by G. K. Parks
He chuckled politely. “We wouldn’t want that.” He finished eating. “Thanks for lunch. You didn’t have to reciprocate for yesterday.”
“It’s the least I can do.” At this rate, the over the top pleasantness was likely to kill one of us. I pushed away from the table, getting ready to clear the plates, but he put his hand on my uninjured forearm. “I got it. I’m here to help you. What can I do?”
“There’s nothing to do. I just have to throw my things in a bag, speak to the lawyers again, and I’ll be ready to move in sometime tomorrow.”
He went to the sink. “Perhaps you’d like someone to stay with you to make you feel safe tonight. You said you didn’t sleep. Are you afraid of the man that attacked you? Isn’t he in custody? When you phoned, you said the police had been here. Did something happen?”
“No, that creep is still in jail. They needed to ask some more questions about the attack. I was afraid they’d want me to ID him in a lineup or something.” I shrugged. “Apparently, they only do that on TV. Building security was also questioned, and I think the doorman was too. The officers believe they have a solid case and promised that this asshole wouldn’t bother me again.” I moved to the window and gazed outside. “It does scare me though. The first time was broad daylight outside work; the second time was at night right there.” I nodded out the window. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this guy before, and I don’t know how he knew everything about me. It’s really unsettling.”
“There’s no way of determining what leads someone down such a wayward path. I’m no detective, but maybe he saw you perform and became infatuated.”
Turning around, I met his eyes. “I guess. It just frightens me.” Quirking my lips into a slight smile, I laughed softly. “That actually is a huge reason why I’ll be glad to be surrounded by a lot of other people.”
“The commune is a safe environment. You have nothing to worry about.” He finished washing the dishes and checked his watch. “My afternoon is clear. I don’t need to be back until supper. You are welcome to join us,” he said, seeing the hesitation on my face, “but I understand that you have a lot to accomplish.” He gazed at the dark circles beneath my eyes, the visible bruises on my arm, and the bandage on my ankle. “Are you certain you don’t want to get some rest? I’ll stay if that will make you feel safe.”
That was the second time he’d mentioned it. For some reason, he wanted to remain in my apartment while I was asleep. My mind went through the few possible motives for such an act, quickly dismissing altruism as his main reason. I didn’t know if he hoped to score with or without my consent or if he wanted a chance to snoop. Snooping was the more likely scenario, but did that mean he was on to the operation or hoped to gain some type of access to Alice Lexington’s wealth? Deciding to see how this would play out, I made an exaggerated stretch and yawned.
“I’d really like that. The cable hasn’t been disconnected yet, so feel free to watch TV or meditate or whatever it is you like to do. I’m sure I’ll be up by the time you leave, but if not, just lock the door behind you.”
Smiling like he just won an Emmy, he plopped down on the couch and picked up a magazine. “I’ll be right here if you need anything.”
“Thanks.”
Leaving the bedroom door opened a crack, I crawled beneath the covers and stared at the sliver of living room. After Tim finished leafing through the magazine, he placed it back on the coffee table and stood up. He went to the bookshelf and then into the kitchen, vanishing from my line of sight. I strained to hear what he was doing, but I couldn’t tell. Finally, he returned to the couch and turned on the television. When I grew bored of watching him, I got out of bed and thanked him for staying. As soon as he was gone, I shot a quick text requesting another visit by the maid to sweep for surveillance devices. With any luck, we’d find something, but I had never been particularly lucky.
* * *
“He wants to sleep with you,” Decker hissed. “There’s no other explanation for it.”
“Maybe he wants to suffocate me in my sleep,” I retorted.
