Diamonds and Dreams

by Brenda Bone

  “Thanks anyway for asking me,” she called after him.

  As soon as he left, she faced Brant. “You knew that the work we have to do can wait. Why did you pretend it’s important and demand that we begin it now?”

  “Tony has a reputation of being a heartbreaker. I didn’t want to see you hurt.” Actually, he’d heard some interesting stories about Tony through the years, but since Brant didn’t know if they were true, he didn’t discuss them.

  Her soft mouth tightened, and then she spoke firmly. “I’m not a child. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m capable of conducting my personal life without your intervention.”

  “I didn’t mean to interfere. Honestly, I thought you’d be glad to have an excuse to escape from that wolf, Tony.”

  She was, but Brant’s abrupt apology when he kissed her still remained fresh in her mind. While she hadn’t been disappointed that Brant thwarted Tony’s plans to ask her for a date, she was glad that Brant saw there were other men who sought her company. Yet she was confused by his attempt to meddle in her affairs. Was Brant genuinely interested in protecting her? Or did he act like he cared about her because he planned to try to manipulate her later into doing things his way when they worked together?

  The heavy rains quit by late afternoon, but the overcast sky offered no encouragement that the sun would shine again soon when Lindsay finally returned from a late lunch. She parked her car, a silver BMW, in a lot behind the station and then started walking toward the front of the building. As she dodged sloppy mud puddles, she didn’t see the crowd milling around outside the front entrance until she was too close to avoid them. Was it her imagination or did the people actually raise their voices and become rowdier when they spotted her?

  I’m probably being silly, she tried convincing herself. Surely I couldn’t have done anything to upset them…could I?

  “There’s one of the deejays now!”

  “Boycott WBKB!” another voice shouted.

  Judging by their angry comments, it appeared that she did something to provoke them. But what? Now there could be no mistaking their ire for she easily read wrath in their faces while she heard their chants.

  “We don’t want our kids listening to WBKB!”

  “Harmful to children—that’s what it is!”

  Perplexed, she addressed them by asking, “What’s the problem?”

  Either they didn’t hear her or her apparent ignorance upset them further because they ignored her and grew louder. Determined to find Desi and demand to know what was going on, Lindsay attempted to make her way through the angry crowd. There was so much pushing and shoving that she spun around on her high heels, twisting her ankle and fell to the ground.

  Two strong arms grasped her, lifting her up. “Brant!” she cried, looking up at him. “Am I glad to see you!”

  “I’ll bet. You and I are both without friends among this mob,” he whispered loud enough so she’d hear him. “You’re limping. Think you sprained your ankle?”

  A sharp pain shot down the calf of her leg to the length of her foot and she clenched her teeth. “I’m afraid so. Would you mind helping me walk the rest of the way?”

  “I’ll do better than that.” Scooping her up into his arms, he carried her inside where he put her down in a soft chair in the lobby. “Good thing I saw the protesters outside or you might have been stuck out there if you can’t walk. I stood near the door waiting for you to return so I could warn you, but I missed seeing you get out of your car. By the time I caught sight of you, it was too late to spare you of the crowd’s animosity.”

  “Why are they out there?”

  “They hope they can convince us to ban one of the songs we played on the air last week. The protesters insist that the album in question contains a song on it that promotes cult worship.”

  “You can’t be serious!”

  “Come with me. I’ll show you what I mean. Still need me to carry you?”

  “Just let me lean on you.” The closeness of him, the fresh scent of his musky men’s cologne, his warm hands on her waist, was so disturbing that her heart started pounding out of control.

  Soon he played the song in question as Lindsay listened attentively to what had quickly become one of her favorite songs. “I don’t understand why the protesters are trying to ban a song that’s about springtime weather and happy times.”

  “Listen carefully when I play this same song backwards.”

  She concentrated on the lyrics. What she heard now shocked her as much as if someone slapped her.

