“We don’t always deal with rational people in my business. And some of the most irrational know how to present a normal face to the world.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“Keep digging into his background—and find out if he has alibis for the incidents in question.”

“If he is the guilty party, Meg’s clueless. She’s as honest as they come.”

His lips thinned into a taut line. “Love can make people behave in . . . surprising ways.”

Was he thinking about his bad experience with Karen? The one he hadn’t shared over carrot cake and coffee?

Perhaps . . . but this wasn’t the time to delve into that.

“Well, bad as I feel for Meg if your evidence nails Steve, I’m glad this may be winding down for a bunch of reasons—including the health of my bank account. I got the Phoenix rate sheet and about had a heart attack. Forking out those big bucks would have been painful.”

Twin grooves creased Brent’s brow. “We’re not home free yet. As long as the perpetrator is out there, so is the danger.”

A shiver rolled through her. “Does that mean you think I should still hire Phoenix?”

“I know it’s a big expense.” His frown deepened, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “If you can hunker down here for the next couple of days, I’ll arrange to have the patrol officer in the area do a few walk-arounds outside during each shift. I’ll also check with Sarge on available resources to keep Jackson under surveillance. I know you have the radio program on Friday, but I’d be happy to escort you to and from the station. By the weekend, this may be over.”

Brent was willing to play bodyguard on his own time?

Her spirits rose.

“You do realize I leave the house at five-fifteen on program days.”

“I assumed you got an early start. I can sleep in on Saturday.”

“I don’t know . . .” She studied him. Was he simply being kind . . . or was there a deeper meaning behind his concern? And could she find out? “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want to impose.”

He captured her gaze. Held it. “Trust me. I’ll sleep better if I know you’re safe.”

The intensity in his eyes sizzled through her, short-circuiting her lungs.

Even if the left side of his brain didn’t want to have anything to do with romance, the right side was sending different signals to his heart.

She’d wanted confirmation that his motivation was more than friendly concern—and boy, did she have it.

Breathe, Eve.

She forced her lungs to inflate and nodded. “Okay. I can hang around here until the next show. I’m giving a speech a week from Saturday, and I have to prep anyway.”