Page 38 of Five

Oz nods, his expression inscrutable. “I read about that, actually, when I was checking your background. I’m sorry, Neve.”

I tip my chin at him. “I wouldn’t ordinarily worry about a prank call, but the use of the name Wendy, Henry’s attempted abduction, the break-in…my car window…”

“It’s too much altogether,” he finishes.

“Yes. I don’t know what’s going on…” I shake my head, every muscle in my face tightening as I try to remain expressionless. “But I don’t like how it feels.”

“Personal,” says Oscar. It’s not a question.

For a moment the apartment is quiet, each of us processing. Then Oz seems to come alive, clapping his hands together once sharply.

“Okay, then. You can’t stay here tonight. Probably not for a while.”

“She can stay with me,” Caroline offers.

“No,” I say immediately. Oscar wanders off a few feet and begins speaking on his phone.

Caroline frowns. “But—“

“Not happening. Not with that brother of yours and his best bro. They drive me nuts.”

Caroline rolls her eyes. “Stepbrother, and I’m working on getting him out.”

“Regardless.” Caroline’s stepbrother is the biggest asshole—there’s legitimately no other word for him—I’ve ever known. We’re like oil and water, and he and Caroline aren’t much different. It’s the least peaceful place on the planet, except maybe a war zone.

It was their parents’ house, though, and he’s a co-owner, so Caroline won’t be getting rid of him anytime soon.

“What about your parents?” Caroline gives up on the idea of me coming with her.

I shake my head firmly. My mom lives in Texas, and God knows where my father is. After Nicholas was abducted, he left the Keys and began to travel aimlessly in an RV. A consultant who did most of his work over the internet, it was easy for him to do, but the lack of stability meant I ended up living in Texas with Mom. “Texas is too far. That’ll never work with the daycare, obviously.”

“I hate to break it to you, but from the looks of these text messages, you won’t need to worry about the daycare for a while.” Caroline’s tone is matter-of-fact, but the thread of worry underlying it is plain.

I groan, releasing a squirming Jamie Fraser and dropping my head into my hands with the sound.

“I might have a solution,” Oscar interjects. I glance up at him, and there’s an assessing note in his return gaze. As if he’s curious how I’ll react.

“Okay?”

“Pack a bag,” he says. “I’m taking you home with me.”

“Huh?” I eye him dumbly.

“Brilliant,” says Caroline, and strides into my bedroom, I assume to pack for me.

“What I said,” he answers. “I have someone coming over to repair your door and put a better fucking lock on it because that shit was ridiculous. But until I feel like you’re safe on your own, you’re coming with me.”

I decide I don’t like his tone, even if it does make my insides quiver. “You’re not the boss of me.”

Caroline pokes her head out from the bedroom. “Yeah, I don’t think so. Give in, Nevee.”

“I will not! I’ll—I’ll…go to a hotel or something.” Folding my arms across my chest, I stare at Oscar in challenge. “It’s not like you would be there to keep me safe, anyway. You’re a cop, and you have to work on this case. You’d just be moving me from one location to another.”

He runs his thumb across his lower lip, drawing my eyes with the motion. “That’s true enough,” he replies. “But I have four brothers who can help with that problem. Most of us have military backgrounds, and everyone else works from home, so you’d always have someone around.”

My mind goes a little blank after the ‘I have four brothers’ part. “Four…?” I whisper faintly. As in a tunnel, I remember a conversation with Oliver about how he lives with four other men.

He shrugs a little. “One biological and three in spirit. We’re family, regardless. They’ll help me keep you safe.”