eat?" she asked.
"Yeah."
She
studied the menu again like she needed to pass her high school calculus final
exam. "I'm starving."
She
ordered cheeseburgers and fries, too, and figured if she didn't eat it all now,
she'd take the extra with her. Who knew the next time she'd be able to eat?
The
shrill of sirens pierced the air even inside the diner and the flashing lights
from the cop cars reflected on the windows. She gave a slight shake of her head,
not believing they got lucky enough that they'd escaped a car bomb.
"We'll
be taken to a safe house. Pete, Joe, and Garrett will be with us." Tom
spun the salt shaker on the table between his hands and kept his gaze on the
front door of the diner.
"And
then?" She clasped her hands under the table. "I don't get it. Who's
going after Jared?"
"All
four of us are there to protect you Charlise. You'll be safer if I have
backup." He set the salt shaker back, and fiddled with the silverware laid
out on the paper napkin.
Charlise
watched the traffic whiz by outside. His game plan didn't make sense. Unless…
"Oh,
I do get it," she muttered. "No one's going after Jared."
Her
hopes plummeted. After all this and she still wasn't safe? That couldn't be
true.
Tom
shoved the utensils away and glared at her. "The Feds sent out
APB's." He unfurled a finger from his closed fist for each statement.
"They're investigating the murder of Bill. So, yeah, someone's going after
Jared."
Charlise
sank back in the booth. "The bomb— she squeezed her eyes shut, inhaled,
then opened her eyes to meet Tom's gaze, daring him to lie to her—He's mad,
isn't he? He wants to kill me, not take me back where he can control me. He's
no longer interested in keeping me alive."
She
raised a shaky hand to her head as she realized that Jared wouldn't be
satisfied with keeping her under his power at home. No, he wanted her dead.
Along with anyone who helped her.
Tom
reached out and took her hand in both of his. "I'll protect you, Charlise.
Blatwell stepped this up a notch by setting that bomb."
He
eased back when the waitress returned with food laden plates.
"Here
ya go. Two orders of burgers and fries. A cup of coffee for you, ma'am, and a
double chocolate shake for you, sir." The waitress slid the bill under
Tom's plate and hurried away.
Not
hungry anymore, Charlise stared down at the plate of food. She'd been given so
much by Tom and his associates. In all fairness, she owed them big time.
Determined
to see this through, she chewed and swallowed a bite of burger. "I do
understand, Tom. I'm the one who dragged you into this mess. Whatever it takes,
I'm game."
She
sipped her coffee and managed to eat one of the burgers by the time Tom
finished both of his. She didn't think it wise to try for the second hamburger
with the way her stomach was doing flip-flops, and ended up asking the passing
waitress for a takeout box.
"I'm
going to the restroom. If anyone comes in and makes you uncomfortable, stand up
and scream your head off." Tom scooted out of the booth.
Not
quite able to smile, Charlise held her coffee cup in both hands and drank. She
kept watch on the front door. The burger and fries renewed her energy and with
it, some of her hope. She eyed the clock on the wall behind the counter. Only
ten more minutes until their ride would be there.
Tom
took a long time in the restroom. Charlise paid the waitress with money Tom
left with her. Becoming concerned with his tardiness, she frowned and glanced
in the direction of the restrooms. Could Jared or one of his thugs have slipped
in and cornered him?
She
stared at the clock, more worried about Tom's disappearance than about someone
entering the restaurant. She'd give him two more minutes. Somewhere between Tom
saving her and the way he hadn't run away screaming during her meltdown, she'd
fallen in love.
Love
sure came at a crappy time.
Charlise
scooted to the end of the booth and dangled her legs off the edge. She finished
counting to one hundred and to
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