Page 51 of Passerby: A Psychological Thriller
It’s not. When Roy looks at me, he sees what he wants to see. “You think?”
“It doesn’t matter what I think.” He looks away. “Why’d you call?”
“I was wondering if you might arrest Davis.”
“For what?”
I’m trying to be funny, but he’s not taking the bait. There were two ways this could go, and luckily for my brother, the internet came through. That’s not to say I am above having him put in jail; anything to save him and our business from that woman. Still, that would be a low blow. Even for me. “To keep him from marrying that woman.”
“Apparently not even the prospect of jail can keep true love away. But you know that, don’t you, Ruth?”
“I do. But I know something else.”
“Pray tell.”
“I know fresh starts are possible.”
“Bless your heart,” he tells me, which in the south sounds a whole lot like fuck you. “I’ve been in this business a long time…”
I don’t know what business he’s talking about, but I know that I’m about to find out. “People don’t really change.”
“They can’t,” I say. “Not if you refuse them the chance. Which is why I called—” I flash a devilish grin. “I need a date for Saturday night.”
Roy looks at me in disbelief. He narrows his eyes. I don’t know if there’s hope hidden in those eyes, only that I need there to be. I think for his sake, he does too. “What’s the catch?”
“There’s no catch.”
“Let me guess. You want me to make Cole Wheeler jealous.”
“Of course not. Jesus, Roy. I’m not that petty.”
“Who then? Ryan?”
“It hurts that you think so little of me.”
“It’s a terrible plan, Ruth. And it won’t work.”
“I should hope not.” I get the sense he wants me to say more. More than anything, he wants to be right. He wants me to give just a little, and so I do. “And why is that? Why won’t it work?”
“It just won’t.” He crosses and uncrosses his arms, only to cross them again. “Cole nor Ryan will ever believe, not anymore than I do, that you’re interested in me.”
He shifts his stance. “And even if they did—your penchant for unavailable men will do you no favors in the long run.”
“Well, it’s a good thing that wasn’t at all what I had in mind.” I say this and then I do the opposite of what he expects me to do: I do not argue with him. I lean forward and I kiss him full on the mouth and I don’t let him pull away, not even when he tries. “You see, Roy, I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks. I want what I want.”
He looks rattled. “And what’s that?”
“I told you. For you to be my date at my brother’s engagement party.”
“What else?”
“I want you to pull all you can on the name Caitlyn Jepson.”
“That would be breaking the rules.”
“Yes,” I say. “But I promise I would make it worth your while.”
He tips his hat and opens the driver’s door of his squad car. After he climbs in and closes it, he looks at me. “I’m sure you would.”