For how long. The question goes unsaid as a knock comes at the door. I tense.
“Stay here.”
“Ollie.”
“No. You stay here crouched beside the tub.”
Her lower lip trembles, as she complies. I jog out of the bathroom to the door and peer out the peephole. The sight of two men in black suits allows me to breathe once more. Still suspicious, I hold my breath. Have they changed their contact and decided to blend in?
They knock again. “Open up, Ms. Fleming.”
“Who’s there?” I ask, ready to step in and protect her with my last breath. I couldn’t save Rolly. I’ll be damned if I fail Quinn a second time.
“Officers Carter and Johnson, Mr. Hemnway.” They pull out their black wallets and flash their badges. They look legit and match the names she’d mentioned.
“It’s clear, Quinn. You can come out.”
I open the door and step back, letting them in.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Hemngway. We’ll be looking after you for the next month. I understand you’ll be joining us?”
“Yes. I’m all packed. I just need to do one last sweep.” I brush past Quinn on my way to the bathroom, grab a towel, and clean up my mess. It’s not the housekeepers’ job to clean up after my outburst. The release felt good, but I’m embarrassed by my behavior now. After tossing the towel in the sink, I walk out to find Quinn speaking quietly with the officers.
In their late thirties, early forties, neither can be much older than us. I frown at the way the muscular blond is leaning into her and admiring the fit of her T-shirt and jeans. The tall, broad-shouldered jock type with a streak of gray hair looks over at me. I meet his dark brown gaze and nod. It’s no secret we’re involved. I’ve been absent lately, but having them share our space is bringing out my protective instincts. I have very little left to lose. I grab my bag, sling it over my shoulder, and pick hers up off the bed.
“You got everything, sassy?”
She blinks. “I do. Thank you.”
I kiss her temple.
Officer Carter, the blond one, clears his throat. Yes, she’s pretty, but she’s taken as hell. “If you’re ready, we can escort you to check out. If you have to make any phone calls, I suggest you do it now. It’ll be the last time you’re allowed to contact anyone until after the trial, and your phones will be turned off, and confiscated. Once we leave this hotel, you’ll be taken to a safe house with a secure location. That safety hinges on your complete cooperation.” The words feel directed toward me.
I raise an eyebrow. “I understand.”
“We understand how important it is to follow the rules, Carter,” Quinn says.
“I understand that stress and isolation can make you forget that we’re only here to keep you safe.”
Is this asshole referring to the death of my son as something as simple as stress? A knot forms in my stomach. Rage creeps up, and I force it back down.
“Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Yes, I’m a grieving father, but no I’m not going to allow that to jeopardize the woman I love or the one chance I have at making the monsters who did this to him pay. I can tell by your comment you don’t have children, do you?”
“No, Mr. Hemngway, I don’t.”
“Then don’t pretend to have a clue what it feels like or how it might affect me because it’s insulting. This is a pain I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. We’re not meant to bury our children. It’s against the natural order of things. My boy was four, with his entire life ahead of him. Show some respect for that.”
His jaw ticks as I stare him down.
“We’re sorry if it felt like we were making light of your son’s death in any way, Mr. Hemnway. We’ve just had our positions compromised too many times to not try to pound the rules into everyone’s skull we protect. It’s not personal,” Officer Johnson says.
So he’s the good cop, at least when it comes to me.
“And I get that. I know you’re here to do a job. I’m not trying to make it any more difficult for you than it already is.”
“And we appreciate that,” Officer Johnson adds.
Quinn rests her head on my shoulder, silently lending me support.