“I’m so sorry I bothered you.” Camille walks quickly to the door, making a wide berth around Deacon, then disappears into the night.
“What was that about?” Deacon asks.
“I’m not really sure.” I lean back against the counter, still a bit stunned by what just happened. “You know a lawyer named Benjamin Bayliss?”
Deacon shrugs one shoulder. “Heard about him but don’t know him. He’s the guy you want if you’re staring at serious time. Word is he can get you out of just about any charge.” He watches me a moment, then asks, “Why?”
I nod toward the door Camille just fled through. “That was his wife. Accused me of sleeping with her husband.”
Deacon’s eyebrows shoot up.
Holding my hand up, I add, “Before you even ask, no. I’ve never even met him.”
“So what made her think that?”
“She found one of our bar napkins with my name, number, and our address. Says he’s been there according to the travel history on his car, whatever that means. I told her to get him on the phone so I could ask him about it and she panicked. Walked it back by saying she must have misunderstood. That he must have had my info because of a case. I asked her if it was Paul Granger’s and she flinched.”
Deacon’s eyes widen. “You think he’s taking Granger’s case?”
I shrug. “No idea. But if he is, why would he be checking on me?”
Deacon walks closer to the bar then takes the stool she just vacated, whipping out his phone. “Gonna text the house group chat and ask if anyone knows him. Seen him lurking around.”
My phone vibrates in my back pocket when his text comes through. At this hour, there’s a good chance we won’t hear back from everyone until tomorrow.
I can’t stop the shiver that rolls through me. “Let’s just get out of here.”
Deacon has been here enough at closing that he helps me get everythingshut down and locked up in record time. Thankfully the rain has stopped by the time we pull into the driveway at home.
When I go to open the door, I notice he doesn’t get out. “Are you not coming inside?”
He shakes his head. “Got one or two things to finish up before I’m done tonight.”
“I should be mad you left work just to bring me home, but I’m very glad you did since the weather was so awful. Very sweet of you.”
He ducks his head since he’s terrible at accepting any sort of compliment. “Lock up behind you. We’ll talk in the morning about the Bayliss woman’s visit.”
I jump out of his car and step carefully through the yard, trying to avoid the landmine of puddles.
“You’re home later than usual.”
Spinning around with my hands clutched to my chest, I spot Serenity, another one of our housemates, sitting in the dark on an old wrought iron chaise. She’s using an upside-down orange Home Depot bucket as a side table to hold her cocktail and ashtray.
“You scared the shit out of me,” I say.
She lights a joint, and the glow from the flame illuminates her face for a few seconds, long enough to see this isn’t the first one she’s smoked tonight. Her hair is a mess and her gaze unfocused.
“How long have you been sitting out here?” I ask, moving closer to her.
She raises her hand, offering me a hit, but I wave her away. It wouldn’t be the first time I smoked with her but tonight’s events have me feeling it’s important to stay sharp.
“Ever since the rain stopped. Was going crazy cooped up in the house. Shane and Eddie were working late in the garage.”
I drop down on the end of the chaise. I’m in no rush to get to my room since I’m still so keyed up from Camille’s visit. I’ll give myself a few minutes to sit in the dark while the pungent smoke floats in the air around me.
“You upset? Why?” Serenity asks. She’s squinting one eye at me as if that’s the only way she can focus.
I twist around until I’m fully facing her. “How can you tell I’m upset?”
