Page 97 of The Body in the Backyard

Great. Riley was definitely going to jail.

“We were running lines for a play,” Nick lied.

“What play?How to Fuck Up Your Life and Everyone Else’sby Nicky Santiago?” Weber said.

“Why didn’t I get an audition? I’m leading man material,” Griffin whined.

The yelling started again, this time accompanied with wild gestures and some french fry throwing. Mr. Willicott walked into the room, clapped his hands to his cheeks, screamed, and then disappeared again.

“Did he justHome Aloneus?” Riley asked Fred, who had thankfully tucked his balls back into his shorts.

“He didn’t want to feel left out.”

Mrs. Penny’s french fry supply had run out, and Burt began to howl. The other two dogs joined in.

Emotions were running high, and Riley’s psychic sensor was on overload. She looked at Gabe in desperation. “Uh. Help?”

He bowed his head, closed his eyes, and folded his hands at the center of his chest.

Immediately Riley felt a peaceful wave of well-being wash over her. The tension left her shoulders, her nervous system calmed, and each breath felt like a massage. Her brain finally quieted, and she felt fully present in the moment.

The fight seemed to leave everyone else at the same time. Mrs. Penny was happily licking the salt off her fingers. Still on the table, Fred leaned back on his elbows with a dreamy smile. Jasmine and Weber stood there blinking at each other. Burt and his new dog friends curled up in a puppy pile and went to sleep.

“Want. To. Stay. Mad,” Nick gritted out between his teeth. His hands were balled into white-knuckled fists at his sides.

Riley felt an extra punch of peace from Gabe’s direction, then watched as Nick sagged against the island.

“Damn it. What the hell was that?” he demanded.

“Does it really matter?” she asked.

“It will later, when I remember how to be mad,” he said. He pointed at Weber. “You stay here and keep this mayonnaise-eating moron alive.” He looked at Riley. “My office. Now.”

She fervently hoped Gabe’s psychic reach would extend to the other side of the house as she followed Nick out of the room.

“I know it looks and sounds bad. Like really bad. And honestly it was. I thought we were either going to get murdered or end up in prison. I screwed up, and I understand if you want to fire me.” Riley blurted the words out in a rush.

He dropped down on the squeaky couch and surprised her by pulling her into his lap.

This was way better than getting yelled at. She wondered if Gabe could teach her the emotional cloud trick.

“I’m not firing you. I’m just struggling with the fact that I love you and you keep ending up in danger,” Nick said.

“It does appear to be a reoccurring theme in our relationship,” she agreed. “What are you going to do? Stop loving me?”

He ran a thumb over her lower lip. “No, dummy. I’m going to train the hell out of you and turn you into a self-defense expert.”

She perked up, shifting in his lap. “Really?”

“Really,” Nick said, giving her a gentle squeeze. “Besides, since whoever wants Griffin whacked is still out there, it’s the best way I can think of to keep you alive.”

“And you’re definitely sure about that?” she asked.

“My gut is. Those two idiots this morning were just that, idiots. Someone hired them to do a job, and that someone isn’t going to stop just because their pawns got sacrificed.”

She felt the same thing. That fog of uncertainty was still clinging to her. “Is your gut usually right?”

“It was right about you.”