Round the Clock

by Dara Girard

  Anna Marie sat inside her car and looked up at him. “And you’ll come get me?”

  He closed the car door then winked. “That’s a promise.”

  Chapter 9

  “I bet you the first thing that woman is going to do is throw us all out so that she can get high-paying clientele.”

  Leona Mathew looked over at Gerald Delaney, a large man in his late sixties with small features and bushy sideburns, as he sat in his favorite chair. She then turned to the other resident, Jane Dye, a paper-thin woman in her sixties with lovely features, who wore a shabby, reddish-brown wig. She sat in the corner playing a Brain Age game. “Mrs. Bell said she’d take care of us after she died.”

  “Not much the dead can do when they’re gone,” Leona said.

  “They can haunt places,” Jane said, still focused on her game.

  “This place isn’t haunted,” Leona said. “Besides, Mrs. Bell was too good a woman not to be resting in peace. I’m sure she’s a nice young woman,” she said, trying to ignore her apprehension. Why had Mrs. Bell left the house to a stranger they’d never heard of? She’d taken care of the house for these past eleven years. Hadn’t that meant anything? Leona pushed her bitterness aside. Mrs. Bell had been good to her, letting her live there in exchange for cooking and doing some housecleaning. This was her home—this was their house. Now, once their leases were up, they would have to leave and they had nowhere else to go.

  “We’ll see,” Gerald said. “Did you see how many trunks the movers brought? Expensive looking, too.”

  Leona nodded. She’d been the one who had to instruct the movers where to put the trunks. “Yes, I saw them.”

  “I got a glance at what was in one of them,” Jane said with a giggle. “I was wondering what was taking the movers so long and I spotted them putting the items away. There were lots of expensive clothes and shoes.”

  Gerald’s frown increased. “A rich city girl. She’ll probably take one look at this property and see what it’s really worth and sell it.”

  “We have our leases,” Leona reminded him.

  “Which end in six months.”

  Jane set her game aside. “I wonder if Mrs. Bell told this woman anything about us.”

  “She would have to.”

  “No. I mean the truth.”

  They were silent with fear, then Leona said, “Mrs. Bell would never have revealed that to a stranger. She was good at keeping secrets.”

  Gerald grunted. “We all know the moment this woman finds out the truth, she’ll get rid of us in an instant.”

  “So, it’s agreed,” Leona said. “We make sure she doesn’t find out anything.”

  All three of them turned to the window when they heard a car approaching. They watched Anna Marie walk up the pathway then stop.

  “Why is she stopping?” Leona wondered.

  “Looks like she’s remembering something,” Jane said. “It’s like she’s lived here before.”

  “Hmm,” Gerald said. “I wonder how she knew Mrs. Bell. She’s too young to have known her the way we did.”

  “Maybe,” Jane said. “She’s pretty.”

  Leona frowned. “And dangerous. Remember, she’s not one of us, but be pleasant,” Leona said as she headed for the door. She was used to Jane’s and Gerald’s ways but didn’t want them to do anything to upset the new owner. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans then opened the door. “Hi, you must be Ms. Williams.”

  “Anna Marie, please,” Anna Marie said, stepping inside.

  She was smaller than Leona had expected, with a low, melodious voice. “Can I help you with your bags?”

  “This is it.” She nodded to her shoebox. “Plus Nika, my turtle.”

  Leona stared at the single suitcase and the shoebox, surprised, then remembered. “Oh, yes that’s right. You had most of your things sent ahead.”

  “Right.”

  “I’m Leona. I live on the lower level.”

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “There are two other tenants who would like to meet you.” She turned and led Anna Marie into the living room, quickly grabbing her duster and hiding it behind her back. She’d spent all day cleaning, but hadn’t dusted the items in the far end of the living room yet. “This is Gerald and Jane.” The two residents stood and shook Anna Marie’s hand before sitting again.

  “A pleasure,” Anna Marie said.

  Jane offered a tentative smile. “Yes.”

  Gerald grunted.

