Page 18 of Evidence of Deceit

“Would you mind if I took a short nap? I didn’t sleep well last night.” She gave Sam a small smile. “The past couple of nights have been slightly stressful.”

“No, hon. Get some rest. I have work to do and a plan of action to put in place, and don’t worry. I’ll be here when you get up. We need to get you to the next step, where you’re free of Keith permanently.”

Claire hugged Sam, put her dishes in the dishwasher, then walked back to the guest room. Sam had her work cut out for her if she thought Keith would go away quietly. Today, however, she wasn’t going to pop Sam’s optimistic outlook.

Chapter Ten

Aphone rang, jarring Joe awake. He opened one eye and saw that it was eleven in the morning. It was much later than he usually slept, but he’d been exhausted. Damn, Sam would be here soon, and he needed to get ready.

“Speak.”

“Well, good morning to you too.”

Damn. It was Sam. “Sorry, still a little tired after the last job. Are you still coming over at noon?”

“Yes. I want to know if you’d like me to bring lunch?”

Joe took mental stock of what was in his fridge. He hadn’t gone shopping before he went away, so food was in short supply.

“Sounds good.”

They hung up. Joe got dressed and looked around the living room. One bottle of beer on the table, otherwise the room was a little dusty since he hadn’t been home in a week but still neat as a pin.

He’d arrived home after midnight. After the difficult time he had on this last job, his house provided theserenity he needed. The movie mogul he’d been guarding kept him up for nights on end, partying and drinking. Doing drugs when he thought Joe wasn’t looking. The worst part was that he had been encouraging women to party with Joe—ingénues and others not so innocent. Joe was tired and dirty. It wasn’t the kind of dirty that you get rolling around on the ground either. It was the dirt you felt when someone was out of control, their moral compass off-kilter, and you can’t do anything to stop them. His clothes had reeked of cigarette smoke and alcohol after one cute little ingénue had too much to drink and spilled her rum drink on him. He had been in such a hurry to get out of there, he hadn’t bothered to change. Didn’t care if his seatmate on the plane sniffed once and gagged.

And then there was Claire. He needed to touch base with her if she was still around. Needed to see her like plants needed sun to grow.

A couple of minutes before noon, he saw Sam arrive in his security camera. He opened the door, grabbed the sandwich bag from her hand and motioned her in. They got plates from the kitchen and sat in the living room.

“So, this is the Batcave?” Sam said. She smirked.

“Yep.” He let the comment pass. No sense giving her any satisfaction on that. “You said you had another job for me?”

“Yes. But I’m giving you an opportunity to say no. I know how you feel about this type of situation, but I don’t have anyone else right now to protect her except for myself.”

Crap.He hated it when a request started like that.

He let out a heavy sigh. “Just tell me.”

She eyed him and hesitated. “I have an abused woman who will be going through a divorce and…”

“Oh, hell, no.”

“Joe …”

“The last time I guarded a woman running away from herabusive husband, she clung to me the whole time I was with her and hysterically cried whenever I left. Then she stalked me for months.” He rubbed his brow. It was too soon to take on another emotional job.

He sighed. “I get it. I do. But I can’t handle needy women.” He liked women, respected women, cherished women, wanted one in his life someday, but needy women irritated him. And needy stalkers. Ugh.

Then he thought about the other women that his friends had found. Luke married Grace after she was being stalked. And Pete had found Julie, and they were expecting their second child. Then there was Marlee Burns, the fearless, sassy woman his friend Ben Green was marrying. He had the pleasure of guarding Marlee from a murderer. She was a hoot, and he’d liked her sassy attitude. So yes, he liked most women. Just not needy ones.

Sam sat back, let out a deep breath. If she were disappointed, he couldn’t tell. The woman should play poker. Silence.

“I understand.” She nodded to herself. “I did offer you the opportunity to say no.” Sam stood. “Well, listen, I need to go. Let me help you pick up.”

They brought the dishes to the kitchen.

“We didn’t talk about this past job,” she said. “How did it go?”

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