Page 4 of King

He shakes his head.“I won’t let that happen,” he says, his voice serious.“As soon as we’re done and this operation is finished, we’re out.I’m taking O’Connor Enterprises legit.And you will finish your residency.Trust me.”

I sigh and look at Fogerty, who is standing by the car.“I hope you’re right.But look what happened to my parents.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

With that, he turns and goes down the stairs to where Fogerty is waiting.He gets in the passenger side, and that car drives off down the street.

On my part, I go into the building and take the elevator to the top floor.I’ll unpack our bags, go to the store and get some groceries.Then, I’ll come back and wait for Harrison to return.Hopefully, he won’t be too long.I want to spend the rest of the day with him before restarting work the next day.

Before I can finish unpacking, my cell rings, and I check the caller ID.It’s Michelle.

“Hey there, sweets,” she says, her voice sounding happy.“Are you back?You said you’d be back by noon.”

“I’m back,” I say, sighing.

“What’s the sigh for?Not ready yet for reality?”

“Nope.”

“What are your plans?You feel like getting some lunch, or is Harrison with you?”

“No, I’m alone,” I say, putting away some things in the bathroom cabinet.“I don’t know when Harrison is coming back.He had some business to take care of downtown.I suppose I could meet you for a quick lunch.”

“Yousupposeyou could meet me for a quick lunch?”She laughs.“You don’t sound very enthusiastic…”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.You know I always love having lunch with you.And considering everything that happened, I owe you.Where do you want to go?”I smile.“As if I didn’t know.”

“You do owe me,” she says, her voice mock-serious.Then, she laughs, as if what happened to her because of me was nothing.Just a bump in the road.“I thought we could go to the new place near Central Park, since you’re already there.They have great corn dogs.The best.”

“Corn dogs?”I laugh out loud.“Michelle, the health nut.Sure, that sounds great.I haven’t had a corn dog with you since I don’t know when.”

“Do you wanna meet me there or should I come pick you up in an Uber?”

“What?”I shake my head and put my things away in the bathroom drawer.“Did you come into some money or something?”

She laughs.“You’re the one with the money, or at least the one with the man with the money.No, I have been given an order to be careful when I’m alone, until things quiet down with you guys.So, I don’t take any shortcuts, and I no longer go anywhere by myself.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say, and my gut feels heavy at the knowledge that I changed her life.Our friendship changed her life, and not for the better.“Let’s meet there,” I say.“Give me thirty, and I’ll see you at the hot dog stand.”

“Sounds good.See you then.”

I end the call and exhale, thinking about what Harrison is doing and whether he wants to have lunch with me.But Michelle asked first, and I owe her because she’s such a good friend.

I spend the next few minutes getting ready, and then I leave the apartment.I walk to our favourite hotdog cart, sit on the bench across from it, and look at my phone, checking out the photos I’d taken of our time at Fire Island.It’s such a beautiful location, so far from everything and peaceful.I can’t wait to go back.Hopefully, when everything’s done with the FBI, Harrison and I can return and do what he wants.Just live life together.

Someone yells out, and I glance up absently.I notice a man sitting across from me on the other side of the pathway, reading his cell.There’s a red pin on his lapel.

What thehell.

Is someone trailing me?Is an FBI special agent assigned to watch me?Maybe for my own protection?

I want to go over and ask him, but of course, I don’t want to blow his cover just in case.I guess the FBI must think I’m in danger, or they don’t trust me and want to watch my every move.

That doesn’t make me feel very good.

I stand up and go to a different bench closer to the hot dog stand, waiting for Michelle to arrive.I notice that the man with the red pin on his lapel stands up behind me.I sigh heavily, hoping he hears the annoyance in my voice.

Apparently, this is going to be my life for the near term.