Stone Defender

by Chris Redding

  “No.”

  “It’s how this world works baby.”

  She shoved him away then ran down the hall. She was disoriented and couldn’t find the stairs. She found herself outside the first room again.

  She paused, then poked her head around the corner.

  Pillar candles sat on the floor in a circle. Something odd was drawn on the concrete. That’s when she noticed a person in a dark robe who began chanting. She hoped that wasn’t the producer. This was too freaky. From the other side of the room two women barely dressed seemed to chant back to him.

  Beth decided that she would find another way to give her career a boost and ran out of the basement and the house.

  ***

  Trent pulled the door down on the truck after a successful night at Grotesque. The bar was packed up in the vehicle and he would drive it to the garage where they kept it. His bones were tired and he wished he’d spent more time convincing his partners that a brick and mortar place might be less work then unpacking and packing up this place once or twice a month.

  This was getting old. Why couldn’t they see the benefit of just opening up when they wanted, but not having to create the bar every time? He stretched and his back sounded like cereal. Snap, crackle, pop. He was getting too old for this.

  The sun would be up in a few hours, but because of black out shades and skill learned in the Army, he could sleep at any time of day. The city was as quiet as it ever was. The only people stirring now were criminals, third shift employees and bread bakers.

  He saw a woman hurrying towards him and he checked the lock on the box truck. Not that she was a threat, but she could be the distraction. When she entered the light of the closest street light, he thought he recognized her. She looked up at the building where Grotesque had been set up tonight. Her eyes darted around. He glanced around, but no one was around.

  What could this young lady be up to at this hour? His instincts, honed from the battlefield and his time in military intelligence, told him she was in some kind of trouble. Trent didn’t want trouble. He wanted to go home and sleep the day away.

  Sighing, he cleared his throat. Approaching someone in such a state of agitation wasn’t the brightest idea so he signaled her that he was there. She stopped short. “Am I too late?”

  “For what?” he asked.

  She was on impossibly high heels and she wobbled on them so they were not her usual footwear. Why did women hobble themselves that way? She couldn’t run in them. An age old question in his mind. Not that he minded how a woman’s legs looked in them, but he thought they could look just as good in hiking boots. That way the real muscles showed through.

  He shook himself and stared at the damsel in distress in front of him.

  “Grotesque,” she whispered as if she already knew the answer.

  “Yes. Sorry. We are all packed up. We’ll set up again in a month or so.”

  He hoped a little longer. It was too hot to be outside in Philadelphia in August. And there were more chances of a thunderstorm coming through making them have to pack up quickly. And then there was the logistics of getting the people off of the roof. A nightmare that would be part of his argument to find a permanent place. They could still text people when they were open.

  Her shoulders slumped at the news. “Oh.”

  “If you’re on our list you’ll know when it happens next.”

  She nodded. “I was looking for Maggie.”

  “Maggie?”

  “Yeah. My friend Maggie O’Grady. Well I guess her name is changed now that she got married.”

  She was a friend of Maggie’s? His partner Kel’s new wife? “She and Kel went off on their honeymoon tonight. A quick jaunt, but I don’t know where.”

  The woman who was now becoming more familiar as Trent studied her, opened her mouth in an ‘O’.

  “I’d like to get home to bed. Can I drop you somewhere? I doubt you can get an Uber to come here at this time of night.”

  “Uh. Who are you?”

  “I’m Trent Mulligan. I’m Kel’s partner. Well one of them. I need to get this truck to storage and get home, but I can drop you anywhere. The roads are pretty empty.”

  She looked around as if deciding her options. Come on lady. I’m tired.

  “Well, I guess.”

  She stepped close and he knew he’d seen her before. She looked him up and down and he had to admit he’d never received that kind of scrutiny from a woman who wasn’t planning on sleeping with him. He was not going to think that way about Maggie’s friend. Maggie was family now and under the circle of his protection. He didn’t crap where he ate.

  “Do I know you?” he asked.

  Her investigation finally stopped at his face. “You’re the guy who was looking at our building.”

  Bingo. The person he’d seen outside the real estate he was looking to buy. He cocked his head. “You own that building?”

  She licked her lips. “No, but the acting troupe I’m part of has been using that place for years.”

  He nodded. If he knew her better he’d tell her that she looked much prettier without all of the makeup she currently had on. That was considered rude nowadays so he kept it to himself. “Well, can I drop you somewhere?”

  “You don’t have to. I’m sure I can get a bus or something.”

  “I’m not leaving you here to wait for a bus,” he said.

  She straightened and almost wobbled off of those heels. “I don’t need your protection.”

  Ah. One of those independent types. “Think of it as courtesy. Climb in. I’ll stay on my side of the cab and after I secure this, I’ll drive you home.”

  She looked around again, but he doubted she saw any other options.

  “Is there someone who can come get you? I can wait with you.”

  She shook her head. “No. No one.”

  He perked up, but tamped down his enthusiasm. She had no boyfriend and he wasn’t looking for a girlfriend. “What’s your name? I’m Trent.”

