by Mary Abshire
“I’ve noticed,” he said. “Until we can find time to get her alone, I can’t do anything.”
“Did you bring it with you?”
He nodded, knowing she was asking about the vial of poison.
“I think your chance will come quick, so when it does, be ready.”
“Oh, I plan to be. This gig is nice, but it’s severely disrupting my sex life.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Sex life? Is that all that I am to you?”
“No, no! That’s not what I meant.” Dear Lord, why couldn’t he get the words out right? “I meant love life. You mean way more than sex.”
She gave him a death stare, but her lips quirked on one side. He couldn’t be sure if he’d angered her or not, so he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
“You’re the only thing that matters to me. I want to spend every minute loving you. And this job is preventing me from doing that.” He finally got the right words out.
The tense look on her face disappeared. She nodded her head. “That I believe.”
“This will be the final song for the night,” Annie said to the audience.
Andrew reluctantly released Emily from his embrace. “Back to work.”
“Look at the bright side, once this task is done, we get to go the hotel together.”
Her words lifted his spirit. “Trust me, I can’t wait.
Sherri strode toward them dressed in black dress pants and a red button-down shirt. The phone in her hands held her attention. She lifted her head as she drew nearer.
“Problem?” Emily asked Sherri.
The blonde tucked the cell into one of her front pockets. “No, but I have something I need you to do.” Sherri lifted her gaze to Andrew. “Can you handle security on your own?”
“Sure. There hasn’t been any issues,” Andrew said.
“Good. Don will be by shortly to help you escort her from the stage. If something comes up, send a message,” Sherri said.
“Sure thing,” he said.
“Come with me,” she said to Emily.
Emily gave him a smile before she walked away. An uneasy feeling stirred within him as he watched her. He wished he knew what job Sherri had planned for her. Sherri wasn’t a demon, but she was a very dangerous human. How dangerous was a question left unanswered. To mollify his concern, he reminded himself of Emily’s physical and mental strength. She’d kicked butt during tryouts. She was a fighter to the end. If the skinny blonde gave her any trouble, he had little doubt Emily could handle her.
Chapter Seventeen
Emily followed Sherri behind the stage to the long hall with rooms. The concrete walls were painted a light-green color. Florescent lights hung from the ceiling. Emily’s boots clacked on the cheap linoleum. She and Andrew had escorted Annie down the hall before the show had begun, but they’d walked in through the opposite way Sherri was leading her now. The skinny woman had yet to share any information on Emily’s new task.
They passed a few people with badges hanging from around their necks. Emily’s jacket hid her badge for the most part. She’d wondered all night if anyone would stop to question her. No one had. Venue security sucked. If all celebrities were treated in like kind then it came as no surprise they had their own guards to protect them.
The solid walls dulled the music enough for Emily to remove her other earplug. She stuck it in one of the pockets of her jacket. The plugs had come in handy since she’d spent the entire show near the stage. If Matt hadn’t given them to her, she would’ve got a pounding heading from all the loud noise.
Sherri slowed her gait as they reached a small barricade. The plastic sawhorses and bar looked so flimsy a child could knock it over. But the two large men equal to the size of Don standing near the barrier screamed do not cross. Dressed in jeans and tight black shirts to show off their muscles, they watched Sherri and Emily approaching.
Sherri came to a halt in front of them and glanced at their badges. “Justin and Jon.” She lifted her security ID. “I’m Sherri and this is Carrie.” She gestured toward Emily.
“Hi.” Emily opened the side of her jacket to flash her badge.
“Carrie is going to let a few people pass through. It’s okay. Let them pass, but only if she gives the person clearance. Understand?” Sherri asked.
Jon nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
“Great,” Sherri said. “Thank you.”
Sherri pushed aside the barricade and slipped her small frame between it and the wall. Emily had to move the sawhorse a bit more to avoid getting her clothes snagged on it.
“What am I doing exactly?” Emily asked as she came to stand next to Sherri.
Sherri began walking. “In a few minutes, this hall is going to be packed with fans trying to get past those two men to see Annie. She likes to celebrate after the show with some fans. What I, rather she, needs you to do is select four young ladies to join her. Now, they should be pretty girls. Don’t choose someone overweight or disfigured. Party girls are okay as long as they’re clean. Annie doesn’t want anyone bringing drugs to her get together. Question them about drug usage, but they’ll probably lie. So use your best judgment. You’ll need to ask for their age and check ID. They must be twenty-one. Ask if they’re married. Annie only wants single young ladies to join her.”
Emily stopped and faced Sherri. “Let me get this right. You want me select young women who look attractive and question them about their age, drug usage, and marital status.”
“Yes.”
“They’re her fans. Why does it matter—”
“It just does. This is her request. We follow it.”
Emily stared in confusion. Why would it matter if they were cute or married? She could come up with an excuse about the age and drugs. If Annie were throwing a party with fans, she probably wanted to make sure everyone was of legal age. It was reasonable to believe Annie didn’t want to get caught with any drugs around her too. But why couldn’t men go?
