Prodigal Son

Chapter 19

Once in Tommy's Honda, no one followed them to the townhomes, but when they pulled up, there was a red car with the driver still in it parked directly behind her red Mini and Oliver's black pickup.

"Do you want me to keep driving?" Tommy asked.

Oliver shook his head. "No, it's fine. He's not with the press."

"How do you know?" Thea asked.

Tommy pulled alongside and Felicity took a closer look. The guy was wearing a familiar looking red hoodie.

"That's your guy, isn't it? Roy."

"Who?" Thea craned her neck to get a better look. "He's cute." She waved and Roy awkwardly waved back.

Oliver beetled his brows together. "He's not here for that."

Thea gave her brother a suspicious look and crossed her arms. "And why exactly is he here?"

"He's going to follow you two to Verdant and then keep an eye on you while you're there."

"Tommy has security."

"Only during regular business hours and who will also have other duties."

"Besides stalking me? No. No way. I don't need some babysitter standing around and getting in my way."

"Then put him to work. This is nonnegotiable."

"My life isn't up for negotiation."

"My thoughts exactly."

Felicity intervened before either sibling dug in further.

"If it makes your brother feel better, what can it hurt to have an extra pair of hands helping get the place set up? Didn't you say you wanted to rearrange a few things? Plus, Roy has known Oliver for years. Imagine all the dirt."

Thea looked thoughtful and then a gleam came into her eyes. "Ok. He can come."

Concern altered Oliver's frown. When he looked like he was about to object, Felicity hustled him out of the car. "Ok, we should get going. We'll see you at Verdant in a bit."

She followed Oliver out his side of the car, quickly shut the door, and started waving. Tommy took the cue and took off with Roy following on their tail.

Still frowning, Oliver watched them drive away. "I wanted to talk to Roy."

"Warn him off, you mean," she said under her breath.

"What?"

"Never mind. Whatever you have to say can wait an hour."

"An hour? I don't mind the delay"-he was all in favor of a delay for the right reason-"but I thought you just needed your laptop?"

"I need to change." She plucked at the green knit dress she'd been wearing before she changed at the Queen Mansion before the gala. "Plus, my battery finally died so I need my charger and I should call my mom. That will take the longest." Chances were good her mom hadn't watched the news last night; Donna Smoak preferred living in a happy bubble, but someone she worked with might pass on the news later.

"Fine. Just hurry, I want..." Oliver trailed off. He was looking at the front of their townhomes. She looked but didn't see what he was seeing.

"What is it?"

"Something's off."

She fumbled in her purse for a second and came out with a canister of pepper spray. "What do you see?"