Page 24 of Evidence of Deceit

He brought a book and sat on one of the plush chairs in the lobby, facing both the revolving door and the elevator bank. He watched well-dressed people come and go and was glad Sam had suggested the change in clothes. Soft piano music played in the background, muffling some of the chatter. KnightGuard didn’t know if Keith was going out or not but wanted to keep watch on him and see what he was up to.

Joe sat there for three boring hours. Keith hadn’t left his room. Joe wondered what the heck the guy was doing in his room for so long. Probably brought work with him. Just before lunch, Joe heard the elevator ding. He looked over, and out walked Keith Willis in the flesh. It was all he could do not to get up and pummel the self-confident bastard.

Keith walked like he owned the place. He didn’t look around, just entered the hotel restaurant and was promptly seated in the middle of the room. Joe followed from a safe distance. The hostess seated Joe at a corner table draped with a white cloth behind Keith.

His eyes were on Keith, and he was startled when a server unfolded his napkin and placed it on his lap. The first time that happened to him, he almost punched the guy’s lights out,thinking he was getting fresh. Who knew servers did that? They should warn a guy.

He noticed the waitress come over to take Keith’s order. Whatever he said to her must have been funny because he had her laughing. The waitress bent over to take the menu from him, and Keith whispered something in her ear. She nodded and wrote something on a piece of paper.

That piece of shit. Harassing Claire and yet picking up women. What was wrong with the asshole? Keith was good-looking for a guy. Blondish hair, slender, sharp dresser. He could see why Claire might find him attractive. But pretty packages sometimes hid the worst presents.

Joe was drawn out of his thoughts when a plate was placed in front of him. He couldn’t remember what he had ordered, but the sandwich and fries looked good. He asked for the check and signed it. He glanced at Keith’s table. He was finishing his meal, so Joe ate fast. Keith had signed his check and was walking out. Joe put down the cup he was holding and followed him. Unfortunately, he was caught behind an older couple ambling out.

Damn, Keith was already at the revolving door and exiting the hotel while Joe was trying hard not to push the older couple out of his way. He was finally able to pass them and exited the hotel just in time to see Keith scurry down the street.

That wasthe trouble with some of these guys who pretended to be detectives. Keith had recognized the military guy the minute he got off the elevator. He might have been dressed better, but he recognized the same jerk from the other day who was banging his Claire. Besides, who could miss a serious-looking, muscular guy sitting straight up, bookon his lap but not reading, his eyes searching. He shook his head—undercover wonder. He paid his detectives the big bucks to blend in.

But it had been fun to stop and eat at the hotel’s restaurant. He hadn’t been hungry, but he wanted to play with the guy a little.

He took his time eating and then speeded up when the guy got his food. The bonus was he got the waitress’s name and a promise she would visit him later. Damn Claire. He needed her to take care of his needs, not some stranger. But there you go. Women just couldn’t be trusted.

He signed the check and slowly walked out of the restaurant to let the guy catch up. But an older couple strolling behind him threw a wrench into his plans. He couldn’t slow down anymore; it would be too obvious. The dick would figure it out. Or not. The guy hadn’t been too sharp up to now.

Now what? He had the afternoon free. Why not dick around on the dick? He chuckled over that. He’d already ordered the white tulips to be delivered the next day for Claire. He wanted her to feel relaxed and safe before they were delivered. She needed to be reminded that she would never be safe if she weren’t with him. He didn’t sign the card; she would know he sent them. Tulips were her favorite. At least, they had been for a while.

Keith walked up and down the block. He stopped for a while at a cigar bar. Made smoke rings while watching the guy pace up and down across the street. He saw him wipe the sweat from his face. Sure, it was a hot one, but he was cool and dry, although it looked like it was going to rain any minute.

Keith put out the cigar, drank the last drop of Cuban coffee and sauntered out. Where to next? Dark clouds piled up in the sky. Thunder roared. A flash of lightning. He couldsmell the rain in the air. Oh yeah, it was going to rain any minute. He walked another block and managed to grab the last seat inside by a window so he would stay dry, but the asshole following him was going to get a little wet. Actually, a lot wet. He laughed to himself. There were only exposed outside tables, which wouldn’t work at all if you were following someone.

He hadn’t had this much fun in, well, a long time. No one was going to get the best of him, and no one was going to have Claire but him. Time for all the assholes to learn.

Chapter Thirteen

An early morning thunderstorm the next day kept Joe and Claire indoors. Joe was grateful Pete Carson was free and available to keep watch on Keith. Especially after yesterday, when Keith found that outdoor café and he had been stuck with no place to go in a torrential rain shower. That would be the last time he left without a rain cover. It almost seemed like the jerk recognized and was playing with him. Anyhow, it felt good to be dry and warm.

Claire slapped down her cards and yelled out, “Ante up, boy.”

They had been playing five-card stud for an hour, and he was very good at letting her win. He threw another penny into the pot, which she gathered up in glee. He didn’t feel the need to tell her that she should never play cards professionally; her face gave away every thought.

“Good job. You beat me again,” Joe said, throwing up his hands. “Las Vegas, here you come.”

She scrunched her face, stared at him and smiled. “Don’t think for a minute that I don’t know you’re letting me win.”

He only shook his head and zipped his lips.

“How about I make some coffee?” she said as she got up.

“Sounds good.”

He watched her turn the water on and get out the mugs—an innocent domestic act. Too bad an animal was out there aiming for her.

“Here you go,” she said as she placed a mug in front of him a few minutes later. She sat down and took a sip.

“We haven’t had much time to talk. Can you tell me what you’ve been up to since graduating high school?” Her whiskey-colored eyes twinkled.

Whoa, wasn’t expecting that. What had he been up to that he could share? Sharing made him uncomfortable. He wasn’t a sharer nor a talker. But with Claire, he felt he could do anything.

“Hmm, well, after graduation, you know I joined the Navy.” Didn’t want to. Had to. If he hadn’t left, Claire wouldn’t have gone to college. She would have been stuck with a loser. He had to find himself. Make his way in the world. He knew he hurt her when he left. Was she still mad at him after all these years? He would be. They needed to have that talk, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out.