Chapter 71 You Call That Knocking?
You Call That Knocking?
Tessa
Inside the bike shop, the lights were blazing. But from my spot on the sidewalk, I saw no signs of life. I leaned close and stared in through the big front window, spotting the usual displays and a couple of bikes, but no Maisie.
Without looking away, I murmured, "Maybe she's working in the back?"
Next to me, Ryder only laughed. "At 3 a.m.? I doubt it."
First off, he didn't know Maisie like I did. And second off, this was no laughing matter. I pulled away from the window and gave him a look. "But what if she's hurt? She does work with tools, you know."
"I wouldn't call Griff a tool," he said, obviously joking.
I was too concerned to appreciate the humor. "You're not taking this seriously at all."
His voice softened. "Hey, I wouldn't be joking if I thought she was in trouble."
"But how do you know she isn't?"
"Look at the shop," he said. "It's perfectly fine. The window's unbroken, the shop's locked up tight, and I don't see any blood, so…"
I didn't know whether to laugh or wallop him. "Just because there's no blood doesn't mean she's fine."
Already, Ryder had tried the doorknob, and yes, he was right. The shop was perfectly secure. Or maybe not, because Ryder said, "I can get in if you want."
"How?"
He glanced toward the door. "It's a simple lock."
I stared. "What are you saying? You'd pick it?"
"Sure, if you want me to."
I couldn't even tell if he was joking, but my answer was the same either way. "Before we even try knocking?" And then, to make my point, I moved toward the door and gave it three quick raps.
Ryder scoffed. "You call that a knock?"
My chin lifted. "Yes, actually."
"Sure, if you're heading to a garden party. But if she's in the back, there's no way she's gonna hear."
"Oh." On this, he actually had a point. And I was just about to suggest that we circle around to the rear entrance when Ryder reached out and hammered the door like he was trying to break it down.
When nothing happened, he knocked again, even harder this time – and again, after that. He kept at it, loud and relentless, like he meant to wake the dead.
He was still knocking when I returned to the window and cupped my hands around my eyes to watch for movement inside.
But when I finally saw it, I felt my eyes go wide. The door leading to the back room swung partially open, and I saw a dark silhouette framed in the light.
A person.
But it wasn't Maisie.
It was Griff.
Shirtless.
His back was turned, facing the space he'd just left, as if talking to someone in the room beyond. Maisie.
It had to be.
Right?
The only question was, what exactly had they been doing?
In a flash, several possibilities came to mind – none of which deserved an audience. But time was running out, because Griff was already heading toward the front.
I dove toward Ryder and jostled him aside, cutting him off in mid-knock. "Hide!"
He didn't hide.
But he did move a single pace to his left, where he wouldn't be seen from inside the shop.
I whispered, "Don't move." I reclaimed my space at the window, peering into the shop like I had never left.
Sounding amused, Ryder asked, "How come you're not hiding?"
I spoke quietly out of the corner of my mouth. "Because they already know somebody's here. If both of us bolt, they'll think someone's trying to break in." Stubbornly, I kept staring into the shop, desperate to make it look like I was alone.
Ryder said, "Hey, I don't mind taking the blame."
"It's not about blame," I hissed. "I don't want to embarrass her, that's all."
His tone grew teasing. "What about him? Don't you care if he's embarrassed?"
Actually, this was kind of a good point, but I had no time to debate it. I whispered, "You should probably leave."
"Forget it."
"But why?"
Sounding incredulous, he said, "Because I'm not leaving you out here alone."
"But I'm not alone. Griff's heading this way." And then, as if to prove it, I cupped my hands and hollered through the glass toward Griff. "What have you done with Maisie?"
Hearing how that sounded, I felt heat rush to my cheeks. Damn it.
It didn't help when Ryder laughed.
From the corner of my mouth, I hissed, "Be quiet! And how come you're not leaving?"
"Because I'm not gonna," he said. "But I'll make you a deal."
"What?"
"I'll keep out of sight, but if you end up alone, all bets are off."
At that point, I would've said almost anything to keep Maisie from seeing him. She and I weren't best friends, but I knew her well enough to realize she wouldn't want to flaunt her exploits if she could help it. "Fine." I glanced toward Ryder, only to see…nothing.
He was gone.
Or at least, it looked like he was gone. But in my heart I knew better. He was watching and listening from somewhere.
And me? I had plenty to see on my own.