by Austin, RB
“I want it back,” she demanded.
Gaze still glued to her, Lucas reached for the bag by his feet and passed it to her over the table. Surprise jerked her back but she snatched the pack out of his hands. She pushed her chair away from the table and set the bag on her lap. “Everything better be in here.”
“I did not steal from you, Katherine.”
She scowled and began leafing through the bag. Her cheeks turned red and Lucas wondered what she was embarrassed about. Velcro tore and he knew she was searching for her IDs and money. Who was the girl in the picture inside the pink pouch? Her daughter? Where was she now?
Katherine zipped the bag closed a few moments later, keeping it on her lap, a protective arm around it.
“Anything missing?” Lucas asked.
She narrowed her eyes. “No,” she bit off.
“Good.” He took another bite of his burger.
“Why did you give me my bag back?”
Lucas raised an eyebrow. “Would you rather I didn’t?”
The nheqeba shook her head. “No. I mean why did you just hand it back to me? You didn’t ask for anything in return.”
A lump rose in his throat. He examined her expression. She didn’t look on the verge of tears, but she was too tough to show any sign of weakness. He cleared his throat. “I don’t want anything from you, Katherine. I came here to return your bag. It belongs to you.”
Her gaze swept over his face as if gauging the truth of his words. She scowled. “Well your ethics didn’t stop you from snooping.”
He chuckled. “No they didn’t. I didn’t say my morals were high.” She glanced away, but he could’ve sworn a smile touched her lips.
“I have to go.” On her feet, pack slung over her shoulder, she picked up her plates and half-empty glass of pop. Then hesitated, gaze bouncing, landing everywhere but on him. “Thanks.” She spun, walked two steps, then turned back. “Kate.” She raised her gaze to meet his. “You can call me Kate.” Before he could say anything, she was halfway to the kitchen.
Lucas watched her go. “Kate,” he said softly, a smile spreading across his face.
Chapter 27
Kate was rattled. Probably just aftereffects from the nightmare this morning. It most positively had nothing to do with R.G.
That dream always left her anxious. The urge to run a constant go, go, go in her head. After dumping her empties by the dishwasher, she set the bag on the floor by the employee coat rack, grabbed a tray, and headed out to check on her tables.
Only fifteen minutes had passed since she’d sat across from R.G. It’d felt a lot longer. After refilling drinks and collecting empty plates, she popped off to the bathroom. Tina was there, adding more mascara to her already tarantula eyelashes.
“So,” the waitress asked as soon as her gaze met Kate’s in the mirror. “What did he say?”
Kate shook her head. “He’s gay.”
Tina whirled. “I knew it! No straight man could dress that good.”
Kate stepped into a stall and locked the door. “It sucks, but at least you know it has nothing to do with you.”
“Yeah.” Tina was quiet for a moment. “Why are all the good ones unwilling to cheat or gay?”
“He did tell me if he were straight he’d go out with you.” There was silence on the other side of the door. Kate cringed. Why had she said that? It was too much.
“Really?” Tina asked.
Kate flushed the toilet, buttoned her jeans, and stepped out. “Absolutely.” She maneuvered around Tina and turned on the faucet before squeezing soap into her palm. Kate dried her gloved-hands with a paper towel while Tina re-packed her make up bag. They walked out together.
“Hey,” Tina said. “What was in the bag he gave you?”
Kate stilled, her gaze automatically flickering to R.G. across the way. He was watching her. When she’d sat across from him it was hard not to notice how his ironed gray shirt made his blue eyes smokier.
She met Tina’s gaze. Forced a shrug. “His cousin is stopping by later to pick it up. He doesn’t know if he’ll be here when the guy arrives. I looked inside before agreeing to hold it. Bev wouldn’t want some drug deal going on. It’s just clothes. I figured it wasn’t a problem.” Tina was staring at her, eyebrows slightly drawn. “Weird, I know, but he promised to leave a big tip.” Kate smiled, acted like her heart wasn’t pounding out of her chest. “I wasn’t going to say no.”
Tina sighed. “You get all the luck. I could do with some extra cash. My car broke down.”
Kate let out a breath. “You’re kidding? Again.”
“Yeah. I had to take the bus. It was disgusting.”
She made a sympathetic noise. What would Tina think of her current living situation? Sleeping in a church. Most days only eating one meal. Stealing showers from whatever place she could sneak in to. This week it had been a hotel.
Kate had watched a couple leave their room, waited until housekeeping finished cleaning and was on their way out before pretending to have forgotten something inside. The maid had held the door open. Once she was out of sight, Kate threw the lock on the door and hopped in the shower. Ten minutes later, she emerged clean but with a wet head. She walked one block to Mickey D’s, freezing the entire time, the ends of her hair icing. In the public bathroom she used the hand dryer to blow-dry her hair.
And Tina was complaining about having to take the bus. It was Kate’s only method of transportation the last nine years besides her own two feet.
“Hopefully it’ll get fixed soon,” was all Kate said, then went to take care of the two men in suits who sat in her section.
