Hayes collected himself, took a deep breath, and stared sternly at the maintenance man before him. “I believe you’re finished here,” he said calm but firm.
Randy stared at him with astonishment. “What? You can’t do that!”
“I believe I just did,” Hayes replied without emotion then turned and walked away.
Riley appeared almost as surprised as Randy was. As he fumed, she offered a sympathetic look then hurried after Hayes. Kane continued to watch the entire scene unfold from his position across the room. He couldn’t believe how protective Hayes was over Riley. For a seemingly docile man, he had a frightening temper hidden within.
Chapter Nine
There was limited activity and few people outside the museum after it closed for the evening. Casper’s black Mustang was parked just down the street within viewing distance of the museum entrance. Casper sat behind the wheel while Kane stared out the window at the museum. Casper didn’t appear convinced about their reason for being there that time of evening. He strummed the steering wheel with his chubby fingers, scanned the area beyond the windshield, and then finally looked at Kane, who sat ridged in the passenger seat.
“We’re not stalking your girlfriend, are we? Because that’s not cool,” Casper finally announced in all seriousness.
Kane’s eyes remained locked on the front doors of the museum. “No, I’m still working on a solution to the boyfriend problem, but something else came up that needs to be immediately dealt with,” he said firmly.
“What’s that?”
Kane suddenly tensed in his seat and pointed toward the museum. “That--”
Casper looked out the window and appeared curious. Hayes walked with Riley down the four steps from the museum and guided her toward his nearby car in no apparent hurry. Despite the earlier incident with the scaffolding, he appeared particularly jovial that evening. Riley, on the other hand, looked distracted.
“Why don’t we grab something to eat before I take you home?” Hayes suggested while smiling at her.
“Not tonight,” she announced, not sharing his good mood. “It’s been a long day.”
Hayes stopped by the passenger side door and turned to face her. He was obviously very sensitive to her moods and felt the need to fix things.
“Is everything okay? Are you sure you weren’t injured when you fell?” he asked and again visually inspected her for injuries. “I could run you to the emergency room--”
“No, I’m fine,” she announced but had a hard time smiling. “My mood has nothing to do with the scaffolding.”
“So what’s wrong?” he asked. “Did someone say something to upset you?”
“Nothing I can’t handle,” she replied while frowning. “I just want a hot bath and some pleasant dreams.”
“I understand,” Hayes replied gently then smiled warmly. “Just not too long in the tub, I tend to get pruney.”
Riley stared at him then smiled and laughed softly. “You’re a terrible flirt--and I really mean terrible.”
Hayes opened the door for her while grinning. “We all have our weaknesses, Riley,” he announced cheerfully. “I’m happy to say you’re mine.”
Riley’s mood lightened, and she laughed as she got into the passenger side of the car. Hayes shut the door and hurried to the driver’s side. Kane and Casper watched from inside the Mustang as Hayes’ car pulled away from the museum. Kane was suddenly anxious and kept his eyes on the car. Casper appeared bewildered and a little more than curious.
“Follow them but keep a low profile,” Kane said firmly.
“Dude, my profile is always low,” Casper announced while grinning.
Casper put the car into drive and followed Hayes’ car from a safe distance.
†
The small residential neighborhood was quiet with cozy homes lined along the clean, wide street. The house belonging to Riley’s parent was a single-story home with a well-kept yard and the stereotypical, white picket fence. Hayes’ car pulled up to the house. As Hayes jumped out and rounded the car to open her door, Riley was already opening her door and exiting the car. Hayes appeared disappointed. She gave him a scolding look.
“You need to stop being such a gentleman and act like my boss for a change,” she bluntly informed him. “I can open my own car door.”
“Just because you could that doesn’t mean you should,” he teased.
Riley rolled her eyes while attempting to keep from laughing. Hayes was nothing if not persistent. Her lightened mood seemed to please him. His mood then turned more serious.
