by Lee Mae
But Lori’s refrigerator held no food that didn’t look or smell bad, and Taryn was hungry. She also really wanted a shower and change of clothes. It didn’t take long for her to decide to walk home, shower, change clothes and bring back some food for her and Lori. Taryn thought her refrigerator might have something more than Lori’s day’s-old selection of take-out.
The rain had returned and the sky was a mass of clouds, so low they looked like she could reach out and touch them. She pulled the collar of her jacket up around her neck and walked faster.
The outside door to her building was propped open, again. The damned kids in the building were too lazy to use their keys and the parents were too lazy to get up and buzz them in. Taryn had given up telling the super, after he’d tried to grope her in his basement office. She sighed and climbed the steps into the downstairs hall, which always smelled like boiled cabbage and cigarette smoke with a hint of stale beer.
On her floor, standing in the narrow hall in front of the apartment, she stuck the key in the lock. But before she could turn the key, the door swung open on its own. Her heart skidded in a panicked leap in her chest and she took a step back away from the door. Was it possible she’d forgotten to lock it the last time she left? She didn’t think so. She’d never forgotten to lock her apartment. It was second nature.
There were no noises she could hear, not like anyone was inside. The only sound she heard was from the next apartment, from old Mr. Feldman’s television set, turned up full volume. It somehow made her feel safe, in a totally ridiculous way, to know he was home. That he was totally deaf didn’t really seem to matter. Just knowing there was another human being on the other side of the door gave her a little courage.
Her living room looked the same, the short hall leading to her bedroom dark. She ventured cautiously inside, clutching her purse. Nothing looked disturbed. The kitchen was a disaster, but that was how she’d left it. Her muscles relaxed just a bit and she crept down the hall to her bedroom.
The door was open and she peeked inside, staying in the hall. The bed was messy, sheets trailing on the floor, again, exactly how it had looked before she left for work.
Taking a deep breath, she advanced slowly into her bedroom. Fear hummed through her, a tingle running down her spine. From here she could see into the bathroom, the shower curtain pulled back and most of the room reflected in the mirror above the sink. There didn’t appear to be anyone hiding in the shadows of the tiny room.
She stood in front of her closet, her heart jolting in her chest as she looked at the closed door. Everything she wanted was in that closet. She reached out, her hand on the doorknob. Should she jerk the door open or do it slowly?
Taking a deep breath, she yanked the door open, jumping to the side in anticipation of someone…something…jumping out. But no one did.
She let out a shaky breath and did a quick inventory. Her duffel bag was on the floor of the closet and she scooped it up, pulling shirts from hangers and jamming them inside, grabbing dirty laundry from the floor. The dresser was next and she pulled open drawers, grabbing handfuls of underwear and then tossing in several pair of jeans.
Lugging the duffel to the bathroom, she swept everything off the counter into the bag, quickly opening drawers and adding their contents.
The longer she was in the apartment, the shakier her hands got. The sense of being on borrowed time, the overwhelming feeling she was being watched grew by the minute.
By the time she dragged the duffel back into the hall, her breathing was so shallow she was almost hyperventilating. She forced herself to take deep breaths as she locked the door, twisting the knob and ratting the door in its frame. Mr. Feldman’s television was still blaring and she stopped and listened for a minute. Finally, she slung the duffel over her shoulder, almost running down the hall and stairs, and out into the rainy night.
It wasn’t until she was back at Lori’s that it hit her. The apartment had a smell, the same rotten garbage smell of the alley and her clothes the night of the attack.
She’d taken a quick shower and was sitting on the floor in Lori’s living room, rooting through the duffel bag, when her cell phone rang. Scrambling through the debris, she finally found her purse and dug out the phone.
“Hello?”
“Taryn? You’re all out of breath. You okay? Where are you?” Sam’s voice instantly grew concerned. Taryn leaned back against the couch, pushing aside her clothes.
