Page 94 of Safe With Me

“What do you mean by different?” I asked, scooting toward the edge of the seat.

“Yes, Ted followed her, slashed her tire to strand her, and threatened her friend. I would be afraid he’d physically assault her after that too, as it seemed to be escalating in that direction, but these threats have a different tone. Have you read any of the ones from him?”

“I helped her put them on the flash drive, so yes. The emails and texts seem to go from sorry to angry.”

“They did, yes. And he’d call her a bitch for being so unreasonable or tell her no one else would ever want her, cruel things like that. But he’d always end it withlet’s just talkorlet me explain.” He held up the envelope again. “This and the scratches on her car are pure hate. I know logic would say that it’s the same guy and he could just be angry that she left and moved on, but I feel like we should keep our minds open.”

“That this could be someone else?” I asked.

“Maybe,” Jude said. “Someone who knows the town and how to not be seen. Again, this is just a gut feeling that I have.”

“And your gut feelings are usually right.” I dropped my head into my hands, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“Not always. Again, he could just be really pissed she managed to hide from him all this time and is with someone else now. What I’m saying is, when you’re out together, don’t only keep your eyes open for Ted. Be on guard for anything suspicious. And that goes for when you’re alone too.”

“You think this is directed at me?”

“We don’t think anything yet, Mike,” Keith said. “The only thing we know for sure is whoever is doing this is watching you and doesn’t like that you both are together. Just watch until we know more. I’ll give your father a call in a minute and tell him the same thing.”

Keith stood and made his way around the desk, settling in the chair next to me.

“I’m sorry this is happening. To both of you. This should be a nice time for you guys without having to worry about who you’re pissing off. I can’t see anyone hating either of you this much to do this, so Lila’s ex still makes the most sense right now.”

“You never know who hates you, Chief.”

I raised a brow when I met his gaze. I couldn’t think of anyone who’d want to do this to me. I’d never gotten serious enough with a woman to make her want to stalk my girlfriend, but maybe I was missing something.

As crazy as it sounded, Ted was the easier suspect. A burly dumbass who couldn’t read a room or take no for an answer would be easy to catch once he inevitably fucked up.

But if this was someone coming after me, someone who lived here and was torturing Lila to get to me, I had no idea what to do with that.

I’d promised her a million times that I’d keep her safe, but how could I protect her if I was the reason she was in danger?

21

LILA

“What else can I get you?”Claudia asked me as she reached over the bar to squeeze my shoulder.

“Nothing right now,” I said, holding up my almost empty margarita glass. “I’ve already drunk enough for this early hour of the day.”

“Eh.” She waved a hand. “It’s three in the afternoon, and it’s the end of summer. Always five o’clock somewhere.”

She smiled before her mouth flattened into a hard line.

“I absolutely fucking hate this for you,” she whispered. “But don’t worry. Between Mike and the chief and my husband, you won’t have to worry about this for long. And then you both can be happy like you deserve.”

I grabbed her hand, my vision clouding when I lifted my gaze to hers.

“Iwashappy, Claudia. Before I spotted the note, I even started to believe that Ted had done me a favor by pushing me here. Mike made me so happy.”

I sniffled and pushed the glass away.

“I think I’ve had enough.”

Kathy and Terry had had to leave for a family party, and although traveling anywhere alone today made me anxious, I’dcalled Claudia and asked if I could hang out at the bar until Mike left work.

She’d picked me up at home so I wouldn’t have to travel by myself and ordered me to plant myself at the bar for the next few hours while she stayed by me for the day.

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