DarkHeart of Hampton House

by Joy Redmond

  “Sounds like a plan. What are we waiting for?” Lacy answered as she took off running down the sidewalk, yelling over her shoulder, “Last one in the shower is a rotten egg sucker!”

  Lance quickly caught up with her, grabbed her around the waist and swung her around in the air, then he stood her on the sidewalk and kissed her deeply, not caring who was watching.

  Lacy didn’t protest. She kissed him back with a passion. No kiss had ever been as sweet to Lance’s lips. I’ve got to be careful. She might turn me into a human. I’m not sure I want to be more than what I’ve always been. An empty shell. I don’t like emotions.

  When they got back to their hotel room, Lacy took out the three outfits she had grabbed from home and stuffed in her suitcase. She proudly strolled across the floor and stuffed the clothes into the trash basket. “No more being dressed alike a ragamuffin.” She smiled as if another part of her past was finally put to rest. “Say, do you mind if I take a shower by myself? I don’t want to get my hair wet. There’s no sun to dry it before we get to where we’re going. Where are we going?”

  “I spied a nice eating place while we were out today. I didn’t mention it because I wanted to surprise you. Go on, get in the shower, then while you’re getting dressed and painted, I’ll get mine.”

  Lacy hurried off to the shower and Lance went through his bags, pulling out a pair of dress pants, a silk shirt and dress shoes. Then he stretched across the bed, enjoying the humming of the ceiling fan, reliving the moment he had first seen Lacy, up to and including the present moment. He smiled.

  By the time Lance was showered and dressed, Lacy was already dressed in her green mini skirt with a silk blouse of green and yellow swirl patterns. She started putting on her makeup. “I’m not sure how to apply all this stuff but I’m going to get it on. Should I put on the eye-shadow first, or the eyeliner? I hope I don’t poke my eyes out trying to put on mascara. This thing looks dangerous with all the little brushes sticking out.”

  “Like I know how to put on makeup. You’re asking the wrong person. Just do it your way.”

  This is the part about women that really wracks my nerves.

  Lacy applied her makeup and Lance nodded his approval, which made her smile. “I think I want to put my hair up and use the pretty hair clips. That way I can show off my beautiful dangly earrings.”

  “Fine. Put it up. It’ll also show your long, slender neck, which is very inviting,” he said as he gently kissed her neck.

  Lacy pushed him away. “Hey, don’t be getting all wet on me. You’re gonna mess up my hair and makeup. Later. Okay?”

  Lance backed away and threw his hands in the air as if he were surrendering. Another thing I hate about women. Once they’re fixed up, don’t touch and don’t mess up. Later is right, sugar dumpling. You’ll never forget it.

  Lacy slipped on her beige heels, practiced walking across the floor, kept her balance and it was as if she was born to wear them. “Ready!” She put on her shades.

  Arm in arm, they headed for the elevator, descended the three floors, then headed outside.

  “How far do we have to walk?”

  “About six blocks, the best I remember. Are you gonna make it that far in those heels?”

  “I can make it. Don’t ever underestimate me,” Lacy answered, giving him a sideways glance, one Lance clearly understood as, I’m not a wimp.

  “Watch this,” she said, as she placed her left hand on her hip and her right hand behind her head. She pranced down the sidewalk, doing her best impersonation of a model doing a catwalk down a runway.

  Lance admired the sway of her narrow hips and her shapely legs that were beautifully exposed. “Sex kitten, for sure,” he said as he caught up with her. “I want to stick you in my pocket and take care of you and protect you. What a sweet little pussy you are.”

  “A pussy that can and will scratch your eyeballs out when perturbed. Remember that!”

  “I believe ya,” he said and chuckled. “You little redheaded spitfire!”

  They walked into the restaurant and as they waited for the hostess, Lacy looked around, checking out the other women. “I’d say you outshine them all. The prettiest gal in here. The prettiest gal in Arkansas.”

  “Ah, shucks. I bet you say that to all your women after you feel them up and size them up.”

  “Do I detect a bit of jealousy there?”

  “I don’t know the meaning of the word. It’s always seemed like a waste of good time and energy. Besides, what do I care? I’m just passing through.”

