When Darkness Falls

by Jennifer Youngblood

  “Good.”

  Then as quickly as it had come, the stress seemed to fade from Garrett’s features as he flashed a disarming smile in Chloe’s direction. “This is a friend of mind, Chloe Kensley. She’s a new comer to The Valley. Chloe, this is Sam Lowden, a business associate of mine.”

  “Nice to meet you,” she said mechanically.

  The man’s cold eyes swept over her. “Likewise.”

  “We’re just getting ready to eat. Do you want to join us?” Garrett said.

  Chloe could only smile, hoping the man would refuse.

  “No, I’ve just eaten. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow morning at eight. Right?” There was an unmistakable warning in his voice.

  “Sure thing. See you tomorrow.”

  Garrett’s voice was cheerful, but it sounded forced, making Chloe wonder what business Garrett was conducting with a man like that. The man left just as the waiter arrived with their drinks. Chloe squeezed the lemon into her water and took a sip, not tasting a thing.

  Garrett gave her a puzzled look. “You okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine.” But she wasn’t fine. Something about that man had set her on edge. It was a jolting reminder that she was on a date with a virtual stranger. She was way out of her league.

  Garrett studied her. “What’re you thinking? You have an odd expression on your face.”

  Before she could answer, the waiter arrived to take their order. Their appetizer arrived a few minutes later. They ate in silence until Garrett spoke. “Don’t let Sammy get under your skin.”

  She frowned. “Sammy? That man looked nothing like a Sammy.” She suppressed a shiver.

  “Yeah, he goes by Sam now, but when we were kids, he always went by Sammy. To me, that’s what he’ll always be. He comes across as a hardnosed business man on the outside, but he’s really quite likable once you get to know him.”

  “I doubt that,” she quipped.

  Garrett started laughing. “Enough about Sammy. I want to talk about you.” He reached across the table and placed a hand over hers. She had to fight the impulse to snatch her hand away. This was moving way too fast.

  “Your hand is like ice. Are you cold?”

  “No.” She pulled her hand away.

  Her reticence seemed to amuse him as he leaned back in his seat. “Tell me more about how you came to be in Salt Lake.”

  She took a sip of water and crossed her legs and then gave him the short version of her life up to this point—leaving out Dan, of course. She told him about graduating from AIA and about all of the odd jobs she’d worked at since, ending with how her last job was a consultant in a paint store. “After graduating, I sent out over a hundred résumés. I think I got five interviews—four of the places were looking for someone to sell paint.”

  Garrett laughed. “You’re kidding.”

  “Well, I guess it wasn’t quite that bad but almost.”

  “And now?” he prompted.

  “The only legitimate interview for an interior decorator was for Marsh Interiors, and you know how that turned out.” Chloe wiped her mouth and then folded her napkin. “You can’t blame the guy who interviewed me. I wouldn’t hire someone who couldn’t make it to the interview fully dressed.”

  “Well, if you put it that way, I guess you’re right. What would you say about giving it another try?”

  Chloe shook her head vigorously. “There’s no way I’m going back there and humiliating myself in front of those people. I could tell they thought I was the scum of the earth.”

  The waiter arrived with their food. Chloe’s steak and loaded baked potato looked mouthwatering. Garrett’s tilapia with stuffed crab looked good too.

  “What do you think?” Garrett said after she’d taken her first bite.

  “Delicious.”

  “Would you like to try a bite of my stuffed tilapia?”

  She wrinkled her nose in response. “No, thanks.”

  He laughed. “You’re missing out.”

  They ate for a few minutes in silence until Garrett said, “This Marsh Interiors thing. It couldn’t have been that bad.”

  “Oh yes it was.” She hoped that he would be able to tell from the tone in her voice that she was done talking about the interview. “I’m tired of talking about me. Tell me about you.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  Chloe shook her head. “Well, for starters, you never answered my earlier question about which job you were interviewing for.”

