2 Lady Luck Runs Out

by Shannon Esposito

  After I got over the shock of him believing me, I realized it was a nice feeling. Someone actually believing me. Still, I was about to turn him down again and then it hit me. "Wait! Is this the Mr. Grayson of the 18th Street peach mansion?"

  "Yes." His eyes narrowed. "You know him?"

  "No. But I do know that he has a permit to have poisonous snakes. I'm in."

  "Thank you, Darwin."

  I suddenly thought about Will. I'm sure he wouldn't approve of me spending an evening with Zachary. "But, this is not a date. I'll meet you there. And I'm bringing my sister."

  The corner of his mouth twitched. "Call it whatever you wish. I'll meet you at the gate at eight o'clock sharp." He glanced down at my flip flops and let his eyes run up my bare legs, shorts and t-shirt. "You do have something appropriate for a Masquerade Ball, don't you?"

  "Of course," I said. After he nodded and walked away, I thought again about how he believed there was danger in my future. The only danger I could see right now was him. What if he realized I was suspicious of his mother's death and is just trying to throw me off, because he actually had something to do with it? I would have to be careful.

  When Mallory found me, I was the next in line for my veggie burger.

  "So, Mal, what exactly does a girl wear to a Masquerade Ball?"

  ***

  Mallory and I found a place in the crowd milling about the stage. The costume judging had begun, and I had almost forgotten the whole Zach-Masquerade Ball thing when I felt an arm slide around my belly and pull me against a solid, warm chest. The smell of coconut and fresh rain filled my senses. I smiled.

  "Surprised?" Will asked, kissing my ear.

  "Pleasantly," I whispered back, turning to look up into his sky blue eyes. "Thought you had to work today?"

  "We got an early break." He leaned down and brushed my lips with his. His warm breath sent shivers down my arms.

  I handed him my plastic cup, half full of white wine. "Cheers to that, Detective." As he took a sip, his eyes stayed locked on mine. I could see the shades of darker longing, the white sparks of desire. The commotion of people clapping, the shouts and barks, the conversations rising and falling in the crowd, it all melted into the background.

  I turned in his arms so I could face him and he pulled me closer, every inch of my thin frame pressed against him. The October sun was no match for the heat being generated by our bodies being so close. He reached down, without breaking eye contact, and pressed his lips to mine, gently at first and then I felt his hunger grow. I tasted the wine on his tongue, the heat from his breath. I pulled away reluctantly as Mallory cleared her throat beside us.

  My face flushed as my sister rolled her eyes at us. We shared a smile before I turned my attention back to the costume contest.

  "You may need this to cool off," Will whispered, handing me back the cup of wine and pressing his lips on the back of my neck.

  We watched the rest of the contest like that, me leaning into Will, happily laughing and cheering for the costumed dogs being led across the stage, clapping at the end when the winners were announced. The Great Dane with the monkey riding his back got the first place basket.

  "I don't know how they picked just one. They were all amazing," I said.

  "You're amazing." Will kissed the tip of my nose. There was a new intensity in his stare. "I have a surprise for you."

  "Ooo, I like surprises," I said, beaming.

  "I managed to finagle this Friday and Saturday off, and I'd like us to go away for the weekend."

  "Us? You and me?" My mind whirled. The weekend? That would mean spending the night together. Sleeping together? Well, there would be a whole new level of commitment. And guilt about hiding things from him. And then panic struck. Friday night? Oh heavens, that was the night of the Masquerade Ball.

  "Um." I bit my lower lip. How was I going to tell him that I had already committed to going to the Ball with Zach Faraday? His smile was fading the longer I waited to answer. "That really sounds amazing, Will, but..."

  His head dropped and he broke eye contact. My heart lurched. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt this man in any way. He'd already been burned by his ex-wife, and I was the first woman he had taken a chance on since then.

  "It's just, I've already made a commitment for Friday night." I hoped that would be enough information for him, but no such luck.

  "A commitment?" His eyebrows raised. "Can't you get out of it?"

  And here I was, at the crossroads. I took a deep breath and decided on the truth. After all, I would have said yes to spending the weekend with him. If I was getting in that deep, he deserved the truth. "Let's get out of the crowd."

