“If you’re going to meet with Clara, you’re going to do it at the theater when I’m there.”

She nodded again.

“And damn it, if that phone rings or buzzes or dings again, I want to know about it. You’re not helping anyone by hiding it.”

Her body shook with anger and fear. She wanted this over. She wanted her freedom back. Most of all, she wanted to know her family was safe.

Arianna was certainly surprised to find John still home when she woke the next morning. He was antsy, too.

He sat at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee in his hand, and his foot tapping a quick rhythm on the floor.

“What are you doing here?”

He looked up at her. “You’re coming to work with me.”

“Do you really mean I have to be with you every minute?”

“I’m sure I didn’t stutter. Now go get dressed. I’m late.”

Arianna did what had been expected of her.

The ride into work was quiet, but he had allowed her a stop at Starbucks.

John parked behind the theater. Together they walked up the back ramp to the back stage door, but Zach met them before they went inside.

“Your visitor was back,” he said, his eyes narrowed on Arianna.

“Our visit…the person who was here last night?”

“Maybe you should just go over to my house and be with Regan. Curtis and Simone are there now.”

Arianna fisted her hands on her hips. “I’m not running from this. He wants us to cower.”

John stepped up closer. “What did he do?”

Zach let out a deep breath and stepped aside, letting them both in.

Arianna’s heart jumped into her throat. Across the brand new stage, in red paint, had been written DIE!

John knew it could be fixed. It all could be fixed, but was it worth it? Maybe it was still worth selling the lot and letting them doze it to the ground.

“Do you want me to take you to Regan’s?”

“No. This is our place. I’m not going to let him push us out of it.” Arianna turned to John. “You put me to work. I’m here to help in any way I can.” She pushed her shoulders back. “There is a grand opening coming up in July, and the musical Annie is going to be performed on this stage. So we need to get to work.”

For the first time in days, John smiled. “I do believe you mean all that.”

“Damn straight I do. Trust me,” she opened her purse and let him look inside, “if the bastard shows his face, I’m ready.”

John shook his head when he saw the gun. “Do you know how to shoot that thing?”

“I was raised in Tennessee. Doesn’t every girl in Tennessee know how?”

He had no doubt.

John had been content with Arianna on site, and she’d actually been an asset. The writing on the stage had been sanded off, by her. She now had a new skill—sander.

She’d eaten burritos from a cooler when the Mexican woman brought them by and sold them for one dollar each. Though she was leery, he’d encouraged her by telling her it was a worksite treat.

He’d seen her in the corner of the theater a few times, on her cell phone with her notebook in hand, jotting down notes.

She needed a place to work.

John had made many trips through the entire theater throughout the day. The lobby was coming along, and the dressing rooms and back stage weren’t so run down anymore.

There was an entire crew working to scrape up the floor in the theater so they could patch it up and get it ready for seats.

But the one room that hadn’t been attended to was Arianna’s office.

There was a special man he was going to put on that job. He looked at his watch and then looked up at the door.

Right on time.

Eduardo walked through the front door of the theater and gave John a wave.

“It’s looking nice in here.”

“If we could keep the vagrants out,” John said.

“Someone’s been in here?”

John thought it was better that Eduardo didn’t know exactly what had happened, but at least he’d be aware now. “Yeah. Hey, I have a project for you. Come with me.”

John led Eduardo to the office where Arianna would run her new empire. It wasn’t very big, but it had space for a few people. Right now, however, it was just another junked out room.

“What can you do with this?”

Eduardo looked around the room and his lip snarled. “This is going to be her office, right?”

“Yep.”

Eduardo puckered his lips and looked around. John had seen this phenomenon with him before. This was him coming up with something brilliant.

“I’d put in a wall over there.” He pointed to the far end of the room. Not to give her another office, but just to give her some privacy. Maybe even put a window in it so she could see the door. I think two desks could go here and maybe a table where she could work on. You know, lay things out. She does that.”

John nodded. Yep, she sure did.

Eduardo gave a hum as he looked around more. “The colors need to be vibrant. Creative.”

He walked around the room. “Maybe we can add a closet over there.” He pointed to the wall. “Just to keep the room organized. You know, she’d have somewhere to put all the papers and scripts. Things like that.”

“I think you have a solid grasp on this.”

Eduardo looked up at him. “It seems fairly cut and dry.”

“Good.” John put his hand on Eduardo’s shoulder. “You have one week to make this place home for your aunt. It’s all yours.”

And with that, he left Eduardo in the room, either contemplating beginning or trying to figure out what John had just offered.

When John walked back into the theater, he saw Arianna in the corner and April had showed up. Hands were being waved around, and he knew they were in a serious conversation. Arianna had mentioned an old friend was going to help her put together her musical review. He assumed that meant April. He’d adapt.

As he took another step his cell phone rang. It was Regan.

“Is she okay? What is she doing there?” She shot off questions before he was even able to say hello.

“She’s working. This is keeping her mind busy.”

“I’m not comfortable with this. Simone just told me her mother thinks that maybe she’d been mistaken about seeing him in Paris.”