“What else might Trent have on Babineaux?”

“I don’t know. The police took Trent’s work laptop, but I’m sure there wasn’t anything on it. I heard whoever murdered him stole all the electronics from his house.”

“Anything stored in the cloud?”

“No. He worried that Babineaux could trace anything he stored there, and then he’d know what Trent had discovered.”

This is big, Jo thought.

Atchison snapped a single curse word, loud in the kitchen. “I was nervous before, but I haven’t slept a wink since Trent was killed. I don’t know what to do.”

“Talk to the police. They can put you under protective custody.”

He shook his head. “Babineaux probably has contacts on the force, somebody who’d tell him about me. I have to act as if things are normal.”

“That’s quite a burden to carry.”

He lifted a hand wearily. “What else am I supposed to do?”

She didn’t have an answer, and she knew how trapped he was. She was feeling the same way. If Babineaux had the resources she suspected he did, did he already know about her, and was he suspicious of her being at the bank during the robbery? If that was the case, what would he do with that knowledge?

The doorbell rang, and they both jumped. Fear filled Atchison’s eyes.

“Who could that be?” he murmured.

“I need to go,” she said.

He pointed to the sliding glass doors. “Be careful, okay? I’ll bet Trent isn’t the only person Babineaux had eliminated.”

She got up and went to the doors. Atchison didn’t stop her, only jumped again when the doorbell rang a second time. Jo opened the door, stepped onto the porch, and bent down to scoop up her belongings. She stuffed it all into her pockets as she ran across the dark yard and let herself out through the gate. Then she heard a voice.

“Don’t move.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

JD walked into his living room, his mind awhirl.

“Long day?” Lydia asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

He made a beeline for the credenza, where he fixed himself a Scotch & Soda. Lydia was sitting on a white couch with a martini in her hand. She rarely drank, and never got drunk, but she did enjoy the occasional glass of wine or a martini before dinner. She was dressed simply, in white slacks and a lavender silk blouse, and he thought she’d never looked more beautiful. In his opinion, she could wear a gunnysack and she’d still be gorgeous.

However, he didn’t like the pensive look etched on her face. He hid a grimace—he did not need this.

“Everything okay?” he asked as he sat down in the wingback chair across from her.

“Hm?” She turned to look at him. “Oh, yes.”

“Kline said you turned down another driver today.”

“Yes. I didn’t like her. She was too brisk, not at all friendly.”

Classical music played softly, and Lydia wiggled her foot nervously as her gaze drifted to floor-to-ceiling bookcases on the far wall. She loved books, had them all over the house. They were clutter to him, but if she wanted them, she’d have them.

JD rubbed his chin, giving himself time to think, and time to gather some patience. He had too much else going on—the usual work stuff—but he was also worrying about those other things. Lydia needed to be protected as well, though, now maybe more than ever. If his political career took off, there’d be even more scrutiny on her.

“Perhaps you’re being a little too fussy?” he asked.

Her gaze snapped to him. “What do you mean by that?”

He was taken aback by the tone. Lydia rarely sounded perturbed. He took a long drink and peered at her over the glass. Her blue eyes seemed as cold as a mountain lake, and as isolated.

“Something else bothering you?” he asked.

She stared at him, then shook her head. “Perhaps you have other things to worry about than my driver.”

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing. But I’ve told you before, if you insist I have someone drive me around, I want someone I’m comfortable with, someone I might be able to have a conversation with.”

“I understand that, but there are other criteria as well. We need someone who can protect you, if the need arises.”

“I know, you say that all the time.” She sipped some more of her martini. “I’ll make a decision soon. Will that make you happy?”

His brow furrowed as he looked at her. This really was unusual behavior.

“You’re sure everything’s okay?” he asked again.

“Yes.” Lydia set her glass down on a glass-topped coffee table. “Your meeting last night—or should I say early this morning—ran long.”

JD nodded carefully. “Yes.”

“Did you accomplish what you needed to?”

He eyed her. She rarely wanted to know about his business, always assumed everything was being handled. A troubling thought entered his mind. Did she suspect something?

“You know how things can go,” he said. “We didn’t discuss a whole lot. It was more about showing my loyalty, showing that I could be there in any situation.” He didn’t make up anything about who he’d supposedly met with. The less he elaborated on a lie, the less for him to keep track of, the less potential missteps and pitfalls.

She stared at him before answering. “I see.” Then she jumped up. “I’m going to check on dinner.”

“I’ll see you in a bit.”

JD watched her backside as she walked out of the room. She was definitely in a mood, which worried him. And what about her questions? Kline had driven her home after the party last night, and he hadn’t said she’d been suspicious of his supposed meeting. Had she been? Kline was working hard to make sure everything in the past stayed in the past, as well as his latest rendezvous. JD frowned. He couldn’t have everything crumbling down around him. Not now.

He heard Lydia’s voice as she talked to their cook. His wife may have been snippy with him, but nothing could change how he felt about her. JD finished his drink as he looked around the room, decorated for comfort but still expensively. They both liked to collect artwork, and they had several valuable paintings around the house, along with several sculptures. They wanted for nothing. He could lose all that, truly, as long as he didn’t lose Lydia. Being without her would devastate him like nothing else. Another reason why he couldn’t let everything come out.

JD stood up, fixed himself another drink, then moved to the window, looking out to their large yard, which was dominated by a pool with a rock waterfall, slides, and a hot tub. An old question started nagging at him.