Her Scream in the Silence (Carly Moore #2) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,75
explain why later.”
“Sure thing, Carly. I told Ginger you’d drop by to talk to her, and she said she’d be there all day.”
“Thanks, Junior.” I headed out the door, surprised when I saw a large black pickup truck parked several feet away from Marco’s SUV, the front end facing me. A rugged man with dark hair was standing in front of the truck. The crutches were nowhere to be found.
I hurried over to the Explorer and opened the back, although the stranger was standing uncomfortably close. I was relieved to see the crutches when I tossed in my bag and Marco’s shoes. I pulled his clean shoes out of his bag, then took another look at the guy as I closed the hatch.
He had narrowed his focus on me, and it didn’t look like friendly interest.
Had I made another enemy? I wasn’t sure I could afford any more.
Chapter Nineteen
I decided the best way to handle Truck Guy was to ignore him. I got into the car and glanced over at Marco, who was sound asleep, his face pale.
Marco was in no shape to be going anywhere but his own bed. He was done for the day.
Shifting the vehicle into drive, I pulled out and Marco stirred. “You finished?”
“Yeah, and I have someone else to talk to about Greta. Turns out Junior’s wife is her cousin, and she’s willing to tell us anything she knows.”
He tried to sit up and released a cry of pain. “Sorry.” He took a deep breath. “Maybe she’ll have another lead.”
“I think we should just take you home, Marco.”
“No,” he said, gripping the armrest on the door. “We’ll stop by Watson’s first. Then you can take me home to get my pills.”
I had no intention of bringing him back out with me after I took him home, but I was keeping that plan to myself for now. The car I used was back at Hank’s, so I’d be stuck out there, but I’d figure that part out later.
“Okay,” I said amicably. “We’ll stop at Watson’s, but don’t you dare pass out on me, because I am not carryin’ your body around.”
“I’m not gonna pass out,” he grumped. I’d been joking, but his face was so pale I wondered if it was a legitimate concern.
I was lucky enough to find a spot directly in front of the café. I got Marco’s crutches out of the back, put his clean shoes on his feet, and helped him out onto the sidewalk.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d suspect you had experience with one-legged men,” he teased, but his voice was strained.
“Been practicing,” I said, opening the door. “But let’s not overdo it in here. We can always come back later.” Or I could come without him, since this seemed like a safe interview too.
I’d expected him to wave me off, but he had to be hurting even more than I’d thought because he nodded before slowly hobbling in. The café wasn’t nearly as busy as it had been in the morning. Marco took the first available booth close to the front door, and practically fell onto the vinyl seat. He extended his left leg, putting his foot onto the seat next to me.
“You’re back,” Angie said cheerfully as she headed over to us pulling out her notepad.
“We couldn’t stay away,” Marco said with a big grin. “Can you believe Carly had never had Watson’s food until last night? Now she can’t get enough of it.”
That wasn’t true. I’d had their breakfast before, and Marco had ended up with my dinner last night, but I wasn’t about to correct him.
“Know what you want?” Angie asked. “The special today is meatloaf.”
“Sign me up,” Marco said a little too jubilantly. I knew he was trying to sell that he was okay, but it only made me more worried.
I decided to get the meal I’d ordered the night before. “I’ll take a club sandwich and a salad with ranch dressing,” I said, then looked Marco in the eye. “But I think we should get our food to go.”
He studied me for a long second, and I was sure he was about to correct me, but then the corner of his lip tipped up into a hint of a grin. “You heard the lady.”
“You two an item?” Angie asked, glancing back and forth between us.
“Yep,” Marco said with a wink at the same time, I said, “No.”
Angie looked rightfully confused, so I added, “Marco’s such a jokester. We’re just friends.”