Page 60 of Deserving Cora
“She’ll see me,” Cora told him, lifting her chin stubbornly.
“No, I mean she’s not well enough to see anyone.”
Cora’s stomach flip-flopped. “What’s wrong with her?”
“I’m not going to disclose the lady of the house’s issues with a stranger who shows up on our doorstep,” the man sneered.
“Look, I’m her best friend. I know everything there is to know about Lara. I know she gets cramps really bad when she has her period and nothing but a heating pad and Advil will help her. She hates seafood, and she has to pick those little mushroom pieces that you can’t even taste out of any dish made with cream of mushroom soup. Trust me, I’m nostranger. I’ve known her since we were fifteen years old, and I’ve come all the way from Washington, DC to see her and make sure she’s all right.”
“She’s fine,” the man said, not persuaded in the least by Cora’s statement.
“I’d like to see that for myself,” she argued.
The man didn’t budge. “Sorry, no,” he told her, not sounding sorry in the least.
“It would be a shame to have to involve the authorities in this matter,” Pipe said. “All she wants is to see her best friend, make sure she’s all right. She hasn’t heard from her in a while, and Lara left DC very suddenly. You let us in, let Cora see Lara, and we’re out of your hair.”
Creepy Guy’s gaze swung to Pipe, and it made Cora’s skin crawl when he studied him from head to foot before narrowing his eyes. “Ms. Lara isn’t feeling well. I’m sure she’ll be happy to know you came by to see her. I’ll tell her to text you later.”
“No!” Cora practically shouted. Her heart was beating a million miles an hour. Something was very wrong, she felt it in her gut. She thought something was wrong before, but now she was convinced.
The man’s arms uncrossed and his legs shifted so he was more secure on his feet. Ready for some sort of…what? Cora didn’t know. Confrontation? Did he think she was going to jump him?
But the man’s eyes weren’t on her—they were on Pipe.
She glanced over and realized why the man’s stance had changed. Pipe’s outward appearance could be intimidating to some people, Cora was aware of that, though she’d never been scared of him. Not once.
But right this moment? If she was the recipient of the look he was giving Creepy Guy,she’dbe the one pooping her pants. His jaw was ticking, his eyes narrowed, and the hand that wasn’t holding hers was in a fist at his side. His muscles were tense, as if he was one second away from losing his shit on this guy. Which probably wasn’t a wrong assessment.
“Tell Michaels we’ll be back,” Pipe said in a tone that seemed like it was an octave lower than his usual voice.
“Right, sure,” Creepy Guy said.
“Please tell Lara that I was here,” Cora rushed to say. She had no illusions that anyone would tell her best friend that help was on the way, but she could hope. “Tell her that Jenny Thompson sends her best wishes too, and that I’ll see her soon.”
As far as clues went, it was lame, especially because she felt there was less than a two percent chance this jerk would pass along any messages to Lara…if she was still alive to get them.
Jenny Thompson was a girl who used to pick on Cora in high school. She was nothing but a bully who’d loved to torment her by making fun of the fact she was a foster kid and no one wanted her. One day, Lara got sick of the taunts by the other girl and got right up in her face—saying it was better to be a foster kid with no family than have a murderer for a father.
It was harsh and cruel, but it had the desired effect. Apparently, it wasn’t common knowledge that Jenny’s dad had been found guilty of first-degree homicide and was doing life in prison. Jenny had left Cora alone after that, then had switched schools not too much later.
Cora wanted to remind Lara that she had her back. That no matter what, she wasn’t going to give up on her.
Creepy Guy didn’t respond to her request, just continued to stare at them both.
“And let Michaels know that maybe I’ll see him at the Blue Moon later. I’ve heard it’s the best around,” Pipe added, before taking a step back.
Cora followed, not that she had a choice, since his fingers were like a vise around hers.
Creepy Guy narrowed his eyes, his own jaw ticking now, before turning and shutting the door in their faces.
“Bloody hell,” Pipe muttered, before hustling her off the front porch and back down the driveway.
“I’m guessing that gate we went through is gonna be locked from here on out,” Cora said in a daze.
“Probably,” he agreed.
They arrived back at the Jeep and climbed into the back seat.
