Page 37 of I'm Watching You

Lindsay shoved a trembling hand through her hair. Rising from the couch, she moved to the window. She’d been almost as rattled today.

Jesus. Someone had sent her a severed hand.

Ruby came around the corner from the kitchen with a cold soda. She pushed the can into Lindsay’s hand. ‘Why don’t you come into the kitchen so I can make you something to eat? I’ve got turkey and bread.’

Food was the last thing on Lindsay’s mind. ‘No thanks, Ruby.’

‘Milk shakes don’t cut it, honey. You’re going to get sick. I should make you a turkey sandwich.’

Lindsay’s argument died on her lips when she saw concern in the older woman’s eyes. She knew Ruby wasn’t so worried about food, but the entire situation. She needed something to do. ‘You know what, turkey sounds great to me. Extra mustard?’

Ruby nodded. She was obviously relieved. ‘I’ll have it for you in two shakes. Now, come away from the window and sit down.’

‘We’re going to have to move the shelter,’ Lindsay said. ‘I thought this morning that maybe, just maybe, we could dig our way out of this, but not now. The press aren’t going to sit on our location much longer.’

Ruby planted meaty fists on her wide hips. ‘Don’t borrow trouble, Lindsay. Let’s just take it one step at a time.’

‘We don’t have the cash reserves for a move. And Dana is going to be furious.’ She closed her eyes and pictured her boss’s tight angular face. She sensed an invisible tide had turned against her.

Ruby laid a hand on Lindsay’s shoulder. ‘Honey, you’re good at what you do. The board knows that. You’ll find a way out of this.’

One way or another, she would fight for this shelter. But she’d been in enough uphill battles to recognize one. ‘Thanks for the vote of confidence, but in the meantime, you’d better see if you can pick up extra hours at your other job. I know we’ve never been able to pay you much, but we may not have much to offer for the near future.’

Ruby had a teenage daughter to support. ‘I hate leaving you.’

She didn’t want Ruby to worry. ‘I’m going to be fine.’

Frown lines formed around her mouth. ‘I’ll be back as soon as you can have me.’

Lindsay squeezed her hand. ‘I know.’

Tears in her eyes, Ruby disappeared into the kitchen as the front door opened.

Zack strode in the foyer, his stern expression sweeping clockwise until it landed on Lindsay. Behind him stood a tall, grim-faced man dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. Even if he’d not been wearing his badge on a chain around his neck, she’d have guessed by his demeanor he was also a cop.

Zack made no move toward Lindsay but stared at her long and hard before he released a deep breath. ‘Are you all right?’

Unexpected relief flooded Lindsay’s body. She wanted to rush to him, let him take her in his arms and assure her everything would be okay. But she didn’t run to Zack. She stood her ground, her back stiffer than wood.

‘I’m great. Never a dull moment, is there?’ She tried to sound glib but instead sounded brittle. So be it.

Zack was deadly serious. ‘You look pale.’

‘I’m fine.’ She put steel behind the words, knowing if he showed her any pity she’d break. ‘Just figure out who sent me that little present in there and I’ll be even better.’

His expression reflected his disbelief. He knew stress made her bitchy. Knew this shelter meant everything to her. Knew about her mother’s death. Knewher.

Tension knotted her lower back. She folded her arms over her chest. This was not the time to have unwanted feelings rolling to the surface.

Zack cleared his throat. ‘This is my partner, Detective Jacob Warwick. This is Lindsay O’Neil. She’s the director of the shelter.’

Warwick nodded. ‘Ma’am.’

Lindsay prided herself on reading people, on being able to size up anyone in a nanosecond. But this guy was a blank slate. Tight, controlled, he reminded her of Zack during his undercover days when life and death depended on cloaking emotions.

‘I’ll bet you worked undercover at one point,’ Lindsay said.

Warwick didn’t seem to appreciate her hard tone. ‘That’s right. That a problem?’

---