  “Lovely demon lady, daughter of Satan, you’re the goddess of life. You’re here—I feel your presence in my heart like the turning of a knife.”

  “You see, Lindsay? Sometimes musicians conceal hidden messages in strange ways through songs. Some folks, like the ones outside, discover the deceitful ways a song can influence others, especially children, in forming their beliefs. When they find this out, they don’t usually like it!”

  She was appalled. “I understand! Those people are right—this song should be banned!”

  He arched his brows in surprise. “Whatever for? It’ll probably make the top ten before long.”

  “Surely you don’t want to be responsible for promoting something as underhanded as this song?”

  “There’s publicity to be gained by playing it. The song will undoubtedly become popular since it’s already controversial. Scandal usually breeds curiosity and that’s what attracts new listeners.”

  “But I’m not interested in obtaining a new audience that way, Brant!”

  “Okay then. How about if we meet each other halfway?”

  “What do you mean?”

  He gestured with his hands as he explained. “We don’t agree on this subject, so why don’t we disagree on the air as well? There are bound to be listeners who are against this sort of thing while others will try to promote the record. You could represent the protesters’ side and I’ll defend those who favor playing the song.”

  Lindsay didn’t like the idea, but she had to admit that his suggestion sounded fair. “So you want to debate the pros and cons of the issue?”

  “Exactly.”

  She frowned. “Okay, if Desi agrees, we’ll do things your way this time.”

  “I’ll gather the rest of the facts so we’ll be more familiar with the situation. You talk with Desi about it.”

  “Thanks. You left the hard part to me.”

  “Can you get around on that ankle?”

  “It doesn’t hurt badly now. I’ll be all right. You go on. I can’t thank you enough for rescuing me.”

  “Why don’t you try? Have dinner with me later. Will you meet me at The Buxton Inn at seven? Know where it is?”

  “In Granville…25 miles east of Columbus. Yes. See you at seven.”

  Leaving her alone, he departed by using the rear exit while she stared after him. Even the way he walked by standing tall and taking long, even strides exuded confidence and his carefree attitude.

  After a quick shower at home, Lindsay chose to wear a camel-colored dress from Nordstrom’s and matching high-heeled pumps. Traffic was heavy, but she still made it to the quieter, carefully and lovingly restored complex of four buildings surrounded by many beautiful New England style gardens and tinkling water fountains. The restaurant was in the oldest, coral-colored, two storied building with white balconies. Relaxing on a black wrought iron patio chair in the outdoor courtyard, she inhaled the sweet scent of summer bouquets on every table. When half an hour passed and there was still no sign of Brant, she looked down at the ground, so no one would see the embarrassment from possibly being stood up glowering on her face. Her stomach emitted a loud rumble, so she ordered her meal—seared sea scallops, finished with red pepper coulis and served with rice.

  When she arrived home, she still felt angry at Brant for being inconsiderate, so she called to tell him so. “I don’t mind eating alone, but you said you’d be at The Buxton Inn at seven. Like a fool, I waited for you until
eight-thirty.”

  “Sorry. At the last minute, Desi insisted I join him and one of WBKB’s sponsors for dinner. I didn’t think it would have been wise to turn them down.”

  “You could have called.”

  “You sound like a nagging wife, Lindsay.”

  “I’m not your wife! What upsets me is the casual way you disregarded my feelings. It was uncomfortable waiting for you all that time. I felt like a wallflower at a school dance!”

  “I did call. Your voice mail box is full.”

  “Oh!” She remembered that she forgot to check it all day.

  “Don’t waste time holding a grudge, Lindsay. Life is too short. Give me a rain check. I promise I’ll make everything up to you during another dinner soon.”

  He sounds sincere, she decided. “All right.” Surely they wouldn’t have any more misunderstandings on their next date, would they?

