33

Davis was about to leave when the doorman buzzed him inside the building.

He walked in with his hands raised. “What’s up man? I didn’t think you were going to let me in for a second there.”

“I had to deal with a crazy woman on the phone. Sorry ‘bout that.”

He eyed the elderly man. “Been there… done that.” Davis paused, then asked, “Do you know if Ansley’s at home?”

“I believe she already left for work.”

“Good. I have something special planned for her this evening,” he lied.

Davis stood there beaming like a man who really had romancing his woman on the brain, but the doorman didn’t look embarrassed or interested in the details.

“Well alright. Good talking to you too,” said Davis, his tone full of sarcasm. He stepped onto the elevator as the doors parted.

Davis planned to be in and out of Ansley’s place. There was no need to linger. He knew what he wanted to accomplish, and that did not involve getting caught because he wanted to take more of her personal effects.

On her floor, he strolled at a casual pace, as if he were one of the residents. He had spent so much time there, he had gotten to know a couple of her neighbors.

Davis stuck his key into the lock.

It didn’t work.

He swallowed hard and glanced around, although he was the only one in the hallway, he felt as if the walls were narrowing by the second. Stop being paranoid.

Davis inhaled as he prepared to try the lock again. When the door swung open, he barely had time to react.

“Did you come to steal more money, Davis?” Ansley asked, holding the checkbook in her hand, and giving him a death glare.

“Hey babe. What are you taking about?” he said, wearing a puzzled expression.

Shaking her head, she laughed. “Wow. Are you for real right now? You have a lot of nerve.”

Davis decided to try another tactic. “Whoa…slow down.”

He reached for her and she jerked away. Davis held his hands up in defense. “Listen Ansley, if you’ll just sit down so we can talk…it’ll all make sense. I was planning to tell you about the money.”

She poked him in the chest. “So you admit it. Un-freaking believable.” She looked heavenward. “There is nothing you can say that I’ll believe or that I even want to hear right now,” she responded. “I will say this—you are going to give me back my money. You’ve got one week.”

She pushed him back toward the hallway. He caught the door with his hand before she could close it on him.

“Ansley, listen to me, baby. I lost my job and-and, I was just ashamed to tell you,” he said as he moved closer to her. “I should’ve told you I needed help. I’m sorry.” Davis lowered his eyes to the floor.

Silence. He wasn’t expecting her not to respond at all. Lifting his eyes to hers, he hoped that she would have some pity on him. That’s not what he got from Ansley though.

“Boy, please!” Ansley said as she reached across the threshold, mushing him in the face. “Get out my house. I want all of the money you stole from me within seven days or you will be sorry. Oh, and there are two detectives wanting to talk to you.”

Davis glanced up at her. “About what?”

“You need to ask them,” Ansley responded. “I can’t believe what a liar you are, Davis. Simeon doesn’t realize how lucky she was to just deal with you for one night.”

He tried to look wounded by her words.

She glared at him. “You have no idea just how much I regret the day you walked into my life.”

“You’re angry now,” Davis stated. “I know I can’t take back what I did, but you need to know that I care for you and wouldn’t do anything to hurt us. I messed up big time, but if you’ll give me another chance—.”

“That won’t be happening,” she said, interrupting him. “I don’t want anything else to do with you.”

Davis walked toward her.

Ansley backed away from his reach and redirected him to the door. “I want you out of my life.”

“You don’t mean that.”

She looked into his eyes. “Oh, I mean it. There is no way I can ever trust you, Davis. You’re a liar and a thief…I have a feeling that your deceit goes even deeper.”

Davis knew when to walk away and this was one of those times. Ansley had won this round, but he had no intentions of giving up. When she calmed down, he would be waiting to resume his rightful place in her heart.

As soon as he stepped back into the hallway, she slammed the door. Davis could hear her securing the locks.

This was not what he needed.

Davis got on the elevator and headed back to the lobby. He wasn’t sure if Ansley was bluffing about the detectives waiting for him outside, but his plan was to go straight to the taxi and head far away from there.

As the elevator door opened, he got hit with a dose of clarity about what transpired with the doorman. Ansley must have banned him from the building, this is why the doorman was hesitant to let him in, and it was even more evident now that he saw the smug look on the doorman’s face as he exited.

Once outside, the only thing waiting for him were the detectives. His taxi left him stranded. Davis uttered a curse. The two men approached him.

It made sense now. The only reason Ansley had him come up was to keep him from leaving before the detectives arrived. “Davis Montclair, I’m Detective Bower. You’re a hard man to find.”

Must be the guys that were snooping around the motel.

“You’ve been looking for me, may I ask why?” he asked trying to keep his tone level.

“We would like to ask you some questions about your connection to Beau Cannon,” Detective Bower said.

His brows snapped together. “I’m sorry, who?”

Detective Benson chuckled. “Are you saying you don’t know your own blood?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know anyone by that name. Did he say he knew me?”

The detectives exchanged looks.

“I actually have to get back to work gentlemen, so if there’s nothing else, I’m going to get going,” Davis said walking around them.

“Over at Lowell Myer, LLC, right?” Detective Benson asked with a smirk. “I’m sure they could miss you for a couple more hours. From what we know, they’ve been missing you forever, since you’re not on their employee roster.”

Davis wanted to wipe that haughty look off the detective’s face. He wasn’t sure what this guy thought he knew, but he refused to flinch.

“Detective honestly, I do have some errands to run. I’m not sure how I can help you?”

“So you have to get back to work or run errands? Which one is it, pal?” Detective Benson asked.

“What my partner means to say is that it all depends on you, Mr. Montclair,” he said gesturing toward their car. “We’d like you to come down to the station with us.”

This day was not going as planned.

“Sure, no problem.” Davis walked with them to the car. As they walked, he sent a quick message to one of Beau’s girls so they would let him know what was going on. Davis knew from previous experience to never call or text Beau directly in situations like this.

Before Davis got into the back of their black, unmarked sedan, he looked up to see Ansley staring down at them from her window.

He gave her one of his signature smiles. Davis was not done with her yet. Not even close.

Beau watched from a nearby car as Davis got into the back of an unmarked police car. He knew that joker would manage to get in trouble. His hands clenched into fists.

He better not mention my name.

Beau didn’t want the beautiful woman Davis was chasing to become collateral damage for his mistakes.