Broken Trust

by Lillian Duncan

  “Will you eat with me?”

  “Can’t. Still working.”

  “Then I’ll pass. We’ll have a hamburger together to celebrate your passing the exam.”

  “If I pass.”

  “Don’t be such a pessimist.”

  “Can’t help it. I should be home studying.” After getting them both a soda, she handed a glass to him. She walked the length of the bar wiping it down.

  “So, anything interesting happen since the last time I saw you?”

  Her gaze met his. It was almost as if he knew something, but that was impossible. She shook her head, forcing her voice to sound blasé. “Not really. Spent the day studying. I stopped by here for a minute, but then Marquetta’s son got hurt, and I stayed so she could go to the hospital.”

  “Is he OK?”

  “Three stitches. The doctors assured her that it looks worse than it is. Poor little thing.”

  “I heard there was a murder near here last night.”

  “That’s what Marquetta said.” She wiped hard at a nonexistent spot on the bar.

  “Know anything about it?”

  “Why would I?” More than she ever wanted to know. “Did the police arrest someone?” If they had, she could forget about the whole thing. Then she wouldn’t have to get involved at all.

  “Not that I know of, but it did make the news.”

  “Of course. Every bad thing that happens in Cleveland makes the news. What about the good things? Like you driving drunks home so they don’t kill someone or themselves?”

  “You don’t seem yourself today, Glitter. Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “Just tired and worried. You know about the test tomorrow.”

  He put his hand over hers. “If you have a problem, I’m your man. You know, I really do care about you, Chryssie. Even if you won’t go out on a date with me. Wouldn’t want to see anything bad happen to you.” His hand surrounding hers felt safe and warm.

  She visualized throwing herself in his arms, telling him what had happened and him telling her not to worry, that he’d keep her safe. Yeah, maybe in a fairy tale. Not in real life. “No problems here. Just a little distracted about my final tomorrow.”

  “Well, good. The next time I see you, it will be over, and I can start calling you Nurse Glitter.”

  “The name’s Chryssie. As in chrysalis.”

  “Oh, like a cocoon?” He winked. “Must be why you’ve got that sexy caterpillar tattoo on you.”

  “Sexy? You told me it looked like a worm. But you’re right. Chrysalis is another name for a cocoon. You really are smarter than you look.”

  “I tried telling you, looks can be deceiving.”

  ****

  As Chryssie chased the last patron out of the bar, she stared out into the darkness. She didn’t want to walk down that alley to her car by herself. Where was Zack when she needed him? She should have confided in him. She should have told him what had happened. Or had him bring her car to the parking lot so she wouldn’t have to retrieve it. In the dark. Alone.

  Why hadn’t she thought of that earlier?

  She paced through the darkened bar toward the back door trying to summon up the courage to walk out into the dark alley. Her heart pounded. She couldn’t do it. But that was ridiculous. She needed her car. She opened the back door and stepped out. The darkness pressed in, making it hard to breathe. Shuddering, she jumped back inside and slammed the door. There was no way she would go into that dark alley. Another walk home it would be.

  Twenty minutes later, Chryssie turned onto her own street. Her apartment complex came into sight.

  Two men stood at the door. Were they waiting for her? What a ridiculous thought. Of course they weren’t waiting for her. Why would they be? Still, they might be up to no good, a burglary or something else. It wasn’t unheard of in this neighborhood. She scoffed at her paranoia, but her stomach stayed knotted.

  Chryssie stepped behind the big oak tree. She didn’t like the way they were looking down the street. As if searching for someone. Stop it. It’s just paranoia, they aren’t looking for me. The murderer couldn’t possibly know who she was or where she lived.

  Neither man looked like the guy with the gun anyway. Even if the shooter had recognized her from the bar, he wouldn’t know where she lived. Marv certainly wouldn’t give out that information. So those two huge men couldn’t possibly be looking for her.

  She cowered behind the tree, urging her feet to move forward, but they stayed rooted to the ground. So tired she could barely stand, she leaned against the tree and hoped they’d leave soon.

