Page 110 of Family Jewels

“Okay.” I set to work on the padlock on the door to the spiral staircase. The original lock had opened with a key, but I’d switched it to a combination lock for easier access. Working with the seedy underbelly of the Fenton County criminal world had taught me to always have an accessible escape route—more than one if possible. Once I had the door open, Jed slipped through the opening, but I grabbed his arm. “If you’re going out onto the actual roof, there’s a padlock up there bolting the door closed.” I rattled off the combination, and he gave me a curt nod before slipping into the dark stairwell.

“We don’t need him here,” Neely Kate said as soon as he disappeared. “We did just fine yesterday when Homer showed up.”

I headed toward my desk. “Wedoneed him, and you know it.”

“Why him? Why can’t Skeeter send Merv or the guy he sent yesterday?”

I sat down on the edge of her desk and studied her. “What happened between you and Jed?”

Her face turned a soft shade of pink, and she turned back to her computer. “Nothing.”

“That’s a bunch of malarkey if I ever heard it. Try again.”

She looked up at me, and her mouth opened and closed a few times like a fish trying to breathe on dry land before she started to say, “A month ago—”

“The roof’s all clear,” Jed said in a no-nonsense voice I wasn’t used to hearing from him. He’d set aside the formality early in our time together.

“Why are youinsideour office, Jed?” Neely Kate demanded. “Why can’t you wait in your car and watch the front like you usually do?”

“Two reasons. One, I feel like I’ll have you two covered better inside; and two, I have work of my own to do.” He lifted the bag hanging from his shoulder to demonstrate.

“Work?” Neely Kate scowled. “What kind of work could you have in that bag?”

His gaze held hers. “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

She held her hands out from her sides. “Then let’s go, Mr. Big Talk. I can take you.”

I slid off the desk. “No one’s havin’ a go at anyone.” I pointed to the table we kept in the back corner for the few customer consultations we held in the office. “Jed, you can sit back there if you want. We have a folding screen we can set up to block view of you from the street.”

A nod was his only response. I started to walk toward the back to grab the screen, but Jed was already headed back there.

“What’s your schedule for the day?” he asked as he set up his work space.

“I need to work on some designs and estimates, and then we have to go to a few houses and draw up some plans. Our first appointment is at 10:30, so we need to leave in forty-five minutes.”

“Is Neely Kate planning to go?” he asked.

“No, she’s staying—”

His mouth pressed into a tight line. “She’s going now.”

“You don’t get to boss me around, Jed Carlisle!” she shouted over her shoulder.

The look Jed gave me insinuated he’d throw her over his shoulder if need be.

Pushing out a long sigh, I sat down at my desk and turned on my computer.

This was going to be a long day.

Neely Kate must have thought so too because she hopped to her feet after all of five minutes. “I’m going to get coffee from The Daily Grind. Do you want something, Rose?”

I hadn’t had any coffee at James’ house, and my head was beginning to protest the lack of caffeine. “Yeah, my usual.” When she started for the door, I called after her. “Aren’t you goin’ to get anything for Jed?”

She stopped with her hand on the knob. For a moment, I wondered if she was going to ignore me, but she turned and called out in a saccharine-sweet voice, “Would you like something, Jed?”

His response was short. “No.”

Without a word, she stomped out, slamming the door behind her.