“Yeah, just couldn’t find my purse. I’m at Lori’s. I just got back from my apartment, getting some things. Something odd happened, though.”
She could almost see him on the other end of the call, his dark brows furrowed together over his gray eyes, mouth in a straight line.
“What happened? Where?”
“At my apartment. The door was open and when I went in…”
“You went in? Why?”
“I needed clothes. I’m still wearing what I had on yesterday. Besides, no one was there.”
“Taryn, you should have called me.”
“Oh, yeah. Well, I…I didn’t think about that.”
She heard a deep sigh on the other end and cringed, expecting an angry tirade. But Sam’s voice was so quiet, so gentle, she was taken completely off guard.
“I know. It’s okay, baby. This is all new for you. But next time…well, let’s hope there isn’t a next time like this. But call me, okay? It’s what I’m here for, among other things.”
She smiled, blushing. “It’s the other things that I think about, I guess.”
His laugh was warm and rich and she shivered. “Yeah. Me too. But really, what happened?”
She explained everything, answering his questions, going back over details. At the end, he sighed.
“Are you going to call the police?”
“I don’t think so. Nothing was taken. I probably forgot to lock the door. Or the damned super was in and forgot to lock the door when he left.”
“Listen, next time you need to go back, call me, okay? I’ll come along.”
“Protection?” She grinned, liking that idea.
“You bet.” She heard the smile in his voice. “You’re okay now though? Staying at Lori’s, I mean?”
She told him she was and they ended the call. Sam would be there for her, that she could actually call him and he’d help her. It was a novel idea and such a sweet one, something to play with in her mind, look at and think about and marvel over.
She climbed up on the couch, her rubble of clothing forgotten and drifted off, thinking about Sam.
Noises at the door woke Taryn. She sat up groggily as Lori came into the living room.
“How was it? Busy?”
Lori sank onto the couch. “Meh. It was what it always is. But…” She reached into the dilapidated canvas bag she always carried when she worked. “I did manage to bring you dinner. I know I left you with nothing but mold in the fridge.”
She held out a paper sack. Taryn took it, peering inside.
“Burgers from Pete’s. Excellent.” She pulled out the paper-covered burger, unwrapping it and taking a big bite.
“Oh, man. Thanks. This is perfect.” She talked around a mouthful of hamburger with all of the trimmings.
Lori extracted a second paper bag and unwrapped her own burger.
“I see you went back to get clothes. Are you moving in?”
This time Taryn answered through a mouthful of fries. “I went to jus shower and change clothes. Someone broke in. The door was open. So, I grabbed as much as I could carry.”
Lori stared at her, burger half way to her mouth, eyes wide. “You’re kidding? No, I can tell you’re not. Did they take anything?”
Taryn shrugged. “I don’t think so. What could they take? I don’t own anything. Other than this…” She pointed to the piles of clothes on the floor. “And whatever I had at Mack’s.”
“Oh, yeah. I cleaned out your locker. Or I should say, I cleaned out your locker after the other girls cleaned out your locke
r. There wasn’t much left.”
She dumped her bag out on the floor. Taryn saw a flash of lime green and red satin and a scrap of leopard skin print. Reaching down, she pulled up the top to her favorite outfit.
“Yeah. They left the stuff that didn’t fit… the tops. For once, it really does pay to have large tits.”
Taryn scowled. “I can’t believe they stole my stuff. Bitches.”
“Yeah, well, consider it a small price to pay for not having to work there anymore.”
They chewed in silence for a while. Lori was fidgeting on the couch and Taryn waited for her to say whatever it was she wanted to say. It took a few minutes, but Lori eventually got around to it.
“So, speaking of work, you got any plans?”
Taryn laughed. “Yeah, I had that all planned out before I quit.”
She shook her head. “You got any ideas for me?”
“Actually, I do.” Lori wiped her mouth on a paper napkin, rummaging through the items on the floor. “Here.”