  But they didn’t.

  This was ridiculous. She needed to sleep before her final the next day. Taking a deep breath, she walked toward her apartment building.

  The two men turned as they heard her footsteps. They looked at each other and then back at her. As if a single unit, both men moved down the steps in tandem.

  Toward her.

  4

  In that split second, Chryssie knew she’d make a mistake. Forgetting about her exhaustion and throbbing feet, she fled down the street into the darkness.

  By the sound of the footsteps, these men were fast.

  The only plus was that it was her neighborhood. Still running, she turned into the Dunners’ yard. “Sparky, Sparky,” she whispered.

  Sparky, a one hundred-pound Rottweiler, started barking with joy. He loved her and his walks with her. Another way she made extra money. Sparky bounded out of the small shed that was his home and ran straight toward her. His feet landed on her shoulders as he lapped at her face. “Watch’em, Sparky.”

  The dog went quiet as he came to immediate attention. He loved people, but his owners had trained him to be a guard dog. Ohio City might be one of the best neighborhoods in Cleveland, but it still had crime.

  She patted his head and whispered. “Good dog. Watch’em.” Chryssie squeezed behind the small shed and waited.

  It didn’t take long before the quiet of the night was shattered. It wasn’t the happy-to-see-you-bark she’d heard a moment before. The excited barking turned into a low guttural warning.

  Chryssie peeked from behind the shed.

  The men stood at the edge of the yard. Their eyes and attention focused only on the dog—she’d been momentarily forgotten.

  Sparky strained to get to them.

  “Where is she?”

  “She’s gotta be here. I saw her run this way. And there’s no way out. See the fence.”

  He was wrong. Chryssie fell to her knees, feeling her way as she crawled along the fence—the fence Sparky had dug a hole under earlier in the summer. Her hand hit the board they’d used to block the space. Good thing the Dunners’ hadn’t fixed it yet. As she slithered under, the prongs of the chain link fence scraped her back. A small price to pay to get away. This was insane, but she had no idea who these men were, and until she’d had a chance to speak with the police, she wouldn’t take any chances.

  As she ran through the Millers’ yard, Sparky still growled. Chryssie chanced a glance back. A light had been turned on upstairs. Sparky had awakened his owners. Maybe they’d call the police.

  Her heart still raced, but she slowed to a walk as her feet touched the sidewalk. No reason to bring attention by running down the dark street in the middle of the night. What should she do now? Somewhere in the chase she’d lost her purse. Her heart sank. Her mind flashed to when she’d knelt down to crawl through the hole in the fence. Well, she wouldn’t go back there. Now, she had no money, no car, and no keys to get into her apartment. Of course, she could go to the manager.

  Chryssie looked at her watch. Almost 2:00 AM. Certainly Mr. Roberts wasn’t still up, but this was an emergency. He’d be a little aggravated, but he’d get over it. Once she got in her apartment, she’d be safe.

  There was no reason to think the men would be looking for her or that they would go back to her apartment building. They’d probably been looking for someone to rob. And she’d blown their plan
. But what if they found another victim? Surely, they’d assume she’d call the police. They wouldn’t keep hanging around.

  With that settled, she made her plans. She’d get Mr. Roberts to open her door, get a few hours’ sleep, and then take the exam. As soon as it was over, she’d go to the police. It might not make them happy that she’d waited so long, but they’d just have to accept it. As she neared her apartment building from the back entrance, her feet slowed.

  Better to be safe than sorry.

  She slipped behind a tree and waited. Sparky wasn’t barking down the street. Everything seemed quiet enough. No one around that she could see. She moved from the tree and ducked behind a car in the parking lot. She moved up to the next row of cars and then the next. Only one row of cars stood between her and the door.

  Now, she had to wait for someone to come out so she could get inside. Shuffling noises caught her attention. A shadow walked in her direction. The large shadow came into focus. Large enough to be one of the men who’d chased her only moments before.