“You were quiet the entire ride home,” Hayes announced. “Come on. Tell me. What’s bothering you?”
“Nothing you want to know about,” she replied.
“Oh,” he said with a disappointed sigh and casually folded his arms across his chest. “Is it because of Randy today? You’re still mad that I fired him, aren’t you?” Hayes stood firm and appeared unwilling to back down. There would be no reasoning with him on his decision to fire Randy. “You realize that wasn’t just about you, Riley.”
“No, I understand why you had to fire him,” she replied. “It’s not about Randy.”
“It’s Chrissie and Jillian and their gossiping, isn’t it?” he suddenly deducted then frowned as his arms fell to his sides. “It’s my fault people gossip like that about us. I should consider your reputation before acting the way I do.”
“You mean the rumors that we’re having an affair?” Riley asked with surprise then snorted a laugh and waved him off. “I can handle that.” She appeared tense and fidgeted. “It’s just--ever since you promoted me to assistant curator a few months ago, certain people have been treating me like I’m not worthy of the new responsibilities.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Hayes announced. “When it comes to qualifications, you’re more qualified for my job than I am. You got your college degree, and that’s what got you that promotion. How I feel about you had nothing to do with it. You know that.” He was silent a moment then raised his brows. “Anyone at the museum who matters knows that too.”
Riley smiled warmly, placed her arms around his neck, and hugged him. Hayes returned the embrace with a little too much enthusiasm and appeared reluctant to release her. She laughed softly while tearing herself from his arms. Hayes grinned and hid his embarrassment.
“Although, because of how I feel about you,” he casually announced and attempted to hide his smile, “I would be willing to fire anyone who’s bothering you.”
Riley laughed softly and patted his chest. “It’s noble the way you defend me, Hayes, but I’m a big girl. I can fight my own battles.”
“Yes, I’m positive you can,” he replied. “I realize I’m not much of a warrior, but I’m perfectly willing to fight a few of those battles for you. All you have to do is ask.”
“You’re sweet,” she replied and touched his face. “If that day ever comes, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
Hayes obviously enjoyed her hand on his face and possibly refrained from moaning. She stared into his eyes with an almost strange look, removed her hand, and immediately tensed. She forced a tiny smile.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said gently.
“Good night, dear.”
Riley headed for the house while Hayes watched her from alongside his car. Once she was safely inside, he returned to the driver’s side and drove away. The Mustang was parked just down the road from the house. Casper eyed the house from within the car then looked at Kane, who stared transfixed at the house. He couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from the little house.
“Who is she? She’s hot,” Casper announced.
“That’s the bitch who murdered Selena,” Kane growled while digging his fingernails into the car door.
Casper stared at Kane with a bewildered look then suddenly appeared horrified. “I don’t know what’s going through your head, but whatever it is, stop it. That girl didn’t kill Selena. She didn’t kill anyone.”
“No
, but she’s going to.”
“Friend or not, if you’re thinking about harming that girl, I’m going to put a serious hurting on you.”
He turned on his seat and glared at Casper with a frightening look in his eyes. “She murdered Selena!”
“Yeah, five years from now!” Casper lashed back and now seemed horrified at Kane’s psychotic state of mind. “That girl is an innocent kid possibly under the legal drinking age. She hasn’t hurt anyone, and if you even think about harming her, you’re the monster.”
“It’s the only way, Casper! Selena’s dating Tucker. I never knew they even dated,” Kane lashed back. “There’s no way I’m going to get her away from him and out of town in one week! I need the radical solution. I kill Riley and Selena lives. It’s my call, and I’m making it.”
Casper removed his cell phone and placed his finger on one of the buttons. “Then I’ll be making my own call, dude. What’s it going to be?”
They stared at one another in a long, awkward silence. Neither man flinched. Casper was serious, possibly for the first time in his life. Friend or not, he wasn’t going to allow Kane to commit murder. Kane sneered at him and appeared defeated.