She handed Taryn a business card and she read it, scowling. Lori had obviously been thinking about this more than Taryn had.
“A tattoo shop? I don’t know anything about tattoos. And I’m afraid of needles.”
“You’re not doing tattoos, silly. Ryan…the guy…is looking for a counter person. You know, someone to answer phones, book appointments, general secretary type stuff, I guess. Dress the place up a little and handle things, so he can do his work.”
“I’ve never done anything like that.” The idea of actually dealing with people face to face, while fully dressed, took her by surprise. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like, sitting down to do her job, having to actually listen to someone when they talked to her. With the guys at the club, even if she was giving them the hottest lap dance of their lives, she could zone out, close her eyes, and they’d be nameless, faceless men beneath her.
“I don’t think he cares.” Lori smiled, sitting back against the couch.
“How do you know him?” Taryn wadded up the paper from her burger, stuffing it back into the bag and then grabbed Lori’s and taking them to the kitchen. She put them in the garbage while Lori kept talking.
“Through a friend of a friend kind of thing. I think maybe he’s seen you at the club too. At least, he seemed to know who you were when I saw him earlier.”
“You told him about me?” Taryn came back into the living room, arms folded. It was distinctly uncomfortable for her to think she’d been the topic of a conversation, especially with someone she didn’t even know.
“Well, just that you were currently without employment. He was at the club tonight. Said to stop by tomorrow. His shop is just around the corner. That weird little building set back from the road a bit, by the grocery store.”
Lori sat forward. “Look, it’s not that big of a deal. A few hours a day, nothing too hard. Sit, answer phones, read a magazine. Smile a little. Just like the club, only you get to keep your clothes on. The hours are just about the same, and you don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn.”
Lori stood, stretching. “You ready for bed? I’m beat. Too many late nights lately.”
“Yeah, I guess. I can crash out here…” Taryn looked at the couch, biting her lip.
“No way. Share my house, share my bed.” Lori smiled, catching Taryn’s narrow-eyed glance.
“Just kidding. I know you’re betrothed and all. But the bed’s a hell of a lot more comfortable than the couch. Trust me, I know.” Lori walked down the hall and disappeared into bedroom. A moment later a pool of yellow light spilled into the narrow hallway.
Taryn searched through her clothes, looking for something resembling pajamas. She came up empty handed. Her usual sleeping attire was nothing, and so far, it hadn’t been an issue, particularly with Sam. And it hadn’t been a problem before, with Lori. But something was different now and she wanted something to sleep in.
She eventually found an over-sized t-shirt and the lime green tap shorts, a former club outfit now repurposed as sleepwear. Pulling off her clothes, she changed quickly, pulling her hair back in a low ponytail.
Lori was already in bed. She flipped back the blanket, patting the mattress. Taryn hesitated.
“I promise to be good. Come on.”
Taryn climbed into bed with Lori. She wasn’t sure why this all seemed so awkward; Lori was her best friend. They’d shared a bed more times than she could remember and it had never bothered her before. And they’d shared more than that over the years. Taryn slid down in the bed, pulling the blankets up over her shoulder.
Lori turned out the light, the room plunged into darkness. Taryn knew Lori had blackout shades, claiming she couldn’t sleep if the room wasn’t totally dark. It always took Taryn by surprise. Her own room had a street light outside the window, bathing her room in a yellow glow, even through the curtains. It was annoying at times, but Taryn was used to it and had never gotten used to sleeping in complete darkness. Taryn had purposely left them up the other night, just for that reason
The bed moved, the mattress dipping down and then a hand touched her shoulder, slowly sliding down to her waist, gently but firmly pulling her toward the middle of the bed. Lori’s hand was warm, her touch insistent. And familiar, all too familiar. They’d spent a lot of time in this bed, seeking and finding comfort in each other when everyone else had let them down.
“Why are you all the way over there?”
Taryn tensed unexpectedly under Lori’s touch, no ready answer coming to her lips. It was different now; she didn’t crave the physical contact she usually did…didn’t need it as desperately. But that probably wasn’t how Lori felt at the moment.