  He walked casually around the parking lot, his hand in his pocket, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Did he have a gun in that pocket? Of course he did.

  Tears flooded her eyes making it hard to see. Why did everything keep going wrong for her?

  The gap between her and the man grew smaller.

  Chryssie couldn’t run now. She fell to her knees, flattened on the gravel and then rolled under the car, hoping the owner didn’t come out and run over her.

  Shoes came into view. They stopped in front of the car. Then they moved to the side. The shoes were so close she could touch them.

  Don’t look under the car. Chryssie held her breath, afraid the man would hear her. Don’t look under the car. She needed air but didn’t dare breathe. Surely, he could hear her heart thumping. The gravel bit into her cheek. She had no idea what she’d do if he bent down and found her.

  The shoes moved—finally.

  Very quietly, she sucked in air. She counted to five hundred before she found the courage to crawl out. After several surreptitious peeks, Chryssie decided the man had left the parking lot. Maybe he’d given up the search for good, but she doubted it. Even though she didn’t want to be exposed waiting for Mr. Roberts to buzz her in, she had no choice. She stood up and brushed off the dirt from her clothes. Her wig had fallen off. Her own hair was half-pinned up and half-falling down. She was filthy, thanks to the gravel. Oh, well. It can’t be helped.

  As she walked toward the door, someone came out. Finally—a break. Taking a deep breath, she half-walked, half-jogged to the door, smiling at the man as she passed. She could only hope he wouldn’t notice what a mess she was. His eyes were glued to the phone in his hand. She caught the door just before it closed.

  More tears threatened. She was so glad to be home. Get hold of yourself. Don’t fall apart yet. She took the fire stairs up to the third floor where Mr. Roberts’ apartment was located.

  5

  Chryssie knocked.

  No answer.

  On the third knock, Mr. Roberts answered wearing pajamas. He glared, but then his gaze moved down. Irritation was replaced with concern. “What happened to you, Chryssie? Are you all right?”

  “I had a little trouble on my way home.”

  “Did someone hurt you? Should I call the cops?”

  “No. No cops. I just need to get into my apartment. I lost my purse and my keys.”

  “Well, that’s not good. Now, I’ll have to change the locks.”

  “No, you won’t. I know where they are, but I was too far away when I realized I forgot my purse. I’ll get them in the morning.”

  He squinted at her. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. Believe me, if I really lost my keys, I’d insist you change the lock. I’ll get them first thing in the morning.”

  “I suppose you would at that. Hold on…” A moment later, he handed her the keys. “Are you sure you’re OK? Maybe I should call the cops.”

  “No, don’t do that.”

  He looked skeptical. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m just tired. I need to get some rest.”

  Once Chryssie closed the door to her apartment, she leaned against it. Her knees started trembling, then her whole body. She slid to the floor, not able to stop the tears. She’d made it.

  She couldn’t believe the men were there for her. They couldn’t have anything to do with what happened in the alley. That would be too bizarre. They had no idea who she was, it wasn’t as if the man in the alley knew her, or where she lived. Did he? If that was the case, then…she was in serious trouble. No one else, including the police, had any reason to believe she’d been involved in any way.

  Just a coincidence—that’s all.

  Her conscience nudged.

  So what? They were still looking for trouble. How could she live with herself if they hurt someone else? She walked to her house phone and pressed the numbers.

  “Yeah.” He sounded sleepy.

  “Zack, this is Chryssie. Glitter from the bar.”

  “Are you all right? What’s wrong?” He was suddenly more alert now—even worried.

  “I’m fine. But I need a favor.”

  “Anything.”

  “I need you to call the cops and report some suspicious guys hanging around my apartment building.”

  “Did they hurt you?”

  “No. but I’m afraid they might hurt someone else.”

  “Why can’t you call the police yourself?”

  “If I do that I’ll be up the rest of the night with them, and I have to get some sleep. My final’s in a few hours.”

