second guy arrived. He looked like a male model.” Amy frowned, knowing where this was going. Hannah never could find anything attractive about a pretty boy.
“Then, Tad ended up being a tad too pushy. He wouldn’t leave, couldn’t take a hint,” Hannah complained. “The third guy rescued me.” She sighed and paused for a moment before continuing. “The third guy, Rick, seemed really nice, but…”
“But what? No sparks? No potential?” Amy leaned in to hear the response.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I just don’t think that anything will come of it.”
“You never know,” Amy said. “Since when are you the pessimist?” She frowned. “You have always been the most positive person I know. Look at everything you’ve come through, and with a smile on your face.” She reached over and rubbed Hannah’s knee. “Well, tell me about the fourth guy.”
Hannah emitted a hollow laugh. “There was no fourth guy. He stood me up.” She laid her head down on her knees for a second when a thought occurred to her. “Hey, did anyone call while I was out?” Amy bit her lip and shook her head sadly. “Oh,” Hannah responded as she released her knees and slouched in the chair. “Well.” And she couldn’t think of another thing to say.
Drinking alone was dangerously close to becoming a habit for him, Gavin noted as he found himself once more swirling a glass of amber liquid while he gazed into the fire. He needed a change. He needed to move on. He needed an outlet for his anger. And though he now had cause for some mixed feelings, this woman would do. She would serve as the target for his revenge quite nicely. She and her brood of no doubt rambunctious children could move in. He would be keeping her off the streets. She would be grateful…and pliable. He smiled as he sipped. Once she had a taste of this life, she’d probably do anything to keep it. He scowled. Not that. He wasn’t that much of a cad. He’d simply work her as he’d never worked anyone before. He’d find a way to humiliate her, break her down, and teach her entire gender a lesson.
Slowly he glanced at the mantle clock. It wasn’t too late. And with what he paid the man, he could damn well call him whenever his fingers itched to dial. Too lazy to cradle the phone against his ear, he simply placed the man on speakerphone. The detective sounded groggy as he answered. “Ron, you weren’t sleeping, were you?” He asked languidly. Without waiting for a response, he continued. “Grab a pen and paper because I have a job for you.”
The sound of crinkling paper answered him. “How can I help you?” Ron asked. He was old and crusty, past the age of retirement, and the years of smoking in a car had taken their toll on him. He coughed for a moment before he cleared his throat and said, “Go ahead.”
“I need to know everything there is to know about this woman. And I need it yesterday,” Gavin added after revealing her address.
“No name, huh?” Ron commented.
“Speak to the leasing office. How hard can it be to get a name? Christ,” he cursed irritated.
The old man grumbled a moment. “I’ll take care of it, Mr. Meyers.”
Gavin smiled icily. He knew the man resented having to defer to him. His father had first employed him some thirty years ago, and when the business was inherited, the employees were also. “So, I’ll have everything I need by ten, I expect?”
After uttering a barely audible sigh, the detective responded, “Certainly, sir.”
Smugly, Gavin didn’t even respond before he pressed the button to disconnect. He reclined in his chair contentedly. It was good to be king. And he most definitely ruled his corner of the world.
The next morning at 9:55, Gavin sat glaring out his window overlooking center city, scowling. Ron was cutting it awfully close and he hated being toyed with. How difficult could it be to get the information he sought? He turned, stared at the fax machine across the room on the
Katherine Alice Applegate