Page 34 of Evidence of Deceit

She glanced and saw what looked like a gigantic gun.

“Just tell them everything is okay, and they won’t get hurt.”

God, what should I do?She couldn’t let him hurt or kill the boys. She didn’t want to get in the car. There was no good scenario for her.

Mind made up, she turned to the boys and said, “Mikey, everything is okay. Just run home now.”

She took a step backward, hoping the man wouldn’t notice.

“Either get in the car,” the driver said, “or we can go into the house, and I’ll shoot the bodyguard when he gets home.”

There went that idea. Mikey started to come closer, but she yelled at them again to go home and that she was going to take a ride with a friend. Mikey and Paul ran away.

God, she didn’t want to get in the car. But she didn’t want Mikey to get hurt, plus she didn’t want Joe to be surprised and killed. Who was this guy? Was this somebody Keith had sent? She couldn’t imagine how Keith had found her. She guessed Sam and Joe were too confident when they said they could protect her.

She slowly walked backward a couple of steps.

He turned the gun on her. “Get in the car now.”

Oh God, what to do. She would be killed if she ran away. She moved on wobbly legs the few steps to the car and got in. Her body was trembling. “What do you want?”

The man had pulled a hat down over his forehead. His sunglasses were dark against his face. Claire wouldn’t have been able to identify him again if she tried. He started driving. “Claire, I’m not going to hurt you or anyone. Keith just wants to talk to you, and then I promise to bring you back here.”

“What do you mean, Keith wants to talk to me? Who are you? Why would you kidnap me?” The situation was getting more bizarre.

He glanced over at her. “Let’s just say Keith pays me a lot of money to find people. Besides, I didn’t kidnap you. You got in the car willingly.”

“Humph.”Semantics. Great, a wise guy.“Where’s the gun?”

“Gun?” He shrugged. “It’s somewhere safe. I only wanted to scare you. I hate guns.”

Claire breathed a sigh of relief.

“Which isn’t to say I don’t have one close by. I do. But I prefer not to use it unless I have to.” He gave a wry smile.

“How do I know you’ll bring me home?”

Silence. Claire didn’t think the man was going to answer her. How could she trust him to bring her home?

“Because I told Keith there are certain things I won’t do. Kidnapping isn’t one of them. Hurting women is another. I only agreed to get you if I could bring you home.”

Claire sat back in the seat. She let out a hefty sigh. How had her life gotten so complicated?

The worst part was now she would have to move again. Keith knew where she lived. Joe and Sam couldn’t protect her from Keith. She needed to protect herself and them from Keith.

And where could she go this time? Where could she go where Keith wouldn’t find her?

The man droveabout twenty minutes to the hotel district in Black Pointe. He pulled up in front of the Art Deco hotel. Oh, Keith was here all right. The art deco luxurious style appealed to him. Although she had never been here, they always stayed somewhere similar whenever they traveled.

The man told her that Keith was waiting up in his condo for her.Condo? That was new. She only had to ask the front desk for a key to room 2801.

Claire got out and leaned in. “How will you know when I’m ready to go back?”

“No worries. I’ll be here.” She got out, and the man drove off.

Her heart was beating wildly. She did not want to go into the hotel, and she definitely did not want to see Keith. She debated about calling Joe. No, he wouldn’t let this go. If hedid something drastic to Keith… She shuddered. She was hopeful that she could convince Keith once and for all to leave her alone. Long shot, but that’s all she had. When she got back to Joe’s, she would make plans to disappear.

She entered the cool interior of the hotel. The glass atrium should have provided an open, welcoming feel, but she felt closed in. She could feel Keith’s presence surrounding her, stifling her. The modern art on the wall usually would have excited her but now felt like decorations to a prison. The one thing she was not going to do was go to Keith’s room.

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