Page 85 of I’ll Be Watching You

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Margo Angelhart

“You didn’t have to bring me home,” I grumbled to Jack as he pulled into my driveway behind Cal’s car.

“Shut up,” he said, weary.

I glanced at him and realized he was exhausted. “I don’t mean to be a pill,” I said.

“I’m used to it.”

“I wish Nate would bring back my Jeep,” I muttered.

“He still hasn’t called you?”

“Nope. For all I know, he’s still waiting for Jim Novak to show up in the wash. I wouldn’t be surprised if he slept there all night.”

It was after nine, dark, and they were all tired. Even Tess had snapped at Jack, and that wasn’t like her. Luisa had set up her computer in the corner of Gabriel’s den and was still going through the VA files, I assumed, though we hadn’t discussed it. I slipped her the names that Jack had sent Tess, and she nodded her acknowledgment, but didn’t share anything that she might have learned.

Maybe it was a wild-goose chase. Maybe her worm or whatever hadn’t been able to get her the information we needed.

Jack got out of his truck and walked around Cal’s car.

“Cal has a classic Mustang?” he said with admiration.

“Yeah,” I said.

Jack whistled. “Wow.”

“You’re that into cars?”

“No, but this is a 1969 Mustang.”

He said it as if it meant something.

“So?”

He frowned at me. “I was on the fence about Cal, but maybe he’s an okay guy.”

I unlocked the side door. “You were on the fence?”

My alarm beeped, and I frowned. Cal was here, why had he set the alarm? I disarmed it and called, “Hey, Cal, it’s me.”

I smelled . . . chocolate. It was late, well past dinner, but I smelled chocolate.

Cal walked in wearing his apron, did a double take when he saw Jack. “Hey, Jack.”

“That your Mustang?”

“Sure is.”

Cal walked past them and set the alarm.

I was confused and must have looked it.

“Security,” Cal said without me saying anything. “You have tens of thousands of dollars in guns and ammo to protect when you’re not here, but you’re worth more.”

I glanced at Jack and narrowed my eyes. “You told him.”