Page 82 of Under His Protection
I fold the note and stick it in my back pocket. I’m hoping Bauer’s people can get some prints off of it.
“Let’s go,” I say as I usher her out of the mailroom. “We need to drop this note off at Detective Bauer’s office before we head home.”
Chapter 24 – Haley
We arrive back at the safehouse in time for lunch. We make sandwiches with sliced turkey breast and fixings and potato chips. Charlie sets out a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies she baked earlier today.
“It’s a goodtingwhen Charlie has too much time on her hands,” Mateo says as he snags a cookie. “When she’s bored, she likes to bake.”
While we’re eating, Philip tells Charlie and Mateo about the note in my mailbox.
“I can’t wait to naildiscreep,” Mateo says. He pops a chip in his mouth and chews. “What kind of asshole preys on young women likedis?He’s a coward,dat’sfor sure.”
When we’re done eating, I help clean up, and then I excuse myself to go upstairs to do my homework.
“Here, take these,” Charlie says, handing me a little plate with two more cookies on it.
“Thanks,” I say as I take the plate. She won’t get any argument from me.
I head up to my room and make myself comfortable on the bed, sitting with my back against pillows propped up against the headboard.
About an hour later, Philip comes up to my room to check on me. “How’s it going?” he asks as he leans on the door jamb.
I glance up from my study notes and nod. “Good. I’m studying for a political science quiz we’re having next week.”
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he says.
I pat the mattress beside me. “Come sit.”
He comes into the room, sits on the edge of my bed, and reaches for my hand. “There’s a decent TV in the parlor. At leastthat’s what Charlie calls it—the parlor. Maybe later, when you’re done with homework, we can watch a movie.”
That makes me smile. “That’s very boyfriend of you.”
He grins. “I hoped you’d think so.”
“I would love to.”
He nods. “Good. I’ll let you get back to studying. I don’t want to distract you.”
As he heads for the door, I say, “Philip?”
He turns. “Yeah?”
“About the sleeping arrangements tonight...”
“What about them?” He seems guarded.
“I liked sleeping with you last night. I want to do it again.”
He smiles. “Are you referring to sleeping-sleeping or sex?”
“Both.”
“I would like that, too, but Charlie warned me to behave, or else she’d pull rank on me.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning she or Mateo would replace me as your primary bodyguard.”
