She for some reason felt safe draped in his jacket. His presence was a salve on her fear. “Montreal is so incredibly beautiful you can take a postcard picture from almost anywhere you are. There are three hills in the middle of the city with spectacular views. They say it’s the Paris of North America and it’s true. I’ve been to Paris and there’s plenty of grime to be found, however beautiful. It’s harder to find in Montreal. Maybe because it’s a much smaller population but I guess it’s there. It’s cold as hell. I guess that’s a sorry description…” She watched the smile, the little laugh.
His teeth were even. His smile seemed a little shy. Yes, he’s shy. Some might say his nose was a little heavy, his jaw line too square. His features were just the handsome side of ordinary. But his deep set eyes were striking. Intelligent with that penetrating gaze as if he could see past any façade someone might erect to conceal their true selves. They looked black in the low light with his reddish brown brow prominent. He had a strong, tough looking face. But his smile tempered the tough, wary visage and she could see him as not just the cop with a gun. A bleak world view had not fixed itself completely on his face. It wasn’t just tough and cynical about human nature. She had seen a gentle side. The compassionate side. She could see him on a hockey field as a kid, kissing his mother, playing with kids, and a flash of his leaning close, his lips near her ear while he pressed his jacket on her for just a little too long as if he needed to make sure it would stick. Mo finished her drink quickly and turned in.
Five
“My baby, my princess, my star!” Roddy in his leotards, his comb over bouncing as he gesticulated wildly and threw his arms around Mo. Others gathered around hugging and asking each other questions in a flurry of curiosity, concern, horror expressed. To Mo it seemed like she hadn’t seen them in weeks. Zack stood back and listened unobtrusively, heard the occasional insults about the police. “Now all of you to listen.” Roddy repeated himself until he had everyone’s attention. “We are all in the shock about our poor Ling. You know she want you to do your best to overcome this terrible time. Linc has been released by the police and in seclusion at undis…closed? location with his cousin. We will do best we can without him until he come back. He send his love to all of you and ask you go on with show. We all know it what Ling would want. The company, and I agree, believe we not resume show for couple more days. We will dedicate show to Ling at the beginning of Thursday night’s performance. We have two days to work hard and make Ling proud. Any question I address now.”
“What about a funeral, is there going to be a funeral?” someone piped up.
Roddy put his hands on his hips and looked sadly at the performers. “The police have Ling’s…er, her…police have Ling indefinite amount of time. The Company will announce arrangements as they know more. We have send Mrs. Wong flowers and the condolence. The Company will do everything to help Ling poor Mama. As you all know her poor papa passed away last January. Company will make sure Mrs. Wong have all she need then Ling’s insurance will be settled.”
“Do the police know anything? How did they break in?” This was Misha in his mild Ukrainian accent.
“They think he stole the pass key from housekeeper. That is why you all issued new keys. All codes have been changed. They do not have official suspect but they have cleared all members of company.” There were sighs of relief and comments of approval. “The police still have questions. No one will be allowed to leave state. But we here for two weeks! Where we go, uh?”
“Will we do extra shows to make up for the ones we lost?” Deb, an aerialist.
“Si. Yes. Two on Sunday. Monday night for sure. Company and Greendale in negotiation with next act to push back schedule. Some musical. They will let us know.”
“Where is Claude? Has anyone seen Claude?” This was from Nanette, a new stagehand. This was her first show and she was known to have a crush on Claude. She was nineteen, a tiny, blond thing.
“You know Claude, always late, there he is now.” Roddy waved with annoyance in Claude’s direction.
“Bonjour, bonjour! Hello everybodeee!” Claude’s perfect body was incased in his leotard. He shook the hands of everyone and kissed the women on each cheek. Mo watched with no emotion as Claude made his greetings. What had she been thinking? He turned to her. “Belle! What you go through!” He took her hand and kissed it, slowly, caressing it. She drew it away. Zack, standing near, tightened his lips in annoyance.
“You’ve missed some announcements Roddy had for us.” She turned to Roddy. If that’s all I’m going to start warming up.” She walked away stopping to exchange hugs and comments with other performers.
