by Laura DeLuca
“I’m a little stiffer today than I was yesterday for some reason, but I’ll survive. I’m certainly not going to let it ruin your birthday. Now come on,” he prodded. “Open your other present before the show starts.”
Rebecca picked up the second package. This one was round and hard, and she couldn’t even venture a guess at what it was. Taking Justyn’s advice, she didn’t worry about preserving the wrapping and instead, ripped it away with reckless abandon. She was glad she wasted no time. The gift she found beneath the paper took her breath away with its elegance. Rebecca felt her eyes fill with tears as she studied the wooden plaque that had been painstakingly engraved with elaborate Celtic markings.
“Did you … did you make this?”
Justyn shrugged modestly. “It’s only wood burning. It’s not as hard as it looks.”
Rebecca had to clear her throat to speak past the lump that had suddenly materialized there. “Modesty doesn’t suit you, Lord Justyn. This is exquisite.”
“It’s a Celtic heart,” Justyn explained. “See how the heart is interwoven with the triquetra? It’s a symbol of love and unity.”
Rebecca’s fingers outlined the grooves of the three looping figures encircling the heart. There was also a tribal pattern around the frame similar to the tattoo on Justyn’s shoulder, the tips of which were sneaking out from underneath the short sleeves of his black T-shirt. Across the whole plaque he had used a stain that brought out the natural colors of the wood. The design was striking, and despite its simplicity, it must have taken days, maybe even weeks, to create. Rebecca had no idea where he’d found the time without her catching him in the act.
“This is so beautiful. I don’t know how you manage it, but somehow you always seem to outdo yourself.”
“I’ve been working on it for a while,” he admitted. “But somehow it seems even more fitting now, after the way you’ve stood by me. You’ve been amazing, Becca. Most girls would have walked away and never looked back after all the drama of the last few weeks.”
“Then most girls would be idiots,” Rebecca told him. “You’re worth standing up for.”
He cast down his eyes. “Still, you deserve so much more than what I can give you.”
“Justyn,” Rebecca took his hand and laid it on her belly, “I already have the only two things that matter.”
His dark eyes were still shadowed with melancholy as he leaned down to kiss her. That sadness only made her want him more, if only in the hopes her touch would heal his pain. Rebecca found herself more than willing when Justyn pulled her into his arms and his tongue sought to explore the soft folds of her mouth. His hand glided along her back, sending chills up her spine, despite the humidity. Rebecca felt an instant yearning for more that couldn’t be sated in such a public place. Had it been a few hours later, had they had the cover of darkness, she was certain the sandy shoreline would have become the bed of their passion.
“Ummm, get a room, would you?”
Carmen’s disgruntled voice reminded them that it was daylight, and they had a job waiting for them. Reluctantly, Rebecca allowed Justyn to guide her from the bench so they could walk across the street to the theater. They greeted Fernando as he was unlocking the back door. Their boss wasn’t nearly as chipper as he normally was. In fact, his hands shook so badly he dropped his keys three times and had trouble getting the door unlocked.
Justyn’s eyes narrowed. “Is everything okay, Fernando?”
“Oh, hello, kids.” Fernando noticed them for the first time. “You haven’t heard? I was certain the police would’ve been in touch with you by now.”
“The police?” Rebecca felt her heart lurch. She had a feeling this wasn’t going to be a very happy birthday after all.
“We haven’t talked to anyone,” Tom said. “What’s going on?”
Fernando took a deep breath. “They found Albert today.”
“Good,” Carmen cheered. “I hope they put that bastard behind bars where he belongs.”
Fernando shook his head. “I’m afraid I didn’t make myself clear. The police found Albert’s body. He was murdered.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Somehow Rebecca would never get used to the idea of the show going on in the midst of devastating tragedy. She understood business was business. Fernando couldn’t afford to lose a full day’s income in such a short tourist season. Not to mention most of the staff didn’t even like Albert. Still, somehow it seemed blatantly disrespectful to carry on with work as though nothing had happened, like they hadn’t lost one of their own. Rebecca was so overwhelmed by the shocking news she wasn’t sure how she was going to make it through the night without stumbling over her lines or her own two feet. The strangest thing of all was Victoria had actually showed up for work. Perhaps the rest of them were expected to keep the place running, but Victoria had lost the father of her child. She deserved at least a little down time. Robert shared Rebecca’s concern and coddled the Latina as they prepared for the opening act.