  Brant kept his word and took Lindsay out for dinner the following night. A few tables away from theirs a voluptuous woman with medium-length ash blonde hair sat alone and gazed at Brant. She didn’t bother to hide her obvious attraction to him. Flattered that such a stunningly beautiful woman admired him, Brant casually returned the compliment by grinning back at her.

  Lindsay didn’t miss the friendly exchange and asked harshly, “If you wanted to flirt with other women, Brant, why did you ask me to come here with you?”

  Her direct question surprised him. “For the pleasure of your company, of course.”

  “Judging by the way that pretty blonde is staring openly at you, I’d guess that, if you weren’t already with me, you could have persuaded her to join you.”

  “I prefer being with you.”

  “Then why don’t you act like it?”

  “Lindsay, I do believe you’re jealous.” He smirked.

  “No, I’m not!”

  “If you’re not jealous, why are you getting your blood pressure up?”

  “Because I’m angry!”

  “At me? Simply because I admire beauty in others? I’ve always appreciated looking at beautiful women, but casting them an innocent glance or smile doesn’t mean that I plan on becoming involved with them.”

  “Did you ever think how you make the person you’re with—me, in this case—look like a fool when your attention strays to another woman?”

  “No. You proved your point. I apologize—again.”

  Until next time, she thought dejectedly, wondering if Brant would ever be able to direct his mind on only one woman instead of many.

  “Living alone for many years and always doing whatever I pleased may have resulted in me sometimes not taking the time to analyze others’ feelings. All I can do is try now to overcome my faults. I hope you’ll bear with me.”

  Was he asking her to stand by him in a romance? Or did he only need a friend? Time would tell.

  The day after they presented both sides of the controversial song on the air, the weekend team’s pictures appeared in the local newspaper. That same night, Lindsay received a phone call around two a.m.

  Feeling for the phone in the dark, she found it and rose from her bed. “Hello?” she answered groggily.

  First came heavy silence. “Hello?” she repeated. “Is anyone there?”

  Over the phone she heard the haunting words that made her catch her breath in fear. “Lovely demon lady, daughter of Satan, you’re the goddess of life. You’re here—I feel your presence in my heart like the turning of a knife.”

  She hung up quickly, thinking that if this were someone’s idea of a joke, it wasn’t funny. Who called? Why did the person play the eerie song? The irritating words echoed in her mind and she stared at her phone. She tried to fall asleep again, but the anonymous caller disturbed her inner peace.

  Pranks like this go along with being a local celebrity, she told herself. If the bizarre calls continued, she’d change her phone number.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  By noon the following day Desi requested that Lindsay and Brant come into his office. “Just as I thought—you two have the right chemistry that appeals to listeners. I believe my idea of putting you two together as the weekend team played a major part in boosting WBKB’s ratings,” Desi boasted. “As a result, I want the two of you to work closer than ever.”

  Lindsay was pleased that they’d spend more time together in the future and didn’t bother to hide her smile, especially when she heard Brant say, “You have a keen sense of perception, Desi, since you knew Lindsay and I belong together before either of us did.”

  Desi smirked. “Ah! Do I detect a glimmer of romance in the air? It would be great for the ratings if my two top radio personalities fell madly in love with each other. Just fantastic—as long as you stay in love.”

  A blush warmed Lindsay’s cheeks as she heard Brant ask jokingly, “Don’t you ever think about anything other than the ratings war?”

  “Occasionally.” Desi reached for several papers and handed a sheet to each of them. “Here’s the information concerning your next personal appearance which is to host a class reunion. That will be all for now.”

  Outside his office Lindsay moaned. “Oh, no! I never dreamed that the reunion would be this one!”

  Puzzled, Brant never saw her look so distraught before, not even when she first discovered she had to share her job with him. “We’ve appeared at reunions in the past. Why is this one any different?”