“Yes, yes, let’s all get to work. Claude I fill you in in my office. Oh. Detective Burnham, Zack. I like to speak to you, if I may. In a few minutes?”
“Sure, any time.” Zack had kept a distance, not wanting to become the focus of questions.
“Ah, the policeman! Momo have her own body guard! How are you Mr. Policeman? You be certain to keep my girl safe!” Roddy steered the Frenchman away to Zack’s relief.
He had lost sight of Mo for a moment and spied her talking to the tall Russian sounding guy. He walked over. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“No problem, this is Misha, Misha Severinsky. Meesh, this is Detective Burnham. Detective Burnham is going to be keeping an eye on us for a few days.”
The men shook hands. As was his habit, Zack sized the young man up. Russian or something near to it. Six foot. One seventy five. He was slender but solid muscle but with the slightest indication of a beginning paunch. Drinker. Early twenties, Blonde, ice blue eyes, slightly pocked face, scar on forehead from corner of eye running sideways to hairline. Gap between front teeth that need some work. Not an unpleasant face, not a handsome one. He seemed a little shy. He’d seem boyish if it weren’t for the glint of hardness in his eyes. He wore a sleeveless leotard that exposed elaborate tattoos on his muscular upper arms. Zack eyed the tattoos. “Those are interesting tattoos, where are you from?”
“My father from Kiev, my mother from Boyestiev, little village not far from Kiev.” Misha said dropping his head like a shy child.
“You speak English very well, how long have you been here?” Zack asked in a friendly tone. Did he detect the guy was a little uptight talking to him? A maid had alibied him.
“Since I was eight. Fourteen years.” He looked at Mo who smiled warmly at him. He nodded and realized he needed to make an effort at being friendly. “This one say allegiance to Kiev. My heart is there with my father’s ancestors. This one support Chechnya, I support all those who rebel against Russia.”
“Those are very profound tattoos.” Zack actually found any tattoos silly. Like bumper stickers on humans. Couldn’t people just wear a pin if they had to advertise their personal views everywhere they went? But he thought pins silly too. “I won’t keep you from work. I need to meet with Roddy and make some calls. But I’ll be in the coliseum and if you don’t see me and need me just remember to hit one on speed dial.” This he addressed to Mo, who had had her cell phone returned. “Nice to meet you Mr. Severinsky,” he said with a nod.
“Misha, Detective…”
“Zack.” He turned away to find Roddy’s office. He stopped a short distance away and watched Mo in her leotard, climbing to the platform. Misha watched her intently. For some reason this got Zack’s hackles up. Hero worship? Crush? He was young, but he wasn’t a kid. In any case it was natural enough he might be starry eyed over Monica Whitman. He watched her take a swing and swoop into the air.
“Zack, pay no attention to Claude, he is great artist, but how you say? Idiot!” Roddy put his arm around Zack’s shoulder as Zack thought of more anatomical descriptions of Claude. Claude had been insulting, referring to Zack as a fascist puppet in a teasing way. Claude just joking! “You do me, us, great service. I talk to the Mayor Tyler and he agree with me you stay for duration of show.”
“I don’t know if it’s legal for me to be appointed to be Ms. Whit
man’s personal bodyguard on City time. Especially since this isn’t my jurisdiction. I’ve been trying to get an answer to that myself with no luck. I thought I’d take leave.”
“We geniuses we think alike!” Roddy waved Zack into a chair. “Mayor Tyler inform me his lawyers say one day a courtesy, more another scandal. He suggest a security company. La Cirque du Celestial will look into. But Zack, we want you to be Mo’s security while we are here. We trust you, Mo trust you. You take leave we pay you. On condition you continue to reside with Mo. And be with her all times. I know, almost to be married, right!”
Zack shifted in his seat. “I don’t know if that’s legal either. I have to check. I don’t mind taking some vacation time.”
“Zach, you check, take leave, we pay whatever you say. But Mo trusts you now; we can’t bring in stranger and disrupt her confidence. She is our star. She is worth millions to the company. More important, we love her. I consider it very large personal favor you stay with us for the time.” Roddy smiled his charming smile. He was a very likable man. Zack felt warmer toward him all the time.
