“Pepperoni, sausage, anything really. I’m easy.”
“Fine,” Lindsey pouted. “Get whatever you want. I’ve got a bedroom that has met with disaster and needs my attention.” She turned back on her way out and glared at Ryan. “But you already figured that out, didn’t you?”
Chapter 13
The afternoon was long and tense, but in the end, Alex was relieved they’d come.
He nearly jumped when the doorbell rang. Both men froze.
Lindsey and Jessica padded down the hall silent as mice, eyes wide.
Lindsey peeked out a side window, pulling the curtain back only an inch. She turned and mouthed, “It’s them.” She held up three fingers.
Alex pointed down the hall, glaring at her, demanding silently to let him handle this.
When the women disappeared, at least from sight—he knew they’d not gone far—he opened the door about six inches, his left foot blocking it from being flung open any farther.
“Can I help you?”
“Hello, sir. Yes. We’re hoping to have a word with Lindsey Walters.” The tall slender man dressed a bit like a Catholic priest spoke. His hands were clasped in front of him. The Roman collar around his neck looked too small and threatened to choke him. His clothes were all black and his thinning hair was too long, one side flipped across the top in a vain effort to keep others from knowing he was balding. Why did people do such stupid things? Alex would have laughed out loud under normal circumstances, the guy was so comical. Except this wasn’t funny.
“She’s unavailable right now. May I ask what this is about?”
“She’s a member of our church congregation. We haven’t seen her in a while. We like to check up on our flock when they are absent.” His smug look made Alex want to slap him. He gripped the door frame so tight, his knuckles began to hurt.
“Did she not leave your church about four years ago? How long do you continue to stalk old members exactly?” Alejandro narrowed his gaze, hoping to intimidate the man and the two lambs alongside him.
The slender gentleman gasped and grabbed the white collar at his throat, probably so he could breathe. “We don’t stalk anyone. I assure you, sir. But we are particularly worried when one of our family is lost.”
Alex cleared his throat and spoke slow and clear, not mincing words. “Lindsey is not lost. She has made it perfectly clear she is no longer interested in attending your services. Let’s make this the last visit to her apartment, what do you say?”
The man shook his head. “We really must speak to Lindsey directly. We’ll wait.”
Wait? What the fuck is the matter with these people? Can’t they take a hint?
“Look, cabrón.” Alejandro grabbed the edge of the door to avoid punching the guy in the face. “I said she doesn’t want to see you again. Do you understand English? She. Is. Done. With. Your. Type. Of. Religion. Asshole.”
The man’s mouth fell open, but he didn’t back down. “If it’s all the same to you, we’ll still wait.” The jerk actually turned to face the street and stood unmoving on the front step, his sheep beside him.
Frustrated, Alex slammed the door and turned to face Ryan. “Hijo de puta, that guy is pissing me off. Ideas?”
Lindsey meandered into the living room. “How about I just talk to them? Maybe that’ll work.”
“No.” Both Alex and Ryan shouted at the same time.
“Fuck no.” Alex shook his head.
“I’ve talked to them before. Maybe they just want to make sure I’m okay, or whatever.”
“Not a chance.” Alex leaned against the door. “Something’s not right. They were too … calm.” What was it? He couldn’t put his finger on it.
Lindsey glanced out the small space between the window and the curtain. “They’re still there. How long do you want to wait? If I tell them to go, maybe they’ll go and we’ll be done with this insanity.”
“What do you think?” Alex glared at Lindsey, his thoughts projecting to Ryan.
“I don’t like it, but she has a point. We’re right here. What could go wrong?”
“Let me know when you work out my problems without including me … once again, boys.” She cocked one hip to the side and glared at them.
“This is crazy and I don’t like it.”
“I’ll go out with her, pretend to be her boyfriend.”
“Pretend?” Alex chuckled out loud and then sobered when Lindsey shot daggers his way.
Ryan turned to her. “I’ll go out with you. Put on a good show of being your boyfriend.”
“Fine.”