The elevator offered a soft tone as it opened, and he followed the engraved signs along the corridor to suite 2587. The heavy entry door was ajar, and he peered through the gap. He pushed open the solid wood panel and eased inside as his eyes darted around the pale marble foyer.
“Hello?” he said. “January?”
There was only silence. He moved with small steps through the hallway into a massive room flooded with sunlight from glass window-walls.
“Jesus,” Dothan whispered, surveying the chaos of overturned furniture and cushions ripped to shreds. Bits of broken lamps and shattered ornaments lay scattered throughout the room. A ray of sunshine spotlighted a message scrawled across a soaring wall in what appeared to be January’s red lipstick.
Stop now or say goodbye
As he turned, Dothan jumped at the squeak of his own sneakers on the shiny hardwood floor. He ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife from a block on the granite island.
“January! It’s me, Dothan. Where are you?”
There was a low moan in the distance. He raised the blade as he crept through a long hallway, exploring each room he passed. Continuing to call out her name, Dothan kicked open each door. As he turned into the last bedroom, he found January, motionless, in a heap on the floor.
He dropped the knife. “Oh my god.” Dothan fell to his knees and lifted her into his arms. “January! Can you hear me?”
She stirred and opened her eyes. “Dothan,” she whispered, leaning her head against his chest. “You’re here.”
He raised January to her feet and helped her to the enormous bed dominating the large room. After propping her up with pillows, Dothan smoothed a long curl away from her face, exposing a yellow-purple bruise forming at her jawline.
“Who did this to you?”
“I don’t know.” She choked back a sob. “He hit me before I had a look at him. I wasn’t sure you got my text since I didn’t hear from you, but I was too dizzy to move. I’m so glad you’re here.”
Dothan grabbed his phone. “I’m going to call the police. We need to catch this maniac.”
“No!” she cried. “Please, no. I’m fine. I don’t want any police involved. I think this might be retaliation for involving them the last time.”
“What the hell do you mean the last time? You’ve got a fucking security guard downstairs! He was smiling like a moron when I went past. Why isn’t he up here? How did they get inside this place, anyway? It’s a damn fortress.”
“I don’t know! I keep changing my codes and my locks, but somehow they always get inside. Donald, that’s the guard, walked with me from the lobby for over a month, but I figured everything was over and told him I didn’t need him anymore last week. I guess I was wrong.”
“Why hasn’t the building manager done something? It’s their responsibility to keep you safe.”
“They tried. They even upgraded to state-of-the-art cameras in the halls and stairwell, but whoever did this knows how to disable them and get past the locks. Even worse, they seem to know my codes. Tonight, I came home to find the place trashed again, but this time I saw him just as he rushed me. That must have been when I got punched. I don’t remember anything other than crawling across the floor to get my phone.”
“Did you see his face?” asked Dothan.
She shook her head. “He was wearing a black hoodie with just his eyes exposed.”
“What about that message on the wall?”
“What message?” January pulled back from him.
“The one in red on the living room wall that says you need to stop or there won’t be any tomorrows, or something like that. You haven’t seen it?”
January shook her head, her eyes wide. “I didn’t make it that far.”
Dothan took her in his arms. “Well, I’m here now.”
Her trembling palm drifted along the stubble of his beard and descended, her nails grazing his ribcage and abdomen. Dothan moaned as she reached for the zipper of his jeans.
“I…” he said in a voice desperate with passion.
She threw back the mass of dark hair tumbling around her face and pressed her lithe finger against his lips. “I want you, and I won’t wait any longer.”
January straddled him and threw off her sweater. With slow, languid movements, she undid each hook of her lacy bra. The delicate garment slipped to the floor, and she caressed her round, heavy breasts.
She leaned forward and kissed him. Her tongue flicked along his neck, and across his chest. As she moved down his body, the warmth of her mouth taunted him with an inconsistent tease. Dothan groaned and arched his back in response to the unparalleled pleasure.
No longer able to control his desire, he threw January onto her back. As their bodies joined, he gazed into her narrowed eyes, cat-like in their ferocity. She cried out, digging the sharp tips of her red nails into his shoulder blades. Dothan yelped as he writhed in the delicious pain. January pulled him closer, grinding and moving in sync with him until she clamped her hands over his arms and he surrendered to the explosive release.
Shivering, Dothan collapsed, a willing captive into her waiting arms. Lulled into a warm stupor by her rhythmic breathing, he lay quiet until she whispered, “I’ll be right back.”
As January slipped on a robe, his cellphone buzzed within his jeans. He reached to the floor and pulled it from the back pocket, surprised to find dozens of texts from Agnes.
He scrolled through the notifications, irritated the old woman was demanding to be contacted.
She can fuck off, there’s nothing so important it can’t wait until tomorrow.
He turned off the phone, threw on his clothes and glasses, and walked toward the faint yellow illumination. January stood in the living room, enveloped in her thick white robe. Her cheeks were wet with tears as she stared at the cryptic message on the wall.
