Chapter 57
CHAPTER
FIFTY-SEVEN
Andi noticed the change before anyone said a word.
Jack’s shoulders tightened, his easy posture stiffening as his eyes flicked from the road ahead to the rearview mirror—and back again. His fingers adjusted on the steering wheel, grip firmer now, deliberate.
She leaned forward slightly. “Jack?”
He didn’t respond.
“Jack,” she said again, keeping her tone light even as unease crept in. “What’s wrong?”
His jaw worked once. “I don’t want to concern anyone. But I think we might have company.”
Andi followed his gaze to the mirror. A dark sedan cruised two lanes over, close enough that she could see the outline of the driver’s head.
When Jack eased back, the car matched their speed. When he sped up slightly, it stayed with them.
Her stomach tightened.
“Could be coincidence,” Simmy said.
“Could be,” Jack agreed, his gaze flicking to the rearview mirror again. “But I’ve made three lane changes, and he’s still there.”
Duke leaned forward between the seats, eyes sharp now. “You’re sure?”
Jack nodded. “Yeah, I’m positive.”
The sedan drifted closer.
Too close.
Andi’s pulse quickened. She forced herself to keep breathing, to memorize details the way she always did.
The driver wasn’t aggressive. Just persistent.
Jack glanced back. “What do you want me to do?”
Duke didn’t hesitate. “Take the next exit. Go slow. Don’t tip him off.”
Jack signaled and eased off the interstate.
The sedan followed.
The ramp curved down to a wide intersection, a red light waiting at the bottom as Jack rolled to a stop.
The sedan stopped beside them.
Andi’s breath caught.
Before she could say anything, Duke had already opened the door.
“Stay here,” he muttered.
Then he was out of the van, crossing the narrow strip of asphalt between lanes as the light held red.
Andi watched him, her heart pounding and every nerve alive.
She prayed he knew what he was doing.
Duke approached the sedan at a measured pace, hands visible, posture controlled.
The driver noticed him at the last second, and his eyes widened with panic.
“Roll your window down.” Duke kept his voice calm as he motioned in circles just in case the guy didn’t hear him.
The glass slid down with a soft whine, revealing the man’s face.
Up close, the man looked younger than Duke had expected. Early thirties. Nervous.
Not trained. No threatening posture. No edge.
But he also looked . . . familiar.
That’s when it hit him. He’d seen this guy before, at one of their events.
“You’ve been following us,” Duke growled.
The man frowned. “I—I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it looked like that.”
“Why were you following us?”
“I’m a fan. Some might even call me a groupie. I recognized the van back on the freeway, and I just . . . Look, I know this sounds dumb, but I thought maybe I could catch you guys when you stopped. Say hi. Get a picture or something.”
Duke studied him for a long beat before asking, “Do you realize what kind of cases we cover?”
The man nodded quickly. “Yeah. Of course. I mean—that’s why I listen.”
“Then you need to understand something,” Duke said, voice firm now. “Following people—especially us—can get you hurt. Or worse.”
Color crept into the man’s face. “I didn’t think—”
“No,” Duke said. “You didn’t. Danger follows us. We have people who want to hurt us. What you did wasn’t smart.”
The light flipped green in front of them. Cars began to honk.
“I’m sorry,” the man said again. “I’ll go. I swear.”
“Do that. And next time, don’t assume people will know your intentions. We’ve made a lot of enemies. We assumed you were one of them.”
“Got it. I’m . . . I’m sorry. Really, I am.” The man nodded, already pulling back into traffic.
Duke watched until the sedan merged away, then turned back toward the van.
As he climbed inside, all eyes locked on him.
“He’s not a threat,” he told them. “Just a fan who didn’t think things through.”
Relief rippled through the van.
Jack exhaled. “Glad to hear it.”
Duke settled back into his seat and reached for Andi’s hand, grounding himself in the feel of her.
Next time, it might not be someone harmless who decided to follow them.