Her Detective's Secret Intent

And this afternoon she’d have some alone time with Tad. Right after the High Risk meeting they were going to her place. Pulling out into traffic after checking for black sedans, heading down the street toward work, she couldn’t help the little thrill of anticipation that shot through her. In fact, she reveled in it. She could use a huge dose of naturally induced euphoria.

Her phone rang, and thinking it was work with some schedule adjustment—a patient cancellation or the addition of one who’d woken up too sick to go to school—she pushed the button on her steering wheel to answer.

“Hi, it’s me,” Tad said. “I’m a couple of cars behind you.”

She glanced at the rearview mirror. Didn’t immediately see Tad’s SUV. And then she did.

Another thrill shot through her. He really had her back.

The only other time she’d felt like that since her mother died had been with Jeff.

“I’ve seen no black sedans, gray baseball caps or any other indication that anyone is watching or following you, but I need to talk to you, if I can. Is there any way you could skip going into work this morning? I realize it’s a horrible thing to ask, but I hope you trust me enough to know I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

She could call Annabelle, the PA who was off on Tuesdays. There were three of them who worked for Dr. Bennet and they were permitted to exchange hours however they saw fit. She’d just never asked before.

But she’d exchanged shifts with Annabelle a couple of times when the other woman had requested it.

“I’ll have to make a call... I’ll see what I can do. I can’t leave patients at the clinic unattended.”

“I understand. Call me back as soon as you know.”

Looking in the rearview mirror again, she saw that he was still only two cars behind her and nodded. “You’re scaring me.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to. I just have something to tell you that I think you’d want to know.”

“Are you leaving Santa Raquel?”

“Make the call, Miranda. Please?”

Less than a minute later, she had him back on the phone. “All set. You want to go to my place?”

“No. And not mine, either. You know that car dealership out by the freeway?” He named a cash-for-your-car type of lot. One that didn’t ask many questions if you had enough money, which made her even more uneasy.

“Yeah.”

What was he doing? What could he possibly have to say?

Unless he’d found out who was watching her...

“Head over there,” he told her. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“You’re sure I’m safe?”

“Yes.”

“You’re really scaring me now, Tad.”

“Call Chantel,” he said. “She’ll assure you that my request is valid.”

“You’ve talked to her today?”

“I had to tell her I wouldn’t be at the High Risk meeting.”

Oh. So he was leaving. Which didn’t explain why she was on her way to a car lot.

And suddenly she didn’t want to know. Life without Tad was inevitable. But did it have to happen right now? When the rest of her world could be caving in?

Chapter 25