Enamel

by Tim Sabados

  “The candles,” Aryssa answered simply. “They tipped over and that set it off.”

  “Did you purposefully tip them?”

  “God, no.” Aryssa grabbed her hair. “I threw one of those men into the dresser and things spilled. The other I…I…”

  “In other words, those candles fell over because you were defending the girls.” Charlie stood, stepped behind Aryssa and put his hands on her shoulders. “If it wasn’t for you, things would’ve been a lot worse. You protected them and saved their lives.”

  Charlie’s assuring touch was soothing. It calmed her anxiety. “They’re still in danger, though. Those men could be searching for them and their mother as we speak.” She sighed as Charlie began to rub her shoulders. “We’ve got to get them somewhere safe.”

  “Does anyone besides me know where you live?”

  Aryssa shook her head. “Hardly anyone.” She thought about it more. “For sure no one at work.”

  “If that’s the case, then I think this place is as safe as any for now.” Charlie gently grabbed her arms. “It’s late; let them sleep. First thing in the morning we’ll drop them off at the police station or the hospital. Maybe we can even find their mother.”

  “What happens if they think I kidnapped them?” Aryssa responded alarmingly.

  “We’ll make sure that you’re not seen with them,” Charlie responded reassuringly. “We’ll work it out.”

  Aryssa exhaled with relief and nodded her agreement with the plan. “I’m glad that…that you believe me.” She gestured toward a tooth on the table.

  “It seems we both have some unique secrets,” Charlie said.

  Aryssa yawned. “That we do.” The weight of exhaustion took residence in her. She could feel her lids droop. Motioned to the recliner next to the couch. “Will you please crash here until the morning?”

  Charlie nodded his affirmation. “Of course.”

  Aryssa curled up in the other, more beat-up, leather recliner. “Thank you for doing this,” she whispered.

  Charlie didn’t respond, but Aryssa knew. She could somehow feel the willingness and the kindness radiate from him. It made him all the more attractive. The jar holding her guilt tipped over and broke open. How could she have let herself sneak out of the bar like that? She resolved to find a way to make it up to him. For now, she closed her eyes and let slumber wash over her.

  17

  The stench of charred cloth and burned flesh dominated the office. Sammy rested his cell against his temple and placed his glass of Scotch under his nose, hoping it would devour that disgusting smell. It worked for a few seconds, but the power of alcohol was no match against its heavyweight opponent.

  Ariek leaned forward, slid his elbows onto his desk and held his head in his hands. The two brothers were sitting side-by-side on the couch directly across from Sammy. Heads bowed. The taller one was purposefully resting his cold bottle of beer against his crotch.

  Sammy swallowed his annoyance, but the burned odor still clung to his tongue. “Are you sure?”

  The portly brother nodded. “Fairly certain.” He gestured at his brother. “He got the better look.”

  “Has to be,” the taller one said. “I know that face and that body.” Tipped his chin toward Sammy. “Know you do, too.”

  Sammy waved the comment away. “I need you to be absolutely certain.”

  “She did punch out early,” Ariek advised.

  “Why?”

  Ariek lifted his head and shrugged. “How the hell should I know?” He rubbed his eye. “She wanted to go home.”

  “That’s not like her,” Sammy said.

  “She leaves when she wants,” Ariek replied. “Yes, it was earlier than normal, but who am I to question it?” He waved his hand absentmindedly. “Who am I to question any of them?”

  “Maybe you should be a little more firm with your workers.” Sammy’s words sizzled as if they had been thrown on a grill.

  Laser beams of anger shot from Ariek’s eyes. His brows furrowed. “I don’t tell you how to run your damn business, so don’t go telling me how to run mine.”

  The escalating tension billowed into every corner of the room and joined forces with the overbearing smoke-laden odor. No one said a word for fear of coagulating the already thick air. The portly brother fiddled with his fingers. The taller one tapped the beer bottle between his legs. Ariek folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. Sammy knew he had to break the tension. There were things that needed to be solved. He slowly exhaled to quell his own irritation.

