Love, Lies, & Crime: Anthology

by Kimberly Blalock

  “What’s on your mind, babe, or do you want me to guess?” His lip curled up in a smirk.

  Elizabeth felt her face flush in embarrassment. “I was thinking about us… about last night, how unexpected it was, and how amazing it felt.” A devilish grin spread over his face, causing her blush to grow darker.

  “Ah, is that so? Maybe it’s a performance that I’ll re-enact for you… If you’re a good girl, that is.”

  Elizabeth giggled at his overconfident and cocky tone; she loved this side of him. It was such a turn on. “I was a good girl, until the day I met you. After all, it was you who took my virginity,” she shot back, playfully wiggling her eyebrows.

  Carter’s eyes roamed over her curvaceous body, wrapped in the ill-fitting, too tight uniform. Memories of the night she gave herself over to him flooded his mind. “One of the most thrilling moments of my life was possessing something so precious.”

  Smirking, she lifted a curious brow. “Oh yeah? What’re the others?”

  “That, my dear, is a conversation reserved for another day.” He shot her a wink and rose from the table. “I’ve got to head out now or I’ll be late getting to the office. I’ll try to make it over to see you on my lunch break.”

  Carter rounded the table and kissed her soft lips, drawing the moment out for as long as he could.

  “Don’t talk to strangers or accept rides from men offering candy, okay, babe?”

  Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth grumbled, “That’s not funny, jerk.”

  Carter ran his thumb over her bottom lip and kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you later, babe.”

  She escaped in her hot mug of coffee, stalling for a few more minutes. Once finished, she rose from her chair and skipped into the kitchen. She’d woken up so early today, unlike every other day, when she was in a frantic rush to make it to work on time. There was plenty of time to relax before going into work.

  Feeling uncharacteristically peppy this morning, she pulled out her cell and activated her favorite playlist, turned up the volume, and washed the dishes dancing to the loud music. The thumping bass and up-beat lyrics had her bopping and swaying her hips around her kitchen as she tidied up. Elizabeth was a terrible dancer, notorious for having two left feet. She knew this but couldn’t care less in this private moment.

  Soon enough, she’d be at work slaving away, catering to the needs of her customers, without pause, all day long. So, for now, she was going to forget all about the world around her and think about blossoming relationships while dancing with a rhythm all her own.

  The predator peered around the side of the house.

  She woke up early today.

  Elizabeth usually woke late then rushed off to work. Crouching low, he crept to the back of the house and to the large sliding glass doors to the patio. This was a treat. She gave him plenty of time to play. His sharp eyes scanned the back and side yards of the neighboring duplexes. Careful with his invasive approach, he made sure no one could catch him lurking around in broad daylight, that no one would catch him around this property… around her. Not if he wanted to continue with this game.

  If he was to be caught, arrested, and fingerprinted, they’d all too easily link him to the dozen other women he’d chosen. He wasn’t ready to stop his soul collecting, especially not when the woman of his dreams all but begged to be next. Begged to be his, forever.

  Assured he wouldn’t be seen, he carefully drew closer and peered through the partially parted blinds. There she was, dancing and cleaning in rhythm to the music that blared all around her. His Chosen was finally alone. Her hypnotic swaying beckoned him to come inside and join her. To take her once and for all.

  He could, but what fun would that be? She had yet to experience true fear, and he wanted to play with her for a little bit longer. The music stopped midway through a song when she finished cleaning the kitchen. Capitalizing on the silence, he tapped on the glass with his fingernail.

  Elizabeth walked out into the long hall that extended the entire length of her duplex. Turning her head in both directions, she lifted one brow, trying to locate the source of the sound. Moments passed… nothing. Shrugging, she continued getting ready for work. Elizabeth jumped back, startled when she heard an earsplitting noise. Like fingernails clawing down a chalkboard, it had her crawling out of her skin. Covering her ears, she stumbled to the source of the noise with shaky legs.

  Gulping down a deep breath, she inched her way closer. She clutched her cell phone in her tight, white-knuckled grip.

