“My accountant recommended an estate sale.”

  “I can give you some names,” he said. “They’re good and they’re fast.”

  “That’d be great.”

  They walked back into the empty garage, and he lowered the door. “What used to sit in here?”

  “A Jaguar convertible and the biggest Mercedes money can buy.”

  He grunted. “I can see why you didn’t jump on the Monte Carlo.”

  Yes, that life was gone. She nursed a barb of regret and self-pity. It was nice while it lasted.

  They backtracked to the foyer where she did a full turn, taking in the minute designer details she’d worked so hard to curate into an enviable home.

  “Do you need some time alone?” Grim asked.

  She shook her head. “No. Let’s get out of here.”

  Chapter 26

  “I WONDER if the mighty Oak tree is teaching today?” Octavia teased.

  Linda unhooked her seatbelt and reached for her tote bag. “Oakley and I are in a good place.”

  “You kissed and made up?”

  She gave her sister a withering look. “Stop. He’s been quizzing me for the exam.” But as she climbed out, she relived the close call they’d had when he’d come to apologize. It made her wonder…

  No. She wasn’t going to have a fling with Oakley as a reaction to Sullivan’s betrayal. She hadn’t gone back to his phone to learn the full extent of his relationship with the woman who’d left the messages. There was plenty of time later to learn the agonizing details and marinate in misery.

  It would be cathartic.

  They were running late so the classroom was full and Chuck was talking when they walked in. Linda was surprised to see Stone standing in the corner of the room, resting his big body casually against the wall. He nodded hello. She lifted her hand.

  “This should be interesting,” Octavia whispered as she took her seat.

  Linda ignored her.

  “To lead today’s segment on self-defense, please welcome Stone Calvert, who manages a gym here in town. Mr. Calvert is also a veteran of this class, and he’s certified to work as a bounty hunter, or as it’s referred to in this state, pre-trial services.”

  Linda exchanged a surprised look with Octavia. The man had credentials.

  And, she quickly learned when Stone launched into teaching, the man was no dummy.

  “The most important thing about self-defense is to be aware of your surroundings at all times. You want to see trouble before it’s coming and try to find a way to diffuse it.” His gaze landed on her. “It’s far better to avoid trouble than to try to figure out how to get out of it.”

  She lifted her chin. No one knew that better than a mom.

  “When you’re doing surveillance,” he continued, “anything can happen. You could get made, and the person could be angry and confrontational. Or someone might mistake you for a criminal. Or maybe they’re armed… or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. People are unpredictable, so you have to be the one who remains calm and collected. I give a free comprehensive self-defense class at my gym that you’re all welcome to take. But today I want to review some basics so you can plan to be safe when you go out on investigation jobs.”

  As he talked, Linda took copious notes, but found herself lulled by the cadence of the big man’s voice. And she had to admit, she was seeing him in a different light.

  “After the break,” Stone said, “we’ll come back and have a couple of demonstrations.”

  The class broke up and Stone headed toward her… only to be cut off by Candy Lewis, who angled her body close to his. The woman was his physical match, to be sure.

  “Come on,” Octavia murmured, nodding to the door. “Let her wear herself out.”

  Linda frowned but followed her sister out into the hall. Octavia muffled a yawn. “Oh, God this is so boring.”

  “You should be paying attention. This is good information, especially for you. You take too many chances.”

  “And you don’t take enough,” Octavia said. “I guess we even each other out.”

  Linda frowned. “You’ve been tart lately. Is something bothering you?”

  Octavia leveled her blue-eyed gaze in her direction. “Right back at you, Sis.”

  Linda swallowed hard. She’d tried to hide her anxiety over finding out her husband had been unfaithful, but apparently she wasn’t doing a good job. She’d considered telling Octavia a dozen times because her sister could relate, but something made her want to keep the secret.

  To protect Sullivan’s reputation… and her own.

  She stewed for the rest of the break and when they returned, the desks had been pushed to the walls. In the middle of the room was an apparatus that resembled a male stuffed torso sitting on a weighted base.

  “Okay, as you can see,” Stone said. “I’ve set up what’s known as a Bob Dummy. This is just to give everyone an idea of how hard you have to hit a person to incapacitate them. Show of hands, how many people in the room have never thrown a punch?”

  Although it seemed silly to be embarrassed about never being in a fist fight, Linda sheepishly put her hand in the air, as well as most of the women in the room and a good portion of the men.

  Octavia didn’t and when Linda arched an eyebrow her way, she just shrugged. “Bar fight in college.”

  “So I want everyone to line up,” Stone said, “and take a punch at Bob. And keep throwing punches until the red light comes on.”

  Linda was halfway back in the line and almost everyone in front of her was able to get the red light to come on within two or three punches. When it was her turn, she nervously stepped up, balled her hand into a fist, and threw a punch that barely registered.

  The class tittered. “A little harder,” Stone said.

  She tried again, but in truth, it felt like an alien movement to her and the punch fell flat.

  “A little harder,” Stone suggested, then came to stand next to Bob. “I know you have it in you,” he murmured for her ears only. “I’ve seen you mad.”

  Her cheeks flamed when she remembered chasing him and Oakley off her lawn.

