Page 45 of After The Storm
While his boss searched out Xavier, Roman reclined back on the bed and closed his eyes to enjoy the peace and quiet. Not that he disliked sharing a room with Kate, but he had to admit being alone came with its own benefits he’d missed since he left the estate.
“Roman? I had a feeling you were going to be calling me today,” Xavier said in his usual way that made him sound so relaxed and casual.
“Oh yeah? Are you clairvoyant now?” Roman joked.
“Nah. I leave that otherworldly shit to Julian. He’s the one who always seems to know what people are thinking even before they tell him. It’s downright spooky, if you ask me. No, I just had a feeling I’d be hearing from you sometime soon. Call it a gut feeling.”
“Well, your gut was right. The case I’m working could use some of your magic. Do you have a few minutes?”
“I do if you don’t call what I do magic. You know it’s anything but. Hacking takes real skill. It’s not that hocus pocus shit at all.”
Roman could tell by the sharp tone in Xavier’s voice that he’d offended him. Rarely did he sound anything but downright chipper, so the angry undertone in his words stuck out like a sore thumb.
“Pardon my French, man. I’ve been in New Orleans for too long. You know how everything down here is voodoo. I didn’t mean to say your skills are magical.”
For how prickly he could be, Xavier couldn’t stay angry for long. It just didn’t seem to be in the guy’s DNA. He liked having a good time too much to be miserable.
“Aw, I can’t be upset with you, Roman. Out of all of us, you’re the most serious, so I know there’s no way you were busting my balls. I get that. So what can I do for you?” Xavier said, his charm returning once again.
“Thanks. We’ve gotten as far as we can, and every time we try to get further, we hit a wall.”
Xavier laughed. “That wall you keep hitting is what someone trying to hide something wants you to hit. That’s where I come in. So tell me about what you’re working on.”
“I’ll send you all of what we have. Follow the money seems to be the idea,” Roman said, swinging his feet off the bed.
“Politicians and money. Story as old as time, especially when you’re talking about Southern politicians. They’re as crooked as they come,” Xavier said.
“Let me know as soon as you find something. In the meantime, I’m laying low with the client at a lake house just outside of New Orleans.”
“I’ll let Persephone and Nick know. Stuck alone with a beautiful woman on a lake? Sounds like a vacation to me.”
Roman brushed him off. “Yeah. Right.”
“Don’t get me wrong. You deserve it, man. Of all of us, you’re the one who works the hardest since you never give yourself even a moment’s break. Enjoy a few days of peace and quiet and whatever else you and she decide to do.”
“Bye, Xavier. Let me know as soon as you find out anything, okay?”
He stuffed his phone back in his pocket and took a deep breath. With Xavier working on this case, Roman expected to make some headway soon. Now if he and Kate could just lay low at Butcher’s house for a while, hopefully this assignment could end without anyone getting hurt.
A banging noise outside the bedroom door made Roman jump up off the bed and head out, his gun drawn. He rushed down the hall and searched the living room but found nothing out of order.
He heard the noise again behind him and spun around toward the kitchen to point his gun directly at Kate’s head. Her eyes opened wide in terror, and she dropped a frying pan on the counter. So that was the noise he heard.
“What the hell are you doing pointing that gun at me?” she screamed as she shot her hands up in the air to surrender.
A quick scan of the room told him nothing was wrong, so he slowly lowered his weapon. “I heard a noise.”
Kate picked up the frying pan and waved it in the air as she barked at him. “So you thought you should pull out your gun? Because someone making dinner for you is certainly dangerous. You can find my picture up in post offices across the country. Wanted for sautéing. Armed with a spatula. Considered dangerous. Proceed with caution.”
“I’m sorry.”
Roman stuck his gun into the back of his pants and ran his hand through his hair. He hadn’t meant to frighten her. He just heard a noise and reacted the way he’d been trained to.
“Why are you getting a frying pan out?”
As she rummaged through Butcher’s drawers looking for something, she explained, “When I’m antsy, I like to cook. Since I’m downright terrified, you may get the best meal of your life. Your friend’s fridge is pretty well stocked, actually.”
“You don’t have to be scared, Kate. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”