Neil moved into the backyard, looked around, and found nothing out of place. He walked to the back fence and looked over to the other side. There was a base around a Jacuzzi complete with a small bar set up. Lucky for him the naked neighbors liked to tub in the dark.

It was midday.

He glanced up at the second story of Gwen’s home and noticed an open window.

Neil walked into Karen’s unusually warm bedroom. He moved through it to the window and tugged it closed. The view to the naked neighbors wasn’t ideal from this perch so he moved to the next room over.

Gwen’s room was filled with soft colors and plush textures. Feminine, just like the woman. The space smelled like her too.

He peeked out the window. “Nice naked view.” He’d laugh if it weren’t screwing with his surveillance.

Something flashed in the corner of his eye. He looked beyond the houses to the hillside that separated Tarzana from Woodland Hills. It was one of the nice features of the location of the house. There was one row of houses behind Gwen, and then a park.

For Neil, it was both a blessing and a pain. A blessing that there were fewer neighbors, a pain because anyone could be hiding in the acres of brush.

He searched for the source of the light but didn’t find anything.

While Kenny’s men worked, Neil took a walk around the neighborhood. Paying close attention to the house directly behind Gwen’s. The shades were drawn and two newspapers were stacked on the front porch. There wasn’t a car parked in the driveway. From the look of the neighborhood, most of the residents parked a car in the driveway or on the street. Very few houses had empty space in front of the garage doors.

Neil attempted a smile and walked to the door and knocked twice.

No one answered.

He tried to look inside the bay window to the front room. They had blackout shades making it impossible to see anything inside. Blackout shades were a staple in Vegas, but in suburbia? Not so much.

Why would people who parade around the backyard naked hide from the front yard?

Neil knew he was as inconspicuous as a semi truck in a parking lot full of Smart cars. So instead of walking around the house, he moved away from the front door and back around the block. For the most part, the neighborhood was quiet. As much as he hated the fact that he couldn’t control it in every way, it could be worse.

He turned a full circle, looking around.

He felt naked walking the streets in the wide-open world without the security of an AK in his hands.

How f**ked up was that?

It didn’t help that Rick had dropped a load of shit on his door two days ago. They were both putting out calls to the fourth man who made it out alive.

So far nothing. Mickey wasn’t taking calls, or wasn’t around. He could have gone back in. Units like his seldom left the military, making it a career for life.

He hoped to hell Mickey had gone back in. The thought of something sinister happening to him…to any of them, made Neil sick.

And Billy was dead.

How did anyone get past him?

Back at the house, the wiring for the back door had been replaced, the motion detectors in the backyard swapped out. Neil and the men who worked for him simulated several break-in scenarios, all of which screamed the alarm and notified Neil’s phone and the monitors Dillon watched over at his base.

Neil checked the time, it was nearly five. He considered waiting for Gwen or Karen to return, but remembered Gwen’s ultimatum in the bar.

Back off or step up.

She couldn’t have made herself more clear and after spending the day at the firing range, she’d probably think he was stepping up.

And that couldn’t happen.

He checked the GPS on Gwen’s car, which he’d slipped under her hood when she’d purchased the car.

She was inching through traffic on the freeway, but headed home.

Neil made a point of pulling out before she saw him.

On his way to Malibu, he sent her a text, telling her the monitor and alarms were back up and running correctly. Told her to let him know if there were any more problems.

She didn’t call.

He noticed when she arrived home. He watched her walk through the house, and then check the back door. A look of disappointment crossed her face as she moved into her office and turned on her computer.

Neil left the audio feeds on and listened to every sound in the house. A one-sided conversation on the phone led him to understand that Karen wasn’t coming home again that night.

According to a conversation with Blake earlier that week, Neil learned that Karen would be moving by the following weekend.

Gwen living alone meant the noises of the Tarzana home were going to be his constant companion. Someone needed to look out for her.

Chapter Ten

“You can always back out.” Gwen and Karen sat tucked in a private back corner in a Ruth’s Chris steakhouse.

Karen shook her head. “No way.” She lowered her voice. “The money’s already in the trust.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Karen smiled. “It’s going to be a great year, Gwen. It’s like a long paid vacation where I get to meet new friends and spoil the kids at the center.”

Gwen felt it was her duty to give Karen the out if she wanted it. In theory, getting married for a short time for a lot of money sounded doable…until one said “I do,” then there were doubts.

Gwen lifted her glass of champagne and clicked it to Karen’s. “To a fabulous year.”

“Hear, hear.”

They drank and Gwen continued. “You’ll be back before Aruba, right?”

“Of course. That’s on a Friday?”

“Yes. Why?” Gwen had confirmed the dates with Samantha and Blake, who were planning on going straight to Aruba from Albany.

“Michael told me his Fridays are almost always free. Even if he can’t stay in Aruba, he can make it for the day.”

“That’s a bit of a flight for a day trip.”

“Apparently he doesn’t think so. Says he does that kind of stuff all the time.”

“Eliza and I will be there early. You’re welcome to join us if you can.”

“I’ll try. I assume your mother is coming?”

Gwen hadn’t thought of her in a while. “I can’t imagine her not showing up. Although I don’t think I can stand one more pitying glance from her.”

“What do you mean?”

“Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.”

“Oh.” Karen buttered a piece of bread. “I’m sure she just wants to see you happy. Most mothers do.”