She couldn’t avoid R.G. the rest of the night, but she wanted to. Why was he being so nice to her? She didn’t like it. It put her on edge. What was he going to demand in return for her bag? Because she didn’t believe for one minute he wouldn’t expect payment.
“You want another scotch?” She reached for his empty.
“No thanks. I should call it a night. If you could bring the bill.”
Relief and something else swept through her. It wasn’t disappointment. “It’s been taken care of.” Dammit. Where had those words come from? “The bill,” she added when he continued to stare.
“By who?”
She lifted her chin. “Me. It’s a trade. For bringing my bag back.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
That bill was huge. It’d been a long time since she allowed her pride to make the decisions, especially this stupid of a one.
Just back out. Let him pay it. Don’t be an idiot.
“No. You’re not buying my meal. With the scotch, it’s too much.”
Jerk. She wasn’t a charity case. “I can afford it.” She’d have to hand in all of her tips for the night and possibly a bit of her stash but it was worth it. She didn’t want, or need, his pity.
He leaned forward. “From what I saw in your bag, you can’t.”
She inhaled sharply. “Fuck. You,” she shot out, then turned on her heel and stalked away. With the palm of her hand, she thumped open the kitchen door and stormed through. Tom stood in front of the sizzling grill on the phone with his wife, too busy to notice her presence.
The nerve of that asshole. Who the hell did he think he was? Just because he wore fancy clothes didn’t mean he was better than her. The guy knew absolutely nothing about her or her life. Had probably thought he’d do a good deal and buy the homeless girl a meal. Yeah, well, he could kiss her ass. She didn’t need anything from him.
She had her bag and that was all that mattered. As soon as her shift was finished she’d buy her ticket and get the hell out of Philadelphia.
Kate moved further into the kitchen. She’d go back out and ignore him. Or maybe ask Tina to take over.
Her bag was on the floor, directly below her
coat, right where she left it. Kate wished she could stash it in the usual place. Here, out in the open, for anyone to see, made her nervous. Nothing she could do about it now, though. Besides, she was probably the only employee who broke laws.
A few minutes later, Kate steeled her shoulders, pushed open the door, and walked directly behind the bar to Bev at the register.
“Paying a tab,” she said to her boss. Bev held out her hand, and Kate handed her the ticket and the money she retrieved from her bag. When the transaction was complete, she looked straight at Rich Guy’s table.
Ha! Take that, asshole.
The table was empty.
Except for a pile of bills underneath the saltshaker.
Chapter 28
Henry stepped out onto the wet pavement. He inhaled the dark, cold air then exhaled, watching his breath roll out in front of him. The soles of his loafers made no noise as he headed toward the city. On foot.
Sonneillon said driving was too conspicuous.
It made no sense. A car was a necessary part of blending. No one looked at a middle-aged guy wearing khaki pants and loafers, driving a Honda Accord. But a lone man walking the street, now that drew attention. Raised alarm bells. Like in the woman in front of him.
She’d stepped out of an office building one block ahead. After spying Henry her steps had hurried. As if he was going to harm her.
He hadn’t actually planned on it. Astoria’s downtown area had more people, easier to blend in.
“The world’s gone soft, Henry,” his dad told him once. “Letting women vote was the second mistake.”
“What was the first, Dad?”
“It’s the father’s job to put daughters in their place and the husband’s to keep them there. By any means necessary.”
Dad had been drinking at the time, so Henry didn’t tell him that was more of a statement, not a mistake.
His father had also said women shouldn’t run unless they’ve been ordered to. It was their place to stay, take their punishment.
The woman ahead of him needed to learn her place.
Henry wasn’t used to his new speed yet. After he made the decision to go after the human, he stood in front of her. Blocking the way to her car. A Toyota. Light brown. Not as good as his old Accord.
She gasped, clutching her purse to her chest as if he were a thief. Then turned and ran back from where she came, stumbling on her low high heels.
He frowned, reached out and grabbed her by the hair. “No.” Henry was startled at the sound of his voice. It was strong. Controlled. In charge.
It was his cabin voice.
He smiled, gaze raking over the human.
His cabin. The one he could no longer go back to. Just like his apartment. And his Honda.
The woman sobbed loudly, fought to get away. A street lamp was out up ahead. Henry dragged her toward the dark space, using his free hand to cover her mouth.
“There’s no one to hear you. No one to save you. You’re mine now. Be good and maybe I’ll let you go.” His smile broadened.
He had never let them go. But the women would quiet. Do anything he asked. Would act like they were supposed to. Even when they started losing limbs.
Henry wished he had his syringe. This woman didn’t know her place yet. She bit his fingers covering her mouth. Kicked him in the shins.
Once in the shadows, he removed the knife from the holster at his hip. Vetis had given him the dagger. From recruiter to recruit. Just like when his Father had given him a switchblade on his eighth birthday.
