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“Where did he work then?”
“At a startup software company. It went under three years ago and after that, nothing. That’s why I couldn’t locate his so-called boss. But one of his colleagues from the company mentioned he and another guy might have been into selling drugs after things went south.”
“At the nursing home?” Why can’t I let this go? Though I hated Justin’s lack of ambition while we were together, I enjoyed thinking of him rescuing little old ladies. It was one of the reasons I liked him so much. He was tender and…an excellent liar. Goodness, my relationship with him was like one big red flag flying in front of my face but I was so colorblind I thought it was green.
His brows furrow. “Uh, I don’t think he sold drugs at a nursing home. I guess it’s possible. Anyway, I found the other guy so…”
I clap my hands, liking where this is going. I’ll go find Leah tomorrow when I can sneak away from Caleb. Tonight though…“We’re going to go get him, right?”
His shoulders drop. “We don't have evidence of anything.”
“Oh.” I fall back against the vanity.
“But…” he starts and I bolt back upright. “We can go on a stakeout.”
“I’m in!” I say, much too eagerly.
“I thought you might be.” His eyes crinkle in the corners.
A stakeout with Caleb. The two of us, all alone in a dark sedan, watching and listening. Until the sounds of each other’s heartbeats are all we can hear and the windows fog up. Then he reaches over the seat and grabs my face, planting the kiss on me I’ve been dreaming about since, well, since two hours ago.
He clears his throat and I’m positive my thoughts must be written in Sharpie across my forehead.
“You know this won’t be very fun, right?” he asks.
Won’t be fun? Was he not aware of the scene that took place in my head?
I told him I wouldn’t kiss him, but how could he resist me in dark, cramped quarters? “So, a little, boring stakeout? Perfect. I’ll go change.”
Note to self: when Caleb says boring, he means boring. No food, no bathroom breaks, no music, and get this…no talking. What is interesting is how much Caleb seems to be enjoying it. He’s like a kid on Christmas and I’m a tad concerned. Only a psychopath would thrive in these kinds of hostile conditions.
He’s ‘shushed’ me no less than twenty-five times already, and I’m beginning to wonder if his grand plan for bringing me along was to see if I could actually keep my mouth shut.
I glance at the clock on the dash. We’ve been sitting out here in the empty alley across from an apartment complex for almost an hour and the only thing that’s happened so far is a stray cat chasing an empty chip bag. It went on so long that I felt bad for the cat and tried to get out of the car to help, but Caleb pulled me back and gave me a stern talking to about the dangers lurking outside. Like the spooky shadows and gross smells…so, I haven’t exactly been listening.
“Okay. I can’t do this,” I say.
Caleb shoots me an amused look. “What? I thought you were practically a detective. Now you’re telling me you can’t handle a little stakeout?”
“Well, maybe if you would have let me wear my ninja costume I would feel more at one with the nature of the event.”
“Your ninja costume came with six-inch stilettos and, uh, other illegal assets.” He clears his throat and tugs at the collar of his shirt.
I bite the inside of my cheek. “To which asset are you referring, Agent Miyagi, my nunchucks or my throwing star?”
He clenches his jaw and looks out the side window, pretending to study something important.
Okay, so it was my sexy ninja outfit from Halloween last year that provided an unnecessary amount of cleavage and not a real ninja costume. Unless real ninjas wear pushup bras and booty shorts. “It would have been better than this frumpy black hoodie you drowned me in.” I pull at the thick cotton on my chest. But I’m lying. It’s his hoodie and I’m never ever giving it back.
He shakes his head and chuckles. And returns to silence. As a general rule I don’t participate in many boring activities, but remaining silent is my least favorite one.
“Okay, fine.” I throw my hands in the air, but it doesn’t portray my annoyance accurately with five inches of sleeves dangling off my hands like I’m a toddler. “I give. I’m going brain-dead here. I need socialization. And food. And a bathroom. Actually, that last one is kind of a necessity, so I’m getting out.” I reach for the door handle, but Caleb stops me without even looking in my direction.
“No.”
I pinch his arm and he grunts but removes it. “This is not a yes or no kind of situation. I have to go.”
“Here.” He holds out a water bottle to me.