Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (good e books to read txt) 📗

But still, he hesitated. Possibly Heath was right. Perhaps being around Carly wasn’t the best thing right now for her safety. Except...what if he left her alone and she turned out to be the actual target? He needed to stay with her, if only to protect her. While he knew Heath wouldn’t understand in a million years, Micha wouldn’t even want to live anymore if something happened to Carly.

To Micha’s relief, Carly shook her head. “No splitting up. That’s not going to happen,” she said, her tone firm. “I just got him back, almost from the dead. I can’t send him away so soon. Plus, I feel safer with Micha around.”

Her words had him going to her and slipping his arm around her shoulders. He could feel her tension as she waited for Heath to argue. Jones wisely stayed out of it, leaning on the door frame silently in the background watching, while sipping on another one of his beers.

“Well, I guess that’s your choice,” Heath finally said, which made Carly glance up at Micha, her surprise plain on her face. “But, Carly, I wanted to offer you another choice. Come stay with me. Or even Jones. Clearly someone has targeted your home. You can’t tell me you believe you could be safe there any longer, not until this person or people are caught.”

Jones finally spoke up. “He’s right, Carly. You’ve got to stay somewhere else for a little bit.” He eyed Micha. “How about Micha’s place?”

“No, that won’t work,” Carly answered. Micha silently thanked her for not telling her brothers that he’d been living in a hotel. “I have a dog now. And I don’t like the idea of someone driving me out of my own home.”

“I don’t like the idea of someone killing you, either,” Heath said, his tone dry.

Micha decided he’d heard enough. “Look, I understand your concern. I’m right there with you. But if Carly wants to stay in her own home, she should. I’ll be here with her. I have a gun and I know how to use it. I give you my word that I’ll protect her, no matter what. Even with my own life, if it comes to that.”

Carly gasped. “Don’t talk like that,” she admonished Micha before turning her attention back to the phone. “Heath, I’m twenty-nine years old and a responsible adult. I promise you that I’ll be careful. I won’t go anywhere alone. When I’m not at work, I’ll be with Micha.”

“Plus, the police are on it,” Micha interjected. “And the FBI is also involved. They should catch this guy soon.”

“I still don’t like it,” Heath grumbled. “Though I can see I don’t have a choice.”

“You don’t.” Carly spoke firmly. “I’ll see you Friday at Lone Wolf, okay?”

“Fine. I assume you’re bringing Micha?”

“Of course,” she answered.

Of course. Micha allowed himself a second to bask in that phrase.

“Good.” An undercurrent of warning colored Heath’s voice. “Micha, you and I will talk then.” And he ended the call.

“That sounded like a threat,” Jones said, strolling into the room. “Proof positive how rattled big brother is.”

“I’m rattled, too,” Carly said, her tone sharp. “Aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.” Jones shook his head. “We need to get some plywood and cover this window. Carly, do you have any?”

“Plywood?” She shrugged. “I doubt it. But who knows? The previous owner never emptied the storage shed, so there might be some there. And my garage is full, too. I’ve never gotten around to cleaning it out, though I definitely plan to before winter gets here.”

“Let’s go take a look,” Jones suggested.

Carly grabbed her flashlight. “Let me check on Bridget,” she said. Despite Carly calling her, Bridget refused to leave the bedroom, clearly still terrified. Micha suspected Carly would have to do quite a bit of coddling before she could coax the dog out.

Finally, with Carly leading the way, all three of them went outside to look for plywood or something they could use to board up the window temporarily.

Inside the shed, they found several full sheets of plywood, though most of them were either warped or had split. Micha and Jones chose the best one out of the stack. “This will be large enough to entirely cover that window,” Micha said.

“Agreed.” Jones looked at Carly. “Do you have a hammer and some nails?”

“Yes. They’re in the garage,” she replied.

With the two men carrying the plywood between them, they headed back toward the house. They made a quick pit stop at the garage, where the sheer amount of stuff Carly had crammed in there made Micha wince.

Carly turned on the light, rummaged around for a moment, and then emerged with a hammer and a box of nails. “I knew I had some,” she said.

Working together, Micha and Jones made short work of nailing the plywood over the broken window. “That should work until you can call the glass repair company in the morning,” Jones said.

“Thanks.” Carly sighed. “I’m also going to contact an alarm company. Besides an alarm, I might look into having cameras installed on the outside of the house.”

Jones hugged her. “I think that’s an excellent idea. I’m going home now.” He glanced at Micha. “Micha, would you mind walking out with me? I’d like to have a word.”

When Carly made as if she intended to follow, Jones shook his head. “In private,” he said. “Why don’t you go work on seeing if you can get your dog to come out? Poor thing is going to need some heavy reassurance.”

Carly frowned. “Jones, is this really necessary? Heath has already said enough. I really don’t need you to make things worse.”

“Please. I’m not Heath,” Jones replied, his tone mildly offended. “I have no intention of chewing Micha out. I just want to have a private word with him.”

Considering, Carly finally nodded. She turned away without another word, apparently heading toward her bedroom to check on Bridget.

Jones and Micha headed outside. The neighborhood had fallen peaceful once more, everyone tucked safely inside their houses.

When they