Jason looked like that was hard for him to believe. "Seriously?"
"Hey, I'm not saying they wouldn't find them if they looked for them, but they're not obvious. And 'Pelican Rentals'—which does not rent pelicans, by the way—looks harmless at first glance. If Henrik hasn't tipped them off, Byron probably isn't paying him any attention."
Jason resumed his slow nod. "I'd agree with you, but those four guards concern me." He waved a finger between Allie and Knox. "You two pay Henrik another visit. I'd say call him, but if Byron is worried about what he knows, they may be tapping his phone. Tell him to be careful. And tell him not to touch any of his cameras. If Byron hasn't noticed them yet, then we all got lucky. We don't want them watching Henrik adjusting or repairing a camera facing their property."
Knox gently shook what was left of his Caribbean Spiced Latte. "Good thing Henrik is next door to a coffee shop. I'm going to need some more caffeine."
Jason took a sip of his coffee and shooed them away with his free hand. "Go on. Let me know what he says."
Knox gave a mock salute. "Will do."
Allie grabbed her tote and her coffee and followed Knox to the door. She hoped Jason was being overcautious. Henrik was quirky, but he didn't deserve to be in danger. Hopefully, he would heed their advice.
Chapter 7
Knox held the door open for Allie and followed her into the hallway. They walked to the elevator in comfortable silence, but by the time the elevator arrived, she felt he was unusually quiet. "Is something wrong?"
"Hm?"
She couldn't stifle her laugh. "Sorry. I apparently pulled you out of some deep thinking. Care to share?" The elevator doors closed, and she pressed the button for the lobby.
Knox was staring at her. And continuing to stare. She would've been worried except for the lopsided grin on his face.
"Stop messing with me. What is it?"
His eyes softened. "I was just thinking about how good you are at reading people."
"Okay?"
"So . . . can you read me?"
"Oh." Now she was the one with the goofy grin. "Unless you try to lie to me, you won't need to worry about me analyzing your nonverbal cues."
He looked like he wanted to say something, but the elevator doors opened. Four women with pickleball rackets stood waiting for the elevator. Knox gave her a smile she couldn't decipher. Apparently, whatever he was going to say could wait.
When they exited the front doors of The Mandeville, the humid heat made her wish she was wearing shorts. It wouldn't be inappropriate as far as work was concerned. Knox and Jason were wearing shorts today. But revealing her scar was absolutely out of the question. She didn't want questions. Or the staring.
And she honestly didn't want Knox looking at it. He knew it was there, of course. But she didn't want him to have to look at it. Besides the fact that it looked so disgusting, they didn't need another reminder of that night out in the open.
Okay, that's it then—pants and long dresses for the rest of my life. If she moved somewhere cold, no one would question her wardrobe choices. Trouble was, she lived in Houston, Texas. And she was presently working on a Caribbean island. Not ideal climates for swearing off shorts.
When they got to the SUV, Knox turned on the engine, and she cranked up the AC. He was giving her a funny look again.
"Okay, Knox. What's up?"
"I want you to read me. Study my . . . my—"
"Nonverbal cues?"
"Yes. That. Look at my eyes, my fingers, my ears, whatever."
He was being sweet and a little serious. She wasn't sure where this was going. "Your ears aren't going to tell me much. What is it I'm looking for?"
He slid his hand into hers. "I want you to use all your scary-good skills to convince yourself that I'm being completely honest with you."
She grabbed his forearm with her other hand—out of shock, or to shake some sense into him, she didn't know which. "What? Knox, I never . . . is this about my comment about lying in theelevator? I was just kidding with you. I've never suspected you were dishonest about anything. Ever."
He placed his hand on top of hers with a new softness in his face. "Then trust me when I say that what happened three months ago doesn't affect the way I feel about you."
