Page 149 of No Limos Allowed


Font Size:

I pulled up a mental map. Carol, one of Franny's best friends, owned a gift shop two doors down. Thathadto be it. "So…they can seemyback door, too?"

"Notthem," she said. "The camera."

"But that's the same thing," I protested.

"It isnot," she said. "No one's lurking in the alley with popcorn. And the camera only eats batteries."

Popcorn? Batteries?"But – "

"And besides, it's motion-activated."

"So?"

"So if there's nothing to see, there's nothing to film. Except it's digital, so it never really sleeps." She shrugged. "Anyway, the wayIhear it, the nighttime has been pretty darn busy inyourneck of the woods."

My heart hammered as I took it all in. "And you're just mentioning thisnow –that Griff is sleeping here, I mean?"

"I didn'thaveto mention it before," she said with a knowing smile. "Until a few days ago, you were here to see for yourself." She paused. "Well…except for the part of him returning after kissing you goodbye – and not just a little smooch, from whatIhear."

Good Lord.Was there no such thing as privacy?

Apparently not.

As if to prove it, Franny chose that moment to ask, "And what's this about a key party?"

I did a double-take. "Wait, what?"

"I'm just saying, I checked my mailbox, and I didn't get an invite."

Just then, Ryder shoved his way through the front door and headed toward the back, calling out over his shoulder, "I'm off to lunch. Cover for me, alright?"

He'd barely disappeared through the connecting door when Franny said with a lingering sigh, "He can covermeany time."

58

Just a Guy and His Ceiling

Griff

The pounding at the door was pissing me off.

I ignored it, just like I'd been ignoring the smell of dead fish and the grumbling of my stomach. I had plenty of food. I just didn't want it.

As far as the person at the door, whoever it was, maybe they'd go away.

It wasn't Maisie.She wouldn't pound. She'd knock, all nice and polite.Yeah, even at a dump like this.

The pounding grew louder, and Ryder's voice carried from the other side. "I know you're in there." He paused before adding, "Unless the cockroaches locked you in the closet."

Shit.I pushed up from the bed and strode to the door. I yanked it open with a frown. "No cockroacheshere."It was surprising, but true.

He grinned. "No closet either." He strode past me and headed for the table. He dropped a paper sack onto its surface and said, "Look. Lunch."

My eyes narrowed. I knew that bag. It was the same type Maisie had been using to pack my sandwiches. "You mean it'syourlunch. She gave it toyou, right?"

He scoffed. "Yeah. Grudgingly."

I knew Maisie better than that. She was unfailingly polite even when upset. I knew this firsthand, just like I knew that Ryder hadn't come here to deliver lunch.