  “Okay, I get it. We’re all frustrated,” Sammy finally said. “We need to pull together and figure this out. If we don’t, then we’re all screwed.”

  Ariek took a second to respond. “Agreed.”

  The brothers nodded.

  “Let’s focus on what we know,” Sammy said. “First of all, we know, without a doubt, that those girls have the banks.”

  “I saw…” The stocky one corrected himself. “I mean, we saw both of them. Especially that bear.”

  Sammy set his gaze on the brothers. “And without a doubt you saw her and were then beaten up…”

  “She came out of nowhere,” the portly brother interjected. “I had no idea she was even there.”

  The taller brother nodded. “She flew out of that closet just as we were about to snatch those things.”

  “Okay, I get it,” Sammy did his best to subdue his annoyance. “I just want to know that you’re absolutely sure it was her.”

  “One-hundred percent,” the taller brother confirmed.

  “But why?” Sammy questioned aloud. “Why was she there?”

  The portly brother winced when he shrugged. Massaged his shoulder. “Don’t know.”

  “We have to assume she wanted those banks,” Ariek said. “But how does she know what’s in them?”

  “That’s the million-dollar question,” Sammy said somewhat contemplatively. “How would she know?”

  “Maybe she doesn’t,” the taller brother commented.

  Ariek cocked his head. “What do you mean by that?”

  The taller brother rubbed his palms over his thighs. “Maybe she wasn’t there for those banks. I mean, if she was able to hide in the closest, then she could’ve had them long before we got there.” He kept his hands on his legs. “The way that mom and her attacked us makes me believe they were more concerned about the girls than those banks.”

  He had a point. Sammy tapped his chin. “Let’s say that was true; it still doesn’t explain why she was there or why she was hiding in the closet.”

  “I guess it doesn’t,” the taller brother agreed.

  “It all points back to her,” Ariek commented.

  “That it does,” Sammy said. “Not only do we have to assume that she knows what’s in those banks, but that they’re now in her possession.” He bit his lower lip with uncertainty. “Do either of you know what happened to those sisters?”

  The brothers looked at each other as if the other might have an answer. The portly one sheepishly shook his head.

  Frustration gurgled in Sammy’s throat. “Neither of you have any idea.”

  “The fire spread so fast,” the taller brother said. “There was no way we could stick around to find out.”

  Were they telling the truth? “Nothing,” Sammy said in an accusatory tone. “You’ve no idea what happened to the mom or her daughters, do you?”

  The taller brother shook his head. “We were given short notice about this operation and we had to plan on the fly.” His voice grew defiant. “We were told it was going to be simple. But guess what? It wasn’t. We were attacked and I ended up throwing that mom through the window. Next thing I know, we’re separated. The house was burning. That…that dancer took those two girls.” A pause. “Everything fell apart before we could even regroup.” He jabbed a finger at Sammy. “We had no choice but to double back and meet at our secondary spot. That’s when we decided it was too risky to go back.” A harsh pause.
“So no, we have no idea what happened to anyone or those damn banks, for that matter.”

  Ariek huffed, “What are we supposed to do now? Poke around the police stations? See if they’re camped out at the hospital? Wander around to the hotels and ask? None of this is going to work.”

  Sammy swung his hands to bat the words away. “If we start our search with anyone, it needs to be with Aryssa. She must have some connection with that family and those banks.” He shook his head to erase his doubt. “It’s all got to start with her.”

  Ariek aggressively nodded his understanding. “It could be days before she comes back to work. We need them now. Before…before…you know what I mean.”

  “Enough. I don’t need the added stress right now.” He glared at the brothers to drive his point home. “We don’t have the time to wait it out.” Turned to face Ariek. “Don’t you have some kind of an employee file on her?”

  “Just the basic stuff,” Ariek answered without moving from his seat.

  Sammy sighed heavily. “Can’t you get it?” He gestured harshly. “I need to know where she lives.”

