Page 53 of The Perfect Deception
She glanced at her half-eaten salad and debated whether to have a bit more or wait until Dallas returned from the restroom.Deciding that it would be rude to finish her meal when he still had more than half of his sandwich left, she held off.
Things had gone really well so far.He talked about his work at the animal shelter in Bakersfield and showed her a photo of a scruffy little guy that he said he was tempted to adopt.She'd shared that she'd just come from bringing her sister new clothes because her old ones were covered in the blood of a serial killer she'd saved.That had freaked Dallas out before Hannah jokingly reminded him that her sister did this sort of thing for a living.
Things were so comfortable that she’d even considered bringing up Finn.She was tempted to bounce some of her theories off Dallas, since neither Jessie or Ryan would engage when she talked about how she wanted to find out the location of the hospice where he was being kept.Maybe just speaking to someone removed from the situation would help give her clarity.
But she held off.That’s because the reality was that Dallaswasn’ttotally removed from the situation.He might not have known Finn, but Finn knew who he was and didn't like him.He'd badmouthed Dallas repeatedly.
And while Hannah had grown to resent that, she also wanted to respect Finn’s wishes.The last thing Finn Anderton would want was for her to talk about his health and welfare with a guy that he despised.That felt like a betrayal of Finn.So she said nothing.
Of course that didn’t mean she woulddonothing.She still had every intention of locating Finn.Everything about his surreptitious removal from the hospital five weeks ago was sketchy, as was his family’s sudden refusal to let her see him at his new hospice.
In addition, something else was fishy with the family.Hannah had tailed them multiple times, following them in the hopes that they would lead her to Finn’s location.Most of the times she did so, they went to boring places like the mall or supermarket.But on a few occasions, they would go somewhere and park their car, which would remain in the same spot for hours.
That struck Hannah as extremely suspicious.And when she tried to follow them inside a few times, they always managed to lose her, almost as if they knew she was around.But this was just a regular family from Newport Beach, whereas she had extensive experience tailing and surveilling people after her summer working for Kat’s private investigation business.These civilians shouldn’t be able to evade her.And yet they had—on multiple occasions.Something wasn’t right.
Her attention was pulled back to the present when she saw Dallas come out of the restroom.He wasn’t alone.Some guy, roughly the same age as him, was chatting him up.Dallas didn’t seem to be enjoying the conversation.
In fact, when he replied to the guy, Dallas looked borderline angry, like they were in some kind of argument.For half a second, it appeared that things might get physical, before Dallas said something and they both settled down.He headed back to the table and sat down.
“What was that about?”she asked.
“What?”
“That guy you were talking to outside the restroom.It looked like you two weren’t playing very nice.”
“Oh that.It was nothing.”
Hannah squinted at him hard.He was lying and not doing a very good job of it.
“Okay, now you have to tell me, because it clearly wasn’t ‘nothing,’ and I’m not going to be able to think about anything else.”
Dallas stared back at her.For the briefest of moments she thought he might be about to run right out of the café.But then he seemed to regroup.
He leaned in close and spoke quietly.“I knew him in the first couple of years of high school, back in Bakersfield.It was during a time when I was really lost.My dad had recently died.I think I told you that I got into some trouble—a few fights, issues with drugs.I eventually managed to turn things around.The guy you saw was from that first year or so.I got high with him a few times.I guess he lives down here now.When I bumped into him in the restroom, he was asking if I wanted to do that again sometime.I told him that’s not my life now, hasn’t been for half a decade.I guess I got a little upset when he kept at it.It’s not a time in my life that I’m very proud of.”
Hannah felt a mix of guilt at having pushed him, and respect for how forthright he was being.Before she could think about it too much, she leaned across the table and gave him a little kiss.
“Sorry to pry,” she said.
He smiled and his cheeks turned pink.They were both quiet for a moment.Then he found his words.
“Would you have any interest in going camping with me?”
“What?”
He clarified."Maybe up in the mountains, or out in Malibu.We could hike and camp out for a few nights.I'd say this weekend, but I'm hanging out with my buddy, Curtis, as you know.Maybe next weekend?I could come back down from Bakersfield."
“Wow!”Her tone was playfully teasing.“One little kiss and you want to spend the weekend together?”
Dallas’s cheeks went from pink to red.“It was just a crazy idea.I’m just trying to be the tip of the spear when it comes to keeping you entertained.”
She smiled.
“I’ll think about it.”
***
This one was too close for comfort.
