Page 31 of Daddy P.I. 3.0

His reddened eyes light up. “You have?”

“Yup. I know you and Master Mac are working really hard so that Livvy joining us doesn’t upset our dynamic but it’sinevitable that there will be adjustments. Small kids are like that; they need a lot of attention. I’m not saying I want to get it over with but?—”

Daddy chuckles. “You want to get it over with. I understand, Emmy. I remember what the twins were like as babies and toddlers. It’s not the easiest time.”

“It’s not and I don’t know how long it will take me to get pregnant. We know your swimmers are up to the job but I’ve been tryingnotto get pregnant for nearly twenty years. My body may take a little time to get with the new program.”

Logan kisses my forehead. “We’re not on a schedule.”

I nudge him gently. “Well,thatwould be a change.”

He laughs. “You like my schedules.”

I do. And I like snuggles with Daddy. I cuddle in and enjoy.

ten

LOGAN

Nothing is harderthan focusing on the thief I can’t seem to catch when all I want to do is watch that video of Livvy over and over.

I had no idea what a visceral reaction I’d have to seeing my daughter. The pictures I’ve seen made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. The video provoked a completely different reaction. Suddenly, I feel like that baby’s father. I’m nervous about failing her and anxious for her safety but I can’t wait to hold her and I’m so fucking proud. How did I have a hand in making that adorable little human?

But mooning over my daughter is not going to solve the situation at Sacrum, and its owners are getting desperate.

Now that we’ve both gotten some much-needed sleep, Mac joins me on a video call with Jaimie, Olaf, Vizzi, and two other members of Sacrum’s management committee to report on the stake-out. Everyone at the other end of the call is frowning by the time we finish.

“This Joker’s B had some way of knowing what you were doing, Logan,” Olaf says, chewing on the tuft of beard under hislower lip. “It had to be someone who was here that day, who saw you arrive.”

“That’s just the people in this room,” Vizzi responds. “I cleared out the club fifteen minutes before Logan and Mac arrived.”

“I hate to say this but I think the Joker’s B has a way of monitoring the club,” I say. “They knew exactly where I’d placed the cameras and where the blind spots were. It’s entirely possible they have their own camera or cameras in the club.”

This is something I’ve told Jaimie and Olaf before but we’ve been keeping it quiet to avoid panicking the larger membership. When my stakeout netted nothing, Jaimie and Olaf agreed it was time to let the management committee know.

A burly, black-bearded Dom throws up his hands. “How do we find them? Cameras today can be just a small, black dot.”

“I’m working on that,” I reassure them, remembering how Max found a hidden camera planted at Brenna’s shop by tracing its signal. “There are some scanning tools I can use.”

“How much is that going to cost?” Jaimie, who is the club’s money person, asks.

“Nothing. I’ll do that for free. I’m invested in resolving this. I’m not going to abandon you. I’m in this until the Joker’s B is caught.”

Beside me, Mac clears his throat. I know what he’s thinking. I’ve done what I was hired to do. I’ve installed a much better CCTV system than they could pay for. I’ve secured the office. They can’t afford much else. I should be calling it “job done.”

But I haven’t solved their problem. And that’s what I do.

“Thank you, Logan,” Jaimie says. “What are the next steps?”

“I haven’t given up on the stakeout idea. I think that’s how we catch the Joker’s B. We just have to be sneakier about it. After I scan the club to make sure the Joker’s B hasn’t tucked cameras in every corner, we’re going to set a trap. I’llneed some manpower. I’d love volunteers from the management committee, since I don’t believe any of you are involved.”

There are nods all around the table.

“I’ll round up a posse,” Vizzi says, smirking. “We’ll catch this filly.”

“Let me guess, it’s Western theme night,” I say to her.

“Yippee-kay-ay, motherfucker,” she responds, absolutely straight-faced.

---