  “You don’t know?” The portly brother asked with surprise. “After everything you’ve been through?”

  “No, I don’t.” Sammy scoffed. “If I did, do you think I’d be sitting here asking?” He smacked his hand on the chair’s armrest. “I need that file.”

  Ariek turned to the file cabinet behind him and opened the middle drawer. His fingers walked across the rows of files until he came on Aryssa’s. He opened the manila folder. Flipped through some pages. “I’m afraid it doesn’t have what you want.”

  “All I need is her address,” Sammy said bitterly. “You know, where she lives.”

  “Only a P.O. box. No address.” Ariek slid the folder across his desk toward Sammy.

  Sammy stared in disbelief at a head shot of Aryssa. Flipped a page to her application. Then another. “This is useless.” A grunt. “You’re her employer. Why wouldn’t you have more?”

  “I have what’s required.” Ariek reached across the desk and grabbed the file. “Besides, dancers are considered private contractors. I don’t directly pay them any wages or provide them any benefits.” He cleared his throat. “That’s all on them.”

  “You’re kidding me!” Sammy retorted.

  “Nope.” Ariek laid the file in front of him. “You know money flows through here like water. I’ve kept things to the bare minimum for everyone’s protection.”

  “I can’t believe this,” Sammy muttered.

  Ariek sighed. “It’s all I have.” His cheeks had become red with frustration. “I wish I had more, but I don’t. It’s a don’t ask-don’t tell policy.” He pointed at the phone in Sammy’s hand. “You have her number.”

  “I was hoping to use it as a last resort.” Sammy tapped the cell against his chin. Was this really his last option? How many times had he tried getting Aryssa to tell him where she lived? Would she give it up if he tried again? “You’re the one who told me to let her go.”

  “Unless you’ve got a better idea, that’s not going to work,” Ariek said. “Or we wait until she shows up for her next shift.”

  Waiting wasn’t an option either. Sammy sighed. What would he say if he did call? “There’s got to be another way. She’s turned me down all the other times I’ve asked.”

  “Maybe this time you’ll get lucky,” Ariek said.

  “You’ve swooned her before,” the taller brother said. “You should be able to do it again.”

  “Even a hint will help us,” the portly brother stated. “Anything. You’ve got to try.”

  Maybe what they were saying was right. He had to at least try. Sammy tipped his chin with understanding. “I’ll be right back.”

  He walked into the hallway outside the office. Things were much quieter now that the club was winding down for the night. Sammy opened his cell, found Aryssa’s number and tapped call.

  The phone rang. It rang again. And again. He was about to hang up when a jostling noise echoed through the speaker.

  “Hello,” Aryssa answered in a voice weighed with sleep.

  “Hey Aryssa, how’s it going?”

  “Umm…”

  18

  It had only been a couple of minutes, maybe a little longer. Aryssa couldn’t tell, but the conversation had gone on long enough. She abruptly ended the call and let her phone fall into her lap. The heat of dread spread through her body, leaving a razor-thin layer of sweat glazing her skin. “He knows,” she blurted to no one in particular.

  Charlie stirred. He opened his eyes and swiped his hand across the corner of his mouth. “You say something?”

  “He knows,” Aryssa repeated. “He knows about…”

  “Who knows?” Charlie exhaled sharply, as if his lips were a valve allowing the compressed air of sleep to escape his lungs.

  “Sammy,” Aryssa answered.

  “Sammy?”

  “You know, Sammy.” Aryssa snapped her fingers as a way to force her mind to clarify itself. “He…he owns the station.”

  Charlie rubbed his eyes. “Station?”

  Aryssa’s mind spun and blindly reached for a solid thought in which to anchor itself. “Yeah, the station. The gas station.” She pointed at Mackenzie and Zoe sleeping on the couch. “Where those animals came from.”

  “You mean the banks?”

  “Yes,” Aryssa nodded quickly. “He knows.” She frantically looked around the room. Was the door locked? Windows shut? Could he be hiding in the closet? “Sammy.” Hesitated as if speaking his name would invoke his presence. “He asked about them.”