  “My background is in architecture and design, but I’m dabbling a little in real estate on the side.”

  “Really? What type of design do you do?”

  “Interior design—both residential and commercial.”

  Chloe took a sip of water. Just as she’d suspected. Garrett was there in the building because he was interviewing for the same job at Marsh Interiors and didn’t have the heart to tell her. A part of her was tempted to press him more about it, but she decided to let it go for now. Still, it was exciting to think that they shared the same background. Her estimation of Garrett went up a couple of notches, and she was itching to ask more about design. It would be great to be able to discuss her trade with someone.

  “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

  She nearly choked on her food. “My plans?” Was he asking because he wanted to go out again? “I guess I’ll take that woman’s sneakers back to her and then start looking for a job.”

  “Good,” was all he said, leaving her to wonder what he meant.

  When the meal was over, Garrett glanced at his phone. “It’s getting late, and I have some business to take care of before tomorrow. I’d better get you home.”

  * * *

  The next day, Chloe spent a couple of hours searching the Internet for job openings. Her thoughts kept going back to her date the night before. Garrett had taken her home and walked her to the door. She’d been worried that he would try to kiss her goodnight, but he gave her a peck on the cheek instead. He didn’t mention going out another time, and as she watched him drive away, she realized that she didn’t know if she would ever see him again. Perhaps he’d gone out of her life as suddenly as he’d come into it. At this point, it was hard to know if she was disappointed or relieved.

  Pickings were slim for jobs in design. The more she looked, the more frustrated she became. It was going to be nearly impossible to find a job in her field. Her next course of action would be to go around to all of the design centers and introduce herself to the owners. If that didn’t work, then she would have to get work wherever she could. She grew tired of searching and started surfing the net. That’s when she noticed one of the topics on Fox News. The headline read: Coca Cola Heiress’s Jewels stolen from her Buckhead home over the weekend. Buckhead was an upscale suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. Chloe read that the jewels were estimated to be worth around thirty thousand dollars. The article alluded to the fact that authorities were still investigating the case but were starting to suspect that it was another Ghost Theft.

  Chloe printed out the article to show Darbie. She would love this! And it would go a long way toward mending their relationship. Darbie was trying, so she needed to try too. When she’d gotten home from her date the night before she was surprised that Darbie had cleaned up the kitchen and living room. Chloe had intended to compliment her the next morning, but Darbie left for school before she got up.

  Beasty walked through the room and purred. Even the cat appreciates a clean house, she thought. “Good morning.” Chloe bent down and rubbed his back. He bowed up and then ran off. “Fickle cat!” she grumbled.

  After taking a quick shower, Chloe wrapped a towel around her head and one around her body. She was reaching for the blow dryer when the phone rang.

  “Hey, are you up yet?” Her mother’s familiar voice came over the phone.

  “Mom, how are you?”

  “I’m fine, honey. How are you? I didn’t hear from you after the interview yesterday.”

  Chloe sat down in a cha
ir and told her mother all that had happened. “I know you felt good about this job, Mom, but it was a total and complete disaster. So much for new beginnings,” she finished bitterly. The accusation of all that Chloe would never say aloud hung heavily between them. Because her mom had kept harping about her good feelings about the job, Chloe got her hopes up only to have them dashed. Well, she could add this disappointment to the long list that was piling up.

  There was a pause on the other end of the phone before her mom spoke. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out. I did feel good about it. Maybe that means that something else good is right around the corner.”

  Chloe began twirling her hair around her finger. She seriously doubted that!

  Her mom’s voice became practical as she launched into her Pick yourself up off your rear end routine. “Well, things happen for a reason. You need to return that girl’s shoes and start looking for another job.”

  Chloe was nodding her head as if her mother could see her. “I know, Mom. Don’t worry. I’ve already started looking.”

  “Just remember what I’ve always told you, Chloe. Pray like everything depends on the Lord and work like everything depends on you, and everything will turn out okay.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I remember, Mom.” She quickly changed the subject. “By the way, how’s Dad?”