  “Just think of something that makes you angry,” he said.

  The woman’s voice message immediately popped into her head.

  “Did you think of something?”

  She nodded.

  “Okay, center all your emotion and anger onto that one thing. Imagine it’s coming toward you, threatening everything you hold sacred.”

  Anger sparked in her stomach and roared to her chest. How dare Sullivan betray her? How dare he put everything they’d worked for on the line? How dare he quit on her before she could quit on him?

  “Now punch it,” Stone said.

  She squeezed her hand into a fist and yelled as her pent-up fury exploded out. Her fist slammed into Bob again and again. The red light went off and she still kept punching. It felt so damn good.

  “Whoa,” Stone said, touching her arm lightly. She dropped her hand and flexed her fingers. She was sweating and her heart was pounding. The room had fallen silent. Wide eyes stared at her.

  “You okay?” Stone asked.

  Linda nodded. “Better now.”

  Chapter 27

  OCTAVIA STEERED the motorcycle around a line of orange cones Grim had set up in a parking lot. She leaned too far and bumped a cone, then overcorrected and was forced to put her feet down to keep from losing control. “Dammit!”

  “Relax,” Grim called. “Center yourself on the bike and try again.”

  She inhaled deeply, then picked up her feet and found the sweet spot of balance, then finished the maneuver.

  “Better! Try again, up and back.”

  She repeated the drill and thought she was getting the hang of it when she cut too close, jerked the handlebars and before she realized it, was on the ground, still straddling the bike.

  She heard the sound of Grim’s footsteps hurrying toward her. “Don’t panic. Get out from under it. Use your legs.”

  She lifted her top leg then used it to shove the bike off her pinned leg and pushed to her feet, shaken.

  “Are you okay?” Grim asked, looking her up and down. “Exhaust pipe didn’t get you, did it?”

  She looked down to see a round burn mark on the inside of her boot.

  “Gear saved you that time,” he said.

  “Sorry,” she said, gesturing to the bike. “Did I scratch it?”

  “It doesn’t matter. Bikes get scratched and dented if you ride them. You’re going to go down sometimes—a stray gravel or a slick oil stain are unavoidable. The important thing is you don’t panic and get yourself out if you’re pinned.”

  She nodded, feeling better. “Okay.”

  “This is a good time to see if you can pick up your bike.”

  She looked at the machine lying on its side. “I can’t.”

  “You’ll have to sooner or later.” He crossed his tatted arms. “I thought you said you worked with a personal trainer for the past several years. Let’s see what you got.”

  She walked over to the bike and tried to wrestle it up using the handlebars, but couldn’t stand it up.

  “Turn your back to it and squat down,” Grim said. “Put your fingers under the edge of the seat and use your legs to push it up.”

  She did and within a few seconds, had righted it. “I did it!”

  “Of course you did. You can do anything.”

  She looked up at him. His expression was serious… intent.

  “You can do anything, Octavia.”

  The way he said it made her believe it.

  Grim nodded to the bike. “Get back on it—it’s like riding a horse. You gotta jump back in saddle after you hit the ground. You can’t be afraid of it.”

  She nodded, then straddled the bike with a new sense of respect. She centered herself, then went through the drill several more times until she’d mastered the turns.

  “Good job,” Grim said.

  When she removed her helmet, she sighed. “But when do I get to ride?”

  “After you conquer the basics,” he said. “You’re making great progress.” Then he pursed his mouth. “But if you want to ride, I’ll take you out on my bike some time.”

  His tone was light… probing. Octavia envisioned riding behind him on the open road, her arms and legs wrapped around him—

  Her phone rang inside the zipped pocket of the leather jacket. She pulled it out to see “Louisville Metro Department of Corrections” on the screen. She gritted her teeth, then swiped to dismiss it.

  “What’s that about?” Grim asked. He’d obviously seen the source of the call.

  “Um, Richard is planning his defense.”

  “And he wants you there beside him?”

  She tingled under his gaze and the feeling sharpened her tongue. “That’s none of your concern.”

  Grim’s jaw hardened. “Right. That reminds me—I got a call from Excellent Equine.”

  At the mention of the company that owned Mercury, her head came around. “And?”

  “Apparently one of your neighbors saw my truck in your driveway and gave the info to them. They wanted to know if I had a current address for you.”

  She wet her lips. “What did you tell them?”

  “Told them I didn’t know an Octavia Habersham.” He shrugged. “I mean, I really don’t, do I?”

  Octavia lifted her chin. “No. You don’t.”

  Chapter 28

  “YOU WILL have three hours to complete the exam,” Chuck said to the class of about twenty students. “You can’t use notes, dictionaries, or any other resources. Your phones and other devices must be stowed at all times. No smartwatches or smart glasses. If you need to use the restroom, you will have an escort. This is a scaled exam. There are no penalties for wrong answers, so don’t leave any blank. You will receive your exam results by mail. If you pass the exam, you’ll attach the letter to your license application. If you fail, you will have the opportunity to take it again in six months. Are there any questions?”

