Page 4 of Securing the Odds

He opened her contacts and started scrolling, sailing right past the A’s on his way to what she assumed were the K’s for Kevin or maybe the W’s for Williams.

Tammy cleared her throat. “Um…” Jake glanced up at her, and she bit her lower lip before admitting, “It’s in the A’s labeled as Asshole.”

That got her a big grin before he looked back down at her phone and scrolled back up. He hit a button and brought the phone to his ear. After a few seconds, his scowl returned.

He clicked the phone off, saying, “The line’s been disconnected.”

Her heart sank. “Now what?”

Jake set her phone back on the counter. “Now, we go back to my office, pull up all the old data I have on this prick, and go hunting for him.”

“We?”

He placed a hand on his hip, his look stern. “Yes, we. Sweetheart, you’re fucking crazy if you think I’m letting you out of my sight until we know who we’re dealing with and this problem is taken care of.”

She felt her eyes go wide. “But I have work tomorrow.”

“Not anymore. Call in and tell them you’ve had a family emergency. You’ll be out the rest of the week.” His eyes danced around the kitchen at floor level. “You got any pets?”

Thrown again at the sudden change of topic, she answered on autopilot. “No.”

“Good. Go pack a bag. You’re staying with me at my place.”

After Jake’sannouncement that she was moving in with him for the next few days, she apparently hadn’t reacted fast enough for his liking because he’d taken matters into his own hands by making a beeline to her bedroom. By the time she’d come unglued and followed, Jake already had her suitcase out and was digging through her dresser. Thankfully, he was rummaging through the drawer that held her t-shirts and not her underwear. She pushed him out of the way and finished her own packing.

Next, she called out at work—which she hated doing with such short notice because it was hard to find a substitute—but they were understanding. And technically itwasa family emergency, even if it wasexfamily.

A half hour later, they pulled into the parking lot for a small office building. Jake helped her out of the car and placed his hand at the small of her back as he led her to the bank of elevators. The place was nice—lots of chrome and marble and not at all what she thought a PI’s office building would look like.

His office was a surprise, too. Big and airy with large windows that looked down onto San Diego with a view clear to the ocean.

She met Margaret, his assistant who was a sweet woman in her fifties, before Jake ushered her into his office where he promptly closed the door.

Tammy raised a brow, which he ignored.

“Let me see your phone.” Jake held out a hand as he sat in the chair behind his desk.

Bossy. But she didn’t comment, fishing it out of her purse and handing it over. He fiddled with it for a few minutes then handed it back.

Oookay.

Next, he woke up his computer and started mouse-clicking like a fiend. “I’m pulling up all the info I have on your ex from two years ago.”

Tammy noticed he’d yet to use Kevin’s name. Not that she blamed him, she tried not to use it, think it, anything it, too. “I can probably help give you some names of friends. That’s if he’s still in touch with them.”

Jake nodded as he read something on the computer. “I have a list of names here, too. We can compare them.”

With another click of his mouse, the printer activated, shooting out a piece of paper. Jake swiveled his chair and leaned back for it, handing it to her. “Here, look this over.”

It was a list of people Kevin knew and places he used to hang out. A frown pulled at her brow. “He used to frequent Busty’s?” The name really said it all, but Busty’s was a local strip club in the seedier area of town and a popular hangout for San Diego’s huge naval population.

Jake eyed her but didn’t say anything.

“I mean, I know Kevin was a lot of things, and a lot of them not good, but I hadn’t thought he was a cheater.” Sympathy hit Jake’s eyes but before he could speak, she held up a hand. “Don’t say it. I know I’m an idiot.”

Jake shook his head. “I was going to say, just because he hung out at strip clubs doesn’t mean he cheated on you.”

“Emotional cheating is just as bad as physical cheating.”

---