Page 46 of Savage Seduction

I can’t help but wonder if it's a man or woman he is meeting. “I hope you have fun with whoever it turns out to be… considering all the effort you’re putting in.”

“I try andplay it cool, but actually I’m a little nervous, if I’m to be honest.” He turns to face me, putting his hands on his hips and plastering a smile across his face. “How do I look?”

“Stunning.”

Bretton crosses his arms and cocks his head. “Really?”

I shrug. “Compared to how we met with you naked and flat on your back in the shower… yeah, you clean up well.”

Bretton blushed. “Not my finest moment.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” He looks down the second aisle of lockers to make sure we are alone.

“Uh, sure. Everything okay?” I ask. I don’t know Bretton very well, but this doesn’t seem like his usual unbothered self.

“There was a guy lurking around Dr. Nakamura’s office today. He was dressed like a delivery guy, short brown shorts and everything, but something seemed off about him.”

“Like what?”

“Hard to put my finger on it, but he had a package for you. He was talking with Dr. Nakamura about how to get ahold of you and she took charge offering to hold the package until you came to work.”

“How’d the guy react?” My stomach drops.

“At first, he acted like he couldn’t leave the package, but then he agreed to when he realized Dr. Nakamura wasn’t going to bend. The weird part was he didn’t have her sign for the box.” Bretton furrowed his brow. “It just didn’t seem right to me the way he kept asking where you were and what time you would be in to sign for the package.”

“That is strange,” I say. “Did you get a good look at his face?”

Bretton shakes his head. “If I said he was a white guy, greasy black hair, deep set eyes… would that ring any bells?”

At first, my breath catches in my chest as I think about The Butcher and what he looks like. The description is vague,but familiar. Could it have been him? Or a follower who tried to emulate him? I push the image of the madman out of my mind. “I couldn’t say… could have been anyone I suppose.”

“Probably me being paranoid. My wife used to say I always thought the worst first.”

“Oh, you’re married?” I ask, fishing for more information. I’ve already seen what I assume is wedding band, but here he going on a blind date. I need more information.

“I am single, actually. My wife passed away a few years ago.” Bretton crosses his arms and looks away. It's clearly still a difficult topic for him. “She was the love of my life.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say, reaching out to offer a comforting touch to his shoulder. He brakes eye contact after a few seconds. I feel for the employee I.D. I stuck in my back pocket and instantly froze.

Bretton notices my change in demeanor. “Are you all right, Max?”

“My work I.D.” I rush back to my locker and ransack my belongings. It isn’t there. I open the backpack and go through each book, still can’t find it. “I usually keep it in my back pocket when I’m not on shift.”

“Could it have fallen out?” Bretton begins scanning the floor.

That’s when I remember my ass being grabbed in the push of the crowd. “Fuck, I think someone lifted it from my pocket.”

Bretton stares at me before saying, “What would anyone want with your I.D.?”

“I don’t know, but there’s a lot of shit going on here that doesn’t make sense. Some weirdo comes to deliver me a package on the same day I get my identification stolen. Maybe whoever it was wants to pretend to be me? Or gain access to parts of the museum off limits to the general public?” I am reeling with emotions. “I’ll definitely have to letDr. Nakamura know.” Not to mention London. Maybe there is a way to access the museum’s security logs and see if my I.D. is being used and by whom?

“Man, that sucks. Keep me posted on what’s going on.”

“If you see that delivery guy here again, would you be willing to let me know?”

“Sure,” Bretton says. “What’s your number?”

We exchange phone numbers, and Bretton shakes my hand. “Wish me luck tonight.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, I seem to have made it about myself today. I hope you have a blast on your date.”

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