  “Same as usual. You know how your dad is. He’s missing you terribly, but he tries hard not to let on.”

  Emotion clogged her throat, and she felt homesick all of a sudden. “I miss y’all too. Tell him I said hello and that I love him.”

  “I will, honey.”

  “I love you too, Mom.”

  She could tell from the pause on the other end that her mom was trying to maintain her composure. “Everything will work out, Chloe. I have a good feeling about you being there.”

  Not that again! “Okay, Mom. Gotta go. Bye.” She ended the call. At this point, she was in survival mode—hanging on by her fingernails. She’d almost mentioned Garrett to her mom but changed her mind. It would only freak her out, and she would most likely never see him again.

  She moped around for a few hours, feeling sorry for herself, and then she gave herself her own version of Pick yourself up off your rear end. After that, she felt a little better. She spent the second half of the day, watching TV and catching up on things she never made time for like painting her nails and toenails. She put off going to Marsh Interiors until the following day, promising herself that she would hit it hard on the job search tomorrow as well. Today was a day for recouping. And, despite the interview fiasco, she was glad she’d come to Salt Lake. It felt good to be in a new place. Perhaps a change of scenery was just what she needed to put the past behind her. Since she’d been here, she’d not dreamt of Dan, nor had she seen him. Maybe he was finally gone from her life. The thought was reassuring.

  At 5:30, Darbie came through the door with her cell phone to her ear. “The exam wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be either. I do have to say though that going to the study group really helped.”

  Chloe waited until she clicked off the phone before speaking. “What do you want for dinner? I’ll fix us something to eat.”

  “Wow! That’s really tempting, but we’d better not cook anything because Susan’s dropping off a casserole.”

  “Really? That’s nice of her. Don’t you feel funny eating her and Lila’s food all the time?”

  Darbie shrugged. “I could eat Lila’s food all day, but Susan’s …” She stuck her finger in her mouth and pretended to gag.

  “Is it that bad?”

  “Yeah, Susan thinks because Lila cooks so well that she can too, but the poor woman could scorch water.”

  “Well, I feel bad that she’s going to that much effort for us.”

  “Don’t feel bad. She wouldn’t be happy if she weren’t controlling something over here.”

  They went into the kitchen where Darbie opened the fridge and took out a Ziplock bag of strawberries, opened it, and popped one into her mouth. “If the casserole’s really nasty then we can always get a pizza later.”

  “Okay,” Chloe said reluctantly. She was learning that pizza was Darbie’s go-to food. And while she also liked pizza, she couldn’t eat it 24/7. In the interest of getting along and mending fences, she decided not to make a big deal about it—this time. Her thoughts turned another direction. “Hey, I’ve got something for you.” She returned a minute later and handed Darbie the sheet of paper, detailing the jewel heist in Atlanta.

  Darbie read it with eager eyes. “I was just talking about this with one of the guys in my class. They’re thinking it might be another Ghost Theft.”

  “How can they tell?”

  “Well, the thief’s so skilled that he leaves no trace. It’s nearly impossible to do that. Normally, there’s a random fingerprint, a broken window … something. Anyway, when there’s absolutely no trace that the theft has taken place, it’s considered to have been done by The Ghost.”

  “Could there be more than one of them?”

  Darbie considered the question. “I suppose … yeah, anything’s possible. But it’s highly unlikely. The only thing is …” She scrunched up her face.

  “What?”

  “Well, it’s not like The Ghost to pull two jobs within a month of each other. He usually spaces them out. That way, there’s less likelihood of him getting caught. There was another heist in San Francisco two weeks ago. That one is suspected to have been a Ghost Theft as well. It’s not smart business. Now, he’s got the whole country looking for him. If you ask me, I’d say he’s getting cocky.”

  “Or desperate.”

  Darbie looked at her funny.

  “For the money, I mean.”

  “How could a thief who’s raking in fifteen to thirty grand each haul need money?”