  Before Lance could answer, the hostess walked their way and said, “Follow me, please.”

  The hostess seated them by a window where they were able to view a beautiful waterfall coming from the mountain.

  Lacy studied the menu, then laid it on the table. “I’ll have whatever you’re having. You did a good job picking a great meal last night.”

  “Then we’ll have the surf-and turf. And a bottle of wine.”

  “Are you trying to get me drunk again?” Lacy giggled.

  “Is it necessary?”

  “Not really, but I have to admit I loved the taste and I liked the feeling. All my inhibitions went flying out the window. I felt so liberated. Kinda like I was let out of jail. I almost understand why Mama and Daddy drank so much. They needed to feel something they weren’t capable of without booze. However, they drank to get stinking, fall down, commode hugging drunk. That’s not necessary. That kind of drunk makes ya mean. I just wanna feel good. I know when to stop.”

  “It’s always good to know when to stop.” There’s never enough for me. I’m just being on my best behavior, for now. But as you said, you’re just passing through, so my best won’t last that long.

  The waitress brought them a bottle of wine and they had polished it off before the meal arrived. Lance ordered another bottle when their food was placed in front of them.

  Lacy picked at her food. “The lobster is okay, but the steak is a little too red for my likes. I sure am enjoying the wine.” She wiped her mouth on the linen napkin, placed it beside her plate, then reached for the wine glass and drained the last drop.

  Lance refilled Lacy’s glass, then topped off his own and set the empty bottle on the table. “Good stuff, huh?” He reached for her tiny hand. He kissed her palm and then ran his tongue around it. He ran his tongue between each finger, then up and down her fingers as if he had five suckers and didn’t know which one he liked the best. Their eyes met and locked. Lance slipped her index finger into his mouth and sucked it as if it were a pacifier that had been dipped in honey.

  “Your warm breath and sweet lips make me feel as if I’ll surely swoon. My legs are trembling, my spine is tingling, and I’ve got butterflies in my stomach, just fluttering away. I swear, blood is surging through my veins like fire—a fire I don’t want to extinguish. Oh, lord, if only I could freeze this moment in time. I want it to last forever.” Lacy closed her eyes and moaned as if she had forgotten the people who surrounded her.

  Lance broke her spell when he sweetly said, “Would you like to go back to the hotel? I do believe it has a nice bed. We can finish what we started.”

  “Oh, hell yes! Pay the bill and let’s get the flock out of here.”

  “Flock is being herded as you speak, sugar dumpling.” Lance raised his arm, snapped his fingers and motioned for the waitress.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Lacy was a bit wobbly as Lance led her out of the restaurant and down the sidewalk. They had gone a half block, when she held tightly to Lance’s arm and slipped off her heels. “Here, you carry them,” she said as she tried to stick one in each pocket.

  “Your aim is a bit off, sugar dumpling,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ll carry them in my hand. Hang on and we’ll be back to the hotel in a few minutes.

  Lacy had a case of silly giggles as they headed on their way. “I walk better barefoot. You can take the girl out of the trailer park, but I don’t guess ya can take the trash out of her, huh
?”

  “Hush that silly talk. You’re not trash,” Lance said, as he tightly held her tiny hand and guided her onward.

  By the time they had gotten on the elevator and it began its ascent to the third floor, Lacy laid her head on Lance’s shoulder.

  Once in the room, Lance undressed her and gently placed her in bed. He quickly undressed and joined her. He gathered her into his arms and she tilted her head up to receive his luscious kisses. Lance kissed her deeply. She was returning each kiss with hot passion. Lance was hard and anxious to pull her on top of him. She was ready with only a few kisses as foreplay.

  Suddenly, her arm fell from around his neck and her lips were no longer responding. He raised his head, about to ask what was wrong, when he heard a soft snore. “Well, kiss my horny ass! That’s a first.” He gathered her body in his arms and her head rested on his shoulder, her arm fell across his chest. He stroked her face and enjoyed the sweet smell of her hair. “Sleep, sugar dumpling. We’ll finish what we started come morning.”

