“I’m so sorry,” she said.
“No,” he said sharply. “It is not for you to apologize.”
“Darn right,” John said, putting his arm around her shoulders.
“But you lied for me,” she said, wanting desperately for Campagnone to know how much she appreciated his support.
“I didn’t lie,” he said in mock horror. “I only…exaggerated a little bit.”
“By twelve months!” she said.
Campagnone only smiled and shook his head. “It is not the length of the contract I exaggerated. Rather the fact that you have not yet signed it for me.”
She looked at him in a mixture of shock and hope. “You want me to stay.” It wasn’t quite a question.
“Well, of course I do,” Campagnone said. “Do you really think I’d let you go after the way you have been performing? We are lucky to have you.”
“Oh.” She didn’t know what else to say.
Patty Coleman started clapping, and soon everyone joined in. Meg found herself blushing once more.
Laughing, Campagnone put his arm around her and murmured in her ear. “Just remember, mia bella ragazza: I still cannot pay you a quarter of what you were earning touring Europe.”
“But I don’t need a quarter of what I was earning to live in Nashville.”
“True enough!”
He stepped back and looked at John. “You will bring her to us first thing in the morning, so she can sign the contract, yes?”
John grinned. “Yes, sir.”
“Good.” He reached out to shake hands with both John and Bart. “Now take her home and keep her safe.”
“You bet.”
But as they left the hall, Meg was left to wonder what else her father had in mind. She knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t give up so easily.
39
“We’ve picked up a tail,” Matt said, glancing in his rearview mirror as he drove them toward home.
“I thought that was too easy,” Candace said.
Once they had all piled into the SUV safely, Bart had filled everyone in on what had happened at the reception.
“Let ’em follow us home,” Mark said. “We’re ready for ’em.”
“No!” Meg said. “Please. Shifting will not protect you from bullets, and I know my father’s companions are armed.”
“She’s right,” Mel said. “And besides that, we don’t know what kind of trouble he can make for this family, if you all become bears and beat up on him.”
“I had somethin’ else in mind, darlin’,” Bart said, pulling out his cell phone.
After a moment, someone answered.
“I need to speak with Lieutenant Ferguson.”
“Who is Lieutenant Ferguson?” Meg asked Mel.
Mel smiled. “Listen and learn.”
“Ferguson? Bart Saint, here. We may be headin’ for a little trouble tonight, and we could use your help.”
Five minutes later, Bart ended his call.
“Who is Lieutenant Ferguson?” Meg asked once more.
“He’s a very nice police officer who helped me,” Candace said.
“He’s a Shifter, too,” Addy said, “so he understands.”
“And knows how to keep a secret,” Luke added.
“What do you want me to do, Uncle Bart?” Matt asked from the driver’s seat.
“Just head on home, Matt.”
“You’re going to confront them,” Meg said fearfully.
“No, we’re not,” John said, taking her hand. “Lieutenant Ferguson is. Right Uncle Bart?”
“That’s right. As soon as we pull in, Mel, I want you and the other the ladies to head up to your apartment. Go inside, lock the door, but don’t turn the lights on.
“Addy, as soon as you’re in, I want you to Shift. Sittin’ in the dark, you’re gonna need the eyes, ears, and nose of your cat, just in case somebody’s stupid enough to try to get in through the front or up the fire escape.”
“I’ll be ready for them,” Addy said.
“I’m countin’ on it.”
“What about all of you?” Mel said, sounding worried.
“Well, we’ll be waitin’ for the old man and his bodyguards in the parkin’ lot.”
“But…!” Meg began.
“Now, don’t you be worryin’ none, Meg, ’cause right behind your father and his men, there are gonna be a handful of police cruisers pullin’ in with their blue lights flashin’.”
John grinned. “I’m guessin’ if your daddy’s men are armed, they’re gonna be spendin’ the night in jail.”
“At the very least,” Mel said.
Ten minutes later, they pulled into the parking area behind the big house, and the women scrambled out. Mel led the way up the back stairs to their apartment, leaving the lights off as they entered and locking the door behind them.
“Let’s sit in the living room,” she whispered. “Come on.”
Mel, Candace, and Meg sat on the couch, side-by-side, and in another moment, Meg saw one of the room’s shadows Shift. The next thing she knew, there was a huge, yellow cat leaning against their legs.
Mel absently scratched Addy’s back, and Candace rubbed her ears. Meg sank her fingers into that thick, tawny fur and held on.