by Judith Post
Was he really that easy to read? For a waitress, he certainly was. He looked at the bread sticks she’d brought for herself along with a large Pepsi. “Is that all you’re having?”
“I’m not that hungry tonight.”
He waited. She fidgeted with the paper she took off her straw. She was building up courage to tell him something.
“The thing is…” She wrapped the long, thin paper around her finger while she spoke… “my ex called me last night. He’s not doing anything this weekend, and he thought it would be nice if we got together.”
“You mean as a couple?”
She dipped a bread stick in a container of cheese sauce, avoiding his eyes. “Not exactly, but he asked me to spend the weekend at his place.”
Aah, what was the term Derek used? A bootie call. Enoch shrugged. Why not? He'd ruined her date with Adam. If she wanted to sneak in a little fun, why shouldn't she? He tried to word his question carefully. “Does that mean you’ll be together all the time? That you'll be safe?"
The corners of her mouth pulled down. “We’re going to sleep together, okay?”
“I’m not trying to embarrass you. I just don't want anything to happen to you.”
She stirred her drink with her straw, fidgeting again. “You’re just doing your job, but you don’t need to this weekend. Jay will take good care of me. You can drop me at his place tomorrow morning, and he’ll bring me home Sunday night.”
Paige had a determined look on her face. Enoch didn’t think it would do any good to ask her to stay with her roommates, so he didn’t try. “If Jay needs to go somewhere, go with him. Don’t spend any time by yourself, alone.”
She nodded.
“What does this Jay look like anyway?”
“Big, with long blond hair and lots of tattoos.”
Enoch felt better. "Sounds like no one's going to mess with him. You'll be in good hands.” He waited for a smile, but none came. He wondered why smiles were so rare for her. “Okay, I’ll follow you home tonight, watch over your house, and then drive you to Jay’s in the morning.”
She nodded. Some of the nervousness left her. “I’d better get back to work.” Her break wasn't over yet, but she was in a hurry to get away from him, he could tell.
Enoch finished his meal, paid his bill, and left another big tip. Paige never mentioned the tips. She never thanked him for spending his nights watching over her. She referred to it as “doing his job.” If anything, she seemed to find it slightly annoying. He had an idea that that’s how she saw life—as a chore, doing what you had to.
When he was settled back in his Land Rover, he called Danny and told him about Paige’s weekend plans. "She says she'll be okay, but who knows if this Jay is dependable? What if they have a fight and he stomps off?"
“I’ll have someone watch the guy’s house,” Danny said. “You can take the weekend off. You’ve done your share.”
“Good. He doesn't sound like Mr. Reliable.”
“I’ll have a car in place before you drop her off. Once she’s in the house, we’ll take it from there.”
Enoch flipped his phone shut and turned on some music. His mood soared. He needed a break, something life affirming. And a whole weekend to himself, two whole days with Voronika, would do it. Inbetween novels, she'd been reading women's magazines and wanted to put up a Christmas tree. She was waiting until they could buy one together. She'd already asked him to bring home fresh pine boughs and red ribbons. She had him decorate the balcony railings with those. Every day, he found a new list of Christmas supplies she'd torn out of ads and newspapers, and each night, she decorated more of the apartment. She baked a batch of Christmas cookies. This time, they could even eat a few of them.
"What about the sewing machine?" he'd asked her.
"I finally learned to thread it. One thing at a time," she said.
Happy in his reveries, time flew. After midnight, the manager walked Paige to her Tempo. As Enoch followed her home, his thoughts wandered. He could picture Voronika in the translucent, pink nightgown he'd bought to surprise her, along with every other piece of lingerie that caught his fancy at Victoria's Secret. He wasn't sure if she'd wear it. She considered pink too girlie, but against her platinum/silvery hair, the nightgown would make her glow.
