But the energy falling off him now, I couldn't place. Obviously the late-night phone call had set him off. I tried to see it from his point of view. The call was late, sudden, and unexplained. If I were being honest, I had to admit, I might feel the same way.
I softened my voice and tried a new approach. "You're mad about that call last night, aren't you?"
He shrugged.
"Okay." I blew out a breath. "You know I'm just staying in that house, right?"
He nodded.
"Well, that call last night. It was from the home-owner, just some financial thing that couldn’t wait."
"At midnight," he said, more a statement than a question.
"It wasn'tquitemidnight," I said, trying to keep my tone light.
"Uh-huh. And how about this morning?"
"What about this morning?"
"Forget it."
Ahead of us, Chucky was straining at the leash. I spotted a chipmunk darting across a brick walkway. Chucky went berserk, trying to reach it for about five seconds, until he spotted a big gray housecat lounging on the other side of the street.
Chucky lunged toward the cat with all his tiny might, straining at his leash and barking his fool head off. The cat looked oddly unconcerned.
I raised my gaze to Lawton and caught him looking in my direction. Still walking, I gave him a smile, the secret one we always shared when Chucky spazzed out.
Except this time, Lawton didn't return the smile.
And then, something else caught his attention. His gaze left my face, and his expression darkened. I turned and saw exactly what had caught his attention.
In the Parkers' driveway sat a slick black Mercedes.
Up ahead, on the Parkers' porch was an unfamiliar man in a flashy business suit. I wasn't expecting anyone. Then again, I hadn't been expecting a lot of people who'd been showing up lately.
Chapter 47
I glanced at Lawton. His face was stony, but he said nothing. Chucky, meanwhile, had given up on the cat and was straining toward a group of elderly power-walkers coming toward us.
I glanced back to the porch. In one hand, the man held a briefcase. In the other, he held a large manila envelope.
I turned to Lawton and said, "I'll be right back."
Before he could respond, I dashed ahead, jogging down the Parkers' long driveway and hurrying up to the house.
The stranger, an overly tanned man with poufy blonde hair, stood legs apart, hands on his hips. He lifted a wrist to study his watch. It looked like a Rolex.
"Can I help you?" I said.
Slowly, he turned to face me. "Chloe Malinski?"
"Yes?"
"I assume you have I.D.?"
I froze. When someone comes to your door and demands I.D., it was never a good thing, especially when they looked like a parody of some celebrity lawyer.
"Doyouhave I.D.?" I said.
