Riding the Thunder - Deborah MacGillivray [14]
Delbert nodded, sticking his hands in the pockets of his oversized sweater. “I sort of felt bad, him being quality and all.”
“Yeah . . .” She sighed. “It’s on my to-do list, Delbert, which gets longer every day. Not many around here are able to redo ceilings. Colin cannot handle it due to his vertigo, so I’ll need to hire someone from Lexington or Leesburg. It’ll cost me an arm and a leg. Still, with all this windfall business because of Keeneland, I should be left with some extra cash to toss around for repairs.”
“You know, Asha, my offer stands. I could help out a bit. I have some money saved and it just sits in the bank not doing much.”
“You’re a dear heart, but I’m determined to do all this on my own—prove something to myself, you might say.” She patted his arm and gave it a small squeeze. “How did Fitzgerald pay for the room?”
“The first two nights, cash. I moved him to the bungalow this morning when it became available. He paid for two weeks in advance.”
“Cash again?”
Delbert nodded. “Nice crisp hundred dollar bills. He stays around here for a few weeks, you can fix your ceiling tiles.”
Asha glanced back at the office safe, glowering. “Maybe I should check them. He might be a counterfeiter.”
“Girl, you always had a runaway imagination. Your mother figured you’d be a writer.”
She shrugged. “So far, I can’t muster enough discipline or time.”
“Well, don’t go writing about counterfeiters when you do. One look at Fitzgerald rules that out. He’s money. Wears a Rolex. Tips well, too. He’s quality . . . like you. That intimidates some people around here, gets their inferiority complexes perking. Besides, I always check big bills. They had that funny little strip thingy in them. They’re legit. So is he.” The old man paused as a distant look came into his eyes. “He reminds me of someone . . . a long time ago . . .”
“Don’t say ‘in a galaxy far, far away,’” Asha teased, picking up her purse where she’d set it by the register. “He works for Trident Ventures, the bunch trying to buy Valinor. They sent in their gunslinger to put pressure on me. Me is not a happy camper.”
Delbert laughed. “Ah, well, they can’t buy what you aren’t selling, eh? Get a good night’s rest. My rheumatism’s acting up. I’m going back to my room to prop up my feet and watch Leno, maybe catnap a bit.”
“’Night, Obi-Wan,” Asha said, but he’d already turned and didn’t hear her jest. She pushed out the door and continued around the side of the building to the bungalows.
She was halfway down the driveway leading to the small courtyard when she noticed Jago. Wary, she pulled up. Oh, not that she feared he might harm her. This threat came from a different direction, and was more dangerous.
He sat on the rock wall, the white of his shirt shimmering in the autumn night. His hand lifted to his mouth, and from the small flare of red, she saw that he was smoking.
“Strike two,” she growled so he couldn’t hear. “A developer and a smoker.”
Asha didn’t care for smoking, detested how the scent clung to clothes, hands and hair. While she hadn’t been that close to him in the restaurant, she failed to notice tell-tale signs of a long-term smoker. No nicotine-stained fingers, no ‘cloud’ around him. Also, he hadn’t indulged while in the diner, so he wasn’t a chain-smoker. Still. Continuing on, her slow steps carried her nearer. Jago took another draw and she saw it wasn’t a cigarette, but a long, thin cigar—cigarillo, she believed it was called.
“Worse than cigarettes.” Her mouth pursed in censure. Cigars often left a foul smell on men who puffed them. Oddly, the cigarillo looked natural to Jago. As the warm breeze swirled around them, she detected a sweet cherry scent.
“Hello, neighbor.” His low voice rumbled with a sorcerer’s cant.
Hello, neighbor, my foot! Warning gongs were going off in her brain. If she was smart, she’d slug him with her purse and make a run for her cottage. Lock herself in. Then she might be safe from this virile warlock and his potent magic.
The soft breeze ruffled his wavy black hair and caused his silken shirt to ripple.