hands.
“Lisa,” he said , and I could hear that tone of unhappiness in his voice again. “Could you tell Natalie I asked after her? Give her my regards?”
That seemed like a neutral thing to do. I nodded my agreement and headed back to my office.
***
I passed on Charles’ message to Natalie, who just nodded. She seemed sad and out of sorts as well. “Hey,” I asked, “I don’t mean to pry, but is everything okay?”
“I’m not seeing Charles anymore,” she replied tonelessly.
“Did he do something?”
She shook her head. “No,” she said, “I broke it off. It think it is best this way.”
I eyed her. He seemed unusually pensive, and she seemed sad. But I’d learned that sometimes sadness was a necessary by-product. The fact that they were both upset by the ending of their short relationship only implied that they were both human. It didn’t speak to any underlying issues of compatibility.
“If you ever want to talk about it,” I started, but she shook her head again.
“I’m going out for a quick coffee, Lisa,” she said. “Can I get you one as well?”
I didn’t point out that there was a perfectly nice coffee-maker in the office, Patrick’s gift. “I’m good,” I said instead.
I called Patrick next. As he often did, he picked up on the first ring. It was an exceedingly flattering habit.
“Hey,” I greeted him.
“Right back at you, baby,” he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “What’s up?”
“I was just calling to remind you about the people you have shadowing me. I want to meet them?”
“Ah, right,” he said. He sounded a bit sheepish. “Truth be told, I forgot. I’ll call them now.”
“What were you busy doing that you forgot?” I teased him.
He laughed. He sounded embarrassed. “Getting pretty drunk,” he said. “I’m nursing the world’s biggest hangover right now, and am reminding myself that I’m not twenty-one anymore, and recovery from a night of whiskey takes longer than just a few hours.”
I was curious. Patrick drank the same way I did; a drink or two socially. I’d never seen him drunk. “How come? Getting drunk?”
“Andrea. Liam. Round the clock detectives,” he replied. “Pick your poison.”
“Ah. ” I could understand. “Alone?”
“My friend Doug came over,” he said. “Incidentally, can you make a football game next Sunday? I’ve met your friends, I’d really like you to meet mine.”
I bit my cheeks to keep from beaming all over my face. “Sure,” I said. “Mandy’s concert is Saturday night, but I think I’m free all Sunday.”
“It’s a date,” he promised. “Okay, hang up now so I can call David, please, and I’ll call you back.”
***
The two of us met my mysterious protector for lunch. He turned out to be a cheerful young man called Rock. Mid-twenties, broad shoulders, utterly intimidating physique. He looked like the young men who were always at the weights area of my gym.
“Rock? That’s your name?” I asked with utter disbelief as I was introduced, and then winced and apologized at my rudeness.
But Rock just grinned cheerfully. “It’s a nickname,” he said. “But it’s stuck around. Now, Ms. Preston, you won’t be seeing me around if I’m doing my job right, and I tend to do my job right. Just go about your day as per usual. I’ll be lurking in the background.”
He was a big guy. I couldn’t imagine him lurking. Patrick just grinned at my skeptical expression.
“Nothing suspicious so far then?” he asked Rock.
Rock shook his head. “Nope. Really boring job.” He flashed us a cheeky smile to take the sting out of the words. “I like boring,” he added. “Some of our guys are also looking for Mr. Henderson, and of course, Dr. Anderson, you have someone keeping an eye on you as well.”
Patrick nodded with a grimace. “ Brilliant,” was all that he said.
***
We both had to run to work after lunch. “It’s nice seeing you,” I told him. “I’m glad we