“Who are you?” I counter.
He pulls his shoulders back, giving himself confidence that is clearly for show. “I’m Annie’s friend.”
I lean back call her name. “Who’s your friend?” She comes out of the bathroom, and I make just enough room for her to tuck tight next to me.
“Poe?” She slides her arm around my waist and tells me, “He’s my neighbor, my friend.”
He gets tense at her description of him, and his neck turns red.
I want to see how he reacts to being insulted in front of her. “Is there something you need, neighbor?”
He grinds his teeth together and shoots daggers at me, but then looks at Annie like she’s the reason the sun rises and sets. “I have your cat.” His voice makes me pay even more attention to him. It’s empty, but it’s evil at the same time.
Annie gasps. “You found her? Is she okay?”
“Why don’t you come inside and see for yourself?” He smiles smugly. I move.
I shove him into the hallway, grab his throat, then slam him against the wall. “You break into her place, too, motherfucker? She turned you down, and your ego can’t take it, so you fuck with her to get your rocks off?”
“Ben, stop.”
“Answer me!”
He chokes out, “No.”
“Let him go, Ben.” Annie puts her hand on my arm and pulls, but I’m too furious to back down. She tugs again. “Now, Benny.”
I move her an arm’s length away before letting him breathe again.
“What in the world?” he wheezes. “You’re crazy.”
About Annie I am. “How’d you get the cat?”
“She was in the hallway meowing. I knocked, and Annie didn’t answer, so I brought her inside my apartment. I’m allergic to cats but I kept her with me because I know how much she means to her.” He rubs his neck. “Who is this gentleman, Annie?”
“He’s my…bo—”
“Boyfriend,” I finish her answer. “I’m her boyfriend.”
His reaction to that is exactly what I expect. Angry, disappointed rejection is hard to mask. “You never told me about any boyfriend.” His face gets red but he holds my eyes with his crazy ones. “Why didn’t you mention him last weekend when you were over for dinner?”
Oh, hell no. He wants to challenge me. Game on, motherfucker. “Sweetheart, go get Joan Wick.”
I see her in my periphery as she opens his door, and I hear her relieved sob immediately. “My baby, there you are. Are you okay?”
“Take her to your place and close the door behind you.”
She does as I say without argument, which in and of itself speaks volumes. It tells me she has no desire to defend this guy, and that she’s glad he thinks she’s mine.
So far, he’s number one on my suspect list.
He rolls his shoulders and tries to move, but I shake my head. “Stay.”
“I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m warning you not to touch me again, or else.”
Ignoring his idle threat, I cross my arms. “If there’s anything you want to tell me about your involvement with Joan Wick going missing, or anythingat allthat has to do with Annie, I suggest you do it now.”
“I don’t believe I have anything else to say to you.” He turns his nose up at me.
