Frost Security(18)

She had a cup of coffee waiting for me when I got back inside the house. “Wasn't sure how you took it,” she replied, pressing the mug into my hand.

“Black's fine,” I replied, taking a sip. It was good coffee. Not over the top, or anything, but definitely not Folger's.

“How's this going to work?” she asked as she headed into the living room and took a seat on one of the couches, the one with the turtle blanket on the back. She curled up around her own mug of hot coffee. “Tonight, I mean.”

“I was about to ask you the same thing. I saw a spot out next to the driveway, sort of shielded by a pine tree. Is it stable enough to park my Jeep there?”

She nodded. “We used it for extra parking during my housewarming a few years back, so it should be fine. But, you can, you know, sleep on the couch if you'd like. It'd be more comfortable”

I chewed my lip, considered it, shook my head as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “I'll be honest, Peter might not like it. He'd probably prefer I stuck to protocol.”

“Well,” she said, taking a sip of her coffee, “you can just tell your boss screw protocol.”

I blinked in surprise.

“Look,” Jessica continued, “you and Peter both warned me this might escalate. I don't want you parked out front if that escalation happens tonight. Where would that leave me? What if they decide to just come in the back?”

“I'd still be able to get inside,” I assured her.

“But I would still sleep more soundly if I knew you were out here.”

I leaned forward, set my mug on the coffee table. “Let me call him and see if he's fine with it. If he is, I have no issue with sleeping on the couch.”

She nodded. “Good.”

I headed out back, Eli, Wallach, and Jessica's eyes all following me as I left the room. I stepped out onto the deck and pulled my phone from my pocket, pulled up Peter's contact info.

It rang a couple times before he picked up. “Frost here.”

“Richard,” I replied. “She wants me to stay in the house tonight. I know it's against protocol, but I think-”

“Do it,” Frost said, cutting me off. “Just don't get too comfortable. You have any problems, you know where to reach me.” Then, just like that, he hung up. I barely even had a chance to react, the conversation happened so quick.

“Well,” I said, pocketing my phone again, “okay then.” I went back into the house and Eli and Wallach jumped to meet me, tails wagging. “Boss says it's fine by him if I sleep in here instead of out front.”

“There you go, then,” she said, grinning. “Told you I'd get my way.”

I chuckled. I was pretty sure she was used to that happening.

“Now, onto dinner,” she continued. “Are you hungry? You fine with spaghetti? Because it's what I have ingredients for.”

I shrugged. I wasn't used to a home cooked meal. Most of the time I just ate at Dixie's or at one of the other places around town. “Sure, I guess.”

She laughed and got up from the couch. “Great!” she said. “Because I'm getting tired of not having anyone to cook for.”

I smiled a little, enjoying the moment. I was getting a home cooked meal from a beautiful woman. Why shouldn't I smile?

But, just then, I heard tires slowing as a car pulled off the highway and onto the drive outside.

She shot me a startled look.

“Were you expecting someone?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No. Were you?”

“No.”





Chapter Eight


Jessica



I peered out through the living room blinds that looked over the front yard and sighed. “It's just Karen,” I said, waving him back from the front door. “She's a friend, it's okay. Probably was driving by and saw me home, so she's just stopping for a chat.”

He nodded and backed away.

I walked over to the front entrance, then realized something. I turned back to him. “Hey, Richard.”

“Yeah?”

“Can you disarm while she's here? There's a drawer in the kitchen by the oven that you can stick it in.”

“I don't-”

I raised a finger, silencing him. “Richard. I don't want her to know I had to hire armed security because of these threats, okay? I don't want to worry her.”

He groaned and nodded, got up to head into the kitchen. “Fine,” he said, “but just don't tell my boss.”

“He let us get away with a pajama party,” I reminded him as the driver side door to Karen's BMW opened and shut outside on the driveway, “why not this?”

I heard him laugh as he pulled the drawer open. A moment later, I heard the drawer shutting just as Karen knocked on my front door.