Free The Devil She Knew by Rena Koontz Page A

don’t think she likes you.”
    “She’s not the first. Did you eat lunch?”
    Cassidy turned to him. She had ignored her growling stomach for the last two hours. A stale pack of peanut butter crackers she’d discovered on the shelf by the mini-fridge had not taken the edge off her lack of real food since yesterday. That is if you considered peanut butter and jelly an entrée that counted as real food.
    “Um, I had something, yes.”
    “That’s what I thought.” He flipped the turn signal on, cruised about fifty feet, and turned into a fast food parking lot. “Are you going to tell me what you’d like for lunch or shall I order for you?”
    “Really, I … ” The glare he leveled at her halted her objection. “I’d like a cheeseburger, small fries, and a diet pop. Thank you.”
    He stretched his right leg while keeping his foot on the brake and slid his hand inside his front pants pocket. Bulging thigh muscles pulled the denim material taut around his leg and held her gaze like magnets to steel. Reluctantly redirecting her eyes, she leaned forward toward her purse.
    “Don’t worry. I got it. I’ll put it on your tab.”
    “When are you going to present me with this phantom tab?”
    “Don’t worry about it.”
    He ordered food for both of them, then maneuvered to a vacant parking spot in proximity of several picnic tables. He keyed off the ignition and climbed out of the driver’s seat, balancing their take-out order and moving toward the nearest empty table.
    Clay turned when Cassidy remained inside the truck and stared at her, finally forcing her to join him. Silently, he pushed her food order to her side of the table and took a bite from his burger.
    The aroma from the fries fueled her hunger pangs. She surveyed her surroundings, scrutinizing the cars going through the takeout window, stared across the street at the car dealer’s lot, and studied the passing traffic. Throwing one leg over the bench, she sat and unwrapped her meal. She took the first glorious bite and shoved three fries into her mouth. She didn’t regularly eat fast food, but this was heaven.
    Glancing around a second time, she squared her shoulders and enjoyed a second delicious bite, mindful of Clay’s eyes on her.
    “Are you married?”
    The question surprised her. “No.”
    Thankfully, he didn’t pursue the subject. They finished their lunch in silence, tossed their trash, and walked back to the truck. The food calmed her nervous stomach, but she took one last look at the cars coming and going. Clay started the engine and shifted into reverse, locking the doors.
    “Who were you watching for?”
    Her head jerked around. “What?”
    He smiled, creating laugh lines around his eyes. “You were all over that parking lot, checking out the cars, looking at the traffic, watching the sidewalks. Watching. Waiting. For who?”
    “No one.”
    He shook his head slowly, eased his foot off the brake, and the truck edged backward. Without another question asked, they drove onto the highway and toward the Cestra Chalets. He parked in front of the first building but didn’t shut off the engine, keeping the doors locked.
    He twisted his hands and clasped them palm to palm, locking his fingers, and stretched his arms leisurely across the steering wheel toward the windshield.
    “Cassidy Hoake. I ran your name in the police database, but I didn’t find anything.” She stopped breathing, tasting terror on her tongue, her heart beating a tune of panic in her ears.
    Returning both hands to the wheel, he riveted his eyes on her. “You’re not in trouble in Ohio as near as I can tell. But I think you are in some kind of trouble. I will ask you one question and I want an honest yes or no answer because if I find out you lied to me, you’ll quickly learn what hell is.”
    She gulped. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from his.
    “Did you commit a crime?”
    Tears rimmed her eyes.
    “Tell me the truth, Cassidy.” His words boomed.
    She