Page 52 of Lordes

“Maybe not this type of woman. She has power and a gun.”

“I’ll be fine.” I grinned. Christian was very protective and it was sort of fatherly and brotherly.

“I hope so.”

His words didn’t fall on deaf ears. I heard him and I didn’t trust Lauren but I didn’t trust many people. I just hoped she was going to share some information with me. If Caroline Collins turns out to be the same woman I dated the coincidence would be too significant.

After thirty minutes on the phone with a would-be investor. I made my way to the parking garage. I was in my Mercedes truck this time. It was a car Lauren wouldn’t recognize so I could show up incognito. I parked in a parking garage a block away and walked down to the Hot Dog King. The place was a greasy spoon type of restaurant that had been around for decades. Last time I was here I was a teenager.

I entered the diner and spotted Lauren right away. She was sitting in a booth by herself. Although she was in plain clothes something about her screamed ‘I’m a cop!’ Her femininity was diminishing. I was sure it had a lot to do with her profession. As I approached I could see she was wearing makeup. I’d never seen her in makeup. Her hair was also down. Every time we met up her jet black hair was in a ponytail. I’d only seen her hair down during sex.

I walked to the booth and watched as she stared at me. There was a cup of black coffee on the table in front of her.

“I’m here.” I said as I stood at the table looking down at her.

“I can see that.” She clipped.

What was up with the attitude? I hadn’t done anything to this woman. I slide into the booth and sat across from her.

“You look great. How’s it going?” I made a feeble attempt at small talk.

She rolled her eyes. “Put your cell phone on the table.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

I did it not being sure the purpose. I’m sure she had a cell phone. “There.”

“Unbutton your shirt.”

“What?” I frowned. We were in a public place.

“I need to make sure you’re not wearing a wire.”

“Why would I wear a wire?”

“Do it. Unbutton your fuckin’ shirt.”

I shook my head because this was ludicrous. But I started unbuttoning my shirt. When I got down to the fourth button she leaned over the table, grabbed my t-shirt, opened it and looked down at my bare chest.

“Why are you so paranoid? What’s this about?” I started redoing my buttons before someone in the restaurant noticed me randomly undressing at the table like a pervert.

“I know who you are Lordes Donovan?”

“Okay. I don’t know what that means.” It’s not like I gave her a fake name. What was she even talking about?

“You’re a rich asshole.”

“I am.” I was okay with that label but since I had always been nice to her this was out of left field.

“You think you’re so clever.”

“I’m not sure what that means.”

“Two women you fucked end up dead.”

“I only know about Lillian. Caroline, I don’t know. It’s a pretty common name. That’s why I wanted you to show me a picture of her.”

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