Page 46 of Guarded By the SEAL
Her eyes shot to Teslyn, who nodded. Ivy shook her head enthusiastically.
“Well, that’s good. Because I just so happen to have a doll here for you.” J.R. straightened and crossed to a formal dining table, then picked up a box with a clear front panel displaying a beautiful blonde-haired doll. “She looks like you, too.”
Wyatt watched as his father encouraged her to open the package, the girl clearly besotted with her new toy. He leaned closer to Teslyn. “And here I was worried they wouldn’t get along.”
“Ivy lost her doll in the fire. That’s so perfect that he got her one.” She looked at Wyatt suspiciously. “Did you do this?”
He shrugged. “I might have mentioned it.”
“You’re a good man, Wyatt.”
If he’d known Teslyn would look at him as she was doing now, he would have suggested his father buy every doll in the place. It suddenly felt as if years had passed since he’d touched her, and he longed to take her to bed at the earliest opportunity.
Just get through this day first.
One day at a time.
They stayed for a while to make sure Ivy was comfortable, but by the time J.R. pulled out Wyatt’s childhood Legos, their presence was clearly not needed any longer. They got back in Wyatt’s truck and headed toward Pritchard’s house. The rest of the team would meet them there.
Teslyn pulled out her cell phone. “Nothing to it, but to do it.”
Wyatt was feeling agitated. They’d put their heads together and decided Teslyn should call Pritchard and tell him what she knew, then ask for a meeting. “I don’t like the idea of you meeting with him alone.”
She sighed. “We’ve been through this. You, Jax, and Logan will be right outside. Nothing’s going to happen to me.”
“I should come in with you.”
“He won’t talk if you’re there.” She eyed him from head to toe and back again. “You look like military. He doesn’t know you. He’ll clam up. I’m dialing.”
“Wait.”
“You know as well as I do, our best chance of proving Pritchard was behind the trailer fire that killed Marilyn is to get him to confess, and I’m the best person to make that happen.”
“And what if he kills you, too?”
Her eyes went wide. “That isn’t going to happen, because you three aren’t going to let it. Now be quiet. I’m calling.”
“Put it on speaker.”
She dialed and did as he asked.
“Hello?”
“Yes, hi. This is Teslyn, Marilyn Gleason’s daughter. Do you remember me?”
There was a long pause on the line. Wyatt’s grip on the steering wheel was so tight, it drained the blood from the skin covering his knuckles.
“I don’t know anyone by that name.”
“I remember you, coming to visit my mother every Christmas. You were old friends from high school, the prom king and queen. Isn’t that right? And now you’re a congressman.”
“What do you want?”
“I just want to talk to you.”
“So talk.”
“Not on the phone, in person. I’m in St. Augustine. I can be at your place in ten minutes.”
