Page 73 of Driftwood Daffodil
Memphis groaned while Chuck smacked his lips together and sat back in his chair. “And you wonder why people don’t like you.”
I didn’t wonder about that. I knew people didn’t like me. It wasn’t my fault they couldn’t understand sarcasm. Nor did I care. The less people that liked me, meant less people I had to talk to.
“We’re getting off topic here.” I narrowed my gaze at the crowd in the cafeteria. “Something fishy is going on. Gio’s up to something.”
“It’s not a conspiracy, Nova,” Chuck sighed. “He probably just got bored.”
Bored? That was his explanation? “I see there’s no need to continue arguing my dimwit remark.”
Chuck gave me an exaggerated eye roll, but didn’t say a word.
Even he had to admit that bored was a far stretch. People like Gio Mancini didn’t get bored. They just upped their game. Which made the way he’d been watching me that much worse. I almost missed thathow am I going to kill youlook he had going on. It was better than the inquisitive spark toying with his expression.
I glanced over my shoulder at the table in the middle of the room where the trio of assholes sat. That’s what I’d dubbed them. King asshole returned my stare with a glare of his own. Asshole number two, the golden haired or, ‘who shoved a stickup my ass’ asshole also looked back at me. But I didn’t see asshole number three. The ‘I’ve had too much pussy’ asshole.
It was just the two of them at the table. The brown haired twit’s chair sat empty. He was there a minute ago, flashing his charming smile at some cheerleader.
Where did Atlee go?
I scanned the room searching for the missing face, but I didn’t see it. That couldn’t be good. Especially not with that smirk tipping up the corner of Gio’s mouth.
“I told you he was up to something.”
“Let it go Nova,” Memphis said. “He’s just sitting there.”
“But he’s smiling.” I pointed out while narrowing my gaze. “Gio Mancini doesn’t smile.”
“She’s right.” Chuck agreed.
This would be the part of the movie where the dun, dun, dun, music played.
I turned around long enough to point at Chuck, “you are now my partner in the detective firm,” then looked back at asshole one and two.
“Hey,” Memphis whined. “I started that firm with you.”
“You still haven’t found out who stole my candy.”
“That was ten years ago.”
“But it’s still an open case, and have you come to me with any leads…” I gave Memphis a quick side eye. “No.”
Case and point.
He grumbled something under his breath while pinching the bridge of his nose.
I couldn’t be bothered to try and make out what Memphis was griping about because the air around me suddenly changed.
Ever have the sensation that something wasn’t right? Like the twilight zone had invaded your reality, while the world flipped upside down, and gravity reversed itself?
Well, when Atlee appeared and plopped himself down in the chair next to mine, that’s where I was.
“Hey there sweet thing.”
Sweet thing?
I wasn’t the only one confused by the charming smile lighting up his whiskey orbs. Memphis and Chuck sat there with their mouths open, like they wanted to say something, but didn’t know what.
“You’re looking good today.”
