Faux Vows, True Desires

Keith could feel the warm current of interest flowing from Darlene's gaze.

"You've shelled out a pretty penny to have the folks at Cipher Detectives hunt me down. Now that I've come to you tonight, why don't you claim back that hefty deposit? It's a serious chunk of change to just leave on the table."

"Should I get it back and give it to you?"

Darlene was silent.

She just wanted him to reclaim the deposit, cancel the job, and preserve the reputation of her detective agency.

She had no desire for the money.

"Keith, I helped you out, really, it was no big deal, I don't need a reward. That amount of money is too much."

Keith didn't even look back this time, his voice deep, "Forget it. Cipher Detectives took my case and my money, and they did put in the work for quite some time. The deposit can stay with them as payment for their efforts."

Darlene remained silent.

Her agency did take deposits, but they also had a policy in place the deposit would be returned to the client if the job couldn't be completed.

Keeping the deposit meant the agreement was still active, and they would continue to investigate for the client.

"Since you are so insistent, I'll gracefully accept, and the deposit is mine."

After washing the dishes, Keith stepped out of the kitchen and stood before Darlene.

Close contact brought them nearly nose to nose, and Keith picked up a faint scent from her, grateful for his keen sense of smell.

This soft fragrance, it was vaguely familiar.

Recalling his sister's suspicions that Darlene might be the mysterious masked lady he had encountered, he found it hard to reconcile the gentle Darlene with the spirited masked figure.

Aside from his mother and sister, the only other woman's scent he knew was Darlene's.

Cecilia never wore perfume; her natural scent was all there was, except maybe a whiff of shampoo after she washed her hair.

Cecilia, though skilled in some self-defense, was no match for a true fighter in Keith's eyes, so he had ruled her out from the start. That left only Darlene.

Keith silently scoffed: Lucinda was spot on!

Always thinking ahead, Lucinda was typical of a storyteller.

"Give me an account number. I'll have someone call Cipher Detectives to cancel the job, get the deposit back, and transfer the money to your account."

Darlene's smile cracked, "I have a thing for cash. It looks so grand!"

Keith couldn't help but chuckle, "Alright, I'll get you the cash. Do you want to pick it up, or should I deliver it?"

"I'll give you an address where you can drop the money off. I'll be waiting there to collect it."

Skywatch was his territory; if she frequented the place, it would be too easy for him to spot a flaw.

Pinehurst was her home, but not exactly her turf. With the Andersons and the Martinez families casting their nets, both would side with Keith, making it unsafe for her, though still safer than Skywatch. She'd just give him a random address, have him drop off the money, and then figure out how to shake off his men.

Helping others was not new to Darlene, but this was the first time it had brought trouble her way.

"Deal," Keith agreed swiftly.

Darlene breathed a sigh of relief, her agency's reputation intact.

"Thanks for saving my life the other day!"

Keith formally expressed his gratitude.

"A small act of kindness is worth a great debt, let alone saving a life. If you ever face trouble, need my help, just tell me."

Keith made a promise.

Darlene chuckled, "Like I said, it was nothing."

"But still, you saved me."

"Even if I hadn't stepped in, it's not certain you'd have lost. Calling me your lifesaver is an overstatement, though saying I gave you a hand, I can live with that."

She couldn't bear the weight of being his lifesaver, dreading the possibility of him offering himself in return.

"You're the most capable woman I've ever met."

"Thanks for the compliment, Keith. It's getting late, and I should head back. Thank you for the pasta, it was delicious." Darlene was ready to take her leave, worried that if they continued talking, Keith might offer her a bodyguard job.

He had nothing but praise for her skills.

"I'll walk you out."

As Keith said this, he moved towards the window, assuming Darlene had entered that way.

But when he turned back after reaching the window, Darlene had already gone out the door.

Keith was left baffled.

She had entered so boldly, right through the front door, blatantly challenging the Blue family's security system! This woman, he admired her very, very much!

Exiting Keith's room, Darlene easily slipped into a guest room and out the window, evading Keith's night watchmen.

Her mentor, a legendary thief, had taught her well. The kind who had stolen from the world's rich and famous without ever getting caught. Her ability to move like a shadow was unmatched.

She didn't want to follow in her mentor's footsteps as a master thief, after all, theft is theft. So she chose the detective path, enjoying how she could use her resources to unearth secrets unknown to others.

Keith acted fast, darting back from the window, but by the time he emerged from his room, Darlene was nowhere to be seen.

He was filled with regret!

Startled by her audacity, he lost her in a heartbeat.

Back in his room, Keith approached the window and tapped on it.

Stepping back, a black-clad bodyguard leaped in through the open window.

"Mr. Keith."

Keith regarded his confidant in silence for a full minute before asking, "Someone snuck into my room, and you didn't notice?"

The bodyguard hung his head in shame.

They had received Keith's signal too late, only realizing an intrusion after the fact.

Though Keith had canceled the alert, indicating the visitor meant no harm, it was still a lapse in their duty. If tonight's intruder had been an assassin, the young master might not have been so lucky.

"She's smart and slippery as an eel, with unmatched agility, practically invisible, I couldn't catch her. Tomorrow, I'll tell my father we need to upgrade our security systems, you may go."

Keith didn't blame his trusted bodyguard.

He knew his crew was top-notch, but there's always a bigger fish, a sharper shooter in the wild west. Acknowledging someone out there might be quicker on the draw didn't shame him none.

Even he wasn't confident he could lasso the elusive masked lady, let alone expect his bodyguard to pin her down.

All he could do now was beef up the security at his estate.

He had to make sure that when Lucinda came back, she'd be as safe as a church in there.

He'd have to chew the fat with his father about tonight's shenanigans.

The masked lady's brazen act was likely because his dad had knocked back a few too many bourbons, got a little sauced.

Otherwise, with his dad's savvy and experience, he'd have sniffed out something fishy.

The bodyguard's face was as red as a lobster, shamefaced as he hopped out the window.

From now on, they had to be on their toes, guard the fort like hawks. If that dame, that high-flying burglar, dared to return, they'd nab her red-handed.

Oh, but she wasn't just some burglar.

If she were, Keith wouldn't be breaking bread with her, let alone inviting her over for a spaghetti dinner.