Page 14 of The Scenic Route
“The security.” He held up his key, dangling it between two fingers as if it were something nasty he didn’t want to touch. “This is akey.”
Amusement edged into Felicity’s tired impatience. “Very good,” she said in a slow, encouraging tone, one she would use when praising Warrant for retrieving his ball after she’d thrown it.
By the way Bennett’s eyes narrowed, he’d obviously caught her sarcasm. “This is my room number.” He gave the key still dangling from his fingers a shake, and the attached wooden piece—which indeed had#4carved into it—rattled against the metal key and chain. “Withthe key.”
She sighed, resigning herself to the fact that she probably wasn’t getting any sleep until after the murder club meeting and dinner. “I need you to get to the point, B. Do you want to borrow my pepper spray?”
“What? No.” His hand holding his key dropped back to his side. “I’llbe okay.”
Felicity caught the slight emphasis he’d given the wordI’lland folded her arms across her chest. “Mm-hmm. So ifyou’llbe okay, what’s the problem?” She bared her teeth in something she knew looked nothing like an actual smile.
“You’re—” As oblivious to social cues as he seemed to be, he did catch himself after only one word. He studied her uncertainly before carefully rewording whatever he’d been about to say. “I wanted to make sure that you felt safe here.”
She couldn’t hold back an actual smile at that. As much as she wanted to keep him at arm’s length, the man could beobnoxiously sweet at times. “Thank you. I’ll be fine. I appreciate your concern, but I really need a nap.”
As she stepped back and moved to close the door, Bennett caught the edge to stop it. “Do you need any…protection?”
Her mind immediately went to condoms, and her face got fiery hot. “Umm…what?”
“Weapons?” he clarified, appearing to be thankfully unaware of her misunderstanding. “Trip wires? Small explosives?”
It was her turn to study him. She was too tired to determine whether he was joking or not, so she forced a polite smile and shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m all set with explosivesandtrip wires. Come back around quarter to five, and we’ll drive to the murder club meeting together.”
His eyebrows shot up underneath his shaggy black bangs. “Together? Really?”
“No sense in taking separate cars.” She tugged on the door handle, and he released his grip, allowing her to close the door almost all the way between them. At the last second, she leaned back out. “Besides, you’d just follow me anyway.” At his affirmative shrug, she snorted and closed the door with a firm click. “Stalker.”
She wasn’t sure what that said about her that she said it almost…fondly.
***
The gym was surprisingly new and expansive. Even though Simpson was a tiny place, the machines and weight room were much better than anything her hometown of Langston had to offer. Felicity was quickly learning that there were lots of hiddendetails in this quirky little mountain town, both nice and not so nice.
Just like a certain PI, she thought with a quick glance at Bennett. He’d offered to be the one to drive, and Felicity had agreed. Not only did she—probably unwisely—trust the guy for some reason, but she also knew that the motel was within a fairly reasonable walking distance if things went south and she had to find her own way back. Also, she may not carry small explosives, but she wasn’t completely defenseless.
“Felicity!” Lou called out from the other side of the space. When Felicity looked over, the blond woman waved them toward an open door in the corner behind a line of heavy bags. Just a couple people were using the equipment—a woman doing dead lifts in the weight room and a man running on a treadmill.
Felicity led the way toward Lou, sensing that Bennett was following behind her. It was strange how much it felt like he was watching her back.
Felicity paused in the doorway, taking in the three women already sitting around the office. She wasn’t shy in any way, but walking into something casually called amurder clubwas a bit disconcerting. Two of the women were smiling, however, and the other had a serious expression that seemed neutral rather than hostile. “Hello,” Felicity said.
“Daisy, Ellie, Rory,” Lou introduced quickly. “Where’s the peanut, Ellie?”
“Home with George.” Ellie had a sweet expression, big dark eyes, and long dark hair. “I figured she’s a little young to be an active murder club member.”
Although Lou looked disappointed, she said, “You’re probably right. Everyone, this is Felicity and Bennett.”
“No Callum?” Felicity asked, giving a general wave of greeting to the room before finding an empty seat between Ellie and Rory. Daisy sat behind the desk, leaning back in her chair and idly turning the seat back and forth. The movement made Felicity think that, had Daisy been alone, she would’ve been spinning the chair around.
“The fire chief grabbed him for an impromptu budget meeting,” Lou said, hopping up to sit on the corner of the desk. “I promised to tell him everything I learn tonight and also that I wouldn’t let anyone drag me to the militia compound—ordrag anyone else there.”
“Knowing you,” Daisy said, “that promise isn’t nearly comprehensive enough.”
“I know, right?” Lou shook her head. “It’s like he doesn’t know me at all.”
Felicity glanced toward the doorway, where Bennett was leaning against the wall. “Daisy, is there another chair we can pull in here?”
“Right, sorry!” The woman was halfway to standing when Bennett shook his head.
