Page 41 of Positively Pricked

Surrounding him were a stunning array of Victorian antiques. I knew, because my mom had a fondness for them, even if the very best pieces were well beyond her price range.

The way it looked, these antiques were headed to a new home.

Just like Bob.

It was depressing as hell, and yet, I tried to tell myself it could always be worse. At least nobody was sobbing out on the front lawn.

Turns out, I spoke too soon.

The house was on a cul-de-sac, which meant that I'd need to turn around and pass the same house yet again only a few minutes later, from the opposite side of the street. When I approached it the second time, Bob wasn't alone. Instead, he was standing with a waifish young woman, who looked to be around my own age, or possibly younger.

She wore a stylish red dress and had thick, dark hair, done up in some sort of fancy twist. She was leaning against Bob and crying her eyes out, not bothering to hide it. She pulled away only long enough to choke out, "But this isourhouse."

Who was she? His daughter? A trophy wife? Or something else?

Bob pulled her close and mumbled something that I couldn’t make out.

Whatever it was, it didn't make her happy. She stepped away to glare at him. "I don'twanta better place," she yelled. "I wantthisplace! You promised!"

Through the outburst, I kept my eyes straight ahead, pretending not to see or hear as I strode along the sidewalk. In truth, I was wishing that I hadn't witnessed any of this. Already, I'd had more than enough misery for one day.

But I had to face facts. More misery was definitely coming. After all, I still had to give the security guardhisbad news.

I trudged onward, feeling guiltier with every step. Behind me, the woman's voice carried across the distance. "He's such an asshole!"

I heard myself gasp. I don't know why. It's not like I believed that rich people never cursed. It was just that, well, I didn't think they cursed on their front lawns like Jimmy the Shank – the crazy welder who lived three doors down from my current residence.

I kept my head down and kept on walking. The young woman's voice rang out again. "I hate him!"

Yeah, you and me both, sister.

On instinct, I picked up the pace. After all, there was nothing I could do, and I had my own bad news to deliver. As I moved, I snuck another quick glance at my watch.Damn it.The half-hour had been up five minutes ago.

I broke into a jog, and then into a run, practically sprinting, until I was within sight of the guard shack. And then, fearful of arriving sweaty and breathless, I deliberately slowed my pace.

Better late than disgusting, right?

I was still a good distance away, walking in the shadows of the trees, when the guard emerged from the shack, looking a little sweaty and breathless himself.

He tugged at his collar and looked around, as if searching for someone in particular.

Me?

That wasmyguess.

I was just about to call out to him when he abruptly turned and hurried back into the shack. He emerged a moment later with a buxom brunette in a skin-tight black dress.

Leading her by the hand, he hustled her toward the small parking area, where a cute little sports car was parked near my old beater. I tried to think. Had the car been there earlier?

Yes.

It had.

Definitely.

Not that I'd paid it much attention at the time.

Unsure what to do, I came to a complete stop. I watched as the guard gave the woman a lingering hug, complete with a whole lot of ass-grabbing – by him, not her.

In a totally perverse way, I was actually glad for the guy. If nothing else, his night wasn'tallbad, which was more than I could say for myself.

And heck, given what I was about to tell him, he'd need all the cheering up he could get.

From the shadows, I watched the brunette climb into her car and shut the car door behind her. Soon, the car backed out of its parking space and turned – not toward the exit as I'd anticipated – but ratherintothe neighborhood.

A moment later, the car sped past me and kept on going. As for the guard, he returned to the shack, whistling a happy tune.

Weird.

Little did I know, things were about to get a whole lot weirder.