by A. D. McLain
“No, your friend is right,” David replied softly. Whether she liked it or not, she was in danger. Nicole needed to realize precautions had to be taken. Then he looked a little closer at Nicole’s face and wished he hadn’t spoken. He saw panic in her eyes, a very real need to be away from this place… these people… everything, in fact. He tried to think of a way to help. He didn’t know what was bothering her, but he couldn’t ignore it. He couldn’t believe he’d missed it in the first place.
Making a conscious effort to release the tension in his chest, he spoke again. “I’ll walk you home,” he announced without thinking. As soon as the words had left his lips, he wondered at them. He had no idea where that thought had come from. He shouldn’t be spending more time alone with her. He should just help her find an excuse to leave, then follow her from a distance. Then again maybe he wouldn’t have to come up with any excuse, maybe she would reject his offer and decide to go home on her own. That would be for the best – for them both. He tried to ignore the tension in his chest.
Just what she needed, more time alone with him. She didn’t know whether to be upset, or happy at the prospect. She stood and opted for upset. “Arrghh, this is ridiculous.” She ran her hands through her hair with an exasperated motion.
“No, it’s not,” he responded calmly, though he felt anything but. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, trying to talk her into doing what just a moment ago he’d hoped she would turn down, but it was too late to back out now.
Nicole inhaled sharply. David was standing right beside her now. Another inch, and they’d be touching. His voice was low and gentle, like a caress. It quickly calmed her, dissipating the caged feeling she was suffering.
“Someone’s already tried to harm you twice. Let me walk you home. You’ll have some company, at least, and you’ll take a little of the worry away from your friends. What harm can it do?”
Nicole lifted an eyebrow. Who could argue with logic like that, especially when it came in that smooth, calm voice? “Okay, you can walk me home.” She said it as if she thought she had a choice in the matter, even knowing she didn’t. She knew, with an odd certainty, David would end up accompanying her one way or another. She picked up her books and waved to John and Meg before heading for the exit. She wasn’t even surprised when David held the door for her. Giving him a wry smile, Nicole paused in the doorway and looked directly at David. “One question, Coverton. How did you know it had been twice?”
David cringed inwardly. He’d hoped she wouldn’t catch that slip up. He needed to be more careful about what he said around her. “Let’s just say I keep informed.”
She stared at him for a second, then shook her head and walked out the door. He was an enigma all right – but she liked a challenge. She suspected she should be more alarmed by his strange reply, but for some unknown reason, she wasn’t. After these past two months, it was refreshing to have something to wrap her mind around.
A few minutes passed by in silence, before David spoke. “Is my company really that bad?”
“What? No.” Nicole shook her head. “I just wish everyone would stop worrying about me.”
“Your friends care about you.” David thought it felt strange to be on this side of the argument.
“I know, but they can be smothering sometimes. Meg isn’t so bad. We’ve known each other a lot of years. I’ve only known John a short time. He’s a good friend, but he always treats me like I’m going to break.”
“How did you and Meg meet?”
“That is a very long story, one only a few people know.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Maybe someday, if you’re still around, I’ll tell you about it.” She turned away as the second the words left her mouth. What was wrong with her? She’d only just met the guy, and she was already making insinuations he would be sticking around. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted him to stick around yet, and even if she did, any girl worth her salt knew you didn’t put that kind of pressure on a guy you’d only just met… not that she wanted him to stick around, anyway. Luckily, he seemed not to notice her complete and utter faux pas. Either that, or he was too polite to bring attention to it.
She put the comment behind her and concentrated on trying to enjoy the walk. It was a nice day, and the company was pleasant, too. She’d successfully begun to relax by the time they reached her building, but when Nicole reflexively stole a glance down the alley beside the building, felt herself she shuddered.
“Are you all right?” David asked.
She nodded. “It’s funny how memories can hit you harder than the actual event.” She stared off into the distance, not really seeing anything.
He thought against a desire to pull her into his arms and hold her until she forgot the previous night. “The actual event only takes a short time. Memories can last forever. They’re filled with what if’s, and other unanswerable questions.”
The tone of his voice penetrated her thoughts. Her eyes cleared, and she turned her attention back to him. “Sounds like you know that from experience.”
“Hey, don’t we all?” He offered her a weak grin and shrugged.
“I guess.” For a moment, she’d felt inexplicably close to him, but then again, he had saved her life, so maybe it wasn’t so strange. “How’s your arm?”
He shrugged. “It’s fine.”
“Fine? It was a deep gash.”
“I’m very resilient.”
There was that spark of amusement in his eye again, a spark which went well with his mischievous smile. Her eyes were drawn to a small dimple at the corner of his mouth. “Thanks for walking me home.” She suspected her eyes needed a leash.
“No problem. Just promise me you’ll be careful, that you won’t take any stupid risks.”
“What kind of risks would you like me to take?” She smiled.
“Nicole…” Her name rumbled in his throat, sounding almost like a growl.
