Page 36 of The Savior

CHAPTER TWELVE

Cold fall air slapped Liam’s face, and he hustled down the flight of stairs, unsure what the hell had happened. For a moment—or maybe longer, he didn’t know, but for that slip of time, humor and happiness had found him, and he almost felt normal again.

But the feeling was fleeting as his phone vibrated in his pocket and Chance’s name popped up on the caller ID.

After a long week of keeping an eye on the Nymans, Liam had made the executive decision to ask a contracting buddy for help. If he didn’t, he might crack up without sleep. Chance also eased his concern when Sorenson had wanted to meet with him.

His buddy had agreed to his vague terms with few questions. But a call from Chance was a reality check, a reminder of the burden of uncontrollable problems. Liam answered. “What’s wrong?”

“Dude.” Chance chuckled. “Take it easy and know if there’s a problem, I’ve got it handled.”

Liam had a minuscule list of people he would entrust Linda and Frank with, and Chance held court at the top. He rubbed a hand over his face and muttered, “Sorry. What’s up?”

“You know the Nymans’ next-door neighbors with the for-sale sign in the front yard?”

Liam’s interest perked up. “Yeah.”

“They had a moving van here today.”

“Really?”

“They haven’t sold and don’t have a contract.”

A vacant house next door to the Nymans was excellent news. He had run out of excuses to hang around their house, and if he and Chance intended to keep an eye on their property, an empty house next door provided a slew of surveillance possibilities.

That didn’t help him when Linda and Frank left the house, but Sorenson seemed convinced that if an incident were to occur, it would be at the Nymans’ home. Liam wasn’t so sure since Julia had been anoutlier,but what other intel did he have to rely on?

Frank and Linda kept usual routines. Frank spent time at the bank, which offered some degree of protection, but Linda, surrounded by children at an elementary school, not so much. Liam had no idea how to keep an eye on them without equipment or assistance.

“Sounds like a good opportunity.”

“And,” Chance added, “I asked around—”

“We’re trying to stay on the down low—”

“We are.”

Liam grumbled.

“Anyway, I think I’ve found a beneficial hookup for all of us. In the next week or so, you’ll be able to get your hands on sometoysthat’ll make this a lot easier.”

Toysmeaning surveillance equipment, he hoped. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Chance confirmed.

Liam nodded, working his jaw. He could handle a week or two without the type of military-grade equipment that he’d used during his army recon days, and he tried to take comfort in working with a good friend like Chance, who, after a conversation ofI can’t explain but trust me, armed himself to the teeth and took Liam’s request like an order.

“Appreciate it.”

“Good. Wasn’t easy,” Chance added. “Go get some sleep. You sound like shit.”

Earlier that night, Liam wouldn’t have been able to deny his depleted level of functioning. But leaving Chelsea’s condo, he’d had unexpected pep—even if he was leaving to grab a drink alone. “Eventually.”

“Liam?” Chelsea called from the second floor.

He spun and didn’t wait to wrap up the call with Chance. “Talk to you later, bro.” Then Liam met her as she rushed down the stairs. “Hey—everything okay?”

She stopped abruptly and clung to the railing. “I didn’t realize you were…” She pressed her lips together. “So close.”

He shook the cell in his hand then pocketed it. “I took a call.”

“Oh, right.” She still hadn’t let go of the railing.

He shifted his weight, not stepping closer but damn sure not moving away. Chelsea edged back up a stair.

Tension pricked in his chest. His mouth felt dry, as if he’d trucked across the Sahara, not down a simple flight of stairs. “Decided you needed a drink?” he asked, then relished the opportunity for company—hercompany.

As she nodded slightly, a cool breeze picked up. She shivered and let go of her death grip on the railing. “Guess it was that kind of day.”

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