  “Oh, yeah. Makes sense.”

  “Just don’t give them my name. I…I don’t want the hassle. I’ll call them tomorrow after my exam if they need to talk to me. Can you do that? Please.”

  “Sure. No problem. What’s your address again so I can tell them?”

  She gave her street name. “Thanks, Zack. I knew I could count on you.”

  “Always, Glitter. Always. You’re sure you’re OK?”

  “I’m sure. Talk to you later.” Good. Now she could sleep without worrying. Zack would make sure the police checked out the situation. They wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone.

  Her gaze fell on Gabriella’s photo. Tears filled her eyes as she picked it up. Her little sister needed her. Unlike their mother, Chryssie wouldn’t fail her if she could help it. Soon they’d be a family, just like her grandmother had provided a home for them before she’d died. Child Protective Services taking Gabriella away had been one of the hardest days of Chryssie’s life, even worse than her grandmother’s funeral.

  The social worker assured Chryssie that it shouldn’t be a problem now that she’d shown she was responsible by finishing college and could support both of them. Chryssie would do everything in her power to give Gabriella the kind of life every child deserved.

  Maybe Zack was right, maybe she should depend on God’s power instead. Her grandmother would agree with that. Chryssie sure didn’t seem to be doing a very good job on her own. Everything seemed to be falling apart—and just when she was so close. She whispered, “Please keep Gabriella safe.”

  She wasn’t even sure Who she was talking to.

  Chryssie wiped away the tears. This was not the time to fall apart or to cry. This was the time to get some sleep, take her final, and then she’d get this whole mess straightened out. For the second night in a row, Chryssie put the chair under the door knob, just in case.

  ****

  The clanging of the alarm made its way to her sleep-deprived brain. Chryssie’s hand reached out and felt around, but she couldn’t find it as the noise got louder. With a moan, she sat up and stared at the clock across the room. She’d done that on purpose.

  Today she couldn’t be late.

  She had just enough time to shower and get to class. As she showered, images of the dead man flashed in her mind. She needed to go to the police. Very soon. She hoped she could fin
d the courage to do what needed to be done.

  She’d had more than her fair share of difficult situations, but she’d never experienced the pure, unadulterated terror as when that man held the gun to her head. She could be dead right now. Even now, the thought rocked her.

  She leaned against the tiled wall of the shower, trying to catch her breath. Focus on the exam. Then the police. She’d find the courage afterwards. Yes, she would.

  One more look in the mirror. Gone was the flashy bartender; she’d morphed back into a college student. Her long brown hair hung past her shoulders. Wearing blue jeans and a loose T-shirt, she no longer resembled Glitter in any way. She slipped on her glasses.

  Glitter was probably gone for good, now that she’d lost her wig. She had no intention of buying another one. She could be walking past the two men who’d tried to rob her last night without them recognizing her.

  Chryssie went to her hidden money stash and pulled out two twenty dollar bills and the spare key to her car. The money was part of her rent, but she’d need it to take a taxi to the bar after the exam. She was too exhausted to do any more walking. Hopefully, she’d make it up in tips before the rent was due.

  After the exam, she’d get the car, then drive to the police station. It wouldn’t be pleasant, but it had to be done. And she’d tell them about those guys from last night as well. She was sure the two incidents weren’t connected. That would be too bizarre.

  She took the last sip of her coffee and then headed for the door. As her hand reached for Gabriella’s picture, the doorbell buzzed. She stopped.

  “Police Department.”

  Chryssie stared at the door. Why were they here? How had they gotten inside without using the intercom for her to buzz them in?

  Zack had promised not to tell them her name. He knew how important it was for her to take that exam today. He wouldn’t have betrayed her trust. Or maybe he would. It wasn’t like he’d be the first guy to betray her. They all did sooner or later.

  The police were probably just talking with all the tenants to see if anyone had seen the two men at the door. And she’d be glad to describe them in detail—just as soon as she was finished with the exam. She simply didn’t have time to do it right now.