We were at a table in the far corner of the dining room. Supper ended almost an hour ago, but Decker was late on account of another shift at the gas station. I’d been living at the commune for three days, and last night was the second time that Tim had entered my room in the middle of the night. The first time, he claimed that he wanted to make sure I was settled, but last night, I remained completely still, pretending to be asleep. He stood near the door for almost twenty minutes before leaving, and it had left me rather unnerved. Of course, the fact that I hadn’t slept at all since my arrival was beginning to show. I’d managed a few brief naps in my car when I was supposedly meeting with the lawyers, but this couldn’t last. And there wasn’t a chance in hell I’d actually go to sleep when some psycho was getting his rocks off by sneaking into my bedroom.
I looked at the time. We had another twenty minutes before Tim finished leading a thoughtful meditation group. No wonder I was always skeptical of New Age trends. People like Timothy Wilde gave them a bad reputation.
Rubbing my temples, I looked down at the barely touched plate in front of me. Just the sight of food made me queasy. This mission was killing me.
“You’re lucky you have a trailer and don’t have to eat this shit.”
“Another migraine?” Decker narrowed his eyes. “That doesn’t make any sense. You don’t have a history of migraines.”
“I don’t know what it is.” I shoved the plate away, too tired to get up. “I think it’s called life.” I blinked a few times. “Don’t worry, I’m sharp as a tack.”
“So how has your stay been so far?” Decker increased his volume at the sight of a few women moving past the dining hall. “Has everyone made it pleasant for you?”
“Yep.” Then I proceeded to detail my encounters with the women in the rooms near mine. I’d only spoken to six or seven, but I’d been invited to join them in pilates or hang out while they quilted. Since I was supposedly injured, I tended to spend a lot of downtime in my room. They had let me borrow a few books, and with the constant surveillance, I had to actually appear to be reading. When the bulk of the Perpetual Lighters were meditating or conversing in some group sharing session, I had started exploring the main building of the compound. There were three levels — the main floor, the basement, and a second story. However, I had been told that the upper level was being renovated and off limits. It also housed Tim’s bedroom. The basement was pretty cluttered, and as soon as I went down the steps, Wilde materialized behind me, suggesting that I shouldn’t take the stairs with my busted ankle. It was obvious I was being watched, and snooping wasn’t encouraged. “I’m hoping to check out the rest of the property tomorrow. I could use some fresh air,” I concluded.
“I’ll have to show you my trailer,” Decker offered, nodding to a couple that just entered the dining hall. “Hey, Vanessa.” He smiled. “How’s it going, Javier?” He called them over like any good Perpetual Lighter would. “Have you had a chance to meet Alex? She just arrived two days ago.”
“Three,” I corrected. We’d done an introduction like this the day before in order to keep our clandestine debriefs under wraps. “It’s lovely to meet you.” I smiled at Vanessa. “Do you live in the dorms?”
She shook her head. “No, Javier and I share a trailer.” She pointed to the right. “It’s closest to the fence.” She reached for his hand. “That was just another blessing of finding this place and being here.”
I cocked an eyebrow, confused by her meaning.
Javier chuckled. “Meeting our soul mates. I had been here for a few weeks before Vanessa’s path crossed with mine. It was pretty instantaneous, and Tim gave us his blessing and arranged for us to share a home. He’s really great.”
“Yes, he is,” I agreed, wondering how consensual their original liaison had been. Perhaps I was just jaded, but there were a lot of things about this place that didn’t make much sense. I glanced briefly at Decker, seein
g the wheels turning in his head, but he held the smile. “It was lovely meeting you, but I have an early appointment. I should get to bed. Good night.”
“Night, Alex. We’ll see you around,” Vanessa cooed.
“Hang on,” Jace called, stopping me from retreating, “I’m heading out too. I’ll walk you to your room.” He said his goodbyes, grabbed the plate from my hand, dropped it in the return tray, and fell into step beside me. “We can’t keep meeting like this. Someone’s bound to notice sooner or later.”
“I know.”
He bit his bottom lip, scanning the area for stragglers. “After going to the restaurant tomorrow, why don’t you stop by the gas station?”
“Okay, I will.”
“Are you going to make it through another night?” he asked, and although I suspected the question was a joke, the look in his eyes told me it wasn’t.
