Page 54 of Guarded Secrets
“Gee, Owen. I’m so glad you stopped me from meeting a man of questionable character, by myself, at a gas station that’s closed for the night. Also note I played the voicemail for you.”
“Right, sorry. That was knee-jerk.”
“Forgiven.”
“Send the voicemail to me.” While she was doing that, he said, “You have any idea what trouble he could be in or how you could be involved?”
She shook her head. “Nope, no idea. It’s weird. I know I’ve said Jaxon and I didn’t have much of a relationship, but we really didn’t. I never met his family, he never met mine. That holiday party was the only time he met any of my friends. I never brought him to Sisters. We weren’t that involved.”
“He thinks you were involved.” His gaze went sharp. “Did you sleep with him?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Maybe not, but it tells me something about your relationship.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. The answer is no, we didn’t sleep together. I was waiting for more of a spark between us, and it never happened.”
“Good.” He motioned to Jen. “You’ve got the bar. I’ll be in the office.” He turned to Keeley. “I need your phone.”
“You could ask nicely,” she said, even as she handed it to him.
“Thank you very much for handing me your phone.”
She couldn’t help grinning at his overly polite tone. “He can’t believe I’d meet him.”
“I have no idea what he believes. I don’t trust him. Back in a minute.” Owen disappeared through the swinging door.
The band had finished their set and began dismantling their equipment. Keeley helped bus and wipe down tables and seats, and Jen closed out tabs as customers wound down their evening.
Owen returned, handing Keeley her phone. “I called the number he used. No answer. I’m taking you home. Sawyer’s not on duty, but he’ll meet me. We’ll take your car to the gas station to meet Romero. We’ll see if he shows.”
“Why take my car?”
“Catch him off guard. He won’t be fooled for long, but maybe we can catch him by surprise if he thinks it’s you.”
***
Keeley rinsed and put her toothbrush back in the cup. She wondered if Owen and Sawyer had met up with Jaxon. He said he was in trouble, but she couldn’t figure out why he thought she could help him other than thinking she’d give him money. Once Jaxon saw Owen and Sawyer, he wouldn’t stick around. He was confrontation-averse, especially with larger and stronger men.
She’d pulled a long-sleeved sleep shirt over her head when a loud knocking sounded from her front door. She rushed to the door anxious to hear what Owen had to say. With her hand on the dead bolt she paused, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. She backed slowly away from the door.
“Who is it?”
“Keeley, it’s me. Let me in. I need to talk to you.”
Jaxon.
He knocked again, louder this time.
She scurried back to the bedroom to grab her phone and dialed 9-1-1 on her way to the kitchen. The heavy weight of a chef’s knife in her hand gave her a marginal feeling of security. She let out a startled yelp, the knife clattering to the floor when a sharp rapping came from the sliding door to the patio. Jaxon was a shadowy shape through the glass.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
Keeley scooped up the knife, and hastily flipped off the indoor lights and turned on the patio lights to make it harder for him to seein. She backed up to the wall and slid to the floor. With the knife in one hand and her phone in the other, she recited her address to the operator. “My name is Keeley Montaigne. Jaxon Romero is outside my house, pounding on the doors. He’s scaring me.”
The dispatcher assured her the call had gone out and officers were responding. Keeley answered several questions: No, Jaxon had not threatened her. Yes, she could see him, he was peering through the glass door. No, she didn’t see a weapon.
Jaxon’s voice sounded muffled through the glass. “Keeley, let me in. I knew you wouldn’t meet me at the gas station. I bet that’s where you sent that asshole you’re with. I had to get him away so we can talk. I need your help. You’ve got something of mine I need back, and I need to borrow some money.”
