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“When you mentioned Patterson you…reacted. Did Patterson do something to frighten you?”
She stared. This man was way too perceptive. Those damn gorgeous eyes studied her. “I…that is he’s a big man and he got in my face to intimidate me. It was…scary.”
“Did he do anything else? Did he get physical with you at all or anything?
Remy hesitated. “No…he didn’t touch me.”
“But someone did.” It was a statement of fact.
Jesus, how had he known? She hadn’t told anyone about what happened. It was…humiliating. “I…” she ran a hand over her face. She had no intention of telling anyone about this but as she met Hawk’s gaze, she knew he wasn’t going to let her off the hook.
She swallowed a sip of tea. “I was locking the door on Wednesday night when someone came up behind me and smashed me against it. He twisted my arm behind my back and told me to stop causing trouble and that if I didn’t stop, he’d come back and make me regret it.”
There she’d said it. Heat filled her cheeks as she stared into her tea. Hawk’s piercing gaze didn’t seem to miss anything. He seemed to be able to read her too well and she didn’t need him to know how ashamed she felt. It was stupid. Instinctively, she knew the episode wasn’t her fault, but she couldn’t stop the feeling that she’d somehow failed.
“You didn’t report it to the police?”
She did glance at him then, feeling judged. “There was no point. By the time I got myself together, whoever it was, was gone. I couldn’t describe him and had no way of identifying him.”
His jaws seemed to be clamped together and his eyes glittered. He wasn’t happy. “I see. You think this has to do with this Patterson guy?”
She nodded. “I sent him several cease and desist letters threatening him with a lawsuit if he didn’t change his sign.”
“There’s no one else that you…”
She arched an eyebrow. “Pissed off lately?”
He nodded once.
“No,” she said. “I’m not in the habit of causing problems.” Shifting in her seat, she glanced out the window. “There’s something shady about that locksmith shop. The people that go in and out of there, it’s not…normal. I don’t know how to explain it other than that. Other shop owners have noticed it too, but no one wants to say anything. They think it could be a mob front.”
“What do you think?”
She shrugged. “It’s a possibility.”
“But you’re going through with the lawsuit anyway.”
“Yes. As I said, that’s my great-grandfather’s logo. He created it, and it’s been on this shopfront for generations. I can’t just let this guy use it.”
“Do you have any paperwork to prove your great-grandfather created the logo? Did you have it trademarked?”
“He designed it back in the early nineteen hundreds so there’s no paperwork, but this shop has been here since then, and the logo is outside on the sign. It’s been hanging above the door for almost a hundred years. My grandfather did have the logo trademarked but it was a long time ago. I’m still trying to find all the paperwork on it.”
He put his own mug down on the counter. “It might make more sense to wait until you have all of the paperwork in order before you file your suit.”
“Yeah, I know. I am jumping the gun a bit. I was just so rattled with the…thing the other night. I wanted Patterson to know his intimidation tactics weren’t working.”
“How about you show me the signs with the logo on it? Both yours and the other shop.”
She blinked. “What? Now? Why?”
He cocked his head. “I would like to see it before I read all the documentation.”
“You don’t have to do that. Read everything, I mean. I know you’re right. I probably won’t do anything until I have all the necessary paperwork.”
“Humor me.” He offered her a soft smile.
She cursed silently. He was only trying to be helpful, but it was really starting to annoy the hell out of her. She was all jittery and just wanted to go home. Staring at him for a moment, she finally decided she might as well get it over with.