“No worries, I’m fine.”
He gave me a quick hug, aware of the security cams in the vicinity. “I know when you’re bluffing.” Then he let go and went toward the front door while I went into my room.
Living inside the lion’s den while being constantly watched was a lot more complicated than I ever imagined. There was no peace. I had to be on twenty-four seven, and admittedly, I was afraid to sleep. Who knows what I might miss or what Tim might try if I was out cold. The only bright spot was the fact that I hadn’t detected any fiber optic cables or other surveillance devices in the community bathroom. I just hoped that he at least possessed that slightest shred of decency.
Eighteen
“Alex,” Decker bellowed, shaking my shoulder, and I jumped six feet in the air. My hand went to my firearm, and he held up his hands, stepping backward and tossing a careful glance at the opened door behind him. “It’s me.” My gun hand didn’t waver as I blinked the blurriness from my eyes. “It’s okay. It’s me,” he repeated, slowly moving closer and taking the gun from my hand. “Shit.” He rubbed his face. “This assignment must really have you twisted around.”
Sitting up, I buried my face in my hands. “I’m sorry. Tim came into my room before dawn and waited inside until morning to make sure I was awake and ready to meet my boss at the restaurant. He’s always there. He’s always watching. I didn’t realize how intense this would be. No one else seems to notice, or they just think of this as normal.” I shook my head. “I need to find out. I’m going to get close to some of the women and see if I can get any of them to open up. Someone has to know something. He can’t just be targeting me. He must have done this to them too. How the hell can a predator like Tim convince so many people that he’s some kind of savior?”
“It’s the game he plays. Can you honestly say that you wouldn’t be bending over backward to show your appreciation to this guy if you were in Alice Lexington’s position?”
“Newsflash, not all women are prostitutes.”
“I didn’t mean it literally, but nine times out of ten, an unattached individual is likely to exhibit displaced emotions toward anyone who helps them out. You don’t have to sleep with the guy, but you might bake him cookies or buy him a bottle of Jack. Isn’t that something you’d normally do?”
Shrugging, I got off the cot and stretched. Jace had let me crash in the break room at the gas station. It had a cot and a table for the guy stuck working overnight. It wasn’t particularly cozy, but knowing that I had a DEA agent out front watching my back allowed me to sleep soundly for three hours.
“It’s been four days, and I’m ready to crack. How did you do this for eight months on your own?” I asked.
“It wasn’t easy, but I know it’s much harder for you. He won’t let you sleep. The risk of being assaulted or raped is obvious with the way he lingers inside your room. Do what you can to get the other women to trust you. If someone is willing to talk, it’ll give us a solid lead from which to work.” He bent down, sliding his pants leg up to reveal a blade. “Take this.” He handed me a small triangular dagger. “This is easier to conceal than a gun, and it’ll be much faster than trying to get to your firearm if things go south.”
“If I need this, any hope of determining his drug connection will go straight to hell, along with him.”
“I can live with that.”
After leaving the gas station, I returned to the commune. Tim and several of his followers were preparing for the farmer’s market. The stands were being put into place, and the signs were being hung. Every weekend, like clockwork, they opened the commune to the public, hoping to make a quick buck and gain more potential followers. I was uncertain if the goods being sold were actually all aboveboard, but I had walked the grounds and seen the honey collection, the gardens with fruits and vegetables, and several of the women knitting, quilting, and sewing. Artisanal items were extremely hip at the moment, and hordes of millennials swarmed every weekend, so there was a good chance that was the legitimate part of Tim’s business. It was also possible he was using the farmer’s market as a cover to distribute narcotics or to clean otherwise dirty money.
Ducking inside to avoid the spiritual leader, I went to my room. The door beside mine was open, and Sarah was inside with Anika. Knocking politely on the doorframe, I smiled at the two women who were seated on the bed, chatting.
“Sorry to intrude, I just wanted to say hi,” I greeted, hoping they’d invite me to join them.