  It’s okay, Lizzie. Probably just a squirrel or something. No one would be stupid enough to do something in broad daylight. He’d be seen.

  She attempted to convince herself that there was no danger. With a shaky pull of air, Elizabeth filled her lungs with the oxygen she planned to use screaming her brains out. Just in case. She mentally counted down—three, two, one…

  With excessive force, she slid the door open. Wide-eyed, she whirled her head to the left, right, and back again.

  Nothing.

  Blowing out a relieved breath, she forced out a nervous laugh at herself and yelled into the backyard, “Get a job, you lazy squirrels.”

  Still in a state of unease, she shut and locked the slider, closing the blinds and turning them so that no one could look inside.

  Time to go, anyway.

  Elizabeth snatched up her house keys on the hall table and hustled to the front door, eager to make it to work. The idea of being surrounded by customers and coworkers alike gave her a sense of comfort. Rosie’s Diner was safe.

  Just as she reached for the handle, the doorbell shrilled and continued to ring a dozen more times. Already skittish, Elizabeth stumbled back, nearly falling at the threatening sound the bell made, as if screaming at her in warning. Her heart raced when a scratching noise came through the crack of the door.

  What the fuck is going on? What is that?

  Gathering up all her dwindling courage, Elizabeth gripped the handle, gritted her teeth, and pulled open the door. She winced, bracing herself. For what, she wasn’t sure. A folded piece of paper tumbled out of the door and fell on her door mat at her feet.

  Violent tremors shook her hands, and she struggled to stabilize them long enough to pick up the paper. Closing her eyes, she lifted the fold, opening it. Sucking in a ragged breath, Elizabeth fought against her pounding heart as it flooded her system with adrenaline. Begging her to run. She opened her eyes…

  I’ve enjoyed watching you, Elizabeth.

  You’ve got really nice moves. See you soon!

  The paper fluttered in her trembling hands, and with a clenched fist, Elizabeth shoved it in her pocket. Slamming the door, she sprinted down the stone steps and all the way to work, forgetting all about locking up behind her.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Disillusion can become

  itself an illusion

  if we rest in it.

  ~T.S. Eliot

  Immersed in the morning rush, Elizabeth barely earned herself any tips, remaining distracted and tight-lipped with her customers. Order, food, check, clean, repeat. She dove into this routine, pushing what happened deep into the recesses of her mind. She’d thought about telling Bianca of the note, but feared she’d be told she’s gone crazy or it would blow up ten times worse than what it was. Not to mention, Bianca would then tell everyone willing to listen what’d happened.

  “Earth to Lizzie… Come back down from space, chica.”

  Elizabeth blinked. Bianca was waving her hand in front of her face. “¿Dónde fuiste? Where’d you go?”

  “Oh, sorry, I’m just… thinking. Never mind. What’s up, B?”

  “Así, as I was saying, Señor Creepy has moved to your neck of the woods today.” Bianca scrunched her lips and pointed to his location with her chin. “Mira mamí, he’s been eyeing you toda la mañana.”

  Elizabeth blanched, her eyes bugged out as dread crawled across her skin, prickling like a thousand spiders. Cold sweats formed along her hairline as she turned to
meet the eyes she knew were already staring. Once their gaze locked, she felt imprisoned by his empty, lifeless glare. Her vision tunneled, and she was frozen in place—paralyzed, waiting, expecting his strike at any given moment. Time passed in a blur. Still, they stared.

  “Get a grip, chica. Or get a room. Madre de Diós, stare much?” Bianca snapped her fingers and stood in the path of his glare. Elizabeth turned her attention to her friend, breaking the connection with the stranger. “It looked like he cast some kind of spell on you, Diablo!”

  A rush of air escaped her lungs. “Oh my God, B, there is something off about that man. I don’t spook easily. I mean, we’ve encountered every kind of person in our line of work, but that man creeps the hell out of me. Please take his order for me. I’ll owe you big time.”

