“Shit.” She grasped his arm and tried to pull herself up but a burst of pain fanned out over her face. “Oh, God, that hurts.”
“The nurse’ll be back in a minute. If they’re sure you’re not concussed, you can have a pain med.”
“What’re you doing here, anyway?” Margo said. “Why aren’t you out there looking for Viktor?”
“Got people doing that. I get to babysit the banged-up DA.” He stared at her face for a few seconds. “Margo, since you’re now officially on Viktor’s shit list, you’re gonna need more security.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning I’m putting you in a hotel downtown where we can keep an eye on you.”
“Absolutely not. I won’t be cooped up in a hotel room.”
“You don’t have a choice. I just talked to Lt. Angel. He says the chief and Jeff have agreed that’s how to handle this. Danny will stay with you at night. I’ll have someone walk you back and forth to the courthouse and stay with you during the day.”
“I won’t … ”
“You will.” He had a look on his face that brooked no further argument. “If they keep you overnight here, you’ll have a police guard at the door of your room. If they release you, I’ll go with you so you can pack up what you want to take with you.”
“Can’t I … ?”
“Sit in protective custody in a nice little jail cell? I understand that was discussed. But they didn’t think you’d like the food.”
“Goddamn. Shit. Son of a bitch.”
“That about sums it up, counselor.”
• • •
They kept her overnight, but she showed no signs of concussion. The next morning, the officer at the door of her hospital room escorted her home and she packed up a week’s worth of clothes and went to work.
That’s where she discovered her daytime security was Tony. He sat outside her office door working on a laptop, interspersed with conversations with all the women who walked by. He was distracting. For the office, of course.
Her first opportunity to complain about her security detail came that afternoon when she was summoned to Central Precinct to meet with Sam.
She didn’t pay any attention to Tony hovering in the background when she got to Sam’s desk. “What the hell are you thinking, Sam? I don’t need a bodyguard or a babysitter in my office. No one’s gonna get at me there.”
“People with more experience than you have decided you do need a bodyguard, Margo. So, you’ve got one.”
“Then why not assign Danny? She’s with me at the hotel every night, why not at work?”
“I need her here. And, if you’re this pleasant to her at the hotel, she deserves a break from being with you.”
“I like you, Sam, I really do. But you’re bossy and stubborn and you’re … ”
“In charge of this part of the investigation so let’s go someplace with some peace and quiet and figure out what’s next.” He stood up from his desk and made a gesture indicating she was to follow him down the hall.