Page 20 of Guarding Grace

Grace

I pointedwhen my driver approached the Burger King. “In the parking lot will be fine.” After she pulled in, I exited, looking around for Elliot. Theparking lot only held a few cars and a van. When I didn’t see him, I started for the door.

“Gracie.”

I turned to find him standing behind a parked SUV in the far corner of the lot. “What the hell, Elliot? What’s going on?”

He waved me over.

“You broke into my place.”

He held up a key. “I didn’t break in.”

“You’re not supposed to have that.”

“I made a copy just in case.”

I rolled my eyes. As I’d suspected, Elliot felt he was entitled to everything. He’d had a shit upbringing, and in the past I had always cut him slack, but that would not include him moving back in with me again. Last summer had been a disaster. The cats had gotten out twice.

“Came in handy, cuz.” He pulled a breakfast sandwich out of a bag.

I walked over and held out my hand to solve this before I forgot. “I can’t trust you. Hand it over.”

He laid the key on the hood of the SUV and unwrapped his sandwich. “Did you bring the warehouse key? I didn’t find it, and I need to lie low for a while—at least until I get this shit sorted out.”

“What shit? What are you mixed up in?”

“Nothin’. I just gotta…lay low.”

“Not good enough. Why are people after you? And more to the point, why are people beating up on me to find you?”

“You don’t look that bad,” he said around the food in his mouth as he looked past the SUV toward the street.

I felt the painful lump on the back of my head. “I don’t like being a punching bag. So, no explanation, no key.”

His eyes shifted the way they did when he was about to lie, which was pretty often. “I had a delivery go bad.”

He’d told me he’d gotten a job with a courier service, which sounded like a big step up from the fast food job he’d had at Burger Castle. “What’s that mean?”

“I got ripped off, and my boss is pissed.”

I shook my head. “Man up for once and go explain the situation to him.”

“No way. He’ll kill me.”

“I’m done. You sort it out like a big boy for a change.” I turned.

He lunged and grabbed my elbow. He shook his head, his eyes crazy. “You don’t get it. He’ll literally kill me.” He sliced a finger across his neck.

I yanked my arm free. “You can’t be serious.”

He blinked rapidly. “These guys don’t mess around.” He checked the street again. “Oh, shit.” He crouched behind the SUV. “Duck.”

“What?” His change of mood alarmed me.

“They’re here.” He dropped his food and peeked through the window.

“Who?” I asked.