  Bianca grumbled, lifting a shapely brow, but then she glanced over at her friend’s paling expression and conceded. “Maldíto sea. Fine. But next time that perverted construction worker comes in to belligerently harass me, you are taking his table. ¿Claro?”

  Elizabeth sagged in relief. “Thanks, B. I love you so hard right now. You’re my hero.” She watched as her friend strutted toward the stranger, mumbling in Spanish.

  “Ja, ja, ja, lo que sea. Get in line, blanquíta.” Her accent was thicker when she was irritated.

  Once he realized she wasn’t going to be the one who’d be waiting on him, she whirled around to avoid his angry glare and collided with the chest of a man standing behind her.

  “Shit! I’m so sorry, sir, I… Oh!” Elizabeth looked up into Carter’s hazel eyes. “Carter, I’m surprised to see you here.” A cocky smirk lifted the corner of his mouth. Leaning into his girl, he placed a loving kiss on her forehead.

  “I told you this morning that I’d try and stop by on my lunch break.” Bending low, Carter whispered in her ear. “I was just admiring your body from behind.” Winking, he laced his fingers through hers. “Come, sit with me. I brought you something.”

  Elizabeth couldn’t stop the toothy grin that spread across her face, relieved that Carter was there. Even though he wasn’t a bodybuilding muscle-head or athlete, she still felt safe with him around. In her eyes, Carter Mendoza was a hero. Her very own knight in shining armor. She let him guide her to a couple’s booth hidden in the back. Bouncing after him excitedly, she gushed, “Oooh, what’d you get me?”

  The chivalrous man kissed her hand and waited for her to sit before taking his own. “Well, I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said last night. I hate the thought of you walking home alone all the time, putting yourself at risk of danger.”

  Carter pulled a tubular black object out of his pocket and presented it to her. “I bought you some highly concentrated, off-the-market pepper spray. Just hold it like this… With his palm pointed to the side and his thumb up, Carter gripped the canister. “The trigger is at the top, so push your thumb down and a steady stream will blast him until you release it. Aim for the face, okay, babe?”

  Elizabeth glanced across the room at the stranger. Bianca was waiting on him, but every few seconds, he glanced over at her, obviously unhappy with the switch.

  “What’s up, babe? You look scared. Look, if you’re uncomfortable using this, I’ll think of something else.”

  Elizabeth brought the pepper spray in closer to her chest, unwilling to let it out of her possession. “No! I want it… I need it.” She glanced back over in time to see Bianca snapping her manicured fingers in an attempt to gain back his attention.

  Carter followed her gaze over. “What’re you staring at, babe?” After a few seconds, Carter turned back around with a hard expression. “Is that the guy you’re talking about? He’s the one you think is following you?”

  Nervous, Elizabeth nodded. “I’m not sure it was him, but yes, that’s him, and he creeps me out. I don’t like the way he looks at me.”

  Before she’d even finished talking, Carter rose from his seat and made a bee-line for the stranger. Elizabeth watched nervously, shaking with the stress as Carter loomed over him, talking rapidly through tightly clenched teeth. She couldn’t hear him, but whatever he’d said must’ve made some kind of impression, because he quickly averted his gaze back to his plate.

  Carter waltzed back over to his seat with an air of confidence in his stride. Adjusting his trendy frames back on the bridge of his nose, he smirked at her.

  “What… what’d you say?” She twisted her fingers anxiously in her lap, waiting for his answer.

  “I don’t think he’ll bother you anymore. I’ll keep an eye out for him around our street, but I don’t think you have anything more to worry about, babe. What would you like to eat?”

  Lunch with Carter passed in record speed. The angry, red-faced glares from Nickolai were her silent warning to wrap things up and get back to work.

  “Thanks for coming to see me on your lunch, Carter. I needed to see you. It’s been a long day already, and it’s only half over with.”

  Carter rose to his feet, bringing Elizabeth with him. Cupping her chin, he tilted her head up to meet his eyes. “All you have to do is call me and I’ll be here, got it?” Bending to meet her, Carter nipped teasingly on her pouty bottom lip, then gave in to what she really wanted. Brushing his whetted lips over hers, she opened up to him, and the rest of the hectic world faded away, leaving just the two of them.

