Page 27 of Her Property

Cat’s stomach churned like she’d eaten bad food. Alfred never was one to mince words.

“They’ve mostly moved on, thank Christ. The prosecution still gives me this irritating little smirk that’s going to be a downright knee-slapping joke when they see you next, but yes Catherine, most of us have moved on. The trial, on the other hand, is moving full steam ahead, and it’s all hands on deck. Except for yours.”

“Then let me come back!” The words came out fast, surprising her. But maybe going back would be the better way to get out of her predicament. She could go back to her old routine, where things were safe. Where she could drown everything out with non-stop work.

Especially handsome men who jumped in lakes bare naked.

Bare naked.That’s what Jake had called it last night.

Her chest constricted again.

“Absolutely not,” Alfred said.

“But—”

“You’ve already been replaced. Laura’s doing a bang-up job.” His voice softened then. “I meant when I said you needed to rest, Catherine. He paused. “You don’t want to end up like me.”

“Alfred—”

“My doctor has me on so many pills—he says if I don’t slow down something about my heart—”

“Alfred! Then for god’s sake, slow down!”

“I will when this trial is over. Now enough about that. You’re staying, you’re decompressing, and when you come back, we’ll talk about easing you back in. No further questions.”

Cat sighed. Alfred was a stubborn asshole, that was for sure. Especially when he was being nice. She really was worried about him too. His doctor was always telling him to slow down apparently, but he hadn’t made distinct warnings about his heart before. At least not that Alfred had told her about.

“Now, why were you calling?” Alfred said. “I told you I’m busy.”

“Oh, I—” Cat swallowed. The nerve she’d built up before calling had vanished. She thought about his heart. If she told him she’d been with Jake today—even an edited version where he just took her to the hospital—he’d lose it. Not to mention Alfred could always sniff out a lie, especially from her. He’d ask too many questions.

She let out a breath. “I just wanted to know how it was going there.”

Alfred said nothing for a moment until finally he harrumphed. “I don’t believe you, but I don’t have time to get you to spit it out. If you say that’s all it was about then we can end the call now—I’ve told you all you need to know.”

Cat opened her mouth to speak, but she didn’t have a smidge of nerve left. “Fine. Please take care of yourself,” she said, resigned to have chickened out. Maybe she could just tell Alfred she wasn’t paying much attention. She didn’t hear any sounds of work because she was too busy relaxing.

Sure, that would work.

“But while I’ve got you, I need you to do something for me. One piece of work—should make you happy to have something to do.”

“Okay?” she said.

“It’s about the neighbor.”

Cat’s stomach plunged. Oh shit.

“As you know, Mr. Colson is not to be building anything new on his property until we get this matter dealt with in the court. I just heard from the clerk that I won’t be able to get on the docket until December. Terrible time to be in court, of course. Judges in a forgiving mood and all that.”

“Okay, Ebenezer,” Cat said in a weak attempt at a joke. Her blood pressure was spiking. She had a terrible feeling about what Alfred was going to ask her to do, even though he hadn’t come out and said the words yet.

Alfred ignored her sarcastic remark. “I want you to take a mosey on over to his property—you won’t be trespassing, given it’s my land, and take some photos.”

“Photos!” Cat sputtered. “What am I, a spy?”

A flash of Jake at her doorstep yesterday in nothing but his unbuttoned plaid and jeans, his chest hair still beaded with water from the lake.Were youspyingon me?

It was like a prophecy coming true.

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