“Come in,” Sarah offered. “Have you met Anika?”
“I think so. Jace introduced us, right?”
Anika grinned. “Yep.” She crinkled her nose playfully at Sarah, and I felt like I was missing the joke. “So are you going to finally give some of our sessions a chance?” My brief conversation with Anika had entailed listening to her rave about the benefits of Tim’s spiritual classes, particularly meditation and talk therapy.
“Maybe. I’m still getting acquainted with everyone. I’ve always been a bit shy and introverted. I’m not what you would call a joiner,” I replied.
“Leave Alex alone,” Sarah scolded. “She’ll come around eventually. We all do. Do you remember how long it took before you opened up to the group? And now the others have to tell you to shut up so they have a chance to share.” She met my eyes and scooted over on the bed to make room for me to sit. “Take your time, dear. We all find our inner light. It just takes some of us longer than others.”
Anika reached out and combed her fingers through my hair. Apparently, she was perfectly comfortable invading my personal space. Maybe she learned that from Tim. “You look worn out.”
“I am,” I said honestly. “I keep having these weird dreams, like someone’s in my room at night. I don’t know. I probably sound crazy.”
“You’re just not used to the surroundings. That’ll make anyone uncomfortable,” Sarah said, getting up from her place on the bed. “You’ll get used to it soon enough, and then you’ll probably sleep like a baby. You know, you could talk to Tim about it. He has a lot of herbal remedies and healing teas that might help. When I first got here, I was a wreck. It really calmed me down.” She gave me a pointed look. “Not to pester, but the guided meditation helped a lot too.”
“I’ll think about it.” Noncommittal was my best move at this point.
Sarah nodded, moving toward the doorway. She was helping with dinner, and after saying goodbye, she left. Deciding I should leave as well, I moved to stand, but Anika grabbed my wrist.
“Where did you work?” she whispered.
“What?”
She released her grip and nodded at the faded scars that ran around both of my wrists. “I had a friend with the same scars. She worked in a S&M club in Vegas. One of her clients was particularly rough, and she quit. One thing led to another,” she swallowed, shaking her head, “but it doesn’t matter. That was a long time ago.” She attempted to offer an encouraging smile, but I saw the dark cloud hanging over her. “It’s good that you got out and found a safe place like this. It’s hard knowing where to go or who to trust.”
“I wasn’t a sex worker. This isn’
t why I’m here.”
She assessed me carefully. “Did your boyfriend do that? Was he into the rough stuff?” Her eyes went to the week old bruises on my arms. “You shouldn’t let someone hurt you.”
“I didn’t.” Seeing an opening, I decided to ask a question of my own. “Is that why you’re here? Did someone harm you?”
She looked away. “I was told this is a good place to be. It’s safe.”
“What about Tim?”
Her eyes widened. “What about him?”
“Did he ever force you to do something you didn’t want to do?”
She laughed it off like it was the most ludicrous thing she’d ever heard. “I understand that it’s hard to trust, but Tim’s a good man. He protects us from the bad men. He would never let any harm come to us.”
Remembering the surveillance cameras in the ceiling, I shook my head and smiled. “I’m sure you’re right. I’m just being silly. Those dreams I’ve been having, I keep thinking that he’s sneaking into my bedroom, like he wants to hurt me. Isn’t that crazy?”
“Yeah…crazy.”
I didn’t like the tone she used or the delay between the words, but Anika wasn’t about to say more than she already had. Whatever life she had outside of these walls had been worse than three hots and a cot, even if the room and board were being provided by a murderous, drug dealing, sexual predator. Shaking my head, I couldn’t help but think how fucked up this world was.
“Hey, Anika, if you ever want to speak one on one, I’m right next door.”
“Sure, I’ll stop by sometime, but you really should join us in group. We have so much fun talking about philosophy and the universe and whatever’s on our minds. Sometimes it’s the past or our problems, but it really is about opening our minds to enlightenment.”
