Page 55 of His to Burn

That thought brought me up short.

Because it was true.

In twenty-four hours, the judge’s house, thelife it had represented, had become a relic of the past.

My gaze found Jack’s, and I felt that comfort that was becoming far too familiar.

It hit me then that this lethal stranger, a man I was sure couldn’t care less about me, was the only familiar thing I had left.

“We should go around back,” I whispered as Jack moved toward the steps.

He nodded, and I started to walk, but he held up his hand and stepped in front of me.

I worked with cops, everything from local to federal, and my uncle was retired military, so I had experienced my fair share of military personnel and law enforcement.

But never anyone like Jack.

He was alert, but not antsy.

Aware, but not frantic.

And every inch of his gigantic frame promised death to anyone stupid enough to test him.

He didn’t think about the past or the future or making stupid mistakes. He focused on this moment, and the best way to survive it.

I was determined to match him.

Step by excruciating step, we circled thehouse and went toward the garage and backyard.

The judge’s almost half-acre property was circled by a six-foot brick fence and a solid black steel gate that led to the garage.

A gate that stood open now, putting me back on full alert.

Judge Hanlon was fanatical about security.

He wouldn’t leave the gate open.

“Did he always leave that open?” Jack asked after he caught my eye.

“Never,” I whispered.

“We gotta go in,” he said.

“Yeah. Stay frosty,” I responded.

Jack’s eyes narrowed, and I thought he was going to reprimand me or tell me I’d been stupid enough today and needed to focus.

But he didn’t.

He simply smiled.

The expression was gone almost as soon as it came, but it was the best thing that had happened all day.

Jack scanned the yard quickly and then waved me in. Once I was inside, Jack scanned the area again. There wasn’t even a creak, onlythe near-inaudible roll of the mechanics as Jack pushed the gate closed.

I sighed with something like relief.

Judge Hanlon was prickly and paranoid, but the man always paid for the best. Money well spent.