“Victoria, dear,” Robert crooned, “I wish you would consider taking the day off. I’m certain Carmen or one of the other chorus girls would be more than willing to work as your understudy for a few days.”
“Don’t look at me,” Carmen mumbled under her breath, and Rebecca elbowed her in the ribs.
“I’m fine, Robert,” Victoria insisted, but she refused to meet the old man’s eyes. “What am I gonna do at home? At least here I’m keepin’ busy. Besides, I need the money.”
Robert gave his head a sad shake as Victoria took her place behind the curtain to await her cue, but Rebecca felt a newfound respect for her coworker. If she ever lost Justyn … she couldn’t even think about it. She wouldn’t have been able to breathe, let alone get up on stage and sing. Of course, Rebecca’s relationship with Justyn was very different than what Victoria had shared with Albert. Still, Victoria really didn’t seem broken up about Albert’s death at all—not even a little bit.
“Are you all right, Becca?” Justyn eyed her critically. “You look a little pale. Are you sick?”
Rebecca forced a smile. “No. I haven’t had any trouble with morning sickness since Darlene gave me her miracle tea.”
“Albert then?”
She shrugged. “It’s hard not to get nervous when people start turning up dead. Especially after the things we’ve already been through.”
“Albert was a drug-dealing creep,” Carmen reminded her. “I’m sure he had plenty of enemies we don’t even know about. I doubt him getting himself offed had anything to do with us.”
“Let’s hope so.” Tom’s face was set in a tight, serious frown. “Because after what happened in the parking lot the other day, I’ll betcha anything Justyn and me are both gonna be top of the suspect list.”
“I’m amazed they don’t already have me in handcuffs again,” Justyn agreed and massaged his temples. “I know Weston is dying to see me locked up for good.”
“Maybe I should be the one worrying about you.” Rebecca studied him with a critical eye. “Are you getting a headache?”
He nodded, the movement resulting in a flinch of pain. “It sort of hit me out of nowhere. Stress, I guess. But I’ll be okay. As least as long as I stay off Weston’s suspect list.”
Rebecca was concerned, but only a few seconds later, Justyn was on the stage and she was alone with her thoughts. Rebecca had a few suspects of her own when it came to Albert’s death, and she couldn’t help but think about them as they moved through the first act. Fernando and his handkerchief still seemed a little suspicious. Steve could easily be a disgruntled client. Maybe even Petya was upset by yet another coworker turning down her advances. There were a dozen different scenarios, and Rebecca ran through them all as Justyn transformed into Hyde on the stage. Someone among them went through a similar transformation each night when they left the theater. Someone was hiding a terrible secret, a secret face, and Rebecca was going to find out who it was.
“Aghhhh!!!”“
Justyn’s
desperate scream distracted Rebecca from Albert’s mysterious death and made her realize she had more important things to worry about at the moment. She was always entranced by Justyn’s flawless performance. He thrashed around in agony as he fought the change, but Rebecca had a feeling the pained look on his face didn’t take much acting. When he pulled himself to his feet, he struggled. His face was sheet-white, and she was sure she saw him sway a little. The audience wouldn’t have noticed, but Rebecca knew him too well not to know he wasn’t feeling well. She actually felt guilty for not realizing sooner how that violent scene must be effecting his battered body.
As soon as the curtain closed, Rebecca went in search of Justyn to see how he was doing. Maybe a backrub between scenes would make him feel a little better. She was so distracted by her concern for her fiancé she wasn’t watching where she was going, and she ran smack into one of her coworkers.
