“There it is.” He thumbed the first result. “Next Friday in Corbin. Shit, that gives everyone time to figure out the clue and plan to go.”
“Which sucks out the yin yang for us.”
“Especially since we won’t know what we’ll be looking for when we get there.” He closed the screen, tucking his phone back into his pocket. “It’ll be interesting to see how many will admit they saw the commercial.”
“I wonder how many have already seen it, and how long that commercial has been playing? I usually fast forward commercials.”
“Most people do. We might luck out.”
“We can hope.” She stuck her hands in her back pockets. “I need to get home. I have an eight o’clock in the morning.”
“I’ll let you get some sleep, then.”
He walked by her side as she walked toward her car then gave her a kiss before opening the door for her.
“I’m having dinner with Stud and his family tomorrow night. You want to come? You can keep me from eating the pizza on the way there.”
“Throw in some chicken wings, and I’m there,” she said, getting into the car.
He tapped on the window before pulling out. “I’ll follow you to your apartment and make sure you get inside before I leave.”
“Hot thang, I don’t need you doing the protective boyfriend act. Anyone who tries to mess with me will get more than they bargained for. Besides, the only crime rate we have in Jamestown is speeding, or dealing drugs. I don’t do either. Go home.”
He gave her a searching look. “What if your neighbors are fighting again?”
“Then I’ll call the cops.” She rolled the window up before he could say anything else.
When she made the turn out of the parking lot, she wasn’t surprised to see he followed her.
There was a parking spot in front of her building, so she slid into it, locking the car when she got out and pointedly ignoring him as he watched her go up the metal steps to her apartment.
Unlocking her door, she gave him a finger before going inside and locking her door. She then stealthily peeked through the curtains as Calder left, and then looked at the cars in the parking lot to make sure Sam’s wasn’t there. When she didn’t see it, she went through her apartment, searching each room, including the closets, knowing she was becoming paranoid.
She almost wished Sam would try something. Her apartment building was heavily monitored by cameras on the outside.
Of all the jerks she had dated, she was becoming more and more wary of Sam. Joker had been the biggest loser of them all, but her instincts were telling her that Sam was just as bad, but smarter. That was what had her looking over her shoulder.
She wanted to kick her ass for ever going out with him. She had been blinded by the façade he had put on around others. He had seemed so straight-laced that he had refused to bribe the clerk at the convenience store when she wanted a beer after hours.
Getting undressed, she showered, pampering herself by painting her toenails with a bright red polish. She was admiring them, sitting on her bed, when her phone rang.
Picking it up, she didn’t recognize the number, so she dropped the phone down and turned the sound up on the television, hoping the commercial would come on again. She had turned it to the same channel that been on at the restaurant.
Bored, Crazy Bitch picked up her phone again. Whoever it was had left a voicemail.
Listening, she nearly dropped the phone at the vile suggestions coming from her phone.
“You low-class cunt, I’m going to fuck you until you’re…”
It didn’t sound like Sam, yet she knew it was him. The sick fucker must have bought a burner phone so she wouldn’t recognize his number.
“He thinks I’m low class?” she muttered to herself. “He’s going to find how low class I am.”
Crazy Bitch waved at Fat Louise as she passed her desk but didn’t stop, going to the elevator. Pushing the button, she went inside when it opened. Pressing the fourth-floor button, she impatiently waited for the elevator to glide upward. When the doors slid open, she walked directly to Sam’s office.
When she opened the glass door, the receptionist and the patients stared at her curiously.
“Hi, sugar, can I see Sam?”
“Uh, yes.” The woman stood, going through a side door. A minute later, she came back with Sam following behind her.
His face paled then turned angry. “What are you doing here?”
She pretended to be confused. “I missed your call last night. I didn’t want you thinking I was ignoring your calls.”
He stepped closer to the counter, lowering his voice so the patients in the office couldn’t hear. “I didn’t call you last night.”
“You sure? It sounded like you.” Lifting her hand, she raised her phone and pressed the button she had readied to play the message back. The vulgar filth pouring out of her phone forced shocked gasps out of the women in the room.