“She did?”Lou sounds unconvinced.Looking at me, she adds softly, “I don’t hate you.”
I don’t take my eyes off Bill, but I feel like that deserves a response.“I’m glad.”To Bill I add, “I think we’ve got this under control for today.Thanks for stopping.”
“Right.”Bill smiles but it’s off.“I’ll see you later, Lou.”
“Thanks for stopping in.”Lou gives him a sincere smile.She doesn’t sense the danger that we’re in.
And we are in danger.
“Bye.”Bill waves and turns.I take two small steps into the hallway, making sure he actually leaves.When he sees me, he smiles weakly and waves again.“Later.”
“Yeah.Later.”
The second he’s out the door, I push it closed and lock it.I don’t for a second believe that would be enough to keep him out.Doing my best not to alarm her, I move back into the room and wrap her up in my arms.Glancing at the ceiling discretely, I kiss her head.“Are you okay?Handling all this?”I nod to the treasure because that’s exactly what this is.A treasure.I do my best to act like I don’t know that fucker is watching us.Because, he most certainly is.The tiny camera placed into the crack of the ceiling molding is proof of that.I suspect, the second he saw us lay out the coins, he jumped into his car and beelined it here, offering to help in his salesman attire.
“I’m okay.”
“What do you say we pick all this up and take it somewhere safe?”
“Safe?”She looks around the room.“I suppose you’re right.It’s not safe here.”
“The bank would be good.A safety deposit box.”
“You think I need to worry about it?”She looks back at the door.“You’re right.Bill saw it.He’ll tell people.”
I doubt it.
“Let’s put this in something and get it out of here.”
We work together placing every coin and gem into a small cardboard box she found in the kitchen.I’m tempted to ask her if I can carry it, but she’s clutching the thing close to her chest like she’s got an infant in her arms.
Suddenly, the thought of Lou holding a baby,ourbaby, hits me like a ton of bricks.Not in a bad way.Sweat isn’t gathering at my brow imagining it like it has other times, in other relationships.No, it feels good.Right.Perfect, actually.
Lou makes her way to her truck, but I point to my SUV.“Let me drive.”
I know Bill knows we’ve left with the coins, so I’d prefer we’re in a car that can go over thirty miles per hour if needed.Reversing out of the driveway, I put the car into Drive.Glancing at the clock I frown.“It’s after five.Is the bank going to be open?”
Lou shakes her head.“No.It closes at four thirty.”
Shit.Now what?Doing a U-turn in the middle of Main Street, I’m doing my best to think of our options when I look over at Lou, who’s resting her head back onto the leather seat.Looking over at me, she says, “You know, I just thought of something….”
“What?”
“You remember me telling you that a man from California wanted to buy this place?”
“Mr.Firnstrip?”
She frowns.“Huh?”Shaking me off, she replies, “No, his name was Joseph Feinster III.”
“Feinster?That name sounds familiar.”
“His family owns Finesse Shoes.”
You’ve got to be shitting me….
“He offered me six hundred thousand dollars for the house.”
“Uh—” That’s double what it’s probably worth, or would have been if she’d been able to finish it.
