I got up from the couch.

He stopped in front of me, toe-to-toe, total y in my space.

He tilted his head down and looked me directly in the eye.

“You’re stayin’,” he declared in his authoritative voice.

Shit.

Chapter Fourteen

“She’s the One”

I was lying on top of the covers of Hank’s bed, wearing my dusty lilac, stretchy nightie with the black lace on the bodice and hem. It was a little risqué for hanging out in Hank,

the-guy-who-I-was-tel ing-myself-I-was-trying-to-shake’s bedroom but f**k it, these days risqué was my middle name.

Shamus was lying on his bel y beside me. His head on my stomach, his eyes closed, content as I scratched his ears. “Born to Run” was playing on the stereo in Hank’s bedroom and I’d just finished writing a letter to a friend in Atlanta (but did not share any of the recent goings-on; that would have to be a phone cal ).

I had put my stationery aside and I was staring at the ceiling and trying to decide how my life had descended into such madness (and obviously avoiding blaming myself in an attempt to save what was left of my sanity). It was like someone in a suit walked up to me and gave me a certificate, which stated “Roxanne Gisel e Logan, Your Life is Fucked”.

* * * * *

I’d spent the afternoon at the police station. First, they took everyone’s statement, then, Daisy and I identified the two bad guys in a line up. It gave me a chil up my spine to see Sink Man again; so close he seemed right there.

Luckily, Hank was right there too, standing behind me, his strong hand warm on the back of my neck.

After that, we went back to the big room with the desks and phones and people. Hank didn’t come with us but everyone was stil there. Vance and Mace had arrived and both were looking grim. Or, at least, Mace looked grim, Vance looked pissed off.

They were talking to Lee but before they peeled off, Vance approached me, stared me in the eyes, his burning so deeply I felt the heat on my face.

“Don’t worry,” he said low.

Then, he and Mace took off.

Yowza.

I wasn’t certain what he meant. Al I knew was that whatever it was, he seriously meant it.

Then, everyone else took off. I tried to fol ow but Lee caught my arm and held me back. “You stay here, wait for Hank,” he ordered.

Eddie stood beside him, Jet and Indy stood beside their respective men. I looked at them.

“I need to –” I started.

“You need to wait for Hank,” Lee said and his tone brooked no argument.

I felt the need to argue, even though Lee scared me a bit.

“You don’t understand. Uncle Tex –” I told him.

“We’l talk to Tex,” Eddie cut in.

I felt another presence behind my back so I turned and there stood Malcolm, Hank and Lee’s dad; a handsome, older version of them both. I’d met him briefly at Indy and Lee’s party a week ago.

“Come on, Roxie. Let’s get you a cup of coffee,” Malcolm said.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

Coffee with Hank’s dad after I’d been chased through the streets of Denver and shot at.

Shit.

I gave Lee and Indy, Eddie and Jet one last glance and a smal smile. Then I nodded to Malcolm and went with him.

He got me coffee (or what could loosely be described as coffee, I’d never again take coffee for granted after having one of Uncle Tex’s orgasmic creations) and we went back to the big room, its activity beginning to fade. He sat with me on the couch.

“Let me tel you what’s goin’ on,” Malcolm said to me.

I looked at him. His eyes were open and unguarded and infinitely kind. I realized two things straight off. One, this man had raised two pretty fantastic sons and an amazing daughter and I could tel the reason for that was because this was a good man. I also realized that he had been dragged into the mess that was the last week of my life right along with everyone else. The first thing humbled me, the second thing embarrassed me.

I tamped down the embarrassment, focused and said quietly, “I’d like to know what’s going on.” His eyes registered approval of my comment and I felt like I passed an important test. Not only that, I got an “A”.

He started talking. “They’re interrogating those men.

Jimmy Marker and Danny Rose are doing it. Jimmy and Danny are veterans, good at what they do and friends.

Hank can’t be involved because of you.”

I nodded, he continued.

“Hank’s watchin’, two way mirror. First, we want to know what happened to Flynn and if he’s stil at large. Then, we want to know who they’re workin’ for and why they came after you.”

I nodded again. I wanted to know al of that too.

“Hank wants you here, where he knows you’re safe and he can get to you. Wil you do that for him?” I swal owed, wondering if Malcolm knew how huge his question was.

Then I nodded again.

He patted my thigh.

“Good girl,” he said.

I did it again, passed another test and got another “A”.

I took a deep breath and he continued.

“This is a family affair, Roxie, in more ways than one.

Now, I’m gonna explain how that works. No one kidnaps a cop’s girlfriend out of his house then puts her in the path of a bul et. The whole department is gonna work until we get these guys and make you safe. Lee and I’l do whatever we can to that same end. You have my promise on that.” I tried not to focus on the fact he cal ed me Hank’s girlfriend, instead I focused on something that was even scarier. I liked this man; he was Hank’s dad and made Hank into what he was now and what he was to me. I didn’t want him to think badly of me.

“I’m sorry al of this is happening,” I said to him. “You must think –”

He squeezed my knee and interrupted me. “No offense, honey, but you don’t know what I think.”

I waited, quiet, knowing he wasn’t done and, for some reason, even more scared.

I may have passed a few tests but someone had shot at me that day. That probably wasn’t number one on a father’s list of the kind of girl he wanted his son to be with; especial y a son like Hank. It occurred to me I could be Hank’s “Bil y”, the girl that made his parents wince and get sad faces when they saw us together.

He continued.

“The only thing I want in this life is a piece of happiness for those I cal my own. I know my boy, he doesn’t f**k around when there’s somethin’ he wants, excuse my language.”