  Lance held her closely. The bright moon shining through the sheer curtains lit up the room. He watched the hypnotic swirl of the ceiling fan, enjoying the humming as the blades seemed to be singing a lullaby. He wondered if Lisa had ever sung lullabies to him. Though he had only studied her picture closely that one time, he could still see her pretty face when he closed his eyes.

  Lacy looked so much like Lisa, he thought they could have been mother and daughter, and he wished they were, instead of the trashy mother she had come from. How he wanted to wrap his hands around the slut’s neck and choke the life out of her. How he’d love to torture her sonofabitch of a daddy. He wanted to skin him alive and listen to him beg for mercy.

  The thought of Lacy’s parents and how they had treated her was giving him a headache, the kind that made him want to kill. His palms itched and his head pounded. Then the voices started screaming in his head, drowning out the pounding sounds. He gently rolled Lacy to the side of the bed and held his hands over his ears. The voices became louder with each heartbeat.

  He tightly squeezed his eyes shut. Faces from his past began to flash before him. “No. No,” he whispered. “Not now.” He scrambled out of bed, found his jeans and pulled out his pill pouch. He fished through the pouch and found two ludes. He popped them into his mouth and swallowed quickly. Work your magic, dolls. Work fast! He sat on the edge of the bed and waited for the float. It didn’t come.

  He paced the floor, the voices screaming and the faces of those he had killed, dancing on the walls. He glanced to his left and there in the corner, he saw Jimmy Cat hanging by his neck, his tiny body twisting and flopping. Lance was about to run to him, cut him loose, when he saw Jimmy Cat’s head fall sideways and his bowels release. Goddamn it! I gotta get out of here!

  Lance quickly dressed. He stepped into the hall, patted his pocket, making sure he had the key before he closed the door. Holding his head, he ran for the staircase. He took the steps two at a time, remembering how he had done the same thing when he was at Hampton House, trying to make it to the table in time for breakfast.

  Out on the street, Lance started walking, wanting to run, though he wasn’t sure which way to go. A few blocks down the street, he stopped a passerby and asked for directions to the nearest liquor store.

  An older gentleman, whom Lance figured was a hometown boy, laughed as he said, “All ya gotta do is look up, boy. Ya be standin’ in front of one.”

  “How in the shit did I not see it?” Lance slapped himself upside the head. “Shut up! Damn you stupid bitches. Leave me alone!” He glanced over at the older gentleman, whose eyes were large. “Sorry, I wasn’t talking to you.”

  “I sho hope not. I ain’t no bitch, I kin tell ye that much.” He ambled on down the street.

  Lance hurried inside the liquor store. He spied a fifth of Jack Daniel’s on the shelf, and it seemed to be yelling, “Here I am. What took ya so long?”

  He paid for the whiskey and hurried back to the hotel, hoping he could control himself and wait until he was headed back up the stairs before he started drinking.

  Just as he reached the staircase, he unscrewed the cap and took a long swig with each step until he had reached the third floor. His heart was pounding, but he knew the whiskey would have him calm in no time.

  He fumbled as he tried to insert the key into the lock. He hoped Lacy was still in a sound sleep.

  He eased his way into the room, quietly closed the door and glanced over at the bed. Lacy was lying on her stomach, out like a light. He tiptoed across the floor and eased his body into a chair by the window. He gazed outside, admiring the beautiful moon as he continued to tip the bottle to his lips, enjoying the burn, hoping it would chase away the faces and stop the voices.

  He had no idea how long he had been sitting when he began to feel calmness running through him, soothing his soul. Good ole Jack. You’re always my savior. Now, please help me sleep. I have to have myself together by the time Lacy wakes up. He undressed and slipped into bed. He wanted to cuddle Lacy, but he didn’t want to disturb her. She was sleeping like a baby in a cradle.

  Soon, he began to feel the float. Ah, yeah. Sweet.

  Lance awoke when he felt Lacy jump out of bed, then he heard her footsteps running across the floor. A few seconds later, he heard her retching. He chuckled, “I know the feeling, sugar dumpling.” He glanced toward the window and saw the moon was gone and had been replaced with bright sunshine. He looked at his watch. It was 8:30. “I got more sleep than I realized.”

  Lance heard the shower running. “A shower won’t help that much, but I’ve got a cure for the headache and the upside down stomach. Slowly, I’ll teach ya how to hold your liquor.”