“Do you do this for her often?” Emily asked.
“Yes, I’ve been handling the selection. The fans have a great time with her.”
Emily shook the marbles rattling around in her head. “How do you do it?”
Sherri tucked her straight blonde locks behind one of her ears. “I always inform the guards, like I just did. Then I hang out back here. When I see a girl who I think is pretty enough, I start a conversation with her. Talk about the concert. Ask how long she’s been a fan. Did she come alone? Oh, that’s another thing, if they came with a boyfriend, then move on. Annie prefers the ones the show up alone or with a female friend.”
Emily’s gut instinct warned her something wasn’t right. Singling out attractive single ladies over twenty-one who came to the concert alone sounded like something a rapist or stalker would do.
“Does it take you long to find four ladies?” Emily asked.
“Sometimes a half hour. Sometimes less. It depends.” Sherri lifted one of her shoulders.
“Do they ever ask why you ask such personal questions?”
“Yes, a few have. I show them my badge and tell them I’m Annie’s personal assistant and she’s looking for a few people to hang out with. But I don’t tell them the last part until I’m almost certain they meet all the qualifications. A few times I’ve caught them lying about their age. If you think the person is being too pushy, just take their name and number and tell the person you’ll give it to Annie.”
“What do you do after you’ve chosen someone?”
“I lead them to the other side of the barricade or guards and tell them to wait there until I grab a few others. Now this is important. After you’ve made your selection, you will need to confiscate their phone.”
“What?”
“Ask for their phone and hold onto it.”
“Are you serious?” Single young females lived on their phone. It was their lifeline.
“Annie doesn’t want any pictures or videos taken. She takes her own photos and will share them wit
h the ladies.”
Emily blew out a puff air. Her job kept getting stranger.
“And make sure the fan doesn’t send any messages while you’re talking to her or bringing her to the other side. Annie prefers to keep these celebrations secret,” Sherri said as she crossed her arms. “If you notice the gal on her phone, then send her back. Tell her you’re sorry, but phones aren’t allowed. But if you do that, make sure to take the phone from the next person before you lead her past the guards.”
Unease grew within her. Something illegal had to be going on.
“Do Don and Matt know about this?” Emily asked.
“Yes, Don helps out sometimes, but I always make the selections.”
“After you’ve selected the ladies and taken their phones, then what?”
“They should be waiting for you by the guards. Take them back to her dressing room, but first make sure she’s ready. When she is, you’ll take the ladies inside to meet her briefly. Once Annie is done, you’ll lead them to the back exit. Send me and Don a message when you’re on your way so we can get the transportation ready.”
“Wait, so they aren’t staying here?”
“No, they go to a private location for the celebration.”
“Wow,” Emily said, shaking her head. “She really wants this to be a secret.”
Sherri nodded in agreement. “Yes, she does. She’ll explain why to them too. They all agree to go along once they get to know her and she clarifies everything.”
“Do they get their cell phones back?”
“Yes, you’ll give them to me or Don when we meet you outside. One of us will return their phones.”
Emily looked at the guards. Two fans were walking toward them. The crowd past the walls continued to cheer for Annie. A few other fans had trickled into the hall and were strolling around.
“Do you think you can handle this?” Sherri asked. “The show is almost over and I need to get to Annie’s room.”
“Yeah. I can handle it. I just think it’s weird.”
“I thought so too the first time she told me her demands. But I got to go to a couple of the parties and watch. The fans have a great time with her. Maybe she’ll let you go to one sometime.”
Even with Sherri’s confession, Emily had a difficult time believing her. The selection process seemed strange. The confiscation of phones seemed unreal. And sending them off to a private location definitely sent off her alarm bells. If there wasn’t any illegal activity going on, then she was a saint.
“That would be nice if I could go sometime,” Emily said, trying to sound hopeful.
More fans poured into the hall. The music had stopped playing, but the crowd continued to yell for Annie.
Sherri’s phone buzzed in the pocket of her pants. “Make good selections and she might let you.” She withdrew her cell. “I need to go. Text me if you have any problems.”
“I’ll do my best,” Emily said as the blonde headed toward the guards.
Emily shook her head and meandered in the hall. Fans passed her and headed for the barricade. Others continued to head for the bathrooms. A few chose to lean against the walls and stare at their phones. How on Earth was she going to pick out four women and question them?
She focused on what she had to do, not the questions. She needed single young ladies who looked good. Most of the fans walking around were female and in groups of two or more. A few couples roamed the hall. Most of the men waited outside the bathroom. Two gals were leaning against the wall, looking at their phones and chatting. One had wavy dark locks and the other had shoulder-length brown hair. Both were dressed in tights and nice blouses. There was no time better than the present to start her hunt for four women.
Emily came to a stop in front of them. “Ladies, how did you like the concert?”
They lifted their heads.
“It was great,” the brown-haired gal said.
“Really good. She’s awesome,” the other said.
“Did you two come here together?” Emily asked.
The dark-haired lady drew her brows together. “Yeah.”
