Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum 8)

“Nice,” he said, “but I've seen you sleep on several occasions.”

“These were taken last night without my knowledge. A big rabbit stopped Grandma on the street today and told her to give these to me.”

He raised his eyes to look at me. “Are you telling me someone let themselves into your parents' house and took these pictures while you were asleep?”

“Yes.” I'd been trying to stay calm, but deep inside I was ruined. The idea that someone, Abruzzi himself, or one of his men, had stood over me and watched me sleep had me completely unnerved. I felt violated and vulnerable.

“This guy has a lot of balls,” Morelli said. His voice was calm enough when he said it, but the line of his mouth tightened, and I knew he was struggling to control his anger. A younger Morelli would have thrown a chair through a window.

“I don't mean to be critical of the Trenton police,” I said, “but wouldn't you think someone could catch this goddamn rabbit? He's riding around, handing out photos.”

“Were the doors locked last night?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of lock?”

“A dead bolt.”

“It doesn't take an expert long to open a dead bolt. Can you get your parents to put a security chain on?”

“I can try. I don't want to scare them with these photos. They love their house, and they feel safe there. I don't want to take that away from them.”

“Yes, but you're being stalked by a crazy person.”

We were standing in the small front hall, and Bob was pressing against me, snuffling into my leg. I looked down, and there was a big wet spot of Bob drool just above my knee. I scratched the top of his head and ruffled his ears. “I need to get out of my parents' house. Take the action away from them.”

“You know you can stay here.”

“And endanger you?”

“I'm used to being endangered.”

This was true. But this was also the basis for almost every argument we had. And it was the primary reason for our breakup. That and my inability to commit. Morelli didn't want a bounty hunter wife. He didn't want the mother of his children regularly dodging bullets. I guess I can't blame him.

“Thanks,” I said. “I might take you up on it. I can also ask Ranger to put me in one of his safe houses. Or I can return to my apartment. If I go back to my apartment I need to have a security system installed. I don't want to come home to any more surprises.” Unfortunately, I didn't have the money for a security system. As it was, it didn't matter because I couldn't bring myself to come within fifty feet of the cootie couch.

“What are you going to do tonight?”

“I need to stay in my parents' house and make sure no one breaks in again. Tomorrow I'll move out. I think they'll be safe once I'm gone.”

“You're going to stay up all night?”

“Yep. You could come over later if you want, and we could play Monopoly.”

Morelli grinned. “Monopoly, hunh? How could I pass that one up? What time does your grandmother go to bed?”

“After the eleven o'clock news.”

“I'll be over around twelve.”

I fiddled with Bob's ear.

“What?” Morelli asked.

“It's about us.”

“There's no us.”