Stop! Stop! Stop! This wasn’t the time or place to lose himself in lustful fantasies. He pulled his thoughts back to the job at hand. He watched Paige hurry inside her house. Her roommate got home a few minutes later, and the two women sat up. He watched while they drank beer and talked. By two, the lights went off in the house, and Enoch settled into his vigil. Concentrate, he told himself.
When lights blinked to life on Saturday morning, Enoch wanted to shout with joy. Hurry! his mind told Paige. A half hour later, she stepped outside and waited at the curb for him to pick her up. “Where to?” he asked as she climbed onto the passenger’s seat.
“It’s a ways from here, in Monroeville. Jay likes country living.”
“Perfect.” The killer stalked one specific area of the city. He wasn’t a small town type of guy.
She frowned, looking him up and down. “You don't even look wrinkled or tired. Does anything bother you?”
She had no idea. Going to the morgue with Danny had been no picnic. Doc looked at the bodies and looked at him, and Enoch knew he wasn't buying the mad slasher story. Going to Pierce's funeral with Danny and Derek turned his guts into knots. Visiting with Silky's mother to set up an account for her and the kids about made him cry. He never got used to it, didn't want to. Their deaths should bother him. But how would Paige guess any of that? She had problems of her own. Instead, he said, “You just don’t like the idea of me watching you, do you? Is it me? Or is it being watched?”
She waited for him to turn onto Bluffton Road. “Why did you turn here?”
“I’m taking Bluffton to Tillman to 37. Okay?”
“That’ll work.”
“You didn’t answer my question. Do I bother you?”
She shrugged, dismissing him. “You’re one of those people who have everything. Money, looks. Everything comes easy for you. You wouldn’t understand what it’s like for someone like me.”
Another dodge. She didn’t exactly answer his question for the third time. He gave her a quick, sideways glance. Her jaw was set. Her eyes had a hard, flat look. “First off, my life isn’t all that easy. It might seem like it, but it’s not. And secondly, I do understand what it’s like for people like you. So what’s this all about? Why are you on the defensive?”
“You don’t like it that I sleep around.”
So that was it. She thought he was judging her. “You’re an adult. I don’t care. I just want to keep you safe.”
She turned her head to look out the side window. “You turn left at the next light.”
“Is everything okay? Did your ex give you a hard time? I can take you back home.”
“Everything’s fine. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He didn’t know the answer to that one, but something didn’t feel right. She clearly wasn’t going to talk about it, though. He turned onto Monroeville Road and drove until they reached the center of town. She directed him down a side road to a small, white house with an enormous garage. Its backyard was hidden by a high privacy fence. That worried him for a minute, but she’d be with her boyfriend. She wouldn’t be alone.
“This is it.” She was opening the side door as soon as the car stopped.
Enoch spotted an unmarked police car parked down the block. Good. Someone would be there, watching over her. The front door of the house opened before she reached it, and a man who nearly filled the frame motioned her inside. He had long, blond hair and a goatee. No one to mess with. And he didn't look happy.
"You sure everything's okay?" he called after Paige.
"Jay always looks mean," she yelled back. "It's his way."
Enoch watched her duck past him and waited for Jay to follow her inside before he pulled away. When he turned the cor
ner so that his car was out of sight, he parked and walked to the cop he’d passed. The officer rolled down the window. “She’s really nervous,” Enoch told him. “Something’s up. If you hear a lot of yelling, she might need to get out of there. Keep a close eye on her, will you?”
“Will do.”
On his drive back to town, Enoch replayed his conversation with Paige over and over again in his mind. Something was off. What was it? Did she feel guilty for leaving her house and staying with her ex instead of letting him watch over her? Or had she talked her ex into spending the weekend with her when she knew he didn’t want to? Or… He shook his head. He didn't have a clue.
He decided to drive to Spy Run and pass the house of the new guy in Paige’s life—Adam Dexler. It was early enough on Saturday, maybe he’d be home. But when Enoch saw an older man in a flannel shirt and jeans hammering a For Rent sign in the unit’s front yard, he pulled into its driveway.
