Leo (Vigilance 3)
I was usually in her shop several times a week, but since I’d started working for Leo, my hours had changed, and I hadn’t been to see her.
“I got a new job.”
“You can tell me all about it when you come to pick up your Grace Latham mysteries.”
“You found some?”
“I did, and I even have a surprise. Ill Met By Moonlight is a first edition. Now that does mean it was a little more than the price range you gave me, but—”
“That’s amazing. Whatever it costs, I still want it.”
“Well, it cost seventy-two dollars.”
“That’s absolutely fine. How many of the rest of them did you find?”
“I have the first four in the series for you.”
“You’re the best, Agatha. It’s almost time for my break. I’ll come by in a little while and get them.”
“Perfect. It will be good to see you.”
I decided I should take her something. I was supposed to check in with Leo before leaving, but as long as there was someone to watch the front, surely it would be okay if I slipped over to Bacon and Bakin’ to get something for Agatha and then quickly walked to her shop.
Phoebe, one of the artists, was cleaning up her space. She’d returned recently from maternity leave, and I’d cooed like crazy over her baby pictures.
“Phoebe?”
“Hi, Ezra. What do you need?”
“There aren’t any more appointments for another hour. I’m going to slip out for my lunch break. I should be back in half an hour, forty-five minutes at the most.”
“Okay, where are you headed?”
“Over to the café, then to Agatha’s Mystery Nook. Do you know it?”
“Yeah, I’ve been in there a few times.”
“Are you a mystery reader?”
She gave a half smile. “I haven’t been able to read much lately, but yes.”
“That’s great. We’ll have to talk favorite authors some time.”
“I’d like that. Go on. I’ll keep an eye on the front in case someone comes in.”
“Thanks.”
I stepped out of the store and noticed a big bear of a man standing by the side of the building. I hoped he was one of the men Leo had watching the shop. Surely no one would try to make a move against Leo in the middle of a sunny afternoon.
I glanced back at the man as I hurried over to the café. He was watching me, and it made me shiver. Maybe I should’ve told Leo where I was going, but at least Phoebe knew.
16
Leo
I came out of our meeting seething. Swain had sent threats to Niall, and Marco was going crazy. He didn’t want Niall to leave the house. X had put extra guards on Brianna, a teenage girl Devil had saved from Swain’s trafficking ring. A friend of the family had adopted her, and they were worried Swain might come after her if they realized she’d given them information.
No way in hell were we going to let that happen.
The Marchesis wanted in on this. They wanted Swain brought down as much as we did.
I walked to the front of the shop, needing to see Ezra. His presence would make me feel better, even if I needed to keep my hands off him at work, but he wasn’t there. I’d have noticed him in the back, so where was he?
“Are you headed up front, or are you looking for Ezra?” Phoebe asked.
“Do you know where he is?”
“He took a lunch break. He was going to the café and then to Agatha’s Mystery Nook. It’s the bookshop that’s, like, three blocks down.”
Cold fear nearly paralyzed me. “He did what?”
She looked alarmed. “Is something wrong?”
Phoebe knew a little about Vigilance, and she knew me well enough to know I wouldn’t react like I was unless something serious was going on. “Maybe.”
Phoebe didn’t scare easily, but she looked worried now. I thought about her gorgeous baby who was back home with his dad. “Vigilance is in the middle of a difficult mission. If I thought you were in danger, I wouldn’t have let you come in.”
“How is Ezra involved?”
“They’re just targeting him because he…”
She studied me for a moment, then smiled. “Because they know you want him.”
I scowled. “No. Because he followed me last night as I tracked down someone who was watching the shop.”
“Oh shit.”
“They saw him. And I only got one of them.”
My phone buzzed. It was Six. “Your man headed down the street. I followed him, but Muffin is still there watching the shop.”
“Thank you. Don’t let him out of your sight. He’s headed to Agatha’s bookstore.”
“I’m on it. So far so good.”
“Keep me posted.”
“Will do, sir.”
“Were you hurt?” Phoebe asked when I ended the call. “Was Ezra?”
“No. He was scared to death, but he was all right. We’re looking for the man who got away, but there’s really no point. He was just muscle. One of my men found some assholes sniffing around my home, though. Devil had a talk with them.”