Ned drove to the restaurant and met Lee and me.

After the introductions and a recap of the story, Ned told me that I should go somewhere and lie low for a while. Lee suggested her place. Ned told her that Friday and Gannon had seen me with her and that they might already know where she lived.

Lee wrapped her arms around herself, like the thought of them breaking into her house froze her bones.

I thought Ned could have been a little more gentle when he told her, but he'd been looking at Lee ever since he'd arrived. It was like he didn't like her there with me-- almost as if he was the one I should have been having dinner with. We should have been the ones walking to his car. He was the one I should have been thinking about.

"The DA's office has some safe houses around town. I'll get the boss to let you use one until those two tire of messing with you. It shouldn't be too long."

We headed to 'the place' after Ned had a police car follow Lee home.

*****

The place looked like my first apartment when I got to LA.

In other words, a dump.

I looked out the window. The hotel was one of those old types that had a courtyard in the center that the building surrounded. I saw the lights on across the way. I wondered how many others there were hiding out from there past mistakes in those rooms.

A cockroach crawled near my foot.

I turn and looked at Ned. "This is the best that the County can do?"

"Yes."

"I should let them just shoot me."

"That can be arranged."

"It was a joke."

"So was mine."

I looked back out the window and felt my world close in on me. This wasn't the time to be macho. Out there in the city were two men who wanted me dead.

I felt my bones freeze.

I felt Ned's hand touch my shoulder.

I closed my eyes. "I'm scared."

He put his arms around me.