Page 79 of Love Overboard
She slowly raised her head. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes held a question. Did she?
Of course she did. How could she not love a man as gorgeous, compassionate, and caring as Jon? Still … saying the words was a leap off a cliff. Something she could never take back.
Goose bumps rose on her arms, but they weren’t from the cold. She opened her mouth. “I—”
A shrill ring sounded from Jon’s pocket. He pushed the blanket off and pulled out his phone.
“Who’s calling me at four in the morning?” Jon tapped the screen. “Security. I’d better answer this.”
Lacey scooted away.
He wrapped an arm around her hip and dragged her to his side. “Stay here. It only takes one hand to answer the phone.”
She giggled and laid her head on his shoulder.
He accepted the call and held the phone to his ear. “This is Jonathan King.” He tensed. “What did you say?” Jon withdrew his arm and stood. “I’ll be right there.”
“What’s wrong?” Lacey looked up at him.
“It’s the Shippers.” The hand holding the phone dropped to his side. “They’ve been arrested.”
Lacey and Jon sped down the narrow hallway. A husky security guard in a black uniform stood at the end, blocking a beige door with Brig posted on it. He moved aside as they approached and then took a ring of keys off his belt. After unlocking the door, he pushed it open and led them inside. They walked through an even smaller hallway with scuffed linoleum flooring and opened the door at the end.
Blue padded walls greeted them as they entered a plain space about the size of a suburban second bathroom. A tangy odor filled the tiny area—magnolia perfume mixed with sunblock and butterscotch. The lone piece of furniture was a single bed, on which sat four senior citizens dressed from head to toe in black—looking, for all the world, like a group of naughty children in time-out.
“They claim they were trying to change two duty rosters to match.” The guard stuck the keys in his pocket. “Said it was more romantic or … something. Do you suppose they’re going senile?”
Jon’s breath stuttered. Lacey eyed him as he pressed his lips together and rolled them inward, his chin twitching. She reached behind him and pinched his back.
“This is serious,” she whispered.
He nodded his head, his mouth still quivering.
“I’ll leave you to it.” The guard stepped out and shut the door.
Lacey propped her hands on her hips. “Was it worth it, ladies?”
Althea’s and Daisy’s lower lips protruded. Gerry hung her head.
But Emily raised her chin and stared Lacey down. “It was for a worthy cause.”
“Worthy enough to go to jail?” Lacey flung her arms wide. Her fingertips almost reached the width of the cell.
“You can’t prove anything,” Althea said. “It’s our word against the security guard’s.”
Jon scrunched his face. “They have camera footage of you entering my office.”
Her eyebrows dipped. “That … that wasn’t me. I might bear a passing resemblance to her, but you can’t identify who it was under the sunglasses and scarf.”
“I never said what she was wearing.”
“Nice going.” Gerry gave her the stink eye.
Althea bit her lip and wrinkled her nose.
With her arms crossed, Lacey hovered over Emily. “Since you’re the ringleader, it’s your fault the Shippers are locked up.”
“Pish-tosh.” Emily sniffed at the barren room. “It’s not so bad. There aren’t even any bars on the door.”
