I never imagined I’d be doing house calls, but maybe it was an arm of my business that would bring additional clients. Plus, the sweet older lady had made me cookies on top of paying me. How could I resist?
At least her sweet poodle had simply had a tummy ache. I laughed as my thoughts drifted to how little Bonbon had growled at me. Not at first but it rarely happened. My guess was her dislike had more to do with the pedestrian scent of two labradors, who were likely beneath her.
With three clients earlier in the morning and Ms. Wettinger and Bonbon, the day had turned out to be much more productive than I’d thought. Plus, I had a decent schedule for the next two weeks. Word on the open clinic was growing.
Now, if I could get my ad finished for the local newspaper, even better. Maybe that’s what I’d work on when I got home.
As I made a turn, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Well, look what we had here. A Super 8 Motel. Not a.The.
Why not? I was in the mood to wrestle a bear. Maybe because I didn’t feel like my house was my own with Viper being there. What in the world had possessed him to act as if I should turn Mr. Smith and his dog away? What?
Jealousy?
That’s the way he’d acted. Was that almost wishful thinking? While I didn’t know, the lack of understanding didn’t stop me from making a hard right turn into the parking lot. As I swung into a spot, my anger continued to increase. Enough so I was worried about what I’d do to the jerk behind the counter.
But maybe he deserved a little ugliness in his life, which was exactly what he’d offered Viper. As I approached the office, I plastered a smile on my face before throwing open the door.
I remembered the night I’d stopped, the sky a horrific shade of purple. I’d been in shock, incapable of driving any longer. The trip itself had been a blur and at that point, I hadn’t known what I was going to do. I’d ended my life in Chicago in three days, selling or giving away more than the items I’d had shipped. The truck hadn’t arrived until a full week later.
I’d had a truck that had seen better days, the trip taking a full two days of driving twelve hours a day. While I remembered very little of checking in and falling face first on the bed with Ellie May curling up beside me, I’d remembered the man behind the counter.
The same one as had appeared from a back room even before I’d smashed my hand on the old-fashioned bell. The entire setting could be used in a horror movie.
“Can I help you?” he asked, far too interested in what I was wearing.
I leaned over the counter, instantly repulsed but the anger kept me going. “Do you remember a handsome man who stayed at your luxurious hotel up until a couple days ago?”
The smile on his face faded. “We’ve been very busy. And as you might imagine, I don’t really notice the men who check in.”
“Uh-huh. Well, he noticed you especially since you tossed him out of your pristine property all because he had a dog with him.”
The stupid man tried his best to hide the plaque highlighting that they accepted pets. I snapped my hand around his, leaning closer.
“You little pig. You discriminated against him. Didn’t you?”
“I have every right to decide who will stay in my hotel.”
“You? This isn’t your hotel. You just work here and you can’t decide to discriminate based on lies.”
“Lies? Do you know what that man did? Do you? He is a killer. A monster.”
“How many rag magazines have you been reading, John? That is your name. Right?” I caught him off guard. “Do you remember when I stayed here a few weeks ago?”
He was more nervous than before. “Yes, of course.”
“I’m sure you do since I woke up and found you inside my room.” I had, but at the time, I’d been checking out and he’d had a decent enough excuse. Why hadn’t I called the police?
“I was… I work here and I check on my guests.”
“Uh-huh. Well, I have pictures to back up what I’m saying. Now, I’ve been very busy with my life, but I assure you that I’m friends with the chief of police. He would find it very interesting that you just walk into the rooms of guests. I’d watch myself if I were you.”
I don’t know what had prompted me to throw all that in his face other than he’d pissed me off then, and more so now. I’d allowed myself to play a victim of a dirty little man and in turn, he’d been an asshole to someone who… Who didn’t deserve it.
I’d learned a long time ago not to allow any man to take advantage of me. At the same time, I’d learned so many men were pigs. Thank God, Viper had come along. The thought brought both a smile and a need to drill this little cockroach into the ground.
“Is that a threat?”
“Just a promise that I intend on keeping along with calling the owners and warning them about your vile behavior.”