The woman had stopped struggling. Whimpering noises emerged from the back of her throat. Henry wrenched her head to the side. “I’m giving you a gift. You have sinned. In death you’ll be led to the right path. Maybe reborn. I don’t know. Father didn’t either. But—” The woman threw her elbow back. It knocked the air out of his chest. He grunted, but didn’t lessen his hold. “You didn’t let me finish,” he grounded between clenched teeth before stabbing her in the neck. Blood squirted everywhere.
Clean cut. Clean cut. The size of his mouth. This one was too big.
“Damn it.” He clenched his lips tight. Father said cursing was a sign of the unintelligent.
He glanced down. Noticed the blood coating his light green sweater. It was completely ruined. “Look what you made me do.”
The woman threw herself forward. She fell to the ground then staggered to her feet, one hand pressed over the wound in her neck.
Henry had runners before. His cabin was deep in the woods. He’d created paths that weaved in circles. It made them think they were getting somewhere.
The woman was at her car now, trying to get it open. He should probably go after her, but he was no longer hungry. She’d more than likely bleed out before she got anywhere. It wasn’t like the police scared him.
Tires screeched. The woman careened into the wrong lane before jerking back to the right one.
Henry frowned at the blood on his hands and sweater. He missed his cabin. Missed the hunt. The human had brought it all back. Something had been missing this past month. He’d expected the feeling to go away as he grew used to this new life. It hadn’t.
Although the words he spoke to the woman had soothed some of his disquiet, they weren’t in the right context. His cabin was brightly lit. Here he had to hide in the shadows.
He liked to tape his sessions, too. Play them back for his women during the day so they could see the good work he was doing.
Oh, how he missed his cabin.
Chapter 29
“I think we’re all good here, Kate.”
Kate wiped the last table then picked up the chairs one at a time, flipping them to set the seat on the tabletop.
“Okay. Let me grab my stuff in the back. There’s something I need to talk to you about, Bev.” Kate carried the wet cloth to the kitchen. She threw it in the bucket with the other used ones, went around the corner to the employee coat rack, which was just outside Bev’s office, and skidded to a stop.
Breath stuck in her throat.
It was gone.
She didn’t remember the conscious decision to continue walking, but suddenly she was in front of the coat rack.
It was gone.
She lifted her jacket off the hook with trembling hands.
Thinking.
Hoping.
Maybe?
But, no.
Nothing was underneath her jacket. Her breath thrust in and out of her mouth. Blood pounded in her ears. At least this morning she knew where the pack was. This time. She had no idea.
“Kate?” Bev’s head popped through the open door. “You all set?”
“My bag,” she croaked, then stopped. Cleared her throat. “Did you see a bag here?”
Bev’s eyebrows drew down. “I saw one earlier tonight.” She glanced at Kate, frowned. “I don’t remember anyone carrying it out though. It was yours?”
“Yes.” Why hadn’t she secured it? She should’ve put it in her normal hiding spot or outside.
“We can ask Tom tomorrow. Maybe he set it somewhere. You know how he is if something gets in his way.”
Kate nodded.
“I’m sure it’ll turn up. Now you said there’s something you need to talk to me about?”
She blinked, forced herself to concentrate. “It can wait. It’s late. I’m sure you want to get home.”
A grateful smile crossed Bev’s lips. “It’s been a long night. Especially after that last rush.”
Kate didn’t remember answering Bev or saying good night, but she found herself outside the front of the building. Bev locked the door behind her. It was a two-second decision to race across the street and hide in her old spot. The bag had to be in there. Kate had been in and out of the kitchen all night. S
he’d glanced in that direction many times just to check on it.
The pack had been there when Bev announced last call because Kate had seen it when she’d gone into Bev’s office to make change. It was probably like her boss said. Tom moved it. He was temperamental. Expected his kitchen floors to remain uncluttered. Acted like he was a big time culinary chef despite the fact he worked in a bar.
Once Bev left, Kate would go back inside and search for it. It’d be fine. She’d find her bag in the kitchen or in Bev’s office then she’d go to the bus station. Call Bev from the road in the morning. Explain about her mother being in the hospital. Having to leave for California to take care of her.
Bev drove away a few minutes later. Kate waited ten more. Time moved agonizingly slow. It was freakin’ cold. At least she had gloves on, but wished for her sweatshirt and flannel.
When enough time past and it was clear Bev wasn’t coming back because she forgot something, she unzipped her jacket and withdrew the bar key from the inside pocket. So glad she hadn’t moved it into her bag after she started sleeping in the church. Halfway across the street, she paused. Someone was watching her.
She pivoted. Squinted at the shadows. No one was there. The night was quiet. No wind. No distant cars. She glanced left, right. Listened for any movement.
Just her imagination. Nerves probably. No one was there.
She raised the key, had a passing thought Bev changed the locks. Panic kicked her heart faster, but the key fit and turned easily. Kate released a breath and pushed open the door. Warm air greeted her along with the beep, beep, beep of the alarm. In two steps Kate was in front of the panel. She lifted the cover.
5 – 8 – 2 – 9.
