Page 42 of Spotted at Lighthouse Bay
“Sure.”
He went on. “I have a request. Please don’t run off while I’m away. If you’re going to look into Flex Knock any more –”
He stopped talking when he saw the smile creeping across her face.
“Uh huh,” he said, pointing a finger. “Don’t you ever give up?”
“Of course I give up!” she said. “Just not until it’s reasonable.”
Rick shut his eyes. “Please be reasonable until I get back.”
“I will be,” she said, nodding. “Pinky swear.”
He laughed. “All right, then.”
Fifteen
She’d wanted to keep her word to Rick. Addy had intended to stick around the house and catch up on work while he was away. She hadn’t planned anything nefarious.
But thenshe got a call from Mia. What was she supposed to do, ignore an amazing opportunity to talk to the two guys who had hoodwinked her mom?
Time was of the essence. Mia’s neighborhood contact reported they were a few streets over, going door to door.
Addy dropped the frying pan in the sink. There was no time for eggs. Her new temporary bodyguard, Phil, had refused her offer anyway, retracting with horror at the wordfried.
He was younger than Rick by about fifteen years, and had told her with complete sincerity, “I’m sure your cooking is great, but I don’t keep ten percent body fat by eating fried foods.”
She grabbed a granola bar and her coat. “We’re taking a flight!”
“Right behind you,” he said.
He didn’t stop to grab a coat, instead pausing by the door to steal a look at himself in the mirror before they left.
Addy jogged down to the dock. Joey was waiting, the seaplane tied off.
“Thanks for doing this. I know it’s last minute,” Addy said as she jumped into the backseat.
“Happy to help!” Joey said.
“Hey man, good to meet you,” Phil said, vigorously shaking Joey’s hand. “Cool plane.”
“Thanks.”
Addy looked down, pretending to focus on her seat belt. Was she just too used to Rick, or did Phil lack a certain cynicism, a worldliness one desired in a bodyguard?
It didn’t matter.
“I’m hoping we won’t take too long,” Addy said.
Joey climbed into his seat. “Don’t worry about it. I have to pick someone up from Bellingham in two hours anyway.”
“That should be plenty of time,” Addy said.
They took off. Addy debated filling Phil in on what was happening, but he spent the entire flight asking Joey so many questions that she didn’t have a chance.
He wasn’t curious about her. That was fine. Better, maybe.
They landed in Bellingham. Addy thanked Joey, then off she went in search of Mia’s car. She found it parked on the street.