Not wanting to scare them, Emily widened the gap of her jacket to real her badge. “Relax, my name is Carrie. I’m one of the security guards for Annabelle.”
“Wow!” the gal with brown locks said. “Is that a gun?”
Emily let go of her jacket. “It is. I have to carry it in case I need it to protect her.”
“So, are you like, her personal security or something?” the lady with dark hair asked.
“I am,” Emily said. “Mind if I ask you a few questions?”
“No,” one said, and then the other. “No.”
“Are either of you married?” Emily asked.
The gal with dark hair laughed. “No.”
“No, we’re not,” the other said.
“Do you do drugs?” Emily asked.
The both said no.
“Are you at least twenty-one years of age?” Emily asked.
“I’m twenty-three and she’s a few months older than me,” the gal with brown locks said.
“Can I see your ID, please?” Emily asked.
“What’s this about?” the girl with dark hair questioned. She reached behind her and into her back pocket. Her friend withdrew her identification from the wristlet dangling from her arm.
“If you are both over twenty-one, then I may have a special invitation for you,” Emily said as she took each card from them.
Emily glanced at the ID from the gal with brown hair. Her name was Samantha and she was from Vancouver. Her age matched the information she’d told Emily. Her friend’s name showed Vanessa. The date of birth indicated several months after Samantha’s. The girls hadn’t lied.
“And you’re both not married, right?” Emily asked as she handed the cards back.
“No,” Vanessa said. “She has a boyfriend, but I prefer to remain single.”
“Well, you two are very lucky ladies. Annabelle would like to extend to you a very private invitation to a party. Are you interested in going?” Emily asked.
Their eyes lit up and they gazed at each other.
“A party with her?” Samantha asked.
“Yes. It’s very private. I get to choose who can go,” Emily said.
“Fuck yeah, we’ll go,” Vanessa said with a wide grin as Samantha laughed.
“There’s one more thing,” Emily said. “I need to take your phones from you. She doesn’t want any pictures. Annabelle takes her own photos and shares them. Don’t worry, you will get your phones back after the party.”
“Can I see your badge again?” Samantha asked.
Smart girl. Emily gripped her identification and held it up. They both looked closely at it.
“What’s level one security?” Samantha asked.
“It means I have top security and all access,” Emily said.
Samantha looked at her friend. Samantha’s brows were lifted as if she were silently questioning what to do.
“I’ll go if you go,” Vanessa said.
Samantha faced Emily and held up her phone. “You promise we will get these back?”
“I promise. And trust me, this isn’t a scam. Annabelle only lets me choose four fans to celebrate with her,” Emily said.
Samantha hesitantly handed her phone to Emily. Vanessa followed her friend’s lead.
“Great, ladies,” Emily said, collecting the phones. She stuffed them in the pocket with her earplugs. “If you will follow me, I need to get you past the two big guards. I still have a few other fans to find, so please be patient and wait where I tell you. Once I have everyone, I’ll take you to meet her.”
Emily started walking toward the crowd facing the guards. Getting through the mass of bodies would take some effort, but since she had Vanessa’s and Samantha’s phones, she suspected the two would keep up with her.
“We get to meet her and party with her?” Samantha asked again.
Emily reached the back of the horde. She glanced over her sho
ulder. “Absolutely. Stay close to me. I have to get you to the other side.”
She wedged her way through the standing bodies, bumping shoulders and arms. Finding the two gals hadn’t been as difficult as she’d thought. Questioning them had gone smoothly too. The ladies seemed skeptical at first, but they should’ve been. Emily mentally patted herself on the back for easing their worries. She hoped to find two others just as quick and with little trouble. Then she could get back to Andrew sooner and inform him about Annie’s secret little party.
Chapter Eighteen
Andrew paced in the living area of the hotel suite dressed in nothing but his boxer shorts while he clutched his cell in his hand. The front room had enough furniture to fill an apartment. The television was three times the normal size from regular hotels and they even had a small kitchenette. A door from the living room led to the bedroom. Both rooms had a great view overlooking Vancouver. He would’ve been staring out at the night if he weren’t so worried about Emily.
He sat on the sofa and ran a hand over his head. His knee bobbled, a sign of his anxiety. He hated being away from her and not knowing what she was doing.
He’d arrived at the hotel over a half hour ago with Matt. They’d sat at the bar for a while and had a few beers until he’d received a message from Emily. She’d said she’d make it back within an hour. After he’d chatted with Matt a little longer, he’d returned to the suite to clean up and wait for her.
Holding the phone up, he checked the time. She was now twenty minutes late. Where was she? Patience was not one of his strong points when it involved the woman his heart yearned for.
He tapped the screen to pull up her last message. As quickly as he could, he typed a new one and sent it to her. After he set the phone on the cushion beside him, he leaned back and tried to relax. The silence in the room could’ve put him to sleep if his mind wouldn’t have been swamped with concern for Emily.
A soft click from the door captured his attention. He shot up and headed toward it. The handle beeped before Emily walked into the room. She had her phone in her hand and key card in the other.