Page 58 of Lulu
Ding, ding, ding!Alarm bells went off in my head, as my mind immediately went to Brody
“Someone told me he was in the area.”
I looked the stranger over closely. Everything about him screamed safe, and if I were being honest, boring. Cargo shorts that fell to his knees. An Izod pullover. Boat shoes. His short, brown hair was barely visible from beneath a baseball cap. Expensive looking sunglasses were pushed up, resting against his forehead. He looked like a harmless tourist.
But could he be a killer in disguise?
“A friend?” I inquired, wondering if he had a gun tucked somewhere on his body.
“Yeah. A friend. I just left his house, but no one was home. I thought since he’s your neighbor you might know him.”
That story seemed feasible enough. “I don’t know him.”
There was a meaningful pause, and one side of his mouth lifted. “I didn’t say his name.”
Shit!“What I mean is that I don’t know anyone from around here.” I thought about what he’d just said, and realized that it didn’t sound right. A few minutes ago he’d said that someone had seen the person he was looking for in the area, not that he lived nearby. “What’s your name?”
“I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Bruce Willis.” He stepped away from the door and held his hand out.
I laughed, but it was forced. “Like the actor.”
“Yeah, like the actor,” he laughed in turn. “I wish I had his money.”
He was still holding his hand out, and I realized that I was going to have to take it or raise his suspicion. I sensed that he was good at reading people, and if this was the man who was after Brody, he was extremely dangerous.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lulu.” His grip was firmer than I’d expected, and there was something in his eyes that unnerved me. His eyes were cold and seemed to look right through me. Jesus, maybe I was freaking myself out for no reason, but that didn’t stop me from stepping back the second that he released my hand. “So who are you looking for?”
“Brody Savage,” he responded simply.
Fuck!It was all I could do to hold his stare without giving anything away, especially when I was growing more and more apprehensive the longer he was there. “Sorry, I don’t know him.”
He didn’t appear disappointed. In fact, his expression remained fixed, as if he’d been expecting that answer. “Really?”
“Should I?” I countered back.
He shrugged. “He is your neighbor.”
Hadn’t we already covered this already? “I’m new to the area. Why don’t you wait at his house for him to return?”
“I’m only passing through today. He wasn’t expecting me, but I thought I’d surprise him. I’d like to get a message to him that I came by.”
The urge to call Smokey inside was strong, but I decided to remind Bruce that I wasn’t alone instead. “Did you ask the biker outside if he knew him?”
“He doesn’t.”
“I’m sorry I can’t help you, Mr. Willis.” I took the initiative and reached around him to open the door. Relief swept through me when he stepped outside. I hadn’t thought getting rid of him would be that easy. He turned when Millie’s car pulled into the driveway. I smiled and returned her wave. “I’ll let him know you stopped by when I see him.”
Bruce turned his head very slowly back to me, a knowing grin spreading across his face and satisfaction shining in his brown eyes, which seemed to be assessing me in a different light. A chill went through me as I realized what I’d said. I’d been so intent on watching Millie driving in that I hadn’t paid attention to what I was saying. She pulled around his car and parked to the side of it.
“Well, thanks for your time. You have a good day.”
“You, too, Mr. Willis.”
He and Millie mumbled a greeting to each other as they passed one another, and then Millie called out, “Hey, Smokey!”
Smokey waved back at her, and she turned to give Bruce one last look before turning back to me as she reached the door. “Who’s that?”
“He said he was looking for a friend.”