He showed us a sheaf of pages covered with detailed notes. Lots and lots of notes.
Bene sighed. “Of course she did.”
Slowly, everyone headed off to work, and did indeed work, as we did six days a week. Yes, we even worked Saturdays, though only to midafternoon. Sunday was a day off, and I had a plan for mine. One that didn’t involve paint, ladders, or any type of renovation work.
Oh, and no tigers. But that was the tricky part.
I woke extra early that morning — well, early for a Sunday — and snuck out a side door. I tiptoed to Mina’s battered little Citroën and closed the door quietly, determined to sneak off unnoticed.
I winced as the engine coughed to life and at the loud crunch of tires over gravel. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, I turned the corner to the front of the château and—
Thump!Roux stepped in front of the car, bracing both hands against the hood.
I hit the brakes. Jeez. Was he planning to hold me back with sheer muscle power?
“Where are you going?” he growled, ignoring my curses.
I beeped. Hard.
“Where. Are. You. Going?” he gritted out, word by word.
I rolled down the window. Yes, by hand. The car was that old.
“I have some errands, if you must know.”
“Errands.” His tone was flat.
I nodded. “Errands.”
“What errands?”
I threw up both hands. “How is that any of your business?”
“What errands?” he growled.
“Small, unimportant errands not too far away,” I snipped.
He snorted, then pointed to the garden. “Mina was attacked right over there. She was attacked in London too.”
I rolled my eyes. “Good thing I’m not going to London.”
He crossed his arms, trying to look big and intimidating. Mostly succeeding.
I beeped again. “I can go anywhere I want, dammit!”
He walked around to the passenger side and got in. Which was quite the process, given his size versus the space in the compact car. Then he pointed down the driveway.
“Fine. Go anywhere you want.”
“Alone,” I emphasized. “I can go anywhere I wantalone.”
He buckled his seat belt. “Just pretend I’m not here.”
Ha. Having a herd of antelope in the car would be less distracting than Roux.
“I’ll be out all day,” I warned.
He jutted his jaw. “Great.”