  We moved silently across the stretch of grass to a bench at the end of the park, where only a few people were walking their dogs. I could see the sparkling bay waters from there, a small comfort.

  "Okay." I held both of Will's hands. "Here's the thing. I agreed to go to a Masquerade Ball Friday night with Zachary Faraday."

  Will's eyes narrowed, his expression morphing from curious to confused. "A date? You agreed to a date?"

  I tried to stop his conclusions. "No, it's not a date," I said quickly. "It's sort of an investigation. See, I think his mother, Rose, was... murdered."

  Will pulled his hands from mine. His mouth tightened and his eyes burned with suspicion. Panic fluttered like butterfly wings in my heart. This felt like Mad Dog's death all over again. He didn't believe me that Mad Dog had been murdered either. I felt all the old doubts and walls rising.

  "Rose Faraday died from a heart attack following a snake bite. You're telling me you believe she was murdered by the rattlesnake?" Will's body had stiffened, his voice was raw.

  "Yes... no." My chest was tightening so my words held a touch of breathlessness. "By a person, who let the rattlesnake into her condo. And Zach believes me." I mentally smacked myself. That sounded like a dig at Will. "He asked me to the Ball only because he thinks the person holding it, Bernard Grayson, might have something to do with his mother's death. Mr. Grayson has a license to house poisonous snakes. It just seems like too much of a coincidence not to check out." I stopped. Will was leaning back on the bench, his gaze now trained on the park, his jaw tight.

  "Will?" I shifted to try to get him to look at me. "Say something, please."

  "All this time." He still wasn't looking at me. That wasn't a good sign. "When I asked you what you and Mr. Faraday had to talk about, you were discussing this? This theory that his mother was murdered, but you couldn't mention it to me?" He turned to me then and I almost choked on the betrayal swimming in his eyes. "A homicide detective."

  "I was going to talk to you about it, Will. I swear, but I wanted to have some kind of evidence so you didn't just think I was crazy."

  He worked his jaw back and forth, staring at me. "Okay, so if there's no evidence, why do you both think she was murdered?"

  Oh heavens. I couldn't tell him about my visions. Not like this, when he was so angry with me already. My body sank with my heart. I could do nothing but stare at him helplessly.

  He nodded, his head dropping. After a moment of silence, he rubbed his hands roughly on his jeans and stood. "I have to trust you, Darwin. Or this won't work. Have fun at the party with Mr. Faraday."

  I watched him walk away, stunned that things had taken such a wrong turn in such a short amount of a time. I wanted to run after him, hold on to him, beg him to understand. Instead, I stood and went to find my sister, my heart shattering in my chest.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  I had called the vintage shop we bought our Halloween costumes from and asked for the saleswoman's help in dressing for the Ball. She had assured us she could find something perfect for me and Mallory, and she had delivered.

  We stepped out of the taxi in front of the 18th street mansion in our fabulous gowns. Mallory wore a red satin number which shimmered like rubies in the moonlight. I wore a pink feathery gown that made me feel like I was wearing a cloud. Her mask was b
lack velvet with red sequins and a red feather, mine was white with diamonds and pink pearls. I felt like Cinderella. If only my Prince Charming were here.

  "There's Mr. Tall, Dark and Scary." Mallory nodded at the gate. Sure enough, Zach stood there waiting for us, dressed in a black tux and holding a black mask in his clasped hands.

  The closer we got, the stronger I felt the pulse of power he exuded. His eyes met mine and then he let them move down my gown, a soft smile curving his mouth. "You look beautiful, Darwin." He caught my eye again and I suppressed a shiver.

  "Thanks," I mumbled.

  He turned his gaze on Mallory and chuckled. "Red suits you. I feel sorry for the man that betrays a creature such as yourself." He held out both arms. I glanced at Mallory. She looked confused and wary. I wondered if he could sense her power, too.

  "Mal, come on," I whispered, taking Zach's right arm. "We're his dates, remember? We have to at least act like we like him."

  "Right," she sighed, finally slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow.

