Page 31 of This Time I'm Keeping You
“Where’s your spare?”Nick asked.
“Under a rock in a potted plant.”She didn’t look that way.
Nick sighed loudly.
“What?It’s a perfectly logical place to put a spare key!”Poppy protested.
“Logical to you and pretty much everyone else,” Nick muttered.
Sam went directly to the right plant.Lifting the rock, he removed the key and returned.Handing it to Poppy, he said, “Maybe find somewhere else to put it.”
“Oh God, my calendar was in my handbag,” she blurted.
“You have a lock on your cell phone, though, right?”Nick looked at her.
“Yes, but my calendar is not on my phone.”
“Aren’t you a famous writer?Shouldn’t you be into technology?”He looked annoyed.
“I’m old-fashioned!”Poppy snapped.
“Okay, everyone, calm down,” Billy said.“Tell me what else you carry in your bag.”
“You got an hour?”Nick asked.
“Are you deliberately trying to piss me off?”Poppy glared at Nick as they all headed back inside.She made for the living room and fell in a seat that had nothing thrown on it.
“Just tell me you didn’t put all the codes for your cards and passwords in that diary.Or other personal stuff, like every address and phone number you know.Jesus, Poppy!”Nick said when she stayed silent.
“Shut up and let me think.”Poppy tried to remember exactly what was in her handbag.
She spent the next hour being questioned by Billy, who may appear gentler than his cousins but was not.He was thorough and asked so many questions, her head was aching by the end of the inquisition.
“Okay, so I’ll need to go over some other stuff tomorrow and look into the Davy guy, but I think that’s enough for today,” Billy said.“I want to speak with your neighbors before I leave too.”
“Watch out for Mrs.Leibowitz next door.She’ll lure you in and won’t let you leave,” Poppy said.
“Thanks for the heads-up.”
“Okay, let’s go,” Nick said.
“I was going to call a cab.”
“No point, as we’re going to the same place.”
“What?”Poppy got off the sofa.“I’m going to a hotel.”
“Not happening.You’ll be staying with me.”
Chapter13
Nick kept his eyes on Poppy, waiting for the reaction he knew was coming.Someone has been stalking her.Like she hadn’t already suffered enough in her life, some asshole decided he couldn’t take no for an answer.
“No, I’m not,” she said.“There are plenty of hotels nearby.”
“Yes, you are, so find furball’s carrier, and we’ll leave soon.”
“Not happening,” she said.“And don’t treat me like I’m your sister.”
