Page 76 of The Geek and the Sheikh

“Hello,”Katie shakily greeted.

I’m coming up.”

Junebug was focused on the single green dot moving up the stairs. She wanted to reassure Katie that she wasn’t alone. She could see additional dots drawing nearer. Instead, she bit down on her knuckle. She didn’t want to distract any of them.

“Hello, Mr. Coldhouse?”Katie called. “Where’s my mom?”

“I must say, I was surprised that you actually followed directions.”

Junebug had to strain to hear what Coldhouse was saying.

“Where’s my mom? She hasn’t done anything to you. Why do you have to be such a jerk!”Katie practically shouted.

“Go, Katie! You tell him!” she muttered.

“Jerk?”Coldhouse laughed.“Oh, child. You really should have been more careful who you associate with. You picked the wrong friends, Katie. There is no one to blame for this but yourself.”

“Oh, I so hope you die a Games of Throne death, you-you-you, argh!”

“I could more accurately say the same to you,”Katie retorted.

“Enough with the chit-chat. Step into the room.”

“Don’t go, Katie! Don’t do it!”

“I’m not moving anywhere until I know where my mom is.”

“You tell him, Katie. Punch him in the gnomes! Kick him in the peanuts!”

Junebug slid off the stool and did a series of fists punches and a kick.

“Kick him so hard his you-know-whats pop up and choke him.”

Her enthusiasm dimmed when she heard Katie’s distressed cry. Sliding back onto the stool, she stared at the screen, wishing the stupid construction company had installed cameras on the roof!

“Mom!”Katie cried with distress.“Please… I just… I just want my mom. Why can’t… why can’t you go away?”

“It’s personal now.”Coldhouse replied.

“Personal....”

She was about to say a few choice words, but stopped with a grimace. It wasn’t a great reaction, but she could relate a tiny-bit with the personal feeling. Her response to Allison had been on a totally personal level.

The creak of the door opening caused her to lean back to see who it was. She waved a hand to Jameel when he closed the door and scanned the room. From his not-so-happy expression, he must have been looking for her.

“Oops,” she muttered.

“What are you doing?” Jameel demanded.

“Helping to take down Coldhouse. Katie is with him now,” she said.

Jameel frowned and studied the screen. She pointed to the green dots.

“The green dots are our side. The red dot is Coldhouse. I’ve been listening to what’s going down over the earpieces that Idella gave everyone,” she explained.

“You shouldn’t have disappeared without telling me. Raja’s insane uncle and his generals are in the palace. If they had come across you first—”

“They don’t know who I am. I had to help them, Jameel,” she said.

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