  Zach handed his invite to the muscles-in-a-tux at the front gate. He glanced from me to Mallory and shot Zach a sly smile. I noticed the C-shaped scar on his left cheek that ran from his eyebrow to his mouth. Violence must play a big part in his life. "Have a nice evening, Mr. Faraday, ladies."

  Zach led us down the tiki torch lined travertine pathway, through the jungle of tropical plants to the front door.

  "Good evening," a plump, dark haired woman greeted us. I wondered if this was the woman I spoke to through the speakers? I detected the same accent. "Follow me, please." She led us through the marble entranceway, around a staircase more suited for a hotel and into a cavernous ballroom. "Music and dancing in here. Food and drinks out by the pool. Enjoy the party."

  "Ready?" Zach slipped on his mask.

  "As I'll ever be." I, too, slipped on my mask, adjusting it so I could see through the holes. "Try to stay out of trouble," I threw at Mallory before Zach led me deeper into the room.

  Men in tuxes and women in gowns were milling about and dancing to the jazz band playing on the stage. A colossal gold and crystal chandelier hung suspended above us from a high, rounded ceiling. Tables huddled on one side of the room, adorned with crisp, white table clothes and crystal lamps. The lacquered hardwood floor sparkled from two mirrored disco balls slinging light around the room.

  I glanced up at Zach. Behind the mask, he was scanning the room.

  "Would you know Mr. Grayson if you saw him?" I asked.

  "Yes, I looked him up on the internet so I would be sure to recognize him." Distracted, he slipped his hand in mine. The jolt of energy startled me. "I don't see him. Come on, let's dance."

  Pulling me to the middle of the floor, he positioned my arms around his neck, and then slid his arms around my lower back. I was suddenly glad my gown had so many layers. I was sure the heat radiating off this man was capable of lighting my underwear on fire.

  As he led me effortlessly around the ballroom, I could feel his frustration growing.

  "What's wrong, Zach?"

  He sighed and his hot, iron-scented breath warmed the side of my face. "I don't recognize anyone here."

  "Kind of hard, with everyone wearing masks. We'll just have to ask around. Surely someone here can point out Mr. Grayson."

  He lowered his eyes to meet mine. "That might raise suspicions. Admitting we don't know the host?" He held my eyes, pulling me in closer to him with barely a movement. "The mask suits you. Emphasizes your eyes. They're stunning. So blue in this light they're practically violet."

  I blinked. Yeah, and yours are like staring into a bonfire. "Thanks," I said out loud, clearing my throat and trying to clear my head of the sudden woozy feeling coming over me. Was he causing me to feel like this? Or was it the maddening spots of light from the disco balls?

  Zach lifted a hand off my back and cupped my cheek, letting his thumb run softly across my bottom lip. I froze as his eyes moved to my mouth. The woozy feeling escalated to floating. All sound and movement ceased to exist.

  From far away, I heard my own voice. "Zach. No."

  With a whoosh, the ballroom and inhabitants returned. Zach dropped his hand and broke eye contact. "Come on."

  I was trembling as he led me off the floor. Confused and feeling way out of my league, I knew I couldn't let myself be that vulnerable around him again.

  We found Mallory standing where we left her but with company.

  "Hey." She waved at us, her eyes luminous behind the mask. "You remember Sammy Harris, Darwin? From the Serpentarium?"

  "Of course, hi, Sammy." I groaned inwardly, plastering a smile on my face and introduced him to Zach. "This is Zach Faraday."

  The two men shook hands and Sammy's eyes narrowed. "Faraday? Any relation to the woman killed by the rattlesnake?"

  "Yes," Zach answered, clasping his hands in front of him. "She was my mother."

  "Wow," Sammy shook his head, "sorry for your loss, man. Such a freak thing to happen."

  "They actually have the snake that bit her at the Serpentarium," Mallory told Zach.

  Heavens, Mallory! Don't tell him that. I tensed and shook my head at her. What if Zach wanted revenge? He could take it out on the poor snake.

  "Really?" Zach's tone was sharp as a blade as he stared at Sammy. "Do you own the snake?"

  "Well, we do now. We take in unwanted snakes. Use them to educate the public." Sammy turned his attention back to Mallory. "She's a wild one." I wasn't sure whether he was talking about the snake or my sister. I had to stop myself from digging a heel into his foot as they smiled at each other. "Of course, the girl we brought to the party tonight is a sweetheart. An albino boa named Marsha. Want to meet her?"