“Fine,” he growled. “You win, but you’d better come up with another way to keep that bitch from killing Selena.”
“Yeah, sure, dude,” Casper announced with relief as his large body sagged. “I’ll think of something. Let’s grab something to eat and chill out at my place.”
Chapter Ten
Casper sat in the corner of the sofa with a bottle of beer in his hand and a bag of cheese curls on his lap. Several empty containers of Chinese take-out lie scattered across the coffee table. The new containers were difficult to tell from the old ones. A smell test was the best method to distinguish the two. Kane attempted to relax on the teetering chaise with his own bottle of beer and appeared deep in thought. Casper watched him a long moment in near silence then finally spoke.
“We’ll save her, dude. I promise,” Casper announced gently while appearing overly relaxed then lazily ate another cheese curl from the bag. Half a dozen more were scattered on the sofa alongside him.
“I know,” Kane said softly. “We have to. There’s no room for failure on this one.”
Casper seemed curious while staring at Kane. “What happened to Nana?” he finally asked. “I mean, she’s as healthy as a horse. We just had dinner at her house last Sunday. How is it possible she dies in less than three years?”
Kane glared at Casper with raised brows. “I thought I wasn’t supposed to tell you too much about our future? Wasn’t that your rule?”
“It’s Nana,” Casper whined softly. “I never knew either of my grandmothers. She’s the only one I’ve got. I mean, where will I ever get good cooking like that again? Sorry, Kane, your mother is no Nana.”
“Careful, it’s Nana’s good cooking that did her in,” Kane informed him then sighed deeply giving in to Casper’s question. “It happened very fast, and the doctor said she didn’t suffer. I guess she had too much excitement on her birthday.” There was an odd silence. Kane grinned and shook his head. “But she really wanted that stripper.”
Casper grinned and chuckled. “Oh, Nana,” he teased while struggling to keep his eyes open. “She’s a wild one.”
“Sometime after I dropped her off at home that evening, she had a massive heart attack,” Kane said gently. “That was it. Just like that; she was gone.”
“Poor Nana,” Casper said softly as his eyes shut.
Casper slept peacefully in the corner of the sofa with a cheese curl in his hand and two on his chest. Kane approached Casper on the sofa, stood over him with a curious look, and gently nudged his shoulder.
“Casper?”
There was no response. He was out. Kane removed a bottle of sleeping pills from his pocket and casually tossed them into the garbage. He grabbed Casper’s car keys from the counter and left the apartment.
†
Carl and Naomi Jericho sat on the sofa together in the living room of the charming home while watching the television program’s ending credits. Carl finally turned off the television and stood wearily while stiffly stretching. Naomi collected her empty teacup and joined him.
“That show just isn’t the same without Riley’s commentary,” Carl announced then glanced at his wife. “Is she feeling okay? She went to bed early.”
“Just some trouble at work again. There’s been a lot of pressure with her promotion,” Naomi replied.
“She’s dating her boss,” he remarked casually. “How much pressure could she really have?”
Naomi appeared surprised and mildly offended by his comment. “She’s not dating her boss, Carl,” she scoffed. “You’re such a gossip whore.”
“I’m a whore, huh?” he asked while grinning deviously. “You just gave me a really good excuse to jump on you.”
Naomi playfully screamed and ran down the hall as Carl chased after her. They could be heard giggling all the way down the hallway. The sound faded as their bedroom door closed. A moment passed. There was a faint scratching at the front door as the knob jiggled. The door slowly opened to reveal Kane. He looked around the dimly lit living room then quietly entered and gently shut the door behind him.
