* * *
“ARE YOU CRAZY?”
Olivia opened her door for Kendra and Lynch to enter. She tied the belt of her robe and ran her fingers through her tousled hair.
“We just got back from a crime scene. There’s been another murder.”
“And you felt compelled to tell me about it at this ungodly hour?”
“This one was different. Olivia, it was someone I knew.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” The annoyance immediately drained from Olivia’s face. “I’m sorry. Who was it?”
“The mother of one of my clients. I’m afraid the killer is trying to get at me through the people in my life. I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything that you—”
There was a distinct bump from the next room.
Kendra tensed. “What’s that?”
“Nothing. What can I do to help, Kendra?”
“I’m sure I heard—”
“It was nothing,” Olivia said quickly.
Lynch pulled the gun from his shoulder holster. “Stay here. I’ll check it out.”
“No,” Olivia said firmly. “Do not go back there.” After a long moment, she shrugged. “I have company, all right?”
Lynch stopped. “Oh.”
“Yeah. So where were we?”
Before Kendra could reply, there was another bump from Olivia’s bedroom.
Olivia sighed. “Jeez, it’s like there’s an elephant tromping in there. This is ridiculous.” Olivia called to the back bedroom. “Don, come on out!”
A few seconds later, a disheveled Donald Nelson emerged from the hallway, tucking his shirt into his pants. “Uh, hi.”
“Hi.” Kendra was trying not to sound as surprised as she felt. “This is an unexpected pleasure, Agent Nelson.”
Lynch holstered his automatic and nodded to the man. “But it could prove convenient, Kendra. Griffin won’t have to call him to tell him that he has a new assignment.”
“There is that.” Kendra was a bit flustered. The situation was clear, but she didn’t know quite how to handle it. She tried to affect an air of nonchalance but was finding it impossible. “Okay. Well. Uh…”
Olivia nodded intently, but the upturned corners of her mouth gave her away. She was enjoying this way too much. “You were saying something about a favor?”
“A favor. Yes.”
Agent Nelson pointed to the front door. “If you’d rather I step outside while you talk…”
“That’s not necessary,” Kendra said.
Lynch nodded. “This actually concerns you, Nelson. Your boss, Griffin, has agreed to keep a security detail on Olivia and Kendra’s mother. He didn’t say if he’d be assigning you, but since you’ve already been watching over Kendra…”
“I haven’t heard anything from him yet.”
“We just left him,” Kendra said. “And it’s not even five yet. He’s obviously more respectful of your sleep requirements than we are of Olivia’s.” She turned to Olivia. “The favor is that I need you to leave here. I want you and my mother to go someplace where Myatt can’t get to you.”
“You want us to run away?”
“I want you to dodge a bullet.”
“You’re asking me to leave my home. Leave my life.”
“Take your laptop. You can run your site from anywhere.”
“That isn’t the point. If our roles were reversed, there’s no way you would let this guy run you out of town. You know you wouldn’t.”
“I know it’s a lot to ask. Believe me, I know what a big deal this is. But I just saw a woman dead on the floor of a club bathroom with her throat sliced open. She left behind a sweet little girl. And you know what? That woman’s only crime was knowing me.”
Olivia shook her head stubbornly and didn’t respond.
She had to get through to her. “There’s a monster out there.” She reached out and took her hands. “I need to do everything I can to catch him. And I won’t be able to do that if I don’t think you and Mom are safe. Even if you don’t want to do this for yourself, do it for the people who could die if he isn’t stopped.”
Olivia frowned. “Damn, Kendra. Way to slather on the guilt.”
“I can’t make you go, but I sure hope you will.” She paused, then played another card. “Because I need you to help take care of my mother. You know how stubborn and self-willed she can be.”
Olivia groaned. “And you want me to try to stop her? Yes, I do know, and it promises to be one big headache. Does she know what you have in store for us?”
“I called her on the way here, and she turned me down flat. I decided I’d go to her place after I came to you. I need your help talking her into it.”