Dothan stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“Why are they doing this to me?” January broke away from Dothan, flailing her arms in wild motions as she paced the large room. “They’ve either destroyed or disrupted everything in my life, and now they leave this.” She stared at the message. “What the hell does it even mean?”
Dothan righted a small upholstered rocker and led her toward it. “Here. Sit.”
She lowered herself onto the chair and drew her knees to her chest.
He crouched next to her, taking her hand. “Why don’t I make us
some tea?”
January nodded and leaned back, pulling the robe tighter.
While the kettle boiled, Dothan gathered a few broken ornaments and replaced the cushions of a leather sofa. He set the two mugs of steaming tea on the table in front of January and pulled an ottoman next to her. “Okay, spill. Why don’t you want to call the police?”
“I don’t see the point. Just like after the first break-in, and with Sibella’s murder, they won’t do anything at all.”
“So what happened the last time?”
“I went ballistic. I called the manager, the police, and even told my boss. There were cops everywhere. It was crazy. A couple of my neighbors got scared and put their places up for sale.” January pointed to a small box wedged into the corner of the high ceiling. “I put in those cameras, but the video only recorded an unidentifiable man in dark clothes and a mask. The police checked everything out, but they told me there was too little evidence to find this guy.”
“Maybe we should look at the video footage from tonight.”
She shook her head. “I shut off the cameras three days ago after the security company called to tell me there had been a data breach.”
“Well, crap. Why didn’t you follow your neighbors and just leave?”
“Look around you. This is one of the best buildings in Seattle. It’s got a million dollar view. Why would I consider selling it? I love being here and
I refuse to let this creep drive me away.”
“What if you have no choice? He’s gone from vandalizing your place to assaulting you.”
She stood and retrieved her phone. “I don’t know what I’ll do long term, but I won’t stay here tonight. I’ll book a hotel for a couple of weeks until I can figure something out.”
Dothan placed his hand over her phone. “Come to my place. It doesn’t have the cool stuff you get at a hotel, but you’ll be safe there.”
January smiled and shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. If someone is after me, it puts you in harm’s way.”
He embraced her with a grin. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve made it through worse things than this. Please come home with me. I’ll protect you, I promise.” He pulled her shaking body against his and pressed a kiss on her forehead. “How long will it take you to pack for a few days?”
“Not long. I won’t need much. I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow.”
“Just pull a sickie. That way we can let whoever did this think they’ve driven you into hiding for now. Besides, while you’re at my place, we can start digging into the circumstances of Sibella’s murder. This may be tied to it.”
January nodded. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
Dothan pulled out his phone from his pocket. “I’ll call a ride-share while you pack, unless you want to use that limo from the other night.”
“Limo?”
“Yeah, at the restaurant. The stretch waiting for you.”
“Oh, I…” January turned to him with a smirk. “Of course, the limo. That’s a work thing. I don’t get to use it for personal reasons.”
Dothan nodded and called the ride-share as she left the room. While he waited for her to pack, he stared through the wall of windows. January was right. The place offered a spectacular view across the Seattle skyline.
I can see myself living like this, he thought.
A wry smile escaped his lips. The idiots who tore her place to bits had done him a great favor. Thanks to them, he had convinced January to confine herself to his apartment. If he handled the situation just right, she might even insist he move in with her.
January entered the living room with her bag, and, as Dothan retrieved it, she glanced around the darkened room with tears glistening in her eyes. He took her hand and walked with her to the car waiting at the front of the building, and they rode in silence out of the city.
Dothan put his arm around her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know what I would have done without you,” she said. “It’s so strange. I’ve always been sure of myself, but this has me so confused, I feel lost.”
“Just let me take care of everything.” He pointed to an upcoming corner. “That’s the turn to my apartment. We’ll get you settled in, and, if you’re up for it, I’ll order something for dinner. After that, we can work on finding the asshole who killed Sibella.”
“Good,” she said, “and if her killer is the one who did this, the sooner we find that bastard, the better.”
A loud squeal of the vehicle’s worn brakes announced their arrival at his apartment. Dothan led January up the rickety metal stairs and unlocked the door. “Just remember, this is a single guy’s place and cleaning is a four-letter word.”
January entered and glanced around the tiny living space. “It’s much nicer than I’d pictured.”
“If you think this dump is nice, I’d hate to guess what you thought you’d find.”
“I figured it would be only one room with garbage piled up everywhere. This place is immaculate compared to what I know of nerds.”
“Nerd?” Dothan turned to January and clasped her shoulders. “I will have you know I am no nerd. I am a geek and proud of it.” He growled and nuzzled her neck as she threw back her head and laughed.
“I guess you’ve schooled me.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pressed himself against her. “Let’s order dinner. I’ll have you for dessert later.”
“Deal.” He took her suitcase and led her into the bedroom. “I have two empty drawers in the dresser. You can use them and the other half of the closet. They designed this place with a massive space to hang clothes, but a hobbit sized bathroom.”
