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“This online chatter could be nothing, but it’s better to be forewarned.”
“I know. Thank you, Antoine.” She was about to end the call when an alert popped up on her phone. The perimeter alarm had been bypassed by Burke, meaning he was expecting company and had set the alarm to a text alert instead of a siren loud enough to wake the dead. She toggled quickly to the camera feed around the house.
“Checking the cameras right now,” Antoine said.
“Same,” she told him. “It’s André.”
“Yeah. He said he was coming by to check the NOPD coverage on Kaj’s block.”
A text from Burke popped up on Val’s phone. Send Kaj out to the garage. I need to talk to him.
He doesn’t know about the online threat yet. She’d hoped she could break the news to Kaj gently.
Not about that, but I will tell him. André has a package for him.
Val blew out a breath. So much for breaking it to Kaj gently. Sending him out now.
Turning to Kaj, she pasted a smile on her face. “Kaj, can you meet Burke out in the garage?”
Kaj was up in an instant, settling Elijah on the sofa. The little boy had fallen asleep. “You’ll stay with him?”
“Of course,” she assured him. She sat on the arm of the sofa, positioning herself to be able to see both doors. She had the camera feed up on her phone and heard the garage door go up. The garage camera showed Burke and André talking to Kaj.
“What’s wrong?” Jace asked quietly.
“Nothing you need to worry about. If you did need to worry, I’d tell you. I promise.”
Jace nodded once. “I believe you.”
She shot him a quick smile while she switched her earbud to listen to the camera audio. She’d mute it if it was a matter unrelated to the case she was working. Kaj had a lot of ongoing court cases that required confidentiality.
“It’s from one of your plaintiffs,” she could hear André say, handing Kaj a flip phone. “One of my men stopped an SUV that didn’t belong in the neighborhood and called me when the man said he was coming to see you. He said that your plaintiff said to tell you ‘palm tree’ and that the number you’re to call is saved to the phone’s contacts.”
Kaj’s face instantly registered understanding as he took the phone. “Okay. Thank you.”
Then Burke began to speak, telling Kaj what Antoine had just shared with her. As she’d expected, Kaj went pale. He leaned against his car and she wished she’d been the one to tell him. She could be giving him comfort right now.
Kaj nodded numbly, then gave himself a shake. “You’ll keep me updated?”
“Yes,” André vowed. “But reconsider a safe house. I could keep you safer there.”
“Like you kept Jace’s place safe?” Kaj asked bitterly. “I’m sorry, André. I can’t trust that my son would be safe in an NOPD safehouse.”
“We’ll involve the Feds,” André said, seeming not to take offense. “They can hide you.”
“Near a hospital for Elijah?” he asked, frustration on his face. “Where his doctors can get to him quickly if he needs medical care? If you can do that, I’ll consider it.”
André nodded. “I’ll get on it. You have my personal number. Call me if you need me.”
He walked out, and Burke asked Kaj if he was all right.
Kaj just shook his head and held up the plaintiff’s phone. “I need to call this number.”
“Val didn’t know about the online threat,” Burke said. “Not until a few minutes before I texted her. She wanted to tell you herself.”
Kaj nodded. “Thanks, Burke. You sticking around tonight, too?”
“Absolutely. We’ll keep Elijah safe, Kaj.”