“Excuse me—oh, Victoria!” When she realized it was the Latina, Rebecca forgot about Justyn for the moment and gave her what she hoped was a comforting smile. “I’m so sorry to hear about Albert.”
Victoria snorted. “No, you’re not.”
Rebecca did a double take. That wasn’t the response she had anticipated. A neutral thank you, a disinterested nod maybe, but never had Rebecca expected to be facing down such cold and unfeeling indifference. After their pleasant conversation with Darlene the other day, Rebecca thought they were on good terms again. Maybe her ears were playing tricks on her.
“Wh-what did you say?”
“You heard me.” Victoria crossed her arms and acted almost bored. “You ain’t sorry Al’s dead. No one is, least of all me. He was a monster and he got exactly what was comin’ to him.”
“Well, I know he wasn’t perfect, but—”
“You don’t know nothin’, Becca,” Victoria interrupted. “You with your perfect little world and your perfect little boyfriend. You got no clue what it’s like being chained to a guy like Al. You can’t ever escape. Even now, the bastard’s dead and he’s still finding ways to hurt me and my kid. A bullet in his head was too good for him.”
With that, Victoria sauntered away, leaving Rebecca feeling shocked and a little shaken. So much so, she missed her chance to find Justyn before the next scene began. Victoria was part of the bar dance act as well, and she took her spot on the stage as though nothing had happened. She strutted nonchalantly across the dance floor, dropping her skirts and petticoats one by one, until all she wore were her black knee-high boots and a shiny black girdle. One of the male dancers slipped a red pirate jacket around her shoulders and handed her a golden telescope before the show within the show began.
The other girls hid Victoria’s revealing curves with large feathered fans as the music began to stream through the overhead speakers. The song was the stripper’s showtune, meant to be a fun ditty about good versus evil. Victoria slithered across the stage on her belly in front of Justyn and Tom, with her strong voice bellowing out the normally sensual lyrics. She looked like she enjoyed the idea of walking on the dark side and she was having way more fun than she should be, considering her circumstances. She climbed astride the back of one of the male extras, riding him like a steed. Her voice was seductive, and her fingers ran teasingly through his hair as she sang.
“In life we all have one choice that must be made.
Whether you’re good or evil, a price must be paid.
Good leads to sacrifice, while evil’s all fun.
In the face of evil, good tends to turn tail and run.
If I must choose, the choice is very clear.
Evil is my choice. Goodness only leads to despair.”
Rebecca shivered when Victoria finally stepped off the stage, maintaining her icy exterior long after her run-in with Steve in his guise as the pimp. Her callous attitude made Rebecca wonder how far the dancer would go to remove Albert from her life. Could Victoria have taken advantage of the current situation to get rid of her abusive boyfriend? It would be easy to cast suspicion on someone else with everything that was going on at the theater. If she was guilty, that would certainly explain her strange behavior. Just the idea made Rebecca shudder despite herself.
Those sinister thoughts stayed with her for the rest of the first act, but were finally forgotten when she saw a few familiar faces in the crowd. They distracted her so much she fumbled her lines, and it was only Robert’s quick thinking that helped her recover before making a complete fool of herself.
A pair of uniformed police officers slipped through the back door of the theater. They stood in the corner of the dining area, trying to blend with the crowd, as they studied the actors bouncing across the platform. Officer Weston whispered and pointed when Justyn took the stage, his customary frown on his face. For the first time, Rebecca wished her fiancé wasn’t quite so convincing in the role of a madman. Seeing him butcher Fernando so gleefully could only add to the cop’s suspicions. Already, Weston’s eyes were beginning to narrow. Rebecca feared the worst part of the night was yet to come and her premonitions of dread were more than her imagination running wild.
Fernando called the staff together during the intermission. He must have had a whole collection of handkerchiefs, because he used a new one to wipe the sweat from his brow before he finally spoke. “The police are here,” he informed the nervous cast in an unsteady voice.
