Page 114 of Hurry Up And Wait

He turned away from me, guzzling his water. He was buying time, for whatever reason.

“IKE, why were you outside precisely when the shooter drove past?”

He spun, his eyes boring into mine. “What are you accusing me of?”

“Nothing. I’m wondering why you were outside.”

“Because I was ordered to be.”

“By who?”

All he did was raise an eyebrow at me. I sighed heavily, sinking further into my seat. “So, he stuck you on bodyguard duty. And you actually listened. Why?”

“I go where I’m told,” he said noncommittally.

“Bullshit. Why did he want you on me?”

“Obviously, because there’s a threat against you.”

Shawn. This was all because of Shawn. It didn’t surprise me that his attacks were centered around the divorce papers being delivered to him. What would he do when the divorce actually went through?

“Is there any proof that Shawn left this time?”

“No.”

“So, once again, Shawn gets away with attempted murder,” I muttered.

“He won’t stop,” IKE said, walking over to me. “He’s just going to keep going until you’re dead.”

His words struck something deep inside me. I couldn’t wrap my head around Shawn hating so much that he would attack and attack until I was dead. How could one person hate another so much? Did our years together mean nothing? Yes, I wanted a divorce, but I would never wish him dead.

Well, maybe now I would.

But it didn’t matter. If I ran, I would only be giving in to the fear. Shawn would win if I went home with IKE, and I refused to give Shawn even a second more of my time.

“I’m staying here. This is my home.”

IKE’s head tilted slightly and I thought pride flickered in his eyes, but it was gone too fast to be certain. “And if he comes again?”

If he came again, what was I going to do? My mind whirled with all the possibilities of what might happen. What if he went further next time? I shook my head. I couldn’t think about that. I had to focus on what I could control. No, I wasn’t safe in this house, but I wouldn’t be safe anywhere until Shawn was taken care of.

“I need to eliminate the problem,” I said bluntly.

“Divorce won’t solve this.”

No, he was right about that. But what were the other alternatives?

“Say the word.”

“What?” I asked, not sure what he was talking about.

“You said you need to eliminate the problem. I told you once, I make problems go away. Say the word.”

I swallowed hard at his words. He had ventured around the idea that he did bad things—things that were dishonorable. But this wasthe first time I heard him actually talking about it. And the way he phrased it, he sounded like he was simply taking out the garbage.

“I’m not a murderer.”

“You wouldn’t be doing anything wrong.”

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