  Linda was questioning everything, including agreeing to Octavia’s cockamamie idea to start their own agency. What was she thinking? That she would somehow morph from a housewife and stay-at-home Mom into some kind of super sleuth?

  She glanced over at Octavia, who looked pale and nervous. Great. Both of them were probably going to fail the exam. She and Oakley would have a big laugh at her silly aspiration, and she’d beg for the bank job, if it was still available.

  And Octavia would live on her futon forever.

  Chuck held up a digital timer then set it on a table. “And the exam starts… now. Good luck, everyone.”

  Linda opened the thick booklet in front of her. At the sight of the dense text and the sheer number of questions, panic crowded her lungs. Blood rushed in her ears. She took several deep breaths… and gradually began to relax. If she failed, it wouldn’t be for lack of trying. She read the first question and felt about seventy-five percent sure of the answer she chose, then kept moving down the page.

  As the time ticked by, she occasionally glanced at her sister. From the tenseness of Octavia’s jaw and the stiff body language, she inferred things were not going well. She tried not to let it affect her own focus, but it was impossible. She had a lot riding on this venture, but Octavia had put everything on one number and spun the roulette wheel. If this didn’t pan out…

  Linda looked back to her test and kept moving. Keep moving forward.

  When she marked the answer to the last question, thirty minutes remained on the clock. She reviewed her answer sheet to make sure she hadn’t left any blank, then stood and walked her exam to the front table. Chuck gave her a warm smile and slid the answer sheet into the envelope with her name on it, sealed it, then stamped over the flap.

  It was out of her hands, literally.

  She walked out into the hall to wait for Octavia and checked her phone for messages. The coupon had been sent to area homes today. Klo hadn’t left a message and she resisted the urge to call her. Octavia wanted her to see the new furniture, so they were going to the agency anyway.

  Until she got bad news, she could keep thinking it might be good.

  Her phone buzzed and when Oakley’s name came up, she smiled and connected the call. “Hi.”

  “How’d it go?”

  “It was hard, like you said. I honestly don’t know.”

  “Which section was the most challenging?”

  “The section on state statutes, for sure.”

  “As it should be. But I’m sure you did better than you think.”

  But would it be enough to pass? She set her jaw. “Meanwhile, I’ve been thinking about your friend who offered me the bank job before. Do you think she’d be willing to consider me again?”

  Oakley was silent for a few seconds. “I’m sure she would, but I think you should wait to see how you did on the exam.”

  She exhaled. “You do?”

  “I do.”

  Linda closed her eyes briefly. “Thank you, Oakley.” She looked up to see Octavia emerging from the room. “Oh, there’s Octavia. I should go.”

  “Okay. Talk soon.”

  She ended the call, then walked up to meet her sister, who looked as if she’d run a marathon.

  “It was a massacre,” Octavia whispered.

  Linda tried not to react. “I thought it was hard, too. Oakley says we probably did better than we think.”

  “One can hope. I need a drink.”

  “Later.” She gestured to the exit. “I want to see the new furniture at the agency and find out if the coupon has generated any leads.”

  Octavia grunted. “The way our day is going, this could be brutal.”

  On the drive to the agency, Linda ventured, “So… you and Grim Hollister.”

  Her sister stiffened. “What do you mean?”

  “You’ve been spending a lot of time at his place… and I know he drove you to Louisville. Is something going on between the two of you?”

  Octavia scoffed. “No. Have you seen that mustache?”

  “I didn’t think so. I mean, the two of you are so different.”

  “I’m just spending as much time with Mercury as I can.” She sighed. “I’m afraid the day is coming when I’ll have to give him back.”

  Linda knew she was thinking about the pony their father had so lavishly bestowed on her, only for it to be taken away after she’d become attached to it. “Maybe not,” Linda said cheerfully.

  “I have to start generating an income soon,” Octavia said. “I can’t live on your futon forever.” She turned her head. “Or can I? No, don’t answer that.”

  Linda didn’t want to. “Still no luck on the Pierce case?”

  “No luck at all, and the deadline is tomorrow.”

  Linda made a rueful noise. They needed a break—soon.

  She slowed the van to pull into the strip mall, parked in front of the agency and cut off the engine. They sat in silence for a few seconds, staring at their big, honking sign.

  “We might as well go in and face the music,” Octavia said.

  They climbed out and dragged themselves to the front door. When they walked in, Klo was on the phone—a good sign. But when they realized she was phoning in a lunch order, they deflated.

  “But look at this place,” Linda said, surveying the new table and chairs and loveseat for guests to wait. And Klo’s office chair was new.

  When she opened the door to Sullivan’s office, she gasped. A beautiful blue wool rug covered the floor. Two blond-wood desks sat facing each other, with matching navy leather chairs. Two bookcases filled the space perfectly, and even her untrained eye could tell it was all top-quality. She pulled Octavia into a hug. “I love it.”

  “I’m glad. I was afraid you’d be… sad. We set Sullivan’s desk in the storage room.”

  Linda nodded. She’d decide what to do with it later. She bit down on the inside of her cheek—yet one more thing she was postponing.

  When Klo ended her call, they walked back to the main room.

  “Well,” Linda said, mentally crossing her fingers, “did we have any response to the coupon?”