She laughed, oddly aroused by the way his voice growled in his throat. “Okay, okay, I promise. There’s no need to worry, I’ve gotten good at taking care of myself.” There was a wistful note in her voice that she couldn’t quite conceal.
Their eyes locked. A few strands of Nicole’s hair blew across her face, and David quelled the absurd urge to reach out and tuck them behind her ear. What was he thinking? He needed to put some distance between them. He forced his eyes away and broke the spell their interlocked gaze had been weaving.
Nicole forced herself to breathe again. “Well then, Coverton, guess I’ll see you later.” She turned and walked up the steps hurriedly, throwing a casual “Bye,” over her shoulder and entered the building.
He watched her toss her hair over her shoulder just before the door closed. He stood silently for a couple of minutes, his gaze on the building. “Bye” he whispered once before he turned, walking away.
Nicole paused outside her apartment door and shook her head. For a moment, she was certain she’d heard David whisper ‘Bye’.
It was probably just stress she was under. There was no way she could have heard him from in here. Unlocking the door, she went inside tossing her books on the couch, and started working on dinner.
David swirled the scotch in the glass, listening to the way the ice clinked against the sides. A car door closed outside, and he listened as footsteps approached the house. He sighed and stood up, heading for the door. It opened with a loud creak. “I’ve got to remember to oil that thing,” he muttered to himself. “Mark, what are you doing here?”
“I thought you’d be here. I wanted to check in on you and see how you were doing.”
“Never better,” he answered sarcastically. “Want a drink?”
“No, thanks.”
David shrugged and headed back into the study, Mark following behind.
Mark studied David carefully. His hair was wild and unkempt, his clothes wrinkled, and judging from the dark circles under his eyes, David hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in some time. He looked as if he needed to seriously de-
stress. Mark watched him swallow the contents of the whiskey glass in a single swallow and sighed. “What made you come back?”
“Hmm?”
“You haven’t been back here in years, and then you show up all of the sudden, right when Nicole is in trouble. That’s excellent timing. I’m just wondering what made you decide to come back.”
David looked to the wall at the picture of Richard. “I just remembered something.”
“What?”
David turned to his friend. “I had a dream. It was regarding something Richard said before he died. He asked me to make sure Nicole was okay, if anything ever happened to him. I tried to shrug it off, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I figured I’d come check things out. I thought I could be in and out in a couple of days, tops. I never imagined she’d actually be in danger.”
Mark studied David closely. “Are you still planning on leaving, once all this is over?”
“Yeah, I mean, why wouldn’t I?”
“Because you’ve been living like a hermit for sixteen years. You’re a wreck right now. I know Richard’s death hit you hard but…”
“It’s not just that. It’s part of it, but it’s not all of it.”
“So, what is it that’s bothering you so much?”
David exhaled heavily. He might as well tell him, maybe another point of view could prove useful. At least it would be better than only listening to the voice in his head. “I… uh… I’ve been thinking a lot about Nicole.”
“You mean, worrying about her?”
“More than that. This is crazy.” He pushed his fingers through his hair, turning his back on Mark before he spoke quietly. “I’ve been thinking about the way she looks, the sound of her voice, random things she says.”
There was a brief silence followed by a burst of laughter. David turned back to stare at Mark, who had a big smile on his face.
“You’re attracted to her?”
“Yeah, I’m attracted to her. What’s so funny?”
“You. You’re attracted to a woman, and you’re squirming like a child confessing they stole a cookie. There’s nothing wrong with how you feel. It’s not like you’ve just found out you’ve got the plague.”
David fought the urge to squirm. “But it’s Nicole.”
“So, what? She’s not a child, and I don’t think Richard would think any less of you for it. Hell, he’d probably be happy about the idea. You know you were like a son to him.”
“I didn’t say I was going to marry her. I just said I was attracted to her,” David responded defensively.
Mark softened his tone a little, conscious of how irritable David was getting. “Look, you want my advice? Don’t think too much about it. Just explore the concept a little. You’ve been closed off for so long and you think too much. You need to live in the moment. Everything else will come.”
“You think so?” For the first time in a while, David was hopeful.
“Yeah, I do. Have I ever led you wrong?” Mark grinned and winked at David, drawing a smile. Confident he’d done all he could for the time being, he glanced at his watch and confirmed the time. “Look, I have to go. Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Thanks.”
“No problem. If you need to talk, call me. Better yet, come by. I’ve got some new sketches I’d like to show you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” David walked him to the door, clasping arms with Mark before closing the door and heading back to the study. He eyed the bottle of scotch for a second or two, before putting it away and grabbing his jacket.
6
Rodney tossed back another beer and slapped the shoulder of the man standing beside him. “So, they’re coming after me. I mean, what have I to them did… done… they did… I ain’t done nut’in. They just got too much free time that they gotta mess with me.”
The other man cringed away from Rodney’s foul breath and endless tirade. Quickly paying for his own drink, he moved away to find a better seat elsewhere in the bar.
Rodney shrugged, already forgetting about the stranger, and pushed his glass toward the bartender. “I’ll have ’nother one.”
