“But how do you know the person following him isn’t one of the guys who’s in on it too?”
“I’ll use one of the guys you’ve already read.” Skeeter’s tone left no room for argument. “You look like you’re feeling well enough to walk. What do you think?”
“Do I smell like barf?” I could only imagine what that would do for my image.
He grinned and bent his face into my neck, his mouth and nose less than an inch from my skin. He breathed in, then out, his breath warm on my skin. “You smell good.”
I elbowed him in the stomach.
He gasped and stepped back, laughing as he clutched his gut. “What the hell was that for?”
“For messing around. It’s never gonna happen with me, Skeeter, so let it go.”
He backed out of the bathroom, his hands raised. “You can’t blame a guy for trying.”
I lowered my veil and studied myself in the mirror. With the veil down, I looked no worse for wear. “If I’m leaving, then let’s go.”
“Let me leave the room first,” Skeeter said, “then follow me. Lady, can you say something about having to leave due to an emergency? Then Jed will take you to the car.”
“I can do it.”
I followed Skeeter into the room full of men. I noticed Bear wasn’t in the room and neither was Neil Winn. Did that mean Neil was the other man in my vision?
Skeeter stopped in the middle and plastered on his cocky grin. “Gentlemen, I know you were all looking forward to meeting Lady tonight, but unfortunately, she’s been called away.” He turned to me.
“Yes,” I said, fighting a fresh round of nausea. “Something has come up with one of my warehouses, and I have to get back to address it. But thank you to those I met. I look forward to meeting the rest of you when I return.” Even if I had no intention of voluntarily returning.
Jed gave me a tiny push on my back, and I headed for the door to the hallway. We moved down the hall toward the exit, Jed in a bigger hurry than I thought necessary, but I wasn’t about to argue.
The car wasn’t in front of the building where Jed had dropped me off. He silently pointed it out to me across the lot, but when we reached it, Neil Winn stepped out of the shadows of a truck, a twisted grin on his face.
“Lady, you aren’t leaving already, are you? We haven’t had a chance to chat.”
“She’s been called away for an emergency,” Jed said, stepping between us. “You can talk to her the next time she’s in town.”
“I don’t think so.” Neil lifted a handgun and pointed it at Jed’s chest. “I think we’ll talk now.”
The fear coursing through my blood added to my nausea. Neil Winn looked prepared to use the weapon in his hand, and Jed looked prepared to call him on it. “Jed, it’s a long drive back to Louisiana. I think I can spare a few minutes for Mr. Winn.”
“You know my name?” Neil asked.
“Of course. I know all of Skeeter’s top men.” I moved next to Jed, my heart racing. “But I’m not gonna say a word to you unless you get rid of that gun.”
Neil hesitated. “Fine, but I want to talk without Skeeter’s boy listening. He steps away, and I’ll put the gun away.”
Jed shook his head and said in disgust, “There’s no way in hell—”
I put my hand on Jed’s arm. “Jed, I’ll do it.”
“No.”
Neil took a step closer, aiming his gun at me now. “I’ll shoot her, Jed. I know how important she is to Skeeter. Do you want to risk that?”
“Skeeter’s gonna kill you, Winn. You know that, right? You hurt a hair on her head, you’re a dead man.”
“I’m only gonna hurt her if you don’t back away.”
Jed searched my face, not that he could see it through the veil. I felt like crap and wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep for the next day and a half, but I couldn’t let Jed get hurt, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to find out if Neil was the guy in Bear’s vision.
I lifted my chin, trying to reason through this. “Jed only backs up enough so that he can’t overhear you. He’s not leaving.”
Neil laughed. “Fine. But if you act like you’re gonna do something stupid, Jed, I’m gonna kill her and you.”
“Jed, go,” I forced out, trying not to shake with fear.
Jed leaned closer and lowered his voice. “You don’t have to do this.”
“We both know I do,” I whispered, still keeping an eye on Neil.
Jed turned his head slightly so his mouth couldn’t be seen. “I have my own gun, and if I think he’s about to hurt you, I won’t hesitate to kill him.”
I nodded.
Jed lifted his hands as if in surrender. “I’m stepping away.”
“About damn time,” Neil muttered as Jed continued to walk backward. He stopped in the middle of the parking lot and dropped his hands to his sides.
“He’s far enough,” I said. “Put away the gun.”
He stuffed it into the waistband of his jeans. I had the fleeting hope that he’d accidently shoot his foot or an appendage even closer to the gun tip and undoubtedly more cherished, and I didn’t even feel bad about it.