  “Beth.”

  “Nice to meet you Beth. Now let’s get in the truck and get out of here before we draw any attention from the residents of this street.”

  She followed him to the cab. “People live here?”

  “Not officially.”

  Chapter Three

  Beth hadn’t mentioned what she’d seen at the party, but it still creeped her out. Enough that when Trent stopped in front of her apartment building, she didn’t want him to leave. It was all finally washing over her.

  What had been going on in that basement?

  She shuddered then turned to Trent who stared at her expectantly. “This is going to be an odd request.”

  “Okay.”

  “Would you mind coming inside with me? I know it sounds like I’m hitting on you, but it’s been a strange evening.”

  He blinked. “You’re scared. I could tell that from the first moment I saw you. Do you want to talk about it?”

  “I don’t know if I’m ready to.”

  He nodded and found a parking spot. He walked beside her, his gaze darting around the neighborhood. It was all she could afford on her own, no matter how many times her parents wanted to give her money to rent a better place. She was not interested in being dependent on her parents. If it was up to them she would have found a husband by now and be popping out children and driving them to polo lessons.

  Her apartment building didn’t have a doorman. Nor would she ever live in a building that had one. The neighborhood was safe enough. No one had ever bothered her when she was walking from the bus stop. Today she saw danger in every dark corner.

  At least the sun was starting to shine its rays on the City of Brotherly Love.

  Once inside her building, Beth relaxed. Slightly.

  When they reached the top floor, she’d expected Trent to be out of breath, but the trip up the stairs hadn’t seemed to bother him. Unlocking her door, she turned to him. “I’m not much in terms of a cook, but I can make breakfast.”
<
br />   He cocked his head. “I can make us breakfast.”

  She sighed. “That would be great. I don’t want to poison you.”

  He chuckled and she saw that his eyes were actually brown, with some flecks of gold. He closed the door behind her and locked her row of deadbolts. “Can’t be too careful.”

  She led him to the kitchen. “It isn’t that bad a neighborhood, but my parents insisted that I should get all of those locks. It keeps them from kidnapping me back to the suburbs.”

  He chuckled. She pointed to her galley kitchen. She stayed in the doorway as he shuffled around the room that he made look even tinier. She watched his efficient moves as if he had lived there his whole life.

  “How do you know where everything is?”

  “Just good at guessing,” he said.

  He wore a tank top that showed off impressive arms. A gym rat. Not her type. She did some yoga, but that was it in terms of physical fitness. She liked her curves and wasn’t interested in getting rid of them by being too skinny.

  He wore his hair short. Almost military short. He held himself in that straight posture, even when chopping up vegetables. She’d never let a man into her apartment let alone her kitchen. She wrapped he arms around herself.

  “Are you ready to talk about it?”

  She shook her head, trying to get the images of the people in robes out of her head. If she never thought about it again, she’d be happy. “No. I think I just want to forget it.”

  “But it has you pretty spooked,” he said.

  He heated a pan on her cooktop then dropped a pat of butter in it. She didn’t know what he was making, but her mouth watered at the thought of something other than a frozen dinner. Or in this case a frozen breakfast.

  He grabbed the handle then dropped the pan. She didn’t have the good kind of cookware that didn’t heat up the handle. No. Hers came from the cheapest place possible. It didn’t matter because she didn’t cook.

  He stared at his hand. “Are you hurt?”

  She moved into the kitchen only realizing how big a man he was when she couldn’t move past him. He shook his hand. “I’m fine.”

  He grimaced when he used it.

  “Let me look at it.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “I’m a nurse, Trent.”

  He frowned, but showed her his red hand that looked about to blister. “I have a first aid kit.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “Let me at least dress it so you can continue to work.”

  He flashed her a grin. “So you get fed.”

  She paused, staring at that grin. It was a little lopsided which just added to his charm. Down, Beth. There is no need for a man in your life. “I’ll get the kit. Don’t move.”

  “Where am I going to go?”

  She returned and he was using his non-injured hand to cook them breakfast. Stubborn. “Let me look at it.”

  “It’s fine, Beth.”

  She could see him cringing as he moved the bacon around in the pan. “Stop Trent.”

  She had put on her nurse voice. He listened this time, a frown on his face. He thrust his hand in her direction. “See it’s okay.”

  “Don’t be a child.”

  She tugged him a little further away from the food and then held his hand under the faucet.

  “That’s freezing.”

  “It will stop the burning,” she said.

  Her hand was half the size of his. He flexed his fingers a few times. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

  “Now let me put this spray on it and a bandage.”

  “I don’t need a bandage. You are making a lot of fuss over this.”

  “You have a blister. Do you want it to get infected?”

  He blew out a sigh and let her minister to him. Reluctantly. “There. Sit and I’ll finish breakfast.”

  She’d been happy for the momentary distraction. For a few minutes she wasn’t remembering odd people in dark robes. She’d also seen what looked like an altar. Don’t think about it Beth. Just make breakfast.

