“I’d been thinking of going to the office and using one of the sleeping bunks there.”
Joy glared at him. “No, you won’t, Roland. Just like I told Lennox, we have plenty of room at our place. Besides,I’ll need both you and Lennox down at headquarters first thing in the morning. There might be information I missed or news I will need to share with you.”
Roland didn’t say anything for a minute, then nodded. “Okay. I’ll crash at your place just for tonight.” He glanced over at Lennox. “Since Stonewall has to pick up Garrett from Granny Kay’s first, you can ride over to their place with me. But first, I intend to eat the dinner I prepared but didn’t get to eat. And I heard you tell one of the police officers that you were waiting on your dinner to be delivered before that bastard charged into here. I figure you’re just as hungry as I am. You can share my meal.”
She nodded. That was true, but fear and panic had practically obliterated any hunger she’d felt. Still, she knew she needed to eat something. “Alright. And thanks.”
“One more thing, Roland,” Joy said. “I don’t want Lennox out of your sight tonight. Okay?”
Roland’s lips spread into a smile. “That will be hard to do, Lt. Courson. I’m certain we’ll be using separate guest rooms at your house.”
Joy rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. Not out of your sight within reason.”
Roland looked over at Lennox and she could feel the heat of his gaze. “Trust me. Lennox is under my protection.”
Under his protection? Lennox was about to ask what he meant by that when she was startled by the sound of a car backfiring in the distance. The noise almost made her jump out of her skin--it reminded her too much of the bullets she’d heard whizzing around her apartment as she’d hid in her bedroom.
She hadn’t known that her intruder and Roland had been engaged in a gun battle. She’d thought the man had gone berserk and had been spraying bullets all over her condo for the hell of it. And, at any minute, he would break down her bedroom door, the way he’d done with her front one, and kill her. The memory made her shiver.
“Are you okay, Lennox?”
She blinked, suddenly realizing that Joy and Stonewall had already walked off. Stonewall was leaving and Joy was approaching her detectives, probably to apprise them of what the note said and how it might be connected to what had happened here tonight.
Drawing in a deep breath, she decided to be honest with Roland. “The sound of that car backfiring,” she whispered. “It reminded me of…” She couldn’t finish the statement, but when she met his gaze, she knew she didn’t have to. Instead, she said, “Thanks for everything tonight, Roland.”
“You thanked me already, although you didn’t have to. I’m just glad I was here.”
“I’m glad, too,” she said, not wanting to think of what could have happened if he hadn’t been. “However, I’m sorry you’re going to have to be out of your condo for a few days. You just moved in it.”
“No sweat.” He checked his watch. “You might want to gather your things. I suggest that you pack as much as you can. I have a feeling you’ll be gone for a while.”
Lennox had news for him. She doubted she’d ever come back. She knew the memories of what had happened here tonight wouldn’t let her.
“GO AHEAD AND HAVEa seat at the kitchen table,” Roland said, glancing over at Lennox.
It hadn’t taken her long to pack and he’d talked to Joy while waiting. When she’d joined them a short while later with her packed bags, he had taken one look at her and knew whatever it took, he would erase the look of fear that haunted her eyes. For whatever the reason, that man had tried to kill her tonight. That wasn’t something she’d get over easily.
“Thanks. What did you say you’d cooked earlier?” she asked.
He smiled over at her as she slid into the chair. “Spaghetti casserole.”
When they’d entered his condo, he had waved her over to the sofa and suggested she have a seat, even kick up her heels and try to relax if she could. She’d ignored that invitation and had followed him to the kitchen. Joy had told him that she didn’t want Lennox out of his sight tonight. Now it looked like Lennox didn’t intend to let him out of hers, either.
“In fact, I had been just about to bring some over to your place,” he said, nodding his head to the container still sitting on the counter, “when I heard you scream.” Suddenly, he wished he hadn’t said that. The reminder made her flinch and that fearful look in her eyes became more profound.
“And my scream propelled you into action,” she said softly. It hadn’t been a question but a statement and he was glad of that. Being propelled into action was the nature of his business. However, he’d be the first to admit that at no time had he ever thought it would extend to Lennox.
“It definitely did.” He moved around the kitchen, reheating the food. Then he pulled all the ingredients out of his refrigerator to make a salad.
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Lennox stared into space and knew he needed to get her talking. Besides, there was something he needed to saythe reason he’d been about to share his casserole with her in the first place.
“I was bringing over the casserole to you as a peace-offering for my earlier attitude. I apologize. I wasn’t in the best of moods.” He figured there was no need to go into details as to why. “I don’t have a problem with you having my phone number, Lennox.”
He watched her shoulders slump. “When that guy kicked my door down, my first instinct was to call 911. If I’d had your phone number, I would have used it. You were closer.”
Her words made him wince--he’d thought about that. What if he’d gone to bed, like he’d planned to do, and hadn’t heard her scream? Or if he’d been sitting out on hisbalcony? Now he understood, more so than ever, why exchanging phone numbers made sense.
“Let’s take care of that issue right now,” he said, pulling his cell phone from his jeans. “And again, I apologize, Lennox. What’s your number?”