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CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
The fight started as the taxi was pulling away from the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
“So, are you going to tell me what happened?”
“I already told you,nothinghappened,” Noah insisted.
“I don’t believe you,” Heather said for what felt like the hundredth time, and probably wasn’t that far off.
“Well, that’s your problem, then.”
“No, it’syourproblem. Or it’s going to be.”
“Can you please lower your voice?” Noah said, lowering his own, as if to show her how it was done. “I don’t think the driver is too interested in listening to your paranoia.”
“On the contrary,” Heather stated, “I think he’sveryinterested. Aren’t you…” She checked the name on his registration hanging over the back of the front passenger seat. “…Ricardo?”
“Sorry,” Noah told him. “Please ignore her. The lady’s had a few too many.”
“The lady hasn’t had nearly enough,” Heather contradicted. “You married, Ricardo?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ricardo replied, dark eyes meeting hers in his rearview mirror.
“You ever cheat on your wife?”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Noah interjected. “Sorry about this, Ricardo. Bet you wish we’d taken an Uber.”
“No, sir,” came the quick reply. “I hate those guys. Personally, I’d like to shoot them all. In the head,” he added, unprompted.
“I know just how you feel,” Heather said, glaring at Noah, who sighed, closed his eyes, folded his arms across his chest, and refused further comment.
—
The fight resumed in the wood-paneled lobby of their apartment building. “This is not over,” Heather said as they stepped into the ancient elevator.
“Oh, yes, it is.”
“Don’t count on it,” Heather was saying as they were joined by a middle-aged couple whose frosty demeanor told Heather they were having problems of their own. The man gave a cursory nod in their direction while the woman stared straight ahead. Neither said a word until they reached the fourth floor.
“Have a pleasant evening,” the man said as he and his wife exited the elevator.
“Don’t think there’s much chance of that,” Noah said as the doors were closing.
Heather was already speaking. “I want to know what happened, Noah. And don’t tell me nothing, because I’m not…”Dumb?“…naive.”
Noah said nothing as he marched down the gray-carpeted hall toward their apartment, key in hand.
“Noah…”
He spun toward her. The move was so sudden and unexpected that Heather was forced to take an involuntary step back. Was he going to strike her? “Okay,” he said instead, the simple word catching her equally off guard.
“Okay?” she repeated.
“I’ll tell you everything. But can we at least wait till we get inside?”
“Of course.”
He resumed his march down the hall, Heather at his heels, afraid to allow too much space between them in case he was planning to sneak inside and lock her out.Maybe he’s right,she thought as they entered their apartment without incident.Maybe Iamparanoid.
