Page 9 of Diners, Damsels & Wolves

“I need my keys! My keys! Where are my keys!”

The man sighed and started casing the area. She assumed he was searching for her lost items, but she had no idea how he was able to see anything. Jeff and Eugene seriously needed more lights in their parking lot.

He found her keys. Not too far from where she’d been, her discarded purse a few steps away. He dropped them into her hands without touching her.

“How far do you have to drive?” he asked.

“None of your business,” she snapped, walking to her car.

Jogging to catch up, he walked next to her.

“I’m not interested in following you, I’m just concerned. You seem shaken, and while understandable, it begs the question if you should be driving.”

“I only have one car. I have to work in the morning. Unless you want to pick me up for my six AM shift.”

“I could,” he offered.

“No.”

“Why?”

“I don’t like strange men knowing where I live.”

“I’ll drive you home and we can talk on the way, then I won’t be a stranger anymore,” he said.

She scowled at him. “No.”

“Don’t get mad, it was your suggestion after all.”

“I was being sarcastic,” she said.

“I know,” he said. She thought she heard a smile in his voice. Why were men so infuriating?

She pinched the bridge of her nose. Her head was pounding. All she wanted was to get clean and go to sleep.

“Listen, mister,” she began in forced calm. “I appreciate you beating up that scumbag, I really do, but you’re still a stranger. I have to get up early for work tomorrow, and the longer I stay here bickering with you, the less time I get to sleep tonight.”

“Fair enough. In that case, I hope you return home safely.”

“Thank you, bye.”

Unlocking her little white Taurus, she got in. The good Samaritan closed her door for her, then stood back, watching her turn the key and leave. Him watching her didn’t feel nearly as violating as when Alister had. This wasn’t a menacing or forced possessiveness; he seemed to be genuinely concerned. As the shock wore off, it annoyed her a bit.

Just because she got attacked in the parking lot didn’t mean she couldn’t drive herself home. It didn’t mean she needed constant watch to ensure she didn’t need rescuing again. What was with that guy?

Where had he come from anyway? She hadn’t heard anyone walking out of the bar while she was with Alister. How had he knocked Alister out so easily? She knew she wasn’t a match in a boxing fight against any guy, or most girls for that matter, so she really wasn’t a residing expert in this area.

Maybe the good Samaritan was a heavyweight champion. Bored with small-town life, he roamed around looking for scumbags to beat up. We have our own Batman in Fairville; she started chuckling. As a kid, she’d always had a huge crush on Batman.

Parking the car, she went inside the double-wide. Rachel left the TV on when she went to bed. Pale flashing light illuminated the dingy white room, the sagging brown sofa, and the rickety recliner. Turning off the flickering screen, she checked the trailer. Everything was as it should be, and Rachel was sleeping peacefully.

Clarissa forced herself to put the wet laundry in the dryer before locking herself in the bathroom for a shower. The steam felt amazing over her knotted muscles and sore limbs. Only her fatigue was strong enough to force her to leave the comfort of the scalding water.

Wrapping a bathrobe around herself, she gathered up her dirty clothes and went to her room. Her nose curled as she sniffed the bundle of clothes. Everything stank of beer.

Sorting them into her hamper, she paused. Something was missing. She tore through the articles of clothing. It wasn’t there. She sat on her bed, her head falling into her hands. Her necklace.

Her father’s carving was gone. It must have ripped off when Alister attacked her. If she was lucky, maybe she could find it in the parking lot tomorrow morning.