I hit the CALL button and looked at the clock. It wasn’t even half past five, but she was a doctor. They didn’t need sleep. Did they?
“Vik,” her sleepy voice mixed with alarm. “Are you all right?”
“Shit, Val. Me? I’m fine. Are you all right? I turned off my phone last night. I just turned it on and heard your message.”
Through the phone, I heard her moving around before she said, “It was really weird. It happened about an hour or two after you left. This man came to the door.” She paused. “I’ll be honest: I’m kind of freaked out that he knew where I lived.”
“God, Val, I’m sorry.” My gaze fluttered to my rearview mirror, seeing mostly the grill of Travis’ large black SUV.
Val went on, “He was persistent. He wasn’t obnoxious. He said that he needed to speak with you. I told him you were sleeping.”
“He didn’t believe you?”
“I think he did at first, but he didn’t care. He was determined for me to go get you. He said his business couldn’t wait.”
“I told him I was your sister and your doctor, and you needed rest. Finally, I said I’d given you something to help you sleep. I was getting pissed—he just wouldn’t leave.”
“What did he look like,” I asked.
“Tall, dark hair, a little gray, clean-shaven.”
Well, shit, that described about fifty percent of the men I knew.
“He kept referring to you as Mrs. Harrington, never Vik, Vikki, or Victoria.”
“He didn’t give you his name?”
“No,” she replied. “He said you’d know him. I was about ready to call security when Travis showed up.”
“What?” I asked, alarm evident in my voice.
“Weird, I know. I mean, usually he freaks me out, but I see why you keep him around. I was glad to see him.”
I glanced back again to the SUV. It was a little farther back, and I could see Travis through the windshield. “What did Travis do?”
“What he always does. He talked, all business-like. You know, like ‘Dr. Conway, may I be of any assistance? I’m sure Mrs. Harrington has had a difficult day… ’You know, yada yada.”
“And this guy left?”
“He did. I invited Travis in. I mean, I didn’t feel right saying, hey, thanks for saving me from that scary dude. Now go away.”
The temples of my head began to pound. “What did you tell Travis?”
“I started to tell him the same thing, about my giving you a sleep aid… but there was something about the way he looked at me and around the apartment. I’m sorry, Vik. I told him the truth. I told him that I let you borrow my car, and you wanted some alone time.”
“Alone time?” I repeated.
“Well, since you’re technically a widow, whatever happened with horizontal-friend is legal. I’m assuming. In most states?”
“Go on,” I encouraged.
“But I didn’t think he needed to know this wasn’t a new thing. I just didn’t say one way or the other.”
I looked around at my surroundings. “Val, I think I’ll need something to help me sleep once today is done. I’m almost to your apartment. Is it all right if I leave your car on the street?”
“Sure, sis. What about getting home? Do you need a ride?”
As I slowed down I saw Travis do the same. “No, I’m good. Travis is here.”
“Okay, drop the keys in my mailbox. Hey, maybe he’s not so creepy?”
I shook my head. “He’s still creepy.” I thought about his help with Parker. “It just comes in handy sometimes. Will you be over before the funeral? I really liked having you with me yesterday. I know it’s not a lot of fun, but if you don’t mind…”
“Of course, don’t even think about it. I’m there for you.”
I hung up as I eased into a parking space right in front of Val’s building. Before I locked the doors, I unconsciously checked the seat. Travis can suck it! I didn’t need his damn tissue. The sound of doors unlocking brought my attention to the big black SUV. Straightening my shoulders, I shoved the tissue in my purse with my phone and walked toward Val’s building.
After dropping her keys in her mailbox, I turned back toward the waiting SUV. Taking a deep breath, I walked around to the passenger side door; with each step I was keenly aware that my panties were MIA. Climbing up into the passenger’s seat, I made a concerted effort to keep the skirt of my dress tucked around my legs.
“You know, your husband’s only been dead for a few days. You might at least consider taking a change of clothes if you’re going to go out whoring, especially if you plan to continue to do it in the slums.”
I hated his condescending tone, not to mention his words. Straightening my neck, I declared, “I decided at the last minute to spend the night with my sister.”
Travis feigned a laugh. “If I’m going to spend my time dealing with your shit, I guess I should get the lingo down. Spend the night with my sister means whoring? Do I have that right, Mrs. Harrington?”
My body flew back against the seat as he hit the accelerator. Almost as fast, the SUV swung into a parking lot and I flew forward as he pounded the brake. Instinctively, I reached forward and braced myself on the dashboard. “Jesus Christ, what is your fucking—”
Before I could complete my question, Travis threw the SUV into park, unsnapped his seatbelt and lunged toward me. Faster than I could pull away, he reached my seatbelt, pulled it over my body and latched it in place. Shaking his head, he leaned back, secured his own and put the SUV back into drive. Under his breath, he muttered, “I fucking need a goddamned raise for this shit.” Raising his voice, he turned toward me. “Safety. That’s my job. Do you think you could help me out a little?”
