Rock Chick Rescue (Rock Chick #2)(103)

I didn’t need the Wild Bunch out there getting paid overtime on Lee’s nickel. That was one favor too far.

The bartender deposited our beers on the bar and Mace slipped him a bil , then he ignored the drink and I did too.

“If this is dangerous, we’l leave,” I told him.

He shook his head.

“Finish what you start,” he said. “We have it covered.”

“You have what covered?”

“Don’t know, when we do, it’l be covered.” Eek.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“You’re here to talk to your Dad. Lee’s out there, somewhere, and so are Vance and Matt. I’m assigned to you. Something happens, I grab you and we go to the safe point.”

Safe point?

Safe point?

This did not sound good.

In fact, it sounded real y not good.

I opened my mouth to speak but he wasn’t finished.

“Something happens and I have to grab you, you come with me, no argument, no struggle, no worrying about your friends or I’l neutralize you, no hesitation. Got me?” Oh… dear… Lord.

I was pretty certain I didn’t want Mace to neutralize me. I didn’t know how he’d do that and I didn’t want to learn.

I decided to pul out the attitude. “I’m cal ing it off. No neutralizing, no worrying about my friends and no owing Lee the overtime he’s paying you,” I said.

He watched me for a beat and something happened to his expression. His face became hard but the look in his green eyes went soft. I watched, fascinated, and I felt the change throughout my entire system.

“Get that out of your head and focus. This is voluntary overtime, for al of us.”

I stared, trying to process his words but he didn’t give me a chance.

He got closer and his voice dropped to a whisper.

“Babe, watching you these past months has been like watching a flower bloom. Don’t disappoint us.” Then he was gone.

I stood and stared in the space he’d been occupying.

“Um… hello?” Tod said to me, drawing out the “hel o”.

“Um… hello?” Tod said to me, drawing out the “hel o”.

I snapped to and stared at them al . They were al looking at me.

“Mace was just here,” I said.

“He was?” Indy asked looking around.

I couldn’t believe they hadn’t seen him but I ignored that as there were slightly more pressing things at hand.

I told them al what he said.

They al continued to stare at me.

“We gotta go,” I declared.

They looked at each other.

“We ain’t gonna go, Sugar. He’s right, finish what you start,” Daisy said.

Lottie was watching me, then a slow smile spread on her face.

“I couldn’t put my finger on it but it’s true. You are a flower. I thought it was the hair but it isn’t the hair, it’s you.” My sister.

“Pu-lease,” I muttered and rol ed my eyes.

She just nodded, looking al happy in the face of certain danger.

My eyes moved to Indy. “What the hel did he mean, watching me these past months has been like watching a flower bloom? Who talks like that? And, anyway, he barely comes into Fortnum’s.”

“Um, I kinda forgot to tel you.” Indy was shifting uncomfortably and it worried me.

“What?” I asked.

“Lee has surveil ance on Fortnum’s, cameras and bugs, twenty-four seven. He put it in when I was going through my drama and never took it out. The boys at the office watch for security purposes and… um, for kicks.” I stared at her.

“You’re joking,” I breathed, at the same time silently asking God to make Indy tel me she was joking.

She shook her head.

I knew it was selfish, but I real y wished God would pay more attention to me.

I was processing this, thinking about al that went down at Fortnum’s, Eddie Torture, me running and hiding from Eddie, Dad’s serenade, Lottie and me wrestling.

“Holy crap,” I breathed.

Indy bit her lip.

Daisy tensed.

“We got the high sign,” Daisy whispered.

I didn’t have time to worry about being on show, nearly every day, for the Wild Bunch.

It was confrontation time.

We al shuffled around mental y preparing.

“Everybody got their stun guns?” Tod asked.

“I can’t wait to get my hands on Dad,” Lottie said.

“Let’s rock,” Indy said.

Dear Lord.

* * * * *

We walked down the back hal and Shirleen was standing in it. “They’re on a bathroom break. Ray’s at the table, get in there,” she said.

Daisy nodded and everyone stepped aside to let me go first.

I looked at Shirleen.

“Thank you,” I told her, and there was a lot of feeling in it.

She turned her eyes to me and her face was gentle.

“Child, you got nothin’ to thank me for. You get a chance to do a good deed, you do it. That way, when you need a good deed done, it’l come back to you. Karma.” I wasn’t certain I wanted to have a discussion about karma at that particular moment and luckily Shirleen didn’t wait for my comment, she stepped aside.