The bartender looked him over. Rodney reeked of alcohol, and his clothes were a disheveled mess. His shirt was stained with dirt, sweat, and drink in several places. His pants were worn through at the knees and had dark stains all over them. He could barely stay upright without leaning on the bar, and even that perch seemed precarious at times. “Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” he asked, already knowing what Rodney’s answer would be as he filled the glass. Beer foamed up and spilled over the rim or the glass, forming a ring-shaped puddle on the bar.
“There’s no such thing as too much,” Rodney slurred. He waved his new drink around, the contents splashing out in all directions as he spoke to the bartender and anyone else within earshot. Raising his voice, he continued where he’d left off with the other man a minute before. “I used to really be something, ya know. Before all these people started nosing around in my business, everything was jus’ fine. But I’ll show ’em. I’m gonna have all the power. I’m gonna be a millionaire someday, and I’m gonna have a big fancy house with an indoor heated pool, lots of expensive cars, and women… lots of women. I’m gonna be able to get any woman I want. People are gonna to be sucking up to me, doing anything just to get a little piece of the pie.” Rodney downed the rest of his beer and slammed the glass down. “Give me ’nother one.”
“Sorry, I can’t do that.” The bartender took the glass and wiped down the bar with a rag. “You’re at your limit. That’s all the drinks you’re getting here tonight.” He was starting to scare away the other customers, and that wasn’t good for business.
“What? That’s stupid. I don’t need your damn drinks anyway. I’ll just go somewhere else.” Rodney stumbled across the crowded bar, people gladly making a path for his departure. “You just wait,” he said, almost falling when he turned back around at the door. “Someday, I’m gonna run this whole damn town, and you’ll all have to answer to me.”
The door slammed behind him, the sound lost in the hum of a car passing by. Rodney stumbled down the street, mumbling to himself. It was exceptionally dark outside, making it difficult to see ahead of him. It must be later than he thought. It meant he wouldn’t be able to go just anywhere to get another drink, not many places would be open this late at night. He tried to figure out how long he’d been at the bar, but his mind wouldn’t count past three hours before he completely lost his train of thought and remembered he needed a new place to drink. Currently, that question took precedence over everything else. He’d probably end up having to buy beer at the store and take it home with him, if he could find a store that was open.
This was just great. He had to go to all this trouble just because some bartender thought he’d had too much to drink. Who the hell was he to tell him how much he could drink? Rodney would show him, along with the rest of this town. They’d all be sorry they hadn’t been nicer to him. They’d be sorry when he was in charge, when he had all the power. They’d be sorry. “You just wait,” he yelled into the night, shaking his fist in the air.
“Wait for what?” A voice, barely audible, spoke from behind him.
Rodney swung around, nearly losing his balance, but there was no one there. He squinted into the darkness, scanning his surroundings and realized he didn’t recognize where he was. Nothing on the street seemed familiar. Even the street name was unfamiliar. He must have taken a wrong turn. It was all that stupid bartender’s fault, if he hadn’t gotten him so worked up, making him go look for beer somewhere else, he wouldn’t be in this mess. Now he’d have to backtrack to find his way.
A cold wind blew past Rodney on his right, and it seemed a lot darker all of a sudden. Now he could only see a couple of feet in front of his face.
“What are you going to do, pass out on me?”
The voice sounded as if it was right beside his left ear this time. He even felt someone’s
breath on his skin, but there was nobody to be seen.
“Who are you?” His eyes darted around, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.
“I’m the one who is going to help you achieve your goals – you know, the power, the money, the women. I can help you get all of that.”
Rodney turned in a circle, but the voice stayed behind him, and there was no sign of who was speaking. “Where are you? How are you doing that?” He didn’t like this, didn’t like it one bit.
“Don’t worry about that. Just worry about what I can do for you. I can make your dreams come true.”
“How are you going to do that?” Despite the strangeness of this entire situation, he was starting to get interested. What if this guy really could help him?
“Guidance. You listen to me, and we both get what we want.” A low fog started rolling in, covering the ground and making his feet disappear from sight.
“And what do you want?” There had to be some trick here.
“Nicole Cameron. I want her dead.” A figure appeared in the shadows to his right. In the blink of an eye, the figure was at his left. No matter how hard Rodney tried, he couldn’t make out any details. The figure was barely visible, blending in and out of the darkness. He found himself questioning if the figure was really there.
“Yeah, well, I already tried that once. What else am I supposed to do?”
“You have to get a little creative. Think of some way to attack when she’s not expecting it. Wait until she feels safe, then strike.” The fog thickened, completely enveloping the shadowy figure. “Whatever you do, you must kill Nicole Cameron.” The words came from every direction at once, echoing into the night. The fog rolled out as swiftly as it had arrived, and the darkness lifted some. There still wasn’t a lot of light, but it wasn’t quite as dark as it had been a moment ago.
As Rodney stumbled away, his mind cleared, and he thought over several options, trying to decide on the best way to kill Nicole Cameron.