![[B.S. #1] Tied Up in Knotts](https://fs.dianahicksbooks.com/543372/thumbs/152x264/bs-1-tied-up-in-knotts.jpg)
long as she didn’t let them intimidate her. She noticed that the guys were coming up the steps behind her with more of her boxes.
“Well that’s the last of it.” Clay sat down his box in the middle of the living room and was moving toward the stairs back down to the office.
How did they move all the boxes? She didn’t notice them passing her by on the sidewalk as she walked with James. Yet all of her boxes were piled in the living room.
“Thanks, guys, I really appreciate the help. I guess I’ll just go back and do a quick clean up.” Avery put her box down, trying not to breathe too heavily. She didn’t want James to know that she had struggled moving the one box up the last flight of stairs and prove him right.
“No need. Angel cleaned up and just needs the keys to lock up and give back to the landlord.”
Angel gave Clay a “what the fuck” look but said with a serious voice to Avery, “Yes, it was me that cleaned up. I like cleaning, ask anyone.”
Walking up to Avery, he held out his large hand for the keys.
“Well, that’s very nice, Mr. Angel.”
“It’s just Angel.” He seemed uncomfortable around her, his black eyes not reaching her face, and Avery didn’t have a clue why.
Reaching into her purse, she dug around, finally finding the keys, and handed them to Angel.
Almost snatching them out of her hands, he disappeared out the door, and his heavy boots could be heard retreating on the stairs, taking them two at a time.
“Did I say something? He left in an awful hurry.” Avery looked at the others with a curious expression on her face.
James spoke up before Clay could. He knew Clay was acting as the boss, but he wanted Avery to get used to coming to him with any questions.
“He’s always like that. He seems to get nervous and jumpy when he’s at loose ends. I’m sure once we start working he will settle down.” James raised his eyebrows and turned his head toward the stairs, nodding at Clay and the others. He hoped that they would take their cues and leave him alone with Avery.
Avery seemed to be the only one that caught his gesture and didn’t want to be alone with James just yet. She thanked everyone, including James, and asked them to leave so she could get unpacked and settled in.
James tried to think of an excuse to stay, but in the end he turned and followed the others down the stairs to the office.
Taking a deep breath, Avery looked around at the new apartment. She was starting her new life now.
Chapter Eight
James sat at his desk in the new office building. Night had fallen hours ago, but James didn’t want to go home until he knew that Avery was safely settled in her apartment. Looking at the papers spread across his desk, James tried to put all the pieces together. He knew Avery’s father had been involved with the drug running, but no drugs had been found at the vacation cottage or at the main house. All known places that her father might have stashed the drugs had been gone over by the Feds, with the drug lord trailing not far behind. Everyone believed that Avery knew where the drugs were. While the Feds had stepped back to allow James and his firm to get closer and maybe ferret out new clues from Avery, he knew that the drug lord would not be so accommodating. It was a wonder that they hadn’t grabbed her yet. They would use methods to get her to talk that James didn’t even want to think about.
Rising to his feet, he made his way down the hall to the small kitchen to get coffee. It looked like it might be an all-nighter. James thought he heard something and raised his head. The kitchen was right below Avery’s new bedroom. Thinking he must be mistaken, he took another step toward the coffee maker. No, there it was again. Standing as still as he could, James tried to make out what the sounds were. There it was again. This time James thought it sounded like a sniffle. As he listened, the sounds became increasingly clearer and louder as they came again
“Well that’s the last of it.” Clay sat down his box in the middle of the living room and was moving toward the stairs back down to the office.
How did they move all the boxes? She didn’t notice them passing her by on the sidewalk as she walked with James. Yet all of her boxes were piled in the living room.
“Thanks, guys, I really appreciate the help. I guess I’ll just go back and do a quick clean up.” Avery put her box down, trying not to breathe too heavily. She didn’t want James to know that she had struggled moving the one box up the last flight of stairs and prove him right.
“No need. Angel cleaned up and just needs the keys to lock up and give back to the landlord.”
Angel gave Clay a “what the fuck” look but said with a serious voice to Avery, “Yes, it was me that cleaned up. I like cleaning, ask anyone.”
Walking up to Avery, he held out his large hand for the keys.
“Well, that’s very nice, Mr. Angel.”
“It’s just Angel.” He seemed uncomfortable around her, his black eyes not reaching her face, and Avery didn’t have a clue why.
Reaching into her purse, she dug around, finally finding the keys, and handed them to Angel.
Almost snatching them out of her hands, he disappeared out the door, and his heavy boots could be heard retreating on the stairs, taking them two at a time.
“Did I say something? He left in an awful hurry.” Avery looked at the others with a curious expression on her face.
James spoke up before Clay could. He knew Clay was acting as the boss, but he wanted Avery to get used to coming to him with any questions.
“He’s always like that. He seems to get nervous and jumpy when he’s at loose ends. I’m sure once we start working he will settle down.” James raised his eyebrows and turned his head toward the stairs, nodding at Clay and the others. He hoped that they would take their cues and leave him alone with Avery.
Avery seemed to be the only one that caught his gesture and didn’t want to be alone with James just yet. She thanked everyone, including James, and asked them to leave so she could get unpacked and settled in.
James tried to think of an excuse to stay, but in the end he turned and followed the others down the stairs to the office.
Taking a deep breath, Avery looked around at the new apartment. She was starting her new life now.
Chapter Eight
James sat at his desk in the new office building. Night had fallen hours ago, but James didn’t want to go home until he knew that Avery was safely settled in her apartment. Looking at the papers spread across his desk, James tried to put all the pieces together. He knew Avery’s father had been involved with the drug running, but no drugs had been found at the vacation cottage or at the main house. All known places that her father might have stashed the drugs had been gone over by the Feds, with the drug lord trailing not far behind. Everyone believed that Avery knew where the drugs were. While the Feds had stepped back to allow James and his firm to get closer and maybe ferret out new clues from Avery, he knew that the drug lord would not be so accommodating. It was a wonder that they hadn’t grabbed her yet. They would use methods to get her to talk that James didn’t even want to think about.
Rising to his feet, he made his way down the hall to the small kitchen to get coffee. It looked like it might be an all-nighter. James thought he heard something and raised his head. The kitchen was right below Avery’s new bedroom. Thinking he must be mistaken, he took another step toward the coffee maker. No, there it was again. Standing as still as he could, James tried to make out what the sounds were. There it was again. This time James thought it sounded like a sniffle. As he listened, the sounds became increasingly clearer and louder as they came again
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