Unauthorized Affair (Unauthorized #1)(38)

She pressed a button on her phone to call Sgt. Sadler and strapped on the bra holster, then ran back to her room for the special shirt that would let her get to the gun the fastest. Sadler’s phone rang and rang, and not even voice mail picked up. She sent him a text. Her first one ever. She hoped that Hunter would get back to her first though, Sgt. Sadler was more likely to scream at her for 20 minutes for the decision she’d already made, than he was to round up the cavalry.

She was ready, but she couldn’t go yet. No one knew she was going. And that was unacceptable. Ivy! She dialed Ivy’s number and let out a breath of relief when Ivy answered on the second ring. She ran to the kitchen and watched Coleton out that window as she talked.

“Ivy, Coleton is here. He says he has to talk to me but I can’t get hold of Hunter or Sgt. Sadler.”

No response from Ivy, then finally she said, “Where are you?”

“Home.”

Ivy sucked in a breath. “No way, Jen. How did he find out where you live?”

“I don’t know, but he looks scared to death. And he says his father knows I’m a cop. And he says he has to leave town but he needs to talk to me first. He says I’m in danger.”

“It could be a trap, Jen, you shouldn’t go with him.”

“I’m going to though. Can you keep trying to get Hunter on the line? And Sadler, I guess. Or maybe Ryker.”

“No Jen! You can’t! You’re going to get in trouble. Or hurt.” Her voice lowered until it was almost inaudible. “Or dead.”

“That’s the thing Ivy, I’m afraid if I don’t go, I won’t get in trouble, but I’ll be hurt or dead for sure. You should see his face. He’s white. And practically shaking.”

“It could be a ploy.”

“It’s not, Ivy. I know it’s not.”

“Jen, you’ve said yourself that you are sometimes naive. What if you are being naive about this? What if you’re missing something? What if you’re wrong?”

Ivy’s statement gave Jen pause. What if she was wrong? She watched Coleton out the window while images flashed through her mind. Adam on their first date, pinching another woman’s ass in front of her, then laughing like it was a big joke and gauging her reaction. Adam and all his women friends, who she had never liked, but knew he liked them. Adam becoming increasingly distant from her. She shoved the images aside and spoke again, her voice strong and sure.

“I could be wrong, but I still need to do this. And I don’t think I’ve missed anything. My eyes are wide open, possibly for the first time in my life. Please, Ivy, please help me. I’ll tell everyone that you tried your best to talk me out of it and you only agreed to help me after I insisted I would go alone.”

“OK.” Ivy’s voice was quiet, but resolute.

“Thanks Ivy. I’ll text you as soon as I know where we are going. And don’t worry, I’m going in my own car. And I’ll call my brother. Maybe he and Sara can meet us there.”

“Good idea. I’ll start making phone calls too.”

“Bye.”

Jen dropped the phone in her pocket, all too aware that no one was on the other end, monitoring where she was going. She ran to Coleton’s car. “Give me your phone.” He looked at her, jaw set, and handed it over without complaint. “Follow me.” He nodded.

She climbed in her car and took off towards downtown, dialing her brother as she drove. He didn’t answer his phone. Of course not. Things couldn’t be easy today. Sara? She couldn't believe she didn’t have Sara’s number. She’d never put it in her phone. Besides, she knew that they all were celebrating something, and might be drinking. Was calling them even a good idea?

Jen looked in her rear view and saw Coleton’s fancy car keeping up with her easily. And several car lengths behind him, another red sports car. She turned right at the next intersection, then right again, speeding through the residential side streets. After Coleton turned behind her, so did the other red car. Damn. So he was being followed. Did he know? Was this the plan? To get her somewhere public and pump a few rounds in her? But why didn’t this faceless follower just do it already?


She shook her head, knowing if a sniper wanted to take her out, she wasn’t safe anywhere. They could do it through her kitchen window from the street. And that was why she knew she had agreed to go with Coleton. If she really was in danger from his dad, she needed his help.

She drove aimlessly down side streets, trying to decide where to go. Finally, she chose downtown. Front street. There would be people everywhere. If that provided any protection. She drove, one eye on her rear view, until she finally pulled up in a paid parking stall in a parking lot she knew had cameras everywhere. Coleton parked behind her and got out. The red sports car pulled past them and turned several aisles away, until she couldn’t see it anymore.

“We were followed,” she said, nodding her head at it.

“He’s with me. He’s making sure no one else is following me. I didn’t want anyone to follow me to your house.”

Jen nodded, texting Ivy her location. She handed Coleton back his phone.

“So talk.”

“Jen, everything you’ve heard about my dad, it’s all true. He’s a mobster. He kills people without remorse or without even thinking about it. It’s normal to him. He called me this afternoon and told me you were a cop, and he hinted if I didn’t do a job for him, you were in danger.”