Page 418 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“Half, please.”

“Coming right up.”

Jacob sniffed again. This was ridiculous. He felt like a baby. “Thanks, Russ. For this and letting me stay here.”

The older man turned and set the mug down. “Seriously?”

“I appreciate it.”

Russ pulled out a chair and sat with a mug of his own. “The kind of man who wouldn’t invite you into my home like this, or at any other time? That’s not the man I want to be.”

Jacob nodded. He started drinking the coffee and wound up gulping half of it in one go even though it was hot. He looked at the clock.

“Said she’ll be back soon.”

Jake didn’t bother acknowledging that. “So, what’s new?”

“You really want to talk about me?”

“I want to talk aboutanythingthat doesn’t have to do with murder or attacks.”

“Fair enough.” Russ swigged from his own mug. “I’m working with a couple of friends. More like acquaintances, since they were referred to me by…” He trailed off and cleared his throat. “That’s not important. They’re looking for somewhere to house people who need a safe place to hide.”

“Like federal witnesses?” The guy had been a US marshal before he retired. Maybe this had to do with that.

“Not exactly.” Russ tipped his head to the side. “It will be to keep them safe because they’re in danger. We’ll be giving them a chance to live their lives.”

“How many?”

Russ blinked. “Why?”

Jacob shifted enough he could get his phone from his pocket. Thankfully he wore sweatpants, so he didn’t have to lean toofar. Leaninghurt.Then again, basically everything hurt so what difference did it make?

He thumbed through to the file in his emails and set the phone on the table between them.

Jacob flicked through the images. “This is the artist’s rendition of what the fourth floor of my building will look like when renovations are complete.”

“The fourth floor?”

“Russ, you know I own the whole building.”

The older man shook his head. “That’s not why I told you this. You asked what’s new with me, and…”

He hesitated long enough Jacob could jump in. “I don’t think you’re trying to get something from me. I’m saying we didn’t open for applications yet.”

“How many units?”

“Fifteen.”

Russ blew out a long breath. “I’ll pass that to my contacts.” He nodded. “Thanks, Jacob.”

“Whatever you need.” Because what Jacob wanted right now was to talk about anythingbutmurder and blood. This was a great diversion. Helping people and making a difference in their lives? He’d take that any day. “No one anticipated when I did that first book, the one with my grandfather and his people, that it would hit as big as it did. I gave a lot to the tribe, scholarship funds, and medical programs. Then I built myself the haven I needed.”

Except it had been trashed, and the privacy he’d had was gone now even if he put it all to rights.

Jacob swallowed. “Being able to do that for other people would be another gift I can give.”

“They’ll pay rent.” Russ lifted both hands. “This isn’t about freebies.”

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