Page 23 of When You Least Expect It
“This isn’t funny,” I scolded.
Calista just waved away my concern.“While I agree that their Stepford Wives thing is creepy as all get out, I really don’t think that they’re dangerous.Plus, there’s no chance in hell that I’d ever fall for their nonsense.”
While she was probably right, jealousy was controlling the wheel right now.Even though Calista wasn’t interested in Jury Patton, the fact that he was interested in her was enough to raise my hackles.Yeah, she wasn’t my girlfriend, and I really didn’t have a right to my feelings of possessiveness, but I was all for ignoring logic at the moment.
“That’s not what I’m implying,” I assured her.“I just...even if they’re not dangerous, I don’t want them or that fucking guy around you.”
Calista arched a brow, a smirk on her lips.“He really pissed you off, didn’t he?”
“Predators tend to do that,” I deadpanned.
“While I agree that he’s a predator, I’m predator safe,” she assured me.“The last thing that I’m interested in is becoming a kneeling mute.”
Wanting to make sure that Calista never saw me in the same light, I said, “I’m also sorry that I told them that I was your boyfriend without running it by you first.”
She just shrugged.“We were running for our lives, so I’m not going to question your methods.”
I eyed her as I said, “Well, we weren’t exactly fighting for our lives, Calista.”
“You don’t know that,” she retorted.“Who’s to say what was in those refreshments, huh?”She took another sip of her beer before adding, “I mean, we’re talking about crazy people here.”
She wasn’t wrong.
“Just...again, do me a favor and avoid them as much as possible,” I repeated.“At least, until we find out more about Jury Patton.”
“Do you know any cops?”
That took me back by surprise.“Uhm, my brother’s in the military, if that counts.”
“Which branch?”
“Navy,” I answered warily.“He’s a Seal.”
Her back immediately straightened.“Your brother is an honest-to-goodness Navy Seal?”
I nodded.“Yep.”
“Do you think he has friends in the CIA?”she asked, and I had to roll my lips in to keep from laughing.“I mean, those kinds of connections would be really helpful right now.”
“Not sure if a cooky neighbor and her weird friends warrant the resources of the US government,” I told her.“Though, I’m pretty sure that Zach doesn’t know anyone in the CIA.”
Calista arched a brow.“Would you know if he did?I mean, that’s probably information that he’s not able to share with people.”
That got my lips twitching.“Again, I’m pretty sure that he doesn’t.”
I watched her shoulders sag as she said, “Well, that sucks.We could use those kinds of connections right now.”
“How about we just stay on our side of the street from now on, and if Louise keeps sending you baskets, then we can file a complaint of harassment with the police,” I suggested.
The woman just shrugged.“Like I said, I’vebeenstaying on my side of the street, so you can hardly blame me for all this mess.”With a knowing look, she added, “I’m not the one who accepted an invitation to Louise’s creepy speed-dating-prayer group.Remember, I’m the one who offered to burn down your house to get you out of it.
“Yeah, just for reference, arson usually isn’t an accepted form of problem solving.”
“Says who?”she challenged.
“Almost everyone,” I answered pointedly.
“What if you’re trapped in a rickety old farmhouse by some deranged killer, and the only way out is to set it on fire?”she posed.