Lori took her hand away. “I get it. I promised to be good, but I didn’t think that meant total abstinence.” The bed shifted again, and when Lori spoke, her voice was muffled.
“I guess things really have changed. I’m happy for you, Taryn. Maybe not so happy for myself.”
For a moment Taryn was relieved it was dark and she didn’t have to see the hurt in Lori’s eyes. But she bit her lip, rolling over with her back to Lori. She pulled the blanket over her shoulder and tried to sleep.
23
The sun was shining and a soft breeze washed across his face as Sam opened the front door, picking up the newspaper from the porch floor. There had been no new leads or clues in any of the murders, and the police seemed frantic to find some explanation. He opened the paper and there it was. Another murder.
He walked barefoot back to the kitchen, reading as he went. Finn was sitting at the table, a bowl of cereal in front of him. Sam barely glanced at him, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
“Sam?”
Sam raised his head, scowling. “What? Sorry.”
“I said, anything in the paper? You’re buried so deep all I can see are the bottoms of your feet.”
“There was another murder.” Sam started reading the article out loud.
“‘David Feldman, 84, found dead in his apartment. Edgemont Street’. Neighbors complained his television had been on continuously. The building super found him after entering the apartment. Apparently, he’d been killed on…” Sam stopped, scanning back through the article. The blood drained from his face and he laid the paper flat on the table. As he did, he noticed his hands were shaking slightly. He clenched them tightly, balling his fists on top of the paper.
The address was the same as Taryn’s apartment building. And that was the night she’d been there, the night she’d told him her apartment door had been unlocked when she arrived. The night that she thought someone might have been in her apartment.
Sam looked up at Finn. “He was killed on Saturday. The paper says the way he was killed is similar to the other murders.”
“You think it’s the same…thing that killed those other people?” Finn’s brows were drawn together, his eyes dark.
Sam shook his head. “I don’t know. The police don’t have a comment in here, but the paper seems to think it
’s the same killer. The body was, um…mutilated according to the story.”
Sam stood, leaving the paper on the table. “Listen, I’ve got to go out. I want to meet with everyone, here, tonight. Let them know what’s going on.”
“Okay.” Finn hesitated. “You want Bec here?”
Sam shrugged. “Yeah. If he’ll come. Things are…a little tense between us. If you could tell him, maybe he’d listen. Tell him it’s important. But tell his pack. Let them know it’s about the murders.”
“Will do.” Finn was pushing himself away from the table as Sam left the room and he had no doubt the man would do his best to get everyone, including Bec, to the house that night.
Sam took the stairs two at a time. He wanted to find Taryn, ask her if she’d heard anything, seen anything. But most of all he wanted to hold her, reassure himself she was alright. He’d talked to her the day before, wanted to see her, but she’d been out with Lori, looking for a job she’d said, and she’d sounded so happy. So, he hadn’t pushed seeing her.
But his stomach twisted in knots knowing someone in her building had been murdered and in what appeared to be the same way as the dancers in the alley. There were too many things happening, too many killed in the exact same manner for this to be just a coincidence. Somehow, he needed to warn Taryn.
All that was all complicated by the fact he still couldn’t tell her he was in the alley the night she was attacked. Again, life would be so much easier if he could just tell her he was a werewolf, get that out and in the open, and then hopefully the rest would just fall into place.
In his heart, he knew that wouldn’t work, at least not yet. Now wasn’t the time. There really was no way to know the perfect time to tell Taryn what he really was. He’d just have to trust he’d recognize it and she’d somehow accept what he was.
He tugged on his jeans and t-shirt quickly. By the time he hit the sidewalk he’d called Taryn on her cell. She’d told him she was working at a tattoo shop and gave him the address, not far from Lori’s apartment. It was in a dismal neighborhood, even seedier than Taryn’s or Lori’s.