Chapter 33 Section VI

"Steve, someone wants to see you," the receptionist said over the intercom. "I'll be right there." "No need." Another voice came over the intercom, startling him—he recognized the mellow, sexy voice right then. "I know the way." Decker stood there, heart beating wildly.After a while, Beth walked into the office.In contrast to yesterday's dark suit, she was wearing linen slacks and a matching tan jacket.Her golden-brown hair stood out against the outfit.She looked even more radiant. "How are you?" Decker asked. "Excited to move today."

Decker didn't understand her. "Last night I decided not to wait, but to move in at once," said Beth. "The house was furnished and equipped, and it seemed a pity to leave it empty. So I called the owner. , and asked him if I could rent the house until the paperwork on my purchase was done." "Did he agree?" "He was very kind. He said I could get the key from you." "Of course you can get the keys. Actually, I can drive you there." On the busy street outside the office building, Decker opened the Cherokee passenger seat door for her.

"I tossed and turned all night and couldn't sleep, wondering if I was doing the right thing," Beth said. "Sounds the same as when I first got here." "How did you solve this problem?" "I asked myself if I had any other options." "The results of it?" "I didn't have a choice," Decker said. "At least, it all meant surrendering to that thing that was eating away at my life." Beth gazed into his eyes. "I understand what you mean." As Decker got into the car, he glanced across the street and felt something tense inside him.Among the wandering tourists, a man stood motionless, and Decker's defensive instincts immediately noticed him.What aroused Decker's suspicion was that the man who had been staring at Decker turned away as soon as Decker noticed him.Standing with his back to the street, he pretends to be interested in the Southwestern jewelry in the shop window, but he is staring straight ahead instead of down, suggesting that he is actually looking at the reflection in the window.As Decker drove away, he saw in the rearview mirror that the man had turned and stared in his direction.His hair was neither long nor short, and he was of medium height, neither fat nor thin. He was about thirty-five or sixteen years old, and his appearance was ordinary; his clothes were also ordinary, and the color was dull.In Decker's experience, this unremarkable appearance and clothing is no coincidence.The only thing that stood out about the man were his broad shoulders, which were not covered by his baggy shirt.He is not a tourist.

Decker frowned.He asked himself, did he come to censor me again?Do they want to see how I'm doing now, whether I'm mischievous or behaved, whether I'm still a threat to them? Beth was telling him something about the opera. Decker didn't catch it. "what?" "I like it so much." "I'm a jazz fan myself." "So you don't want to go? I hear the Santa Fe Opera is first class." Decker finally figured out what she was talking about. "Are you asking if I would like to go to the opera with you?" Beth smiled softly. "You were not so dull yesterday."

"What opera?" "Tosca." "Oh, yes," said Decker, "if it's Puccini's I'll go, but if it's Wagner's I won't." "Smart guy." Decker put on a look of great interest.As he turned the corner, he stared in the rearview mirror to see if anyone was following him.He found nothing out of the ordinary.Maybe I was wrong about the guy staring at me. hell.