Rebecca was too anxious to ask questions. She simply clung to Justyn’s hand. Normally, her fiancé would have been the first to speak, but his injuries were catching up with him. Rebecca gave his fingers a reassuring squeeze, but his hands were shaking, and there were dark shadows under his eyes. A sore body coupled with a severe headache was distracting him from the conversation as well as from Rebecca. Steve, however, had no trouble making inquiries in his normal coarse fashion.
“What the hell do the police want?”
“Is it about Al?” one of the chorus dancers demanded.
Fernando nodded. “I’m afraid so. The officers want to talk to every member of the staff. They think…” He paused, took a deep breath, and twisted his handkerchief around his fingers so tightly some sweat actually dripped from the saturated cloth and to the floor. “They believe it’s possible one of my employees may be responsible for Albert’s death.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
The second act continued despite the presence of the law enforcement officers in the building. They were discreet about their interviews and agreed to start with the kitchen staff so the show could continue without interruption. It wasn’t entirely out of goodwill. No one wanted rumors of murder circulating among the dinner patrons. Stories like that could damage tourism for the whole city, especially when it was drug related. Nevertheless, the police’s willingness to cooperate didn’t stop the staff from getting jittery. It was rather ironic how the emotions all the actors felt were duplicated in the dance number in the opening act.
The whole cast was on the stage, and as they bellowed the lyrics, more than one person glanced around with suspicion in their eyes. In the backdrop there were artificial flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder to set the mood while the actors used their open umbrellas as dance partners. Rebecca had to wear a black dress and bonnet as she mourned the death of her father’s friend, the bishop. She sang an aria in Latin as she followed the funeral dirge through a cloud of fake mist with the extras humming solemnly in the background. Though not all of them excelled in music, the two dozen voices blended in perfect harmony as they began the chorus,
“There’s a killer on the loose in the city.
His crimes both obscene and cruel.
This killer is hiding amongst us.
Is there nowhere to hide from this ghoul?
Muuuurder!”
It was no surprise to Rebecca that the majority of nervous glances were aimed in Justyn’s direction. The confrontation in the parking lot was no secret, and even prior to that, the tension between Justyn and Albert had been palpable. Add to that the common knowledge of Justyn’s rece
nt arrest, and it was hardly shocking that once again her fiancé was the scapegoat. The fact that he was portraying the crazed murderer they were all shouting about only enhanced their suspicions. As Hyde lurked across the stage with his signature top hat and cane, killing the hypocritical aristocrats he hated one by one, it was easy to see how everyone could so easily cast Justyn in the role of the real-life villain. It was obvious he enjoyed pretending to strangle Petya. Breaking Steve’s neck gave him even greater delight. As the bodies piled up on the padded mats and the chorus dancers moved on to the second verse, there was more than one shaky voice among them.
“Somewhere in the city lurks a fiend.
Waiting in the shadows to kill unseen.
Murder is the game he’s playing.
There is no point in praying.
There is no place where you can hide.
Muuuuurder!”
The song came to a boisterous end with the surviving cast all falling into a crouched position and Justyn jumping up behind them with his sword raised above his head and his eyes wild. Beneath his fur coat, a glimpse of blood stained his white buttoned shirt. The grin he wore could only be classified as evil, and the angry growl he emitted made several members of the audience gasp. One woman even dropped her glass of wine. Rebecca hoped the cops weren’t watching.
In between costume changes, Carmen tried to tell Rebecca she was being paranoid, but it turned out Rebecca was right to be nervous. As soon as they took their final bows, they found Nino, Officer Weston, and a plainclothes detective waiting for them backstage.
“Justyn Patko? Tom Rittenhouse?” The detective studied them critically as he flashed his badge. “We have a few questions for you.”
Carmen and Rebecca exchanged nervous glances as the guys followed the detective back to the privacy of Fernando’s office. Rebecca didn’t even have a chance to talk to Justyn before he disappeared behind the closed door. He tried to give her an encouraging smile on his way in, but Rebecca noticed his posture was stiff and his hand grasped his side. She wondered how Justyn was going to hold up under Weston’s scrutiny when he wasn’t at his peak.