“Vik,” her sleepy voice mixed with alarm. “Are you all right?”
“Shit, Val. Me? I’m fine. Are you all right? I turned off my phone last night. I just turned it on and heard your message.”
Through the phone, I heard her moving around before she said, “It was really weird. It happened about an hour or two after you left. This man came to the door.” She paused. “I’ll be honest: I’m kind of freaked out that he knew where I lived.”
“God, Val, I’m sorry.” My gaze fluttered to my rearview mirror, seeing mostly the grill of Travis’ large black SUV.
Val went on, “He was persistent. He wasn’t obnoxious. He said that he needed to speak with you. I told him you were sleeping.”
“He didn’t believe you?”
“I think he did at first, but he didn’t care. He was determined for me to go get you. He said his business couldn’t wait.”
“I told him I was your sister and your doctor, and you needed rest. Finally, I said I’d given you something to help you sleep. I was getting pissed—he just wouldn’t leave.”
“What did he look like,” I asked.
“Tall, dark hair, a little gray, clean-shaven.”
Well, shit, that described about fifty percent of the men I knew.
“He kept referring to you as Mrs. Harrington, never Vik, Vikki, or Victoria.”
“He didn’t give you his name?”
“No,” she replied. “He said you’d know him. I was about ready to call security when Travis showed up.”
“What?” I asked, alarm evident in my voice.
“Weird, I know. I mean, usually he freaks me out, but I see why you keep him around. I was glad to see him.”
I glanced back again to the SUV. It was a little farther back, and I could see Travis through the windshield. “What did Travis do?”
“What he always does. He talked, all business-like. You know, like ‘Dr. Conway, may I be of any assistance? I’m sure Mrs. Harrington has had a difficult day… ’You know, yada yada.”
“And this guy left?”
“He did. I invited Travis in. I mean, I didn’t feel right saying, hey, thanks for saving me from that scary dude. Now go away.”
The temples of my head began to pound. “What did you tell Travis?”
“I started to tell him the same thing, about my giving you a sleep aid… but there was something about the way he looked at me and around the apartment. I’m sorry, Vik. I told him the truth. I told him that I let you borrow my car, and you wanted some alone time.”
“Alone time?” I repeated.
“Well, since you’re technically a widow, whatever happened with horizontal-friend is legal. I’m assuming. In most states?”
“Go on,” I encouraged.
“But I didn’t think he needed to know this wasn’t a new thing. I just didn’t say one way or the other.”
I looked around at my surroundings. “Val, I think I’ll need something to help me sleep once today is done. I’m almost to your apartment. Is it all right if I leave your car on the street?”
“Sure, sis. What about getting home? Do you need a ride?”
As I slowed down I saw Travis do the same. “No, I’m good. Travis is here.”
“Okay, drop the keys in my mailbox. Hey, maybe he’s not so creepy?”
I shook my head. “He’s still creepy.” I thought about his help with Parker. “It just comes in handy sometimes. Will you be over before the funeral? I really liked having you with me yesterday. I know it’s not a lot of fun, but if you don’t mind…”
“Of course, don’t even think about it. I’m there for you.”
I hung up as I eased into a parking space right in front of Val’s building. Before I locked the doors, I unconsciously checked the seat. Travis can suck it! I didn’t need his damn tissue. The sound of doors unlocking brought my attention to the big black SUV. Straightening my shoulders, I shoved the tissue in my purse with my phone and walked toward Val’s building.
After dropping her keys in her mailbox, I turned back toward the waiting SUV. Taking a deep breath, I walked around to the passenger side door; with each step I was keenly aware that my panties were MIA. Climbing up into the passenger’s seat, I made a concerted effort to keep the skirt of my dress tucked around my legs.
“You know, your husband’s only been dead for a few days. You might at least consider taking a change of clothes if you’re going to go out whoring, especially if you plan to continue to do it in the slums.”
I hated his condescending tone, not to mention his words. Straightening my neck, I declared, “I decided at the last minute to spend the night with my sister.”
Travis feigned a laugh. “If I’m going to spend my time dealing with your shit, I guess I should get the lingo down. Spend the night with my sister means whoring? Do I have that right, Mrs. Harrington?”
My body flew back against the seat as he hit the accelerator. Almost as fast, the SUV swung into a parking lot and I flew forward as he pounded the brake. Instinctively, I reached forward and braced myself on the dashboard. “Jesus Christ, what is your fucking—”
Before I could complete my question, Travis threw the SUV into park, unsnapped his seatbelt and lunged toward me. Faster than I could pull away, he reached my seatbelt, pulled it over my body and latched it in place. Shaking his head, he leaned back, secured his own and put the SUV back into drive. Under his breath, he muttered, “I fucking need a goddamned raise for this shit.” Raising his voice, he turned toward me. “Safety. That’s my job. Do you think you could help me out a little?”