“I wouldn’t know what to charge you, you decide. One way or the other, I’ll be here.” Zack for some reason felt as if he had just stepped over a threshold.
“Excellent, my friend, excellent! I have confidence that while you are with us Mo will be safe. And she will feel secure! Her mind free to focus on her work. Thank you, thank you.” Roddy looked up, “Ah! Luciana! Come meet Detective Burnham!”
Zack stood up and turned toward the door. “Hello, Mrs. D’Mario. I hope you’re feeling better.”
“Thank you, Detective, I am much better. Except for this horrible tragedy. Are you going to be with us a while? My husband said he was going to ask you and he’s a very determined man.”
“Zack. I’ll be arranging it, if nothing else I’ve got some vacation coming.” Zack made his assessment. Fortyish and not happy about it. Five seven, one thirty five. Once a knock out, still very attractive. He’d heard she was very unhappy to no longer be the star but she had been in bed on migraine drugs at the time of the murder. A maid had accidentally gone into the room which had a ‘Do not disturb’ sign out and had not only seen her in bed but had been treated to a torrent of curses. Not well liked, he had already been able to ascertain. Bleached hair, eyes pulled too tight from a lift. Perfect teeth. He was aware that she was physically assessing him as well but in a different way. Roddy, clearly madly in love, took no notice.
“Well, Detective, we’ll be one big happy family, won’t we?” She looked up at him from beneath lowered lids.
“Si, yes. Zack part of our family now! Keep Momo safe.” Roddy looked adoringly at Luciana.
“Momo being the most important thing. Nice meeting you…Zack. Honey I’m going into the city to shop. A car will be here in half an hour. I’m looking forward to seeing Michigan Avenue again, Zack. Too bad about Marshall Fields but I can’t wait to see how Bloomies fits into that gorgeous Medina Temple.”
“Are you well enough, my love?” Roddy took her hand and kissed it. Foreigners, Zack thought to himself but the ladies sure seemed to like it. He thought about Claude kissing Monica’s hand and how she had tolerated it for just a moment before pulling it away. Tolerated was the word.
“I think getting out of here will do me good. It’s not like I have anything to do here.” Luciana D’Mario looked impatient as her husband kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you for dinner.”
“Si, Luciana. Go spend money. You always feel better with new handbag!” Roddy’s wife shot Zack a glance with a little pout to her enhanced lips. He had a sudden need to count the panels in the dropped ceiling.
“You have a lovely wife, Roddy. She used to perform, didn’t she?” Luciana’s heels could be heard clacking down the corridor.
“Si, yes. She was good but not great. I know she resent not being hired to coach but she do not inspire confidence. She no handle people so well. She could open school and charge lots of money to train, but she have no head for business. She no want to have head for business.” He waved Zack to sit back down. He sat behind his desk.
“You’re one of the owners, aren’t you? A partner?” He took a seat.
“We cannot make decisions based on love. The business, even lives depend on trusting each other. Claude, he’s foolish, but in the air, you can trust him with your life. I thought Luciana would hate me. I let her go. She want Mo’s place. She had Mo’s place. She got lazy, spoiled. I know, what can I say? I love her but must do what best for show. Now she happy to travel, shop and meet important people. You mind?” Zack was surprised as Roddy clipped a cigar. “I smoke a little, drink a little. Things I did not do for many years. But you get old, you want what you have missed. In the moderation, of course.” He laughed. “I thought we have children, but Luciana say no all the while we travel so much. And it is better, no? We travel always. Hard on children, hard on marriage.”
“Are many of the others married? It’s a young group.” Zach accepted a cup of coffee from a young woman who entered with it then left with a smile from Roddy.
“A few. We have two married couples who work together. We have a divorce couple who work together. It’s a small family. Incestuous sometimes I think!”
“I would think that dating each other and marrying each other would put strains on the company. On performers.” Zack noticed that Roddy had not only had a full office set up but had pictures and awards on the walls. He looked at a poster of Mo on a trapeze in full regalia and flames coming up all around her. He wouldn’t have known it was the same person. But she was something either way.
