Page 87 of No Headlines Please

Delaney

Walt was wrong. He had to be, because somebody was most definitely living in that penthouse. And not just any somebody.

Maddox.

The guy who'd replaced my spilled latte.

The guy who'd let me rummage through his board games.

The guy who'd kissed me like he'd meant it. Expertly.

I'd left his place barely a half-hour ago. And I would be returning the moment I left Walt's.

In fact, Maddox was waiting for me right now.

I gave Walt a perplexed look. "What do you mean?"

Walt stared like I was missing something obvious. "The place is empty."

I shook my head. "No…it isn't."

"Sure, not empty-empty. It's got furniture. But it's one of those vacation rentals. So, nobody lives there. See?"

No. I didn't see. "Vacation rentals?"

Walt nodded. "Right. Like a hotel, but with a kitchen and stuff."

"Yeah, I knew what you meant. But someone is living there. I met him. He even invited me inside."

"Huh." Walt shrugged. "Then someone must be renting it."

My shoulders relaxed. "Right. Renting it and living there."

But already, Walt was saying, "Wrong."

I wasn't wrong. I knew this. "What do you mean, wrong?"

"If they're renting, it's for a few days at most." And then, at my confused expression, he explained, "The place gets really hopping on the weekends." He grimaced. "You should hear Mrs. Stelter then."

I didn't want to talk about Mrs. Stelter.

I wanted to talk about Maddox.

Stubbornly, I said, "But he told me he lives there." But even as I said it, I realized this wasn't quite true. He'd never said it outright, but he'd implied it in a thousand little ways.

I recalled those board games in the cabinet. Were they even his?

Walt gave me a funny look. "Hey, you wanna sit down? You're looking woozy."

I felt it, too. I didn't sit down, but I did steady myself by gripping the back of the nearest recliner as I insisted yet again, "But I know he lives there."

Walt crossed his arms. "And I know he doesn't."

I still didn't believe it. "For sure? I mean…do you handle the rentals yourself?"

He looked horrified at the thought. "Hell no. That place is owned by some rental outfit."

"See?" I said, sounding a little desperate. "So it could've been rented months ago without you realizing it."