  Finally, Lacy came out of the bathroom. She lumbered across the floor and fell into bed. “I feel like shit. No more drinking for me.”

  Lance pulled her closely. “I’ve got a fix for whatever ails ya. Do you want another magic pill that will make you feel like a million dollars?”

  “Oh, hell yes! Anything! I can’t stand this hangover. Give me two.”

  Lance picked up his jeans, pulled out his pill pouch and handed her two black beauties.

  “Could you get me a glass of water from the bathroom?” she asked as Lance placed the pills into her welcoming palm.

  “Water will make you throw up. Just swallow them.”

  Lacy threw the pills into her mouth and swallowed hard. “I’m getting pretty good at getting pills down with nothing to chase them with.”

  “The best way to get them down,” Lance said. “You’re becoming a pro. I can teach you a lot of things. But right now just lie in my arms and let the pills do their magic.” I’m getting low on pills. I’ll be glad to get back to Nashville, collect my sample case and refill. Two more days. What am I going to do with Lacy? What am I going to do without Lacy?

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Lacy lay in Lance’s arms for a few minutes. Then she started talking like a commentator at a sports event, jumping from topic to topic, barely drawing a breath. “Holy shit, man! I have vague memories of coming back to the room last night. After that, nothing. What did we do? I remember the first time I had too much to drink. I wouldn’t have been drinking at all, but my heart was broke in half. The only boy I ever loved took another girl to the prom. He said he couldn’t see me anymore ‘cause his parents forbade it. I had borrowed a pretty outfit from my only friend. I was gonna be the prettiest girl there.”

  “Why would his parents forbid it?”

  “See, he’s from a rich family. Old money on both sides, so I’ve been told. Anyway, he just up and left me high and dry. Well, I wasn’t dry after I crashed the party at the Country Club, when prom was over. I was dressed all pretty, so I just went right in and helped myself to the tub full of bottles of cold beer. I’m not sure how many I drank, but it gave me the courage to walk up to him, check out the girl he’d dumped me for, and I said, ‘So what’s she got that I don’t?’”

  “What
did he say?”

  “Oh, RoJo just stood there like an idiot. Then, she called me trailer-park trash. Before I knew what I was gonna do, I hauled off and slapped her jaws, I mean I slapped her so hard I thought her head was gonna spin around backwards. About that time, two big guys grabbed me by both arms, lifted me off the floor and carried me out the front door. They dropped me on the ground like I was a hot potato.”

  Lance was intently listening, but he managed to say, “RoJo? What kind of name is that?”

  “Oh, his name is Ronald Jordon, but everybody just calls him RoJo. But as much as I loved him, I put him behind me just like everybody else in that shitty town. I hate them all. I hope his dick falls off. I hope he—” Lacy stopped talking.

  “Go on,” Lance said, “It feels good to empty, doesn’t it?”

  “I reckon it does, but I’ve said plenty. I don’t know what come over me. I just got a bad case of diarrhea of the mouth. That’s not like me. I don’t like to talk about my past. I’ll shut up now. What about you? Tell me something about you. You haven’t told me a thing. I don’t even know your last name. My last name is Leifer, but when I was in school the kids liked to call me Lacy Heifer. I showed a few of them what a heifer can do when I head-butted them in the gut. I don’t take no shit off of anybody. What’s your last name?”

  Damn, she’s getting on my nerves worse than Bonnie Sue. Lance held his head and said, “When you run dry, I’ll tell ya. Jeez!”

  “Sorry. I’ll zip it. I’ve told ya about me. What about you? Where did ya grow up and how did your parents treat ya. Have you ever been in love?”

  Lance placed his hand gently over her mouth. “Shhh, be quiet and listen. No, I’ve never been in love, I’m not capable of it. The last name is Jackson. I was raised in an orphanage, don’t know my parents. I joined the Army when I was eighteen, spent eight-years in Vietnam. When the war was over, I came back to the states and did a little traveling. That’s why I’m here. It’s my last stop. I’ve got to be back in Nashville in a couple days. I’ve got a job working for a pharmaceutical company. End of story. Now let’s go find some breakfast.”