  Leona sent him a look then said, “Let me give you a quick tour.”

  Anna Marie didn’t need one, but didn’t say anything. She allowed Leona to show her the kitchen and dining room. They had been altered a little, as had the living room. The chairs looked a little more worn, but were just as sturdy and the table was still a gleaming mahogany where many large dinners had been held. Before going upstairs, Leona showed Anna Marie the hall closet, then opened the door to the basement.

  “I don’t need to see the basement,” Anna Marie said. Leona sent her a strange glance, but Anna Marie didn’t care. She wasn’t going down there. Ever.

  “Okay, let me show you the rooms upstairs.” She pointed to Gerald’s and Jane’s rooms then led her toward the back of the house and said, “Here is your room. We hope you like it.”

  Anna Marie walked into the room, not sure she believed Leona’s reassuring words. She wondered what Leona was doing here. She was an able-bodied woman in her forties with a great figure and a nice face. Why was she staying in a boarding house with two people who were much older? Didn’t she have any family?

  Anna Marie set her suitcase down, placed the shoebox on the bed and then lifted the cover. She could sense they didn’t want her here and she wasn’t sure she wanted to be there, either. The moment she saw the two-story house, Anna Marie couldn’t believe how little had changed—the sloping roof, the third front step that creaked and the green shutters that should have been painted blue to match the trim. When she stepped inside she’d expected the sound of children and the scent of freshly baked cookies, which Mrs. Bell let the younger children help her bake. She was fostering four children with her at that time, but kids from the neighborhood frequently came to visit.

  Inside hadn’t changed as much as the residents. They were far from young and looked at her with wariness. A wariness she understood. When she’d first arrived, the other kids had looked at her with the same expression. The same suspicious looks, and displays of jealously guarded territory.

  Anna Marie smiled at Leona. She could sense her nervousness and resentment that her forced pleasantry couldn’t hide. And there were silent questions in the older woman’s gaze that she couldn’t answer. No, I don’t know why she left the house to me. No, I don’t know why I have to stay here for six months. But I want the money so I will be living here whether you think I deserve to or not.

  “This room has a great view. Mrs. Bell always loved it and it’s very quiet. You don’t have to worry about the others. I hope you’ll like it here.”

  She’d said that before and Anna Marie still didn’t believe her. “I’m sure I will.”

  “Not much goes on here, but it’s a nice little town and the people are friendly.”

  “I know. I used to live here.” The room was like an old friend with few changes.

  “Mrs. Bell didn’t tell us about you.”

  “I was one of her foster kids.”

  “She stopped doing that years ago. One of the kids ran away and she never recovered from that.”

  “She shouldn’t have stopped,” Anna Marie said with regret, sadness tightening her heart. “She was a good mother.”

  “Did you keep in touch with her?”

  “No, and I don’t feel guilty. She was better off without me.”

  “And yet she still—” Leona stopped but Anna Marie silently finished the sentence. Left the house to you. Leona took a step back. “I’d better go get dinner.”

  “You cook for everyone?”

  “Yes, and cl
ean. I take care of things. We eat together in the dining room. We’re like a family.”

  “I see.” Anna Marie knew she wasn’t one of them. Once again she didn’t belong. She was an outsider.

  Leona walked toward the door, then stopped. “We’d hate for anything or anyone to break us up.”

  “I doubt anything will.”

  Once Leona left, Anna Marie unpacked, then wandered around the room, finding a perfect spot for Nika. She opened the closet, surprised to see the amount of clothes there. Sonia had taken care of having all her purchases delivered. She’d never owned so many things. Anna Marie freshened up for dinner, determined to make a good impression. Years ago she’d only had two pairs of jeans and one pair of shoes that squeaked when she walked. Now she was a professional woman not as easily intimidated. Six months and then the money was all hers. The money was all that mattered.

  She heard lively conversation as she walked downstairs. It stopped the moment she entered the dining room. She smiled and sat in an empty chair beside Jane and began making her plate. “Smells delicious. I’m sure it tastes even better.”

  Leona looked at the others. “Thanks.”

