Incubus

Chapter 29

My failures have been errors in judgment not of intent

~Ulysses S. Grant

I decided to spend my Saturday morning on the patio of a restaurant, enjoying a book and buttered croissant. I was about to flip to the next page when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw an expensive car pull up on the side of the road across from the restaurant. My attention shifted to the man getting out of the back seat, flanked by two bulkier men. 

He was in a crisp black suit with gelled back hair and suede shoes, surveying the area when his eyes eventually settled on me and didn't leave. As he turned his head to whisper something to one of the men behind him, I saw he had a Blueberry attached to his left ear.

My eyebrows furrowed as I watched them cross the street and walk toward me. I held my book closer to my face and looked around to see if anyone else noticed them or seemed surprised by their presence. As I assumed, people's heads began to turn as the man came all the way up to my table, standing in front of me expectantly. 

I slowly lowered my book, cheeks growing red at the conscious knowledge that almost everyone's attention was on me. "Yes?" I asked uncertainly, clearing my throat. 

"Ms. Baxter?" he asked me.

"Who are you?"

He smiled a crooked smile at me, showing perfectly white teeth that someone would only ever see in teeth whitening commercials. I felt the sudden need to stand up and run away; I didn't feel like a man such as him would have anything good to say to me. But something about the way he stood perfectly at ease told me he didn't want to hurt me; at least not yet.

"No concern of yours," he said as politely as he possibly could. "I've come to talk to you today about personal matters of interest. May I join you?"

I looked at the bodyguards flanking his either side. The man smiled as if trying to reassure me. 

"What personal matters of interest?" I asked instead. 

The man looked down at me for a short while before taking a seat across from me. I shifted uncomfortably. "Matters concerning your boyfriend."

I instantly grew suspicious. "What are you talking about?"

The man chuckled. "I surmise you do have a boyfriend?" 

"Why do you want to know?" I wasn't stupid enough to mention his name. If they were after his identity, for whatever reason, they wouldn't get it. As I looked at the man sitting in front of me, I sincerely hoped Hayden wasn't in any legal trouble.

"I have some... unfinished business with him," the man said as he propped his ankle on his knee. "But that needn't be a concern of yours, miss. But maybe you want to look more into what he does for a hobby."

"What are you getting at?" I snapped. I wiped the thought of those two bodyguards beating up Hayden out of my mind. Focused on the man instead.

"I may or may not have some information that would shed some light on some questions you've been having. I hear you can't get the complete and whole truth out of him?"