Page 7 of Romeo

“If you jump out that window, I’ll just find you again.It is what I do after all.And that’s if you can get out before Romeo here catches you.”

I look at his dog.I’ve always been fond of animals.Cats, dogs, horses, goats—all of them.I’d even briefly considered going to veterinary school before my dad died.But now I eye the canine warily.

Could he catch me before I’m out the window?My money—what little I have—is on yes.

“What do you want from me?”

“A confession would be nice.But I’ll settle for you just coming quietly.”

“A confession?”I choke out.“For what?”

“Murder.Thievery.Espionage.Whatever it is you’re into.”

“I’m sorry,what?Murder?Espionage?Are you kidding me?”

“I notice you didn’t balk at thievery.”

“Let me get this straight.”I cross my arms.“You show up as I’m being assaulted, and your first go-to is thatI’ma murderer, a thief, and a spy?”

“I just threw the espionage bit in there for color,” he replies.

Arrogant jerk.It’s quite literally the only two words I can formulate as the adrenaline continues to wane in my system.“I don’t have time to deal with all the ways you’re wrong.I have a real killer to catch.”

“That’s who was supposedly in here?”he asks, looking around for dramatic effect.

“Hewasin here.”Anger wars with the fear rooted in my chest.“And if you were truly hired by my brother, then you should know that the man who was killed was my grandfather.I would never have hurt him.Never.Not for anything.”

“Which is exactly what a murderer would say.”

The accusation infuriates me.I clench both hands into fists and take a step forward.The dog lets loose a warning growl.“I wouldneverhave hurt my grandfather.And you must be the worst type of arrogant jerk to take a tragedy and turn it around that way.”

He studies me in a way that makes me feel an awful lot like an ant beneath a magnifying glass.And Ireallydon’t like it.“Your brother should be able to clear it up then.”He withdraws a cell phone from his pocket.

“No.You can’t call him.”

“And why is that?If you’re not a murderer, then you have a worried brother out there looking for you.One phone call, and I can put his mind at ease.”

“He can’t know that you found me.I can’t risk leading the killer back to him.He could get caught in the crossfire.”

“Or he could turn you over to the police.”

“Which is exactly what the real killer wants,” I say, putting both hands on my hips.“I don’t even know why I’m talking to you.”I drop my hands and ball them into fists again.“Let me leave.”

“You’re more than welcome to try your luck with the window,” he says.“But you’re better off staying here until we get this squared away.If you are telling the truth, then there’s someone trying to kill you, too.Do you really want to risk them catching up to you again?”

“I thought you didn’t believe me.”

“I never said I do, and I never said I don’t.I’m merely making observations.”

“Why would I make up someone attacking me?”

“Because you saw me coming.Maybe you saw me as a threat at the restaurant.”

“Yes, because every arrogant man in leather thinks every woman notices them.”

“That’s the third time you’ve called me arrogant, Miss Landers,” he says as he takes a step closer.“You don’t even know my name, yet you feel like you know me well enough to insult me.”

“Fine, then.What’s your name?”If he’s a hire of my brother’s, then I will have likely heard the name said around a time or two.Odie and my grandfather always used the same PIs.Even if I don’t know their faces, I made it a point to know their names.Made avoiding them a lot easier.