  Charlie leaned forward and clutched Aryssa’s hand. “Take a deep breath and slow down.”

  Aryssa did her best to steadily exhale. It was Charlie’s touch that was reassuring. Comforting. The very warmth of his hand began to break apart the infection of dread.

  “Tell me what happened.” Charlie said.

  Aryssa sighed. “Sammy called and started asking me a bunch of questions.” She paused to lick her lips. “At first it all seemed harmless. He wanted to know why I had left the club early and what I had been doing all night. Things like that.”

  “Why would he be calling you this late?” Charlie questioned.

  “He does that sometimes,” Aryssa answered. “He’s usually looking for a little…a little…you know.”

  Even though Charlie’s expression remained stoic, there was a brief flicker of hurt that dulled the shine in his eyes. “Just like that? He calls and expects to get a piece?”

  “He can call all he wants,” Aryssa said. “He’s not getting any, no matter how hard he tries.” She cleared her throat. “That’s what I thought he wanted, but it didn’t take long for things to change.”

  Charlie rubbed his temple. “He started asking about the banks?”

  “Not directly,” Aryssa said. “It was more about what I had been doing. What shows I had been watching. What I had for dinner.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I thought it kind of strange, because he rarely asks me things like that.”

  “Why didn’t you hang up?”

  “I don’t know.” Aryssa shrugged. “I guess I didn’t want to sound like I knew things.”

  “How’d he know, though?” Charlie questioned. “What’d he say to you?”

  Aryssa bowed her head and grabbed her hair. “He asked me if I had watched the news and heard about the fire.”

  Charlie motioned toward the sleeping sisters. “You mean…?”

  Aryssa nodded. “I tried to play dumb, but he kept pressing.” She shifted in her chair. “He said the mother was in the hospital and there was some kind of reward for finding the missing kids.” Her voice filled with worry. “What if the cops think I kidnapped them and now there’s a huge manhunt?”

  “I don’t…” Charlie stared at the floor, lost in thought. “I don’t think that’s happening right now. Seems awfully fast for things to have progressed to that level. He could’ve been yanking your chain to s
ee how you’d react.”

  “Well, he yanked pretty hard.”

  Charlie’s head bobbed ever so slightly. “So it seems.”

  “Trust me, he made it sound convincing,” Aryssa said, her voice coated with hysteria. “I don’t know what to believe.” She pressed her hands together. “I’ve got to get them back to their mother. You and I both know that someone’s looking for them as we speak. It’s only a matter of time before…”

  Charlie gently squeezed Aryssa’s hand. “You need to calm down,” he said in a firm voice. “From what you’ve told me, no one knows that you have them. It’s not like the police are going to come charging through your door right this very moment.”

  Despite the firmer grip, his touch was still soothing. “What should I do? I can’t keep them here forever.”

  “No, you can’t,” Charlie said reassuringly. “Let’s take it one step at a time.” He glanced toward the apartment door. “Does Sammy know where you live?”

  Aryssa shook her head. “No way. He’s asked me hundreds of times, but I’ve never told him.”

  “Your boss?”

  “Ariek.” Aryssa slashed her hand through the air dismissively. “Nope. No way.” Shook her head. “I try to remain as private as possible.”

  “What about anyone at the club? Friends? Coworkers? Maybe a customer?”

  “I don’t remember telling anyone,” Aryssa said. “I might have let it slip out, but I’m pretty sure that I haven’t.”

  Charlie gestured toward the couch. “What’s making him believe that you have them?”

  Aryssa sighed. “I wish I knew.”

  Charlie quietly tapped his finger on the table. His thoughts seemed to drift away for a bit. “You said there were two men that snuck into that room?”

  “Yeah,” Aryssa answered.

  “And you couldn’t see their faces?”

  “They both had covered their faces with some kind of scarf.”

  “But they could see you?”

  Aryssa nodded. Her jaw slackened from the sudden realization. “Oh my…”

  “You think they know you from the club?”