“Momo is beautiful woman, yes?” Roddy’s eyes had followed Zacks. He caught a quickly concealed embarrassment. Zack just nodded slightly. “Yes! Indeed we try to make rules. But these are artists. You can’t force them ever. You teach to be professional, you teach discipline, but you can’t force it. If personal relationships interfere with show we give them time off. After that…” He inhaled, “Momo never have problem like that. Always professional.”
“What about Claude, I’m sensing some tension there?” Zack looked evenly at Roddy.
“Mo date him. Once, twice. You get close and trust someone then you think it translate to…you know. Mo is okay, not love Claude. Claude is Claude. Next woman around the corner. Man like Claude, move on fast.” Roddy leaned back with his cigar. “You don’t warn me that smoking in building is illegal, Zack. You lax on job!”
“Not my jurisdiction.” They shared a laugh. “Has Ms. Whitman had relationships with anyone no longer with the company? Problems with anyone outside the show presently or in the past?
“No. Momo is loved by almost everyone. Sometimes there are jealousies, how you say, rivalries. But that is only natural. They all know they must work hard. Most feel lucky to have paying job.”
“Roddy, I need you to come right now and see what the designer has done to the color scheme. It doesn’t work at all with the costumes. You can’t just change everything and expect us to alter everyone’s costume to match, look at this!”
“This is Sally. Sally, this is Zack.” Sally eyed Zack. So he’s protecting Mo. Looker.
“Yes, the cop. Look at this, Roddy; he wants to work in this blue into the Hades setting. It’s HELL! HELL, Roddy! What is blue in hell?” She waved a hand at the poster of Persephone in flames.
“It cannot wait to production meeting?” Sally’s glare was the answer. She turned on her heel and huffed out of the office. Roddy stubbed out his cigar and gave Zack an apologetic shrug before going out after Sally. Maybe Hell’s kitchen has gas ovens, Zack thought.
Mo had been feeling a little stiff. Amazing how just a couple days off could make you feel out of sorts. Maybe the bed was too soft. She leaped toward Claude. They grasped each other’s wrists and swung. “Give me another chance, my beautiful.” She somersaulted to the other swing. She was now the catcher and caught him without a snag. “I have missed you, beautiful Momo. I worried about you. I could not s
leep knowing those fascists had been torturing you!” She was tempted to let him go but his grip on her was strong.
“They were hardly torturing me, Claude. Although I did think they were going to annoy me to death. Zack said they’re just doing their job.”
“Zack, Zack! All I hear is Zack. You have him already? And you say no to Claude?”
“Don’t be an idiot. Claude. Claude? You need to…”
“Claude, what you do up there? You just hanging around?” Roddy yelled up. “It time to just hang out?” They began their movement again. Claude leaped onto the other trapeze and stood on it.
“Claude buy you dinner. Claude buy you flowers, but you say no to Claude. Claude not good enough for the star! I was star before you. Well, at the Big Top Circus. Now you want to be the center of attention and put Claude in the shadows.” He did a triple with ease. She matched him as they crossed to opposite swings.
“Mo didn’t trust you and Mo was right.” She felt petty mocking him but she couldn’t help herself. “Can we get to work now?”
“You want to be the only star. I know they give you more money than me! I don’t care but you lead me on as well. You are so vain you don’t care whose heart you break.”
She thrust herself off the trapeze, landed on the platform. “I have no idea if they pay me more than you. How would you know, anyway? And as for breaking hearts…” She snorted disgust.
“What are you doing up there?” Roddy had both arms raised, his hands in fists. “Jesus Christo! What going on?”
Mo glared at Claude. He raised a suddenly contrite brow. “Nothing, my wrist hit wrong. Gimme a minute,” she yelled down.
“You okay, you okay?” Roddy made for the ladder.
“Don’t come up, Roddy, I’m okay. Look, Claude, let’s just call a truce. You had nothing to offer me, I know that. And really, I have nothing to offer you. I’m sorry you think I’m trying to outshine you. I’m just trying to do my job. Let’s do our jobs and everything will be fine. If I feel I can’t trust you, I’ll have to talk to Roddy.”
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