  "Sure," Mallory said.

  "No," I said at the same time, trying to give Mallory a warning look. She wasn't paying a bit of attention to me.

  Sammy chose to ignore my answer and led my sister out of the ballroom on his arm. I pulled Zach after them.

  We ended up at the back of the house on the pool deck beneath the lanai. Some of the guests were lounging and chatting on the blue and white striped patio furniture with their champagne glasses and plates of food. Some were standing around in small circles, laughing and talking. Everyone looked amazing and seemed to be having a good time, without a care in the world. Must be nice.

  The breeze blowing off the Gulf felt good, cooling off the dampness around my hairline. The pool water was like balm on my frazzled nerves. We followed Sammy around the left curve of the pool. As I walked, the water rippled beside me. My eyes widened. Oops! I tapped into the part of my mind that had wandered. Concentrating, I smoothed the water out. Whew. The effort was like moving a rusty door. Mallory was right. I should be practicing. If only to keep control on my power.

  A low chuckle came from Zach beside me.

  "What?" I threw at him. I didn't appreciate his sense of humor.

  He smiled knowingly and kept walking.

  We came to the open patio with a shiny, silver outdoor kitchen and stone fireplace. There, surrounded by a group of partygoers snapping pictures, was McGillis—looking dapper in a black tux with satin lapels—his hair slicked back. He was positioning a large albino snake around a cringing woman's shoulders.

  "Oh my, it's so heavy," the woman squealed. "Hurry up, David, take the photo!"

  A robust man—his face red, his mask discarded—held up the camera and the flash lit up the duo. "Got the proof! Our daughter's not gonna believe you touched a snake."

  "Okay, get it off!" She had her eyes squeezed shut.

  McGillis chuckled. "You were very brave, Mrs. Rosen." He shook her hand and called out, "Who's next?"

  I heard Sammy's voice behind me. "Mallory, go ahead, she's really harmless."

  "Sure, why not." Mallory stepped past me and walked up next to McGillis. "I'll hold her."

  "Brave girl," he said, grinning.

  I watched as he wrapped the creamy boa with pale orange spots around my sister's bar
e shoulders, its tongue flicking the air in front of her. I leaned toward Sammy. "So, boas don't bite?"

  "Well, they can. Unusual though," Sammy said, folding his arms and rocking back on his heels, as he watched Mallory. "Don't worry, they're non-venomous. They kill by squeezing their prey to death. Marsha's not big enough to take down your sister."

  Well, that didn't make me feel any better. I was relieved when the pictures were taken and the snake was lifted off her without incident. My relief was short lived though as Mallory grabbed my hand and pulled me over to McGillis.

  "Your turn," she said, holding me there despite my protests. "Come on, Sis. Live a little."

  "She really is a sweetheart," McGillis chuckled, unwrapping the albino snake from his own neck and holding her above my shoulders. "Ready?"

  "As I'll ever be," I sighed. A few clicks of a camera and then... ZAP!

  This time, it wasn't an image, but a searing pain that shot through my stomach like a lightning bolt. I fought to stay upright as the weight of the snake, together with its recent trauma, about sent me doubling over and crashing to the floor.

  "You all right, Sweetheart?" McGillis was rushing to slide Marsha off my body. "You look like you're gonna pass out."

  "Fine, just a muscle spasm," I said through clenched teeth, trying to breathe through the pain. I was too weak to dispel the energy myself so when a light bulb burst above us, Mallory finally understood what was happening and rushed in to move me away from the crowd.

  Zach followed us to a corner of the lanai. "Darwin? Everything all right?"

  Ignoring him, I glanced at Mallory, gasping and feeling the blood rush back into my head as the pain began to subside. I pressed a hand against my stomach through the layers of my gown. "I need you to find out anything you can about that snake. How long they've owned it. What they feed it. Anything and everything."

  She nodded and glanced at Zach warily. "Find her a place to sit down." Then to me, "I'll be right back."

  "What's going on?" Zach asked, searching my face. "Something happened with the snake. Tell me."