Ыоуве Been Warned   ::   Patterson James

“Unfuckingbelievable,” he mutters under his breath. “Un-fucking-believable.”

I lower my camera and look at him. It’s his voice. I’ve never heard it like this before. The tone, the register – it’s beyond anger. It’s beyond anything.

“Are you okay?” I ask. “Michael? I’m sorry you had to see this.”

“I could kill the bitch” is his answer.



Chapter 83



MY MIND IS SPINNING a little, but Michael’s seems completely focused, locked in. For the first time I can see how he is at his job. “Where does she think you are right now?” he asks.

I barely hear him. “Huh?”

“Penley- does she think you’re at the apartment?”

I nod, and he immediately whips out his cell phone.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Would you ever disappear from work this long without leaving a note?”

He’s right. I didn’t think that far ahead. “No,” I say. “In fact, I’m supposed to be getting the patio cleaned up for summer.”

Michael hits his speed dial. “So we need to buy you some time,” he says.

The next moment borders on surreal. So what’s new? I watch across the street as Penley breaks her lip-lock with Stephen and reaches into her purse. She checks her cell phone and immediately looks uneasily at Stephen, raising a finger to her mouth. Shhh.

She answers the phone, and I see her lips moving. This is weird but also exciting.

“Hi, honey, how are you?” says Michael, standing about a foot away from me. “You still at the gym?”

His voice is completely normal, even chipper, not a hint of stress.

This is so bizarre, I’m thinking. Of course, this is also so Michael, the same guy who threw his arm around my shoulder and introduced me to everyone at his business dinner. One cool cucumber.

I’ve got my eyes trained on Penley as my ears pick up her voice through Michael’s phone. It’s sort of like watching a foreign movie with subtitles.

“I’m leaving the gym now,” I hear her answer. “What do you want? I’m kind of busy at the moment.”

“You must be exhausted, ” says Michael. He shoots me a grin. She’s not the only one with King Kong balls.

I strain to hear what Penley says next, something about why Michael is on his cell and not in his office.

“Oh, I’m just out grabbing a cup of coffee,” he replies. “You know how I hate the crap they brew at the office; it’s weak as shit. Actually, that’s why I’m calling. I need a favor.