Homicidal By Design [Hector Escaton]

Chapter 11

"Gee I'm so glad we are eating in Izzy's room instead of down in the dining room where she could enjoy her food like a lady," Len commented, stabbing at the chicken on his plate while he balanced it on his outstretched hand.

There was a tense silence in the cramped hotel room. Len leaned on the dresser by the door, Izzy sat on the small bed, and Hector stood by the spiral footboard. There was hardly room for the three of them plus the furniture, and there was definitely not enough room for all of the machismo posturing that was happening, of that Izzy was certain.

After waiting until the sun had set completely, Izzy and Hector had returned to Fuego Amaroso and the small hotel she was staying. She wasn't surprised that the majority of the racetrack was suspiciously clean compared to the gore-fest it had been earlier. No doubt it was attributed to the grave-diggers and sheriffs finally showing up.

Len had been thrilled to see her, Hector not so much. Hector didn't seem too keen on Len either, despite the more than amiable introductions. If he remembered her, did he remember Len as well? It didn't seem like he did. He had kept his word, however, and they made up some vague story about how they met during the shootout. After that, most niceties were dropped and they retreated to opposite sides of the room and waited for dinner to be served.

That was a long wait.

"I am glad you were there when she was being attacked by a bounty hunter."

A muscle ticked in Len's jaw and Hector leveled his gaze on him from across the room.

Izzy glared between the two men, daring one of them to make another remark. This had been going on long enough. "Me too. And that's why Hector is here. Because despite not knowing me, he still was gracious enough to keep me from being molested. So everyone just eat your goddamn food."

Len missed the side-eye Hector gave Izzy. Hector missed the side-eye Len gave Izzy. Both of them thought they were pulling something over on the other one. She sighed deeply, pursing her lips in a pleading gesture. Please don't say anything, Hector. Pleaseeee don't.

"I am just that gracious."

His dark eyes bored into hers, but he seemed content to follow her lead. Maybe "content" wasn't the right word. As he stood next to her, he thrummed with a sort of intense energy that made her horribly aware he was not going to humor her forever. The Hector she had seen come one finger-slip away from slicing a man's throat, who shot the deputy at point blank range, was still there, lurking.

That was the most disconcerting part of the whole thing—his duality. Just like earlier, when she had noted his two seemingly disjointed personalities, Hector was putting on a show for Len. Just like all the hosts in the park, he was following a carefully navigated script. Only the looks he shared with her gave away what was really going on under the surface. He wasn't truly content to verbally spar with Len as if they were two gentlemen in a cinematic love-triangle—although it did seem like he thoroughly enjoyed pressing Len's buttons. No. He was waiting for an opportunity to demand answers from her. Hector was playing Hector Escaton.

Nothing could possibly go wrong in this situation. Nope.

Thankfully, the men lapsed into silence and they were able to finish their meal in peace.

"Do you gentlemen think you could make yourselves scarce for a while? I'd like to get some sleep," Izzy asked, feigning a yawn. She didn't really have to pretend, though. It had to be 2am by now.

"Of course, Iz. There's a poker game downstairs I'll join," Len appraised Hector, who was already appraising him. "I don't know what we are going to do with you, though. Maybe since you killed all the bounty hunters, nobody will recognize you and you can join too."