  Chloe shrugged. “Well, you never know. He could have a lot of debts. High living’s not cheap.” A smile curved her lips. “And the price of electricity is out of sight these days.”

  They burst out laughing at the same time. A knock at the door caught their attention, and they looked to see Susan standing outside.

  “No matter what the casserole looks like, just smile and say thanks,” Darbie said under her breath.

  * * *

  The white sand was blistering hot under her feet and shots fired around her like a thousand firecrackers exploding in rapid succession. She ran without reason, her only thought was of Dan. Dan was out there in the whirling storm, and she had to get to him before it happened. The scene changed, and she was sitting on her bed, the whiteness of the comforter billowing around her, and then the bottle tipped. Blood red polish flowing across the white. Dan’s blood flowing on the sand … Dan’s blood flowing on her hands!

  Chloe shot up in bed and moaned. Her hands … all sticky. She was wet all over—drenched in her own sweat. She looked wildly around the room, her mind trying to distinguish between the dream and reality. A rustle caught her attention, and she looked toward the window. There was something there. The dread that choked over her was all too familiar as goose bumps rose over her flesh. She saw his face in the window. “Dan!” she gasped. She struggled to get out of bed but got tangled in the covers and tumbled to the floor. In the next second, she was on her feet and at the window. “Dan!” She peered out, her eyes scouring the yard for some trace of him. The swing in Lila’s backyard was rocking wildly back and forth, and she had the insane impression that Dan was sitting there, waiting for her to join him. She ran down the hall to the front door. Without another thought, she unbolted the door, threw it open, and ran out into the night.

  “Dan!” she called, her voice sounding hollow and strange as it floated across the night air. She ran around the backyard toward the swing but stopped short before she got there.

  The night was perfectly calm—not even the slightest hint of a breeze, and the swing was still.

  6

  Chapter 6

  When her alarm clock went off, Chloe hit the snooz
e button three times before dragging herself out of bed. The events from the night before came rushing back, bringing with it the despair that was all too familiar. So much for new surroundings and a fresh start! She went to the window and looked out, not sure what she was expecting to see. The swing looked cheerful in the morning light. Nothing sinister about it. Just a plain, wooden swing. She turned away from the window. She needed help, and the terrible part was that she was too afraid to tell anyone. A cold sweat broke across her forehead, and she sat down on the edge of the bed, trying to get a good breath. It’ll be okay, she told herself. This too shall pass. I’ll make it go away. After a few minutes, she felt better and more in control. She forced her mind away from the night before and focused on the day ahead. Today was the day she would have to go back to the design center and return that woman’s shoes. Afterwards, she would continue her job search.

  By the time she got out of the shower, she could almost convince herself that the events from the night before were only a bad dream. To ensure that she wouldn’t chicken out of going to Marsh Interiors, Chloe phoned the receptionist and told her she would stop by to return the shoes. Then she turned her attention to getting dressed. She selected a pair of white pants and a tangerine blouse. She finished off the ensemble with a bangle bracelet and long earrings that dangled.

  She checked her appearance in the mirror and decided that she looked the part of an up-and-coming interior designer. Now she just needed to come across as a professional and avoid any pits in the sidewalks.

  Chloe’s dark hair had a natural wave to it, but she flat-ironed it until it glistened like polished stone. Then thinking the straightness was too severe, she used a curling iron to round the ends, giving her a softer look. She then applied tinted moisturizer, a few strokes of mascara, and lipstick, and she was ready to go. Darbie didn’t have any classes today, but she was already up and singing in the shower. With a little luck, she could grab a bagel and be out the door before Darbie was finished. She didn’t know whether or not Darbie had heard her open the front door in the middle of the night, but she hoped to avoid any questions. Beasty came into the room and rubbed against her leg. She bent down to pet him, and he scurried out the door. “You little traitor. You thought I was Darbie, didn’t you?” What was it about that darn cat? It had taken him all of a week to transfer his affections to Darbie.