  ***

  Trent had to admit his hand did feel better. Even with using it to eat the food that Beth had finished making. Now he was just tired. It had been a long night and he wanted to crawl into bed. Instead he was babysitting Beth. She’d fed him and with his tummy full, he really could have used some sleep.

  He was no stranger to being awake for a full day, but it hadn’t been since he’d been in the army that he’d done it the last time. His life was pretty simple these days and it mostly revolved around Grotesque.

  He sat at her breakfast bar because if he was in a comfortable chair he would fall asleep. She’d left to take a shower so he pulled out his phone. There was more real estate to look at for Grotesque and he still had to convince his partner that this was a good idea. He could float them a loan for the down payment. The money was not the issue. The fact that he wanted to take Grotesque in a different direction than they’d previously been going.

  A brick and mortar store would be more work in the building, but less work later on. They could hire managers to run the place. There would be more income even though the overhead would be higher. He was just tired of the nomadic nature of their nightclub.

  Trent stilled. A voice like an angel emanated from the bathroom. Was that Beth? He hadn’t heard a voice that beautiful in years.

  A new idea struck him. Entertainment. He knew Beth was a performer, but he hadn’t thought that he could hire people to sing at Grotesque.

  Beth emerged from the bathroom, her hair wet, her face scrubbed of all the makeup she’d been wearing. “I’ve made a decision.”

  Trent stood. “Wait. I need to ask you something.”

  She stopped and looked at him, her head cocked to one side. “What?”

  “That was you singing?”

  She eyed him warily. “Yes.” There was a question in her answer.

  “Look I don’t have any definite plans yet, but I’d like to hire you.”

  “For what?”

  She moved past him and stretched by her tiny apartment window.

  “I have plans to make Grotesque a brick and mortar place. I want to hire entertainers.”

  “You want to hire me to sing?”

  “Of course. You perform, right?”

  “Well, yeah, but I’m never a lead. There are so many people in the group more talented than I am.”

  “But you do perform?”

  She seemed to be uncomfortable. “I do. I don’t often go for the singing roles. I tend to keep to the dramatic ones. Even then I don’t get the best parts.”

  “You have to audition?”

  “Yes.”

  He wondered at her downplaying her talent? She’d been at a party just last night that she’d mentioned there were powerful Hollywood people at. Wasn’t she pursuing this? Why was she reticent to use her talents? Get paid for her talents? “Look Beth, if you don’t want to do this, for whatever reason, you don’t have to. Think about it.”

  She bit her lip. “I guess I don’t trust why you are asking me?”

  He stood, unsure of where she was going with this. He didn’t want to crowd her. She seemed suddenly skittish. It was as if Nurse Beth had vanished. “I’m asking you because I’ve heard you sing. Albeit not the best venue, but your voice is amazing. I’m no judge of talent, but I know what I like. If I can get some acts lined up, it might make it easier for me to convince my partners that a brick and mortar place is feasible.”

  “And that’s your only motivation?”

  “Yes. What else would it be?”

  She shuddered. “Nothing I guess.”

  What had happened to her tonight? She’d never said what had forced her on the street so late at night. What had her jumpy and questioning his motives? Whatever it was it clearly had something to do with her talent.

  He eyed her for a minute but decided maybe it was none of his business. “I need to get home.”

  “Can you drop me off at my parents’
house? They live in Havertown.”

  Trent sighed, but he wasn’t going to leave her alone if she really didn’t want to be. She was Maggie’s friend. “Okay.”

  Chapter Four

  After grabbing a few items, Beth followed Trent back to his truck. She hadn’t wanted to rely on her parents, but she was scared. The scenes at the party had spooked her. And the agent coming on strong had been bad also. She wasn’t going to compromise her integrity. Becoming a professional actress wasn’t worth that.

  Still. She hadn’t expected the casting couch to be alive and well in Philadelphia. She thought that only happened in Hollywood. Staring out the window, she pondered if she should share what she’d seen with Trent. The subject wouldn’t come up with her parents because they would only tell her that she was chasing a pipe dream. That being a nurse should be satisfying. She should look for a husband.

  Trent had plugged in her parents’ address into his phone. He followed the directions and Beth remained deep in thought. Maybe she should be friendlier to him since he was doing her a favor. “Why a nightclub?”

  Trent laughed as if everyone asked him that question. “It seemed like a good idea when Deke brought it to us. Maybe he’s just a good salesman. Why nursing?”

  Fair enough. “It seemed an easy way to get a job. Not that nursing school is easy, but once you get through it there are so many jobs to be had. There will be a nursing shortage soon.”

  “That doesn’t sound good.”

  “Well it’s good in that hospitals will pay more to keep those of us who are already working there.”

  “Why acting?”

  That was actually a simpler answer. “I’ve always loved it. I made up plays when I was a kid and I was in them in high school. It is just a passion. Why the military?”

  If they were going to play twenty questions, she would play along.

  He grimaced a little. “How did you know I was in the military?”

  “Your bearing.”

  He nodded. “My father died and I needed to step up and take responsibility. My mother had never worked so her job choices were limited. With the military I could send money back to my family.”