As January unpacked, Dothan pulled off the bottom sheet from the mattress. A pair of pink, lacy panties dropped in front of her.
Oh shit, he thought. God dammit, Bekkii.
January leaned forward, lifting one elasticized edge of the undergarment with her perfect red nail. “Should I be jealous?” she asked.
“No, no,” he said, trying to sound calm. “Those belong to my cousin…Jennie. She stayed here a couple of months ago, and I’m still finding her stuff all over the place. I let her have the bed, but I guess those got tangled up under the sheets.” He grabbed the panties from January, throwing them into the trash can.
“You know, it’s fine if you have a girlfriend,” she said. “I’m not dumb enough to believe a man like you would be on his own.” She pulled Dothan onto the bed. “I have to admit, though, it’s too late for me to back away whatever the case.”
“There’s no one else,” he whispered. He closed his eyes as soft lips brushed across his cheek. “I swear it. You’re all I ever think about anymore. I don’t…I can’t want anyone but you.”
“Then you’d better show me by ordering something, I’m famished.” She laughed as she moved from the bed into the living room.
Dothan sighed as he rolled on his back and crossed his arms over his eyes. “Damn, you’re cruel. How can you just leave me like this?”
“I’ll have a pizza,” she said.
Dothan headed into the next room and grabbed his laptop from the backpack. He dropped next to January on the sofa, ordered their food and asked, “What should we do while we wait? I mean, it’s obvious what I want to do.”
January laughed and stroked his arm. “Now that I’m here, let’s start with your software.”
He hesitated. Something in Agnes’s warning stopped him retrieving the thumb drive from its hiding place. “I don’t know. It’s not had its final test, and I’d be happier if it had a better user interface.”
“Listen, the pretty stuff doesn’t concern me. I just need to know what it does to get a pitch going to the department heads. If they want to see it, then we’ll need a solid demo, but for the moment I’m only interested in its function and scope.”
Despite the darkening bruise and no makeup, her exquisite beauty shone in the lamplight. A burst of strange, staccato emotions flooded through him as he touched her cheek and stared into the dark pools of her eyes. She just wanted to go over it for his benefit. Why did he care what Agnes thought in the first place?
“Tell you what,” he said. “I’ll show you what it does tomorrow night after work, but don’t expect much.”
“All right.”
His arms encircled her waist. As he became lost in her fragrance and her touch, a loud, harsh knock startled them both.
“Are you expecting anyone?” she asked.
“No, and it’s too early for dinner to arrive.” Dothan made small, careful steps toward the door and shouted, “Who is it?”
“Pizza delivery,” a voice shouted back.
He dropped his head with a laugh and opened the door to a scrawny teen wearing a Jonitos Pizza t-shirt far too large for him.
“That was quick.”
***
January fell asleep after a few mouthfuls. After removing their plates, Dothan helped her to bed and crept underneath the sheets, careful
not to disturb her.
He lay awake into the early morning as his restless mind raced between desperation and contentment. She stirred, snuggling her head against his shoulder. He gazed at the dark skin, shining golden in the security lights glaring through the bedroom window.
The un
ending high he experienced with January confused him. It was true she was beautiful and talented, but so were most of the women he seduced. While the others soon bored him, though, she had become a rampant addiction.
He could almost hear Dr. Terry, smug in her role as court-ordered psychiatrist, declaring his fascination with January as just another psychotic obsession and making him believe that he was incapable of genuine emotion.
Maybe it was time to give the good doctor a taste of her own medicine by sending a photograph of him lying naked with January. Dr. Terry had left Oregon after the hearing, but that was no impediment to Dothan. No one’s personal information was untraceable.
He considered the restraining order might still be in effect, but what difference did that make? Such sweet payback was worth any consequences. It was about time Dr. Terry understood how much she had lost.
Dothan held his phone above their heads. He stared into the camera as he lay his cheek next to January’s sleeping face and took the shot.
Who’s the sociopath now, doc?
Chapter Eight
Dothan whistled as he flicked on the coffeemaker.
“Morning, you,“ said January.
As she entered the living room, he smiled and handed her a mug.
“You know,” he said, “if you wake up this gorgeous every morning, I’ll never let you out of the bedroom and we’ll starve.”
She smiled. “What a way to go.”
Dothan gulped the last of his coffee. “I’ve got to run.”
“All right,” she said. “Oh, I meant to ask you earlier, can I use your laptop? I must have left mine at the condo in all the chaos. I called in sick, but I’d like to keep busy. I might do some hunting for Lucas Gilmore.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Is there any cheerleader porn or another cousin who sends nudes instead of leaving panties in there?”
Dothan chuckled and grabbed his backpack. “No, there’s nothing but a bunch of video games and a lot of code.” He scribbled a note and handed it to her with a kiss. “Here’s the password to log into it. See you tonight.”
The Optogram Page 9