  “My older sister, Constance, would have been a member of this graduating class if she hadn’t died during the early part of her senior year. I was fourteen then, but I still wasn’t so young that I didn’t notice the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “A neighbor found my sister along a street near our home after the night Connie attended a party with her friends,” Lindsay began. “The police and coroner both suggested that perhaps a stranger forced her into a car after the party. Whenever she became frightened, her fear often triggered an asthma attack. The police figured, at this point, the stranger probably dumped her into the ditch where her body was discovered the following morning.”

  “Do you think that’s what really happened?”

  She shook her head. “There were no signs of a struggle. Connie was usually cautious. I can’t imagine why she would have walked alone on a deserted street late at night. All she had to do if she needed a ride home was call our parents.”

  “I know it’s tough to accept something like that. Survivors often wonder if they could’ve prevented the tragedy, might things have been different?”

  Did he speak from experience? “Seeing Connie’s old friends and attending the reunion which she should have been part of won’t be easy.”

  “I understand why it will be painful for you. If you like, I’ll try to talk to Desi and see if there’s any way I can go to the reunion without you.”

  “You’re a dear to want to help, but Desi made it clear many times in the past that we’re to make our public appearances as a team. Anyway, I’ll manage at the reunion.”

  “Maybe I can keep your spirits up if I stand by you at the party.”

  “Thanks for being a friend.”

  “My pleasure. I’d like to be more than a friend if you’ll let me. Will you?”

  “Perhaps.” Her heart raced, but it beat even faster when he kissed her on the lips just as Desi passed by and clapped his hands together.

  “I’ve got a hunch our ratings will shoot even higher now.” He winked at them before he disappeared down the hall.

  The night of the reunion arrived too quickly for Lindsay, but she was determined to drag herself through it. Wearing a cream-colored two-piece silk suit with a matching lace blouse, she saw when Brant came to pick her up that he wore a suit that perfectly matched her own outfit.

  “You look fantastic, Lindsay! People will notice how lovely you are and how fortunate I am to escort you.”

  “Let’s hope they don’t notice my lack of enthusiasm.”

  Soon th
ey arrived at the party house that had been transformed to look like the exotic-looking Kahiki, a popular 1960s supper club that once stood on East Broad Street. The reunion’s theme, like the old Kahiki restaurant, was the bewitching atmosphere of the South Pacific. Many guests were already present, mingling and sampling the fine Polynesian cuisine, when Lindsay and Brant entered the room filled with live plants and tinkling fountains. Lindsay could feel their stares upon her as she approached them.

  Brant, also, observed their deep interest in her. “See? I told you everyone would be unable to tear their eyes away from you.”

  “They probably think I resemble Connie.” She was grateful for the warm hand he placed on her shoulder.

  “It’s time for us to start the party. C’mon. Let’s get the introductions over with.” He led her toward the platform at the front of the room. Picking up the microphone, he muttered, “Testing. 1-2-3.”

  Lindsay saw him nod at her so she straightened her shoulders and forced a smile. She felt like she was a mannequin on display as Brant began to address the growing crowd.

  “Good evening. I’m Brant Diamond from WBKB, along with Lindsay Blair, my lovely partner. We’re here tonight to help you have as much fun as you probably had years ago when you were all students preparing to set out and conquer the world.”

  “To get the party rolling, we’ll play the songs which were popular on the charts during your senior year,” Lindsay said. “Hopefully, these favorite hits will bring back wonderful memories.”

  Minutes after the first slow, sad-themed song began, a tall, long-armed woman with shiny auburn hair and brown eyes walked up to Lindsay. “You’re Connie’s sister, aren’t you? Remember me?”

  “Nikki Kayne!” Lindsay extended her hand to the woman. “You were Connie’s best friend.”

  “True, but I go by Nicole Chandler now.” She laughed. “Maybe if people call me Nicole, they’ll view me as mature and forget some of young Nikki’s childish antics in school, like the time I took a snake out of the biology room and slipped it into the teacher’s desk. I’m married now…have two sons of my own that love to play pranks just like their mother once did.”