“Good morning, Selena,” he announced with a gentle tip of his hat.
Selena smiled but kept their greeting professional. “Good morning, Tucker.”
“Collin was looking for you,” he informed her. “Sounded important.”
“Everything is important to Collin,” she replied while sorting through a stack of mail lying on top of the desk.
Tucker continued to watch her while grinning, but she refused to look at him. Tucker was an undeniably handsome, muscularly built man in his early thirties. He seemed to pay a little too much attention to Selena, despite her obvious lack of interest. The museum curator in his late forties, Collin Morgan, approached with a file. Selena noted his fast gait and determined expression. Something had him concerned, but that was Collin’s usual state.
“Morning, Collin,” Selena said with a forced sound of cheerfulness.
“Bad news, Selena,” he immediately began before even reaching her. “Your assistant called in this morning--”
“Again?”
“She called in to say she quit.”
Selena allowed her head to fall into her hands and groaned. It was going to be a rocky start to her morning. Collin handed her the folder.
“This is the list you wanted her to pull from storage,” he announced callously. “The exhibit needs to be ready in two days. As executive assistant, it falls on you.”
Selena accepted the