Chapter 16

"So someone followed you there?" Nev's full lips pressed into a frown as she watched Jazz across the kitchen table.

"You know I don't miss tails." Jazz sipped flavored decaf coffee from her green mug.

"Then how'd they know where you'd be?"

Jazz reached into her tight jeans pocket and pulled out the pieces of the small tracker she'd disabled. She plunked them on the table.

Nev's mouth dropped open.

"Found it inside the rear bumper."

"So that's what took you so long getting home."

"Well, that and waiting for Hawthorne to change the tire. Then I had to pretend to drive toward home and pull off somewhere so I could look for the tracker."

Nev's dark eyes studied Jazz's face. "You didn't tell him you thought the flat was intentional?"

Jazz lifted one shoulder and took another sip of the hot brew.

"Probably a good idea. How much do we really know about him, besides him being your favorite author?"

"Oh, it's not that I don't trust him." Jazz glanced at her friend. "I just didn't want him to think I was weird or be put off by all the danger we seem to get into."

Nev quirked an eyebrow. "He writes crime fiction." She lifted her mug shaped like a rottweiler head to her mouth. She paused before drinking. "Which could mean he's creepy, actually. You shouldn't just trust him automatically."

"Says the woman who doesn't trust men anyway."

Nev lowered her mug and opened her mouth.

Jazz held up a hand to stop the protest. "Except for Branson. I know." And that in itself was a wonder, given Nev's very good reason for not trusting men. If Jazz had been assaulted the way Nev had, she'd probably steer clear of all men for the rest of her life and be an absolute wreck. Sure was good to see Nev getting her courage back. And to see her so much happier these days. Even if that did mean Jazz had to lose some closeness with her BFF. So long as Nev was happy and at peace, that was the most important thing.

"I think we should ask Cora to tell Phoenix about this." Nev tapped her fingers on the table, making Flash lift his head from the floor and watch her suspiciously. "She might come back early if she knew you're still in danger."

"I don't think so."

Nev leaned forward, her eyebrows drawing together under the blue satin cap that covered her curls. "I don't know why you always think she doesn't like you."

"Because she doesn't."

"You know she act like that with everybody, right?"

Jazz hid a smile as Nev slipped into the Ebonics she only used with her family and Jazz. "You mean like she hates them?"

Nev laughed, leaning back as she lifted her mug again. "She don't act like she hates people. Just like…" Nev cast her gaze to the ceiling, "like she got better things to do than hold your hand."

Jazz narrowed her eyes, though humor twitched her lips. "I don't want her to hold my hand."

"You sure?" Nev grinned.

Jazz stuck out her tongue.

Nev laughed. "Good. 'Cause the boss ain't gonna do that." Nev took another drink of her coffee and lowered the mug to the table, her mouth pressing into a more serious line. "But she can save your life. She take care of her own. The whole PK-9 family."

The PK-9 family. Another family Jazz wasn't a part of. Same with her biological family, the Army family she was supposed to be able to join, and now the Phoenix K-9 family. There really must be something wrong with her. Or maybe it was a jinx, a curse.

"You'll see when Phoenix gets back. She'll take care of this for you. Make sure you safe."

Like she'd done for Nevaeh? Jazz bit back the sarcastic retort. Though she didn't understand how Nev and the other girls at PK-9 could still act like Phoenix was so perfect at saving everyone when she'd failed to keep Nev from getting kidnapped by the same man who'd assaulted her years before.

Nev had almost been killed, even though Phoenix had known she was in danger and was supposedly taking care of it.

Jazz had been in security long enough to know that no one could prevent every attack or foresee every possibility. Phoenix was human just like everyone else, and Jazz didn't blame her for that. But she didn't get why the PK-9 agents still acted like their boss was superhuman and could fix everything when she'd nearly let Nev die.

"You don't think she'll help you." Nev delivered the words as a statement, not a question.

Jazz stared at the dark liquid in her mug and shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I'm cool on my own." A touch on her hand made her look up.

Nev covered Jazz's hand with her own. "I still got your back, girl."

Jazz dug out a smile. "I know." She turned her hand up to squeeze Nev's.

"And that's why I'm gonna look into this Hawthorne Emerson dude. I know you like him."

Jazz pulled her hand away and wrinkled her nose at Nev, not bothering to deny it.

"You even know how long he's here for?"

Jazz frowned. "No." He'd said he was at the fair for research. Did that mean he'd move on right after the fair ended in only nine days?

"He's probably taking off as soon as the fair is done." Nev's echo of her thoughts didn't help soothe the disappointment pooling in Jazz's chest.

"So? We could have a good time before he leaves." A great time, judging from how well they'd clicked tonight at Just Climb It.

Nev's eyebrows lifted. "That what you want? A fling?"

"Be better than anything I've had for a long time." But the pinch in Jazz's heart contradicted her words. Because it would end the same way as most things in her life. With rejection. Getting left behind.

"How do you know he isn't tied in with these three attacks on you?" Nev leveled a stare at Jazz.

"Only two attacks. One punctured tire."

Nev tilted her head to the side with an exasperated expression that said Jazz should knock it off and answer the question.

"Because I trust him. He's a good guy. Very gentlemanly and…"

"Hot? Fun? Oh, and hot?" Nev ticked off the qualities on her fingers.

Jazz laughed and stood, reaching to shove Nev's shoulder. "Yes. And he wants to put me in a novel."

"Ooh, that gotta mean he solid."

"I'm going to bed."

"Running away, you mean." Nev chuckled behind Jazz's retreating back.

"'Night." Jazz didn't look back as Flash caught up with her in the hallway.

"Sleep tight." Nev's voice called out the traditional last words they'd said to each other since their first sleepover at seven years old.

Jazz's smile faded as she reached the guest bedroom that she'd slept in so much it seemed more like her room than the one she had at her apartment. She sat on the edge of the bed, and Flash jumped onto the comforter.

"Beating me to the best spot, huh?" She scratched him behind the ears, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

The handsome face of Hawthorne, his grin and electric teal eyes, filled her vision. She did trust him. She was a good judge of people, and there was something about Hawthorne that put her at ease more than anyone she'd met before. Other than Nev, when they were seven-year-olds meeting for the first time on the school playground. There was something about him that reminded her of Nev.

No, not of Nev specifically, but of how Nev made her feel. At ease. Understood. Appreciated.

Even though she'd only known Hawthorne for three days, she felt more comfortable with him than anyone but Nev. Probably why she'd spilled her guts and her life story all in one conversation. Or was it two conversations?

She snorted and pushed off the bed, going to the dresser to pull out her pj's.

At least thinking about Hawthorne was a lot more pleasant than trying to figure out who was trying to kill her. The theory someone had only been trying to intimidate Aunt Joan by threatening Jazz was blown now that they'd tried again after Aunt Joan was…

The floral print blouse, Aunt Joan's body on the pavement, flashed before her eyes.

Was she really gone?

Jazz swallowed, leaning her hands against the top of the dresser for a moment. Just for a second, as the reality washed over her. She'd never have another chance to get Aunt Joan to like her.

The face of her dad, pale and lifeless on the stark white pillowcase, rose up in her mind like a flashback from a nightmare.

She'd never have another chance at a lot of things.