  “I love you so much, Carter.”

  Kissing the tip of her nose, he replied with adoration laced in each expressed word, “I love you too, babe. I’ll text you in a while to check up on you, all right?”

  Elizabeth watched as he strolled out of the diner, his gait exuding a dignified confidence with each step. In this crowded diner filled with ordinary people, Carter stood out with his upper class mannerisms and elegantly tailored suit. And he loved her. She still couldn’t wrap her head around it.

  Rage engulfed the predator, watching that man look at her in that way.

  Who does he think he is? I ought to dig his eyes out with my spoon… right here, right now.

  He ground his teeth together, surprised that they didn’t crack under the punishing pressure. He struggled for several minutes more to get a grip on his anger. Causing a scene now would ruin everything he had planned. Too many months had been invested in his Chosen. He was now completely invested in her, and he wouldn’t quit so close to the end. But he also couldn’t let this go unpunished.

  You’re going to wish you’d never laid eyes on her. I’ll make sure of it. The man plotted a way to get this… thing out of the way. There was room enough for only one man in her life. And she was his Chosen.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Invariably we are wandering

  in the outer world of disillusion

  whereas the solution lies within.

  ~Pavan Raina

  Elizabeth and Bianca cleared away all the breakfast and lunch menus, preparing for the dinner crowds to start pouring in. Salt and pepper shakers were refilled, and the ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, and BBQ sauce were switched with fresh bottles. Napkin dispensers were packed to overflowing, and all the tables, chairs, booths, and bar top counters were wiped down. The two friends moved together as if in a choreographed dance.

  Just when you thought the two would collide in their hustle, Bianca with her tray of freshly washed silverware and napkins, and Elizabeth with an armful of menus, inches from impact, Bianca shouted, “Abajo!”

  Bianca would crouch low, and Elizabeth would reach high above her head, and the two girls would circle out and away. They giggled at their synchronized moves. The seasoned waitresses made the rest of the staff look slow and clumsy.

  “You look really good out there.”

  Elizabeth whirled around at the voice, sharp and raspy like gritty gravel, and dropped her menus. It was the creepy stranger. He stood face-to-face with the frozen stiff girl. Her mouth fell open to scream, but no sound came out. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. She could only stare into his cold, dead eyes.

  “By th
e way, you have really great moves.”

  The man’s sun weathered face cracked as a grin formed against his leathery skin.

  “I’ll see you later, Elizabeth.” He nudged past her stiff stance and lumbered out of the diner doors.

  Cold realization washed over her like ice water. He said she had ‘nice moves.’ Those same words were scrawled in the note left in her doorframe. If she wasn’t sure before, she definitely was now. This stranger had to be the one who followed her home.

  “¿Chica, que te pasa? Are you all right?” Bianca rushed to her friend’s side, picking up the menus scattered around her on the floor. Her approach was careful, placing a warm hand on her shoulder, not wanting to startle her. She used gentle pressure, pushing her down on the nearest bar stool to sit.

  “Someone’s been following me the past few days. I heard him behind me on the way home last night. He was there this morning and left this in my door.” Elizabeth pulled out the crumpled up paper and watched as Bianca read it several times over, trying to make sense of it.

  “¿Que significa? What does this mean? You have nice moves.”

  “I was dancing around this morning while I was cleaning the kitchen, and then I heard something scratching on the slider doors. When I got closer, it sounded like someone dragged their finger nails down the glass. It was awful, B.”

  “¡Dios mío! Why would someone do that?”

  “I don’t know, but as I was heading out to work, the doorbell went off a dozen or more times without stopping. I was terrified it was him. When I opened the door, that note fell out. He was watching me.”

  Bianca shrugged, not putting two and two together. “¿Y que mas?

  “That creep you waited on today, the one who always comes in here and stares at me, just said the exact same thing to me as he walked out. He knew my name, B.”