can’t take anything from your closet.”
That hurt. “Are you taking my clothes into evidence?”
“Right now, forensics is testing the clothes for fluids and hair. Everything that doesn’t have any kind of biological matter on it will be left. The rest will unfortunately be put into evidence for the case file.”
Biological matter. That sounded particularly disgusting. “Okay.”
“You’ll let me in this damn door right now or I’m going to wake the Mayor.”
I jerked at the sound of Mercy Rothell-Montgomery’s voice. “Mercy?”
She slipped past the uniformed cop in the doorway and hurried toward me. “Casey, what the hell is going on?”
I accepted the embrace and curled my fingers briefly against the soft fabric of her blouse. “What are you doing here?”
“Mathias and Jane were having dinner with us when his beeper went off. When he called in he found out that you’d had the police called to your residence.” She touched my face with gentle fingers. “You aren’t hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.” I looked toward the entryway and found Mathias Montgomery and Connor Grant standing there. “Hey.”
Shawn came to stand beside me.
Mathias entered first and offered Shawn his hand. “Mathias Montgomery. My men heard the call come in over the police scanner.” He turned to me. “Where is your security badge?”
I paled and my mouth dropped open. It hadn’t even crossed my mind. Turning, I went into the kitchen. The badge lay where I had dropped it. “It’s here.”
“Your handheld?”
“In my purse.” I pulled it from my open bag and offered it to him.
Mathias glanced toward the cops and shook his head. “Did you bring home any paperwork, contracts, or other secure documents in your briefcase?”
“No. I left my briefcase at the office, actually.” I blushed. Since I’d made plans to have dinner with Shawn, I’d left work at work.
“You can’t stay here with the front door broken.”
I glanced toward Connor and nodded. “I know.”
“You’ll come home with us.” Mercy looked at each man in the room as if she expected one of them to disagree with her. “Jane went to the gallery to check on the security team and make sure everything is secure, or she’d be here as well.”
“Do you think this is related to the gallery?” I asked softly.
“Since his interest was centered on you, I somehow doubt it. Otherwise he would have grabbed you elsewhere, perhaps near the gallery so he could force you to let him in.”
That was not a comforting thought. “Okay, so it was personal.” The statement dropped in the room like a lead balloon.
Mercy took in a deep breath. “Let’s go. We’re about the same size, so you don’t need to pack anything.”
I turned to Detective Martin. “Should I come down to the station with you?”
“No, your statement from tonight will work for the report. Just be careful and watch yourself.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow about the security company,” Shawn said softly.
“Yeah, thanks.” I touched his arm briefly as Mercy ushered me toward the door. “I gotta pick up Harvey in the afternoon; but I’ll be straight home after that.”
He nodded and after a brief nod in Mathias’s direction followed along after Detective Martin as he went down the hall. A part of me would have preferred to stay with him, but that made me feel foolish. I barely knew Shawn Tranner.
I was sitting in a huge red chair in the corner of Mercy’s living room when Connor finally got me alone. He pulled up an ottoman and sat down in front of me.
“How are you?”
I shrugged. “I’m okay.”
“You’ve been holding your ribs since you got here. Are you hurt?”
“He punched me.” I lifted my hand from my side and pulled my legs up into the chair. “It’s sore, but I don’t think anything is broken.”
“The cop neighbor of yours is protective of you.”
“Shawn’s been nice to me.” I glared at him when he raised an eyebrow. “Look, just because you use “niceness” to get in women’s pants doesn’t mean every man does it.”
He laughed. “At least your attitude is still intact.”
“I’m fine.”
“Don’t lie to me, Case.” He stared at me for a moment and then lowered his gaze to the floor between us. “I didn’t do a very good job of making sure you were safe.”
“It’s not your job to protect me.”
“As a matter of a fact, it is my job to protect you. At least while you are at the gallery. And I should have checked your doors and locks at your apartment.”
“The back door wasn’t broken. The cops think he used a key.” The thought was a pretty scary one and not one I’d allowed myself to dwell on too much. “He knew my name.”
“His voice wasn’t familiar?”
“Everyone sounds the same when they whisper.” I rubbed my face with both hands. “Where’s Mercy with that wine she promised me?”
“I think she’s waiting in the kitchen.” Connor glanced over his shoulder. “Look, I know we’ve had some problems lately…”
I laughed softly. “Problems?”
“Casey.”
“No,” I whispered and glanced toward the kitchen door. I figured Mercy was lurking with her husband behind it. “That part of our relationship is over. One day we can be friends. But, right now, no matter my circumstances…we’re done. I don’t need or want a man to come to my rescue. I also don’t want to be party to a testosterone festival…so I suggest you check your ego.”
He laughed and shook his head. “You win.”
“I know.”
“For now.”
Bah. He stood up and walked away from me. Mercy came through the door just then with a smile. “Perfect timing.”
She flushed and shrugged. “I had a hard time with the cork.”
“Whatever.” I took a deep drink of the wine and huddled in the chair.
She
