Page 66 of Blood and Bonbons

“No, it’s not,” I said quietly, trying to shush her. “You made him uncomfortable. Tone it down a little.”

Anchor stood abruptly, pocketed his phone, and strode toward us. “Get back in the car and lock the doors.”

“What?” I asked at the same time Vena said, “Why?”

“Someone’s been inside your house. I’ve already called Shepard. He’s on his way with a couple of others.”

“What?” I said again, sounding as horrified as I felt. “The counters are dirty. And there’s laundry. And–”

Vena took my face between her hands. “Breathe, babe. It’s going to be okay. Shepard will not look at yesterday’s panties.” She side-eyed Anchor. “Mine are already in the wash. Sorry.”

He made a choking sound.

“If someone broke in, wouldn’t it be better to call the police?” she asked him.

Again, if I didn’t know Vena, I would have said it was a logical thing to ask. Something I should have asked. Something that shouldn’t have made Anchor stutter out a lame excuse about the police being busy with other stuff.

“Like the murders that are going on around Blur?” I asked.

“I, uh, would feel a lot better if you got in the car now,” he said, neither confirming nor denying my guess.

I grabbed Vena’s arm to haul her to the car, locking us inside.

“Why would he think someone had been inside?” Vena asked. “It’s not like he had time to check the place out.”

“I don’t know. But we’re staying here until we’re given the okay.”

Vena groaned. “This is going to be a long night. Maybe I’ll work on the scrotum.”

“No!” I whispered harshly, watching Anchor’s back through the window. “You are not bringing that nasty thing out in my car. It’s bad enough that Anchor smelled it on your hands. You are not making my car stink like a funky jock strap.”

“It’s just skin and oil.” She glanced at Anchor, too, and looked like she was two seconds from drooling. “Wonder what he’d look like all oiled up.”

I breathed for patience. When Vena’s libido kicked into overdrive, I could normally switch her focus to treasure hunting with one little comment. But with Miles still missing, that was a dangerous topic.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long before an SUV pulled in behind Anchor’s truck. Shepard was the first one out, followed by Doc and Buzz.

Shepard glanced at us before he and the others went to Anchor.

They spoke a few words at the door before Shepard and Anchor headed inside and Doc and Buzz went around back.

Vena smirked at me, knowing I was about two seconds away from freaking out over dirty laundry and dishes.

“Shut up.”

“I didn’t say a word.”

“You didn’t have to. This is serious, Vena. Our house has been violated. And with everything else going on, I don’t know that I feel safe anymore.”

“You’re right. A lothashappened. But the guys are making sure the house is okay. We’ll have a new lock, and we can even bunk together if you want. Safety in numbers and all that.”

“Maybe.”

After a few minutes, Shepard came to the car. Vena and I got out to talk to him.

“There was someone inside,” he said.

“How do you know?” Vena asked. “Did they leave something behind?”

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