  Twice Anna Marie tried to restart their conversation, but they only gave her curt replies. Finally Gerald stood. “There’s a game on I want to finish.” He took his plate and left. Jane soon followed, saying the air in the dining room felt stuffy. Then Leona said she needed to go clean the kitchen. Within minutes the table was empty and Anna Marie sat alone.

  Anna Marie finished her meal despite the tightening of her throat, the heaviness in her chest and the threat of tears as she faced the weighty echo of their cold rejection. She remained at the table, looking out the window as the sunlight moved across the room as the sun set, until it completely disappeared.

  As time floated by, Anna Marie allowed her memory to flood her mind with the cruel taunts and teasing she’d faced going from home to home and school to school. She remembered the days she pretended she didn’t care, when she did. She’d loved it here, but she never felt safe. She was always afraid that Mrs. Bell would send her away. But tonight the rejection hurt more and she didn’t want to be alone. She ran up the stairs, raced to her room and then grabbed her cell phone. She dialed without thinking, only realizing who she’d called when she heard Desmond’s voice.

  “Please, I need you.”

  “Anna Marie?”

  “Yes, please come. I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Do you want me to change my mind?”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Anna Marie sat waiting for Desmond on the porch, a lonely figure in white. She stood as he drove his car up the driveway and his headlights created a silhouette of her form underneath her nightdress. His body responded with a feeling of lust, but he managed to dampen it as he shut off the car engine. Desmond casually walked toward her, instead of running and grabbing her the way he wanted to. He could read nothing in her gaze, which made him uneasy about why she’d called him. He knew from experience that women could be changeable so he had learned to act with caution. He stopped a few feet away from her and hooked his thumb in his belt loop. “What’s—”

  She moved closer to him and pressed a finger to his lips. He would have been fine if she hadn’t touched him, but that simple motion sealed her fate. He no longer cared about the reason why she’d called him; his hunger for her could not be ignored. He pulled her to him and bent to kiss her. She met him halfway, and her willing mouth only fueled the fire within him. His hands encircled her, finding the satin shield of her nightdress a cruel barrier to what he really wanted—the feel of her skin against his fingers.

  Anna Marie suddenly drew away and said in a breathless rush, “Not here.” She began to turn, but Desmond wanted her close to him. He lifted her up in his arms. “Just show me the way.”

  “Upstairs, second door on the left.”

  Desmond made his way up the stairs, but stopped when she gently bit the sensitive part of his earlobe. “If you don’t stop that, I’ll drop you.”

  “I’m encouraging you to move faster.”

  He continued up the stairs. “I’m going as fast as I can.” He stopped at the top and looked around. “Which door is it?”

  She pointed and he walked toward a brown door then said, “Open it.”

  Anna Marie hesitated. “There’s just one thing.”

  “I’m not interested.”

  “But—”

  “I’ll open it.” He draped her over his shoulder, ignoring Anna Marie’s gasp of surprise, then opened the door. He turned on the lights, then stopped. The room looked like a bordello. “What the hell?”

  “I wanted to warn you,” she said, poking him in the back. “Mrs. Bell had interesting tastes.”

  Desmond gently placed her on the bed. “I like it.” He pulled off her nightdress and to his delight she wasn’t wearing anything underneath. He stared at her full breasts and his gaze went down from there. “But I didn’t come here to look at the room.”

  Anna Marie pressed her body against him. “That’s good to know.”

  Desmond removed his clothes with such violent intensity, some of the buttons on his shirt scattered onto the wooden floor, but he didn’t care. He drew her tender, ripe body to his, determined to claim her soft, smooth body as his own and she was equally determined to claim him. There were no gentle moans of pleasure or tender gestures of desire. Their passion was wild, exhilarating and dangerous.

  They had no inhibitions between them, unaware of how vulnerable they’d become to each other. Their raw desire was almost tangible as they sought pleasure in each other’s arms. As he filled her with his hunger, she welcomed it without question. It was an exquisite indulgence he didn’t want to end.