“Sorry to bother you,” Enoch said, crossing the grass to him, “but I’m looking for Adam Dexler. Does he live here?”
“Not any more. Didn't pay his rent, so he's out. This isn't some damned charity."
“I’m here about his black pickup.”
"Already sold it. Almost covered his bills."
Enoch held up a hand. “Adam Dexler isn’t driving the black pickup right now?”
"Can't you hear? Dexler skipped town with his girlfriend. The only thing he left behind was his truck. It's in good shape, but old enough it didn't bring much."
“Who bought it? What did he look like?”
“What's it to you? It's sold."
Enoch took a deep breath, fighting down panic. "I'm working with the police, and I need to know who bought that truck."
"Didn't ask, did I? He gave me money, I gave him the registration. That's it."
Worry flooded him. Enoch flipped open his cell and phoned Danny. “Do me a favor, will you? Have your guy on watch knock on Jay’s door and make sure that Paige is all right.”
"Why? That will blow our cover."
"There is no Adam Dexler in Three Rivers. The guy who's seeing Paige is a phony."
“Gotcha. It’s done.”
Enoch went back to his Land Rover and waited for Danny's call. Danny started talking the minute they connected. “She’s not there. Her boyfriend said she called him late last night, told him she wanted to drop by and get some CD’s she’d left at his place. She went in, grabbed her stuff, and walked out the back door. A guy in a black pickup was waiting for her in the alley.”
It felt like Enoch's stomach dropped out of his body. No wonder Paige had acted so guilty. She was lying to him, lying to him the whole time. “She’s in trouble." He told Danny about the pickup.
“This might not be our guy. He's never done anything like this before.”
“Why else would he use Adam's name instead of his own? He’s never been this desperate. We keep stopping him."
Danny caught his panic. "They haven't had much time. I’ll call out an alert, but do you know how many black pickups are on the streets?"
Enoch dug a notepad out of his shirt pocket. "I gave you his license number when he stayed so long at the pizza parlor. Want it again?"
"I've got it, but this guy's no dummy. He's probably changed plates. We'll look anyway.”
“Thanks.” Enoch ran a hand through his hair. He felt nervous..angry..worried.. frustrated… too many emotions to process. Fear pulsed through his veins. He took a deep breath. How long would the killer wait before he strangled Paige? Until darkness fell? That was his usual pattern. Enoch tried to think. How could they save Paige, even if he waited?
Chapter 46
Paige followed Adam through the mall. He went to the cosmetics counter at Macy's. A woman stood beside a stool, waiting to give customers free make overs.
"My girl needs some eye shadow and mascara," he told her. "Maybe some lipstick too. She's got pretty eyes and a prettier smile. Make her shine."
The woman smudged beige powder on Paige's lids, then sponged darker brown powder in the creases. When she brushed black mascara on her lashes, Paige's eyes looked two times larger. She painted soft pink color on her lips. The effect was surprisingly flattering.
"Well, look at you," Adam said. "Beautiful inside and out."
Paige felt as if she glowed, as if her whole body were alive. No one had ever called her beautiful before. Adam paid for the make-up and then they wandered the mall. He took her to a music store and bought her a CD with some old song she'd never heard of—Bolero, by Ravel. "When you listen to it, you can think of me." When they left the mall, he said, "What about a movie? We can share a bucket of popcorn and a large drink. After that, I was thinking about getting some fried chicken and finding a spot to watch the stars come out while we picnic. The sunset's going to be beautiful tonight."
Paige nodded. She didn't care what they did, as long as she was with him.
When they found their seats in the theater, Adam threw an arm around her shoulders. She wanted to snuggle in, get closer, but this was only their first date. She needed to be careful. She always did something wrong to make it her last.
Her cell phone vibrated in her coat pocket. She didn't want Adam to move his arm, so she barely pulled it out—just enough to look at the caller I.D. She squinted, trying to read the number from too far away. She shouldn't have bothered. It was Rich Guy, calling her again. He must have found out she dodged him and wasn't happy about it. He'd left one voice message after another. Well, too bad for him. She was having a great day, and there wasn't anything he could do about it.
