing his lips into a hard, thin line.

“Jack,” he faces me again. “It’s not the same. If things get tense, it’s not like I can let you go kicking the door in.”

We’ll see about that, I think, but I keep my mouth shut. My emotions are making me say things in my mind that I know are out of line, but it sure feels good to think them. I allow my mind to spar with him to get the aggression out, but keep it inside. “But I’m going to be there to hold her the second that it’s over. I’m in that room with you or there is no sting,” I say with finality.

“That’s up to Mayzie.” I almost laugh at the confidence on his face.

“Fine,” I say, letting out an exasperated chuckle. “Go talk to her.” I motion towards the sitting area. He gives me a slight nod and turns to head back into the room. I follow and stand in the entryway, watching his exchange with Mayzie but allowing him space while he finds out I’m right. After a few seconds, he gives her a reluctant nod while blowing out a heavy sigh before turning around and walking back over to me.

“You two really are a team then,” he acknowledges, nodding to himself before looking back up at me. “Let’s get a couple of things straight, though. Number one, you still have to leave the building with the band at the scheduled time. As I mentioned before, the shithead could either be watching, or having you watched. It needs to look like nothing is amiss, and like you’re heading to your appearance as scheduled. When Mayzie is in the penthouse, then you can come back.”

I hate the fuck out of this idea, but I don’t argue. Instead, I keep my arms crossed firmly in front of me while I clench my jaw so hard I’m surprised I don’t crack a molar. I pin him with a hard stare and wait for him to continue.

“Number two, you keep yourself in check. Bring one of your bandmates to do it for you if you think you’ll need it. You interfere with what’s going on, I’m tossing your ass out.”Would love to see you try, asshole. I want to tell him that his experience and training can’t stand between me and Mayzie if she’s in trouble.Who the hell am I right now?I don’t normally talk or think like this. Then again, I’ve never had the person I love most facing something like this. Again, I don’t say anything. If I open my mouth, I’ll tell him to shove it, that I’m not going to say goodbye to my beautiful wife and leave the building as she makes her way up to penthouse hell. And he’s high off his fucking ass if he thinks I’m just going to stand there and not react if I hear something bad happening to her. But if making it look like I agree is what I have to do to lock this down, then so be it.

“Do we understand each other?” He asks, with a steely glare. A curt nod is my only response. “Alright then. I will see Mayzie tomorrow at five-thirty.” Without waiting for a response, he turns and leaves, shutting the door loudly behind him, his last attempt at getting his sense of authority across.

With him gone, I stand in the entryway to the suite. I can hear Maze and Ron talking quietly in the other room, but I stay where I am. I need a moment. I slouch back against the wall and put my hands over my face. In twenty-four hours, this will all be over.

Feeling as composed as I can be, I’m just about to join them in the living area when I remember that there are a couple more things to take care of. I pull my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and pull up George’s number, relieved to hear him pick up on the second ring.

“Jack, how you holding up?” He greets.

I let out a sarcastic chuckle as I answer, “Barely. Were you able to work anything out as far as coming to New York?”

“It won’t be until tomorrow morning, but we’ll be there. We can make it tonight but it will be late as hell. We start filming this showcase in half an hour.”

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