  Anna Marie didn’t want it to end, either. She surrendered to him with sweet abandon. She needed this. In his arms she didn’t feel discarded, undesirable, unwanted or alone. She needed to be touched; she needed to have him explore every part of her body without limitation, as though she belonged to him, because tonight she did. Completely.

  With every move of her body, Anna Marie wanted him to know it—to feel it, to sense it. To sense that when he touched her breasts, her thighs and the sacred place in between, she was his.

  Finally, they stopped from exhaustion and lay in bed languid with ecstasy, unable to move.

  “Do you have to go?” she asked him, tracing a circle on his back.

  He didn’t move. His voice was a deep rumble when he spoke. “Do you want me to stay?”

  “Yes. I don’t want to be alone tonight. Especially in this house.”

  He turned to her. “You’re not alone. There are other people here.”

  “Yes, but they hate me, just like the kids did before.”

  Desmond lifted himself onto his elbow and drew down the sheet so he could see her breasts. “I’m sure they don’t hate you.” He kissed each nipple.

  Anna Marie laughed. “Not everyone feels about me the way you do.”

  He playfully narrowed his eyes, then said in a low growl, “They’d better not.” Suddenly, his gaze grew serious. “I thought you had fond memories of this place.”

  “I have fond memories of Mrs. Bell. Anyway, I now have Nika.”

  “Who?”

  “My turtle. He likes to stay in his shoebox and hide. Anytime I let him out, he disappears under the bed or a dresser. I’d introduce you, but he’s shy around strangers.”

  The corner of Desmond’s mouth quirked in a smile, but he didn’t laugh. “I’ll give him time.”

  “Thank you.” Anna Marie drew up the covers. “I can’t make you stay, but if you have to leave, please wait until I’m asleep.”

  “Are you sleepy?”

  “No.”

  He drew the cover down again. “Good, because I don’t plan to leave anytime soon.”

  Anna Marie woke up alone. She wasn’t surprised. Her dream had come true. She’d wanted one night wi
th Desmond Rockwell and she’d gotten it—she hadn’t expected to wake up with him beside her. She knew that dreams could never withstand the glare of day.

  She glanced at her clock, then heard a buzzing noise. It took her moment to realize it was her cell phone. She searched in her handbag and answered “Hello?”

  “Did I wake you?” Desmond asked.

  Anna Marie sunk back into her bed, her knees weak from the joy of hearing his voice. “No, I was up.”

  “Sorry I couldn’t stay. I have some business I have to take care of. But if you need me tonight, I don’t have any plans.”

  Anna Marie fell back on the bed and grinned. “I’m glad to hear that, Mr. Rockwell, because I will need you.”

  “I’m always happy to be of service.”

  She rolled on her stomach and put her feet in the air. “In fact, I may need you the rest of the week. Solving these cases of loneliness takes time.”

  “Yes, and I wouldn’t want you to be lonely,” he said in a husky whisper.

  “I miss you already.”

  “What are you wearing?”

  “Nothing. Just a big smile.”

  He groaned. “I’m not sure you’re good for me.” He laughed. “And I don’t care. I’ll see you tonight.” He hung up.

  Anna Marie dropped her cell phone on the bed and screamed into the pillows. She’d slept with Desmond Rockwell and he was coming back tonight! It was more than she could have ever hoped for.

  “You’re getting cantaloupe today,” she told Nika.

  She was in high spirits as she prepared for the day and decided to select something fun to wear from her closet. She selected a two-piece white-and-blue-striped sleeveless pantsuit and white leather pumps, then bounded down the stairs. However, the cold reception she received effectively dampened her spirits.

  Again she ate alone. Whenever she entered one of the “common areas,” like the kitchen, dining or family room, the conversation either stopped or the boarders got up and left. Her questions were met with terse replies or, sometimes, no reply at all. It continued this way for the next several weeks. Anna Marie endured their coldness because her nights were so pleasurable. Being with Desmond healed every slight and hurt she suffered during the day. And she thought everything was perfect until Sonia showed up.