Chapter 47
Enoch drove home to tell Voronika that he'd lost Paige, that she'd tricked him, and now he had no idea where she was or if she was even alive. They wouldn't be looking for a Christmas tree today. He didn't know what he'd be doing, but he wanted to do something. He was in a foul mood and didn’t see how it could get any worse until he drove toward town and noticed a group of people looking out a high window from an office building close to his apartment complex. It was late Saturday morning. He’d lived in his apartment long enough to know that no one worked in that building on the weekends. And it didn’t take him long to realize that from their vantage point, they had a clear view of his apartment. Vampires? He'd have to find out.
He looked up at the gray, dismal sky and wished for some sunshine, but it was the middle of December and none was predicted. He circled the apartment and parked across the street in the restaurant lot. Reaching for his duffel bag, he started to walk. He stopped when he saw a vampire, wings folded against his back, sitting on his balcony, looking in at Voronika. How bold could the bastard get!
Enoch had never been a fan of drapes, and Voronika wasn't in favor of them, but he was beginning to think they’d be a good idea. The vampire, perched on his wrought iron railing, tilted his head to get a better view. Enough was enough! Enoch walked to the underpass, out of sight of the office building, and cocked his crossbow. He sighted and shot, letting the wooden stake fly. There was a puff of dust, and the vampire was gone.
He glanced at the office window. There was a lot of chattering and hand gestures. Good! Let them fret. He took the back way to the building. The heavy steel door in the rear was busted open. He left his crossbow at the base of the stairs and climbed until he heard voices on the top floor. The door to 17A was open a crack. Enoch sniffed. Stale blood. The vampires inside were arguing about what happened to their friend. When Enoch walked into the room, they turned and stared. The head vampire, older than his converts, licked his lips and narrowed his eyes. “Look what we have here—a weekend warrior. No briefcase? Doesn't matter. You're just in time for brunch." He grinned and the others burst out laughing.
Enoch groaned. "Just what I need. A vampire who thinks he's witty."
"So you know what we are?" Fangs sprouted and mocking smiles tilted their lips.
The leader nodded, and two vampires flanked each side of Enoch with the leader in front of him.
“Aren’t you even going to run?” the closest on the left asked. “It’s more exciting that way.”
The blond female on the right frowned. “Steady heartbeat. Maybe he thinks we’re Halloween freaks.”
“Come on. We like the smell of fear,” another said. “Be a good sport. We want to enjoy this.”
“I thought you were supposed to be on a no human diet,” Enoch said. “But I’m glad I’m wrong. I need a release, and you’re going to be it.”
The head vampire frowned. “How do you know about our diet?”
“I'm the one Caleb made the promise to.”
The vamp shrugged. "Caleb's no threat. He's getting old and weak."
"Not that I've noticed. We're about even in strength."
They tried to escape, but the Light blasted from his body in all directions. Dust exploded over desks and window sills. By the time Enoch walked to his car, some of his nervous energy was gone. Fear remained. He wondered where Paige was. Was the killer toying with her, or was she already dead?
Danny’s car was in the apartment parking lot and Enoch pulled next to it. When he walked into the lobby, Danny was waiting for him. "Sorry, but I'm too keyed up to sit still. I need to do something. I'm just not sure what."
"Come on up. I have to talk to Voronika, and then we can go." Enoch went straight to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. “How long was the vampire sitting on our balcony, watching you?” he asked.
Danny gaped, but Voronika snipped a thread and looked up at him. “Our balcony? I like the sound of that.”
“Maybe you should sew us some drapes. Then you won’t have to worry about sunlight, and they can’t gawk at you twenty four hours a day.” He frowned at her needle and thread. "Still not used to the sewing machine?"
"About that, you might be better off buying drapes." She bit her bottom lip and motioned to the machine on the bar. It had a huge dent in its center, as if someone had slammed a fist on top of it.