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Danny’s pulse quickened. She stepped back, turned, hurried down the steps and climbed into her truck. She locked her door, pulled out her cell phone and called the first person she could think of.

Jacques answered on the first ring. “Danny? Everything okay?”

“I don’t think so,” she said, staring up at her apartment door.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded. “Where are you?”

“I’m outside my apartment. I think someone broke in.”

“Get somewhere safe,” Jacques ordered. “I’m on my way. Stay on the line with me.”

“I need to call the sheriff and Yaya,” she said.

“Stay on the line. Text Yaya and have her call 911 for you,” Jacques said. “I’ll be there in five minutes or less. Just, please, stay on the line with me until I get there or the sheriff arrives.”

“Putting you on speaker.” She pressed the button. “Still there?”

“I’m still here,” Jacques said. “Getting in my vehicle now.”

Danny sent a text to Yaya, telling her to call the sheriff and send them to her apartment. Her phone rang immediately. “Yaya’s calling me.”

“Stay with me, babe,” Jacques said. “Send her another text to let her know you’re on the phone with me.”

Danny did, adding a note to say she was safe and Jacques was on the way. Yaya responded that she was on the way and would be there in seven minutes.

“Still with me?” Jacques asked. “Two minutes and I’m there. I hear a siren. Sounds like the sheriff’s on the way. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I just didn’t want to go in my apartment until I know whoever broke in isn’t still there.”

“Right move,” Jacques said. “I know you can take care of yourself, but when you don’t know what to expect, being cautious is the right thing to do.”

When she didn’t respond, he said, “Talk to me, Danny, so I don’t lose my mind.”

She wanted to say she’d missed him at the bar and grill, but she couldn’t. Instead, she said, “I didn’t see you at the Crawdad Hole this evening. Did one of the families staying at the boarding house share their dinner with you?”

“Actually, I stayed at the boat factory, working,” Jacques said. “I haven’t had dinner. Why? Did you miss me?”

Yes.

“Just curious,” Danny said. “You eat there a lot.”

“It’s not much fun cooking for one,” Jacques said. “With so many of my teammates going home to their significant others, it gets lonely. There’s always someone to hang out with at the Crawdad Hole.”

“You could go to Mimi’s Diner,” she offered, not really wanting him to change his habit of eating where she worked.

“Oh, I do,” he said, “sometimes for breakfast and lunch. For dinner, I prefer the Crawdad Hole. I like the food and the entertainment there.”

“We don’t have music that often,” Danny said.

“There’s a certain sassy red-haired waitress I like to watch to see what she’s going to say or do next. Never a dull moment when she’s around.”

“I’m not part of the entertainment,” Danny said. “I’m just trying to do my job.” Though she protested, his words warmed her heart.

“I’m here for you, Danny,” he said, his tone deep and silky.

Headlights flashed in the alley. Moments later, Jacques parked beside her truck and jumped out.

By the time Danny unlocked her door and pushed it open, Jacques was there. When he reached up for her, she fell into his arms.