A gentle breeze blew through Riley’s open bedroom window while blowing the sheer curtains inward. Riley slept peacefully beneath the covers. Kane stood over her with a hunting knife clutched in his gloved hand and stared at her while she slept. She wore a low-cut tank top, which revealed her ample cleavage, and her arm was draped across a stuffed animal on the bed. She had a childlike innocence about her while sleeping. Kane shut his eyes and lowered the knife. He didn’t doubt she was dreaming about kittens and puppies. Casper was right; she was innocent. This wasn’t the monster that killed Selena. There was no possible way he could commit cold-blooded murder--not even to save Selena. Despite having made the right decision, he was disappointed with himself. Riley slowly woke and wearily looked across the room. There was no one there. She stared at the open window a moment and watched the curtains flutter with a bewildered expression.
Kane hurried across the lawn and away from the house with his hands deep in his pockets. He quickly approached the Mustang parked across the street and leaned on the car while holding his head. His emotions were again on a roller coaster. He couldn’t do what needed to be done. He would have to find some other way to save Selena from being killed. Someone moved in the shadows near the house. Kane uncertainly looked at the house and stared into the shadows. Nothing moved. He then looked at Riley’s bedroom window. It was now closed.
†
Hayes Dante’s large, stone house was lavish and impressive by almost every standard. The two-story home was located in a quiet, influential neighborhood surrounded by other equally expensive homes. Hayes was a man of wealth long before he accepted the position of museum curator. He came from a wealthy family and attended an Ivy League college, earning his PhD in Anthropology. He had spent most of his life earning his degrees, studying his field, and doing years of research and exploration. His life was all about his work, and he took his work very seriously. That almost all changed overnight when he met Riley. With all his study and all his learned knowledge, an awkward teenage girl was suddenly showing him up. From the moment he’d met the fifteen-year-old know-it-all with an eidetic memory, he knew he hated her. It was an insult to have to mentor her. She got under his skin every day and in every way. What probably bugged him most was when he realized she was smarter than he was. What gradually turned into a deep routed respect, quickly spun off into him talking the museum into using thousands in grant money to put the young, know-it-all through college. What the museum didn’t cover, he made up with his own money. He believed in Riley’s abilities and wanted to see her succeed, even if it meant she’d find a better job elsewhere. That wasn’t the case. He’d set her free and she returned to him. He had little intention of ever letting her go again.
Hayes slept benea
th the covers on his king-sized bed and appeared restless. His massive master bedroom was as impressive as the rest of his house. Double French doors led to the balcony. There were built in bookcases surrounding a large, stone fireplace. The room was incredibly neat and tidy for a single man. His was a sad, lonely existence with no one to share his life. Oddly enough, before he had met Riley, he never realized just how sad and lonely he actually was. A gentle breeze blew past him. He slowly woke and looked to the open French doors. Hayes suddenly appeared concerned and bolted upright in bed. A shadow loomed over him. Hayes looked alongside him and gasped with surprise.
†
Kane quietly slipped into Casper’s dimly lit apartment with the borrowed car keys in his hand. He gently shut the door behind him, locked it, and set the keys on the kitchen table. The living room light suddenly came on. Kane looked across the room to where Casper now sat on the sagging sofa. The look of betrayal and anger chiseled onto Casper’s face was almost frightening. Kane straightened and attempted to talk his way out of the lecture that was sure to follow.
“I, uh, couldn’t sleep, so I took a walk,” Kane announced with some uncertainty.
Casper’s expression didn’t change. He held up the bottle of sleeping pills and gave them a firm shake. Kane stared at the bottle he had thrown in the trash. No amount of lying would get him out of that one. Casper lunged up from the sofa. Despite his large frame, he was amazingly agile.
“What did you do?” Casper demanded.
“Nothing, I swear.”
Casper took two quick steps toward him and thrust his palms into Kane’s chest, sending him roughly into the kitchen table. Casper’s look was nearly psychotic.
“What did you do?” he shouted with conviction.
Kane half lie on the table and stared at his usually even-tempered friend. Casper’s aggressiveness was almost frightening. He had never seen him like this before and certainly not directed at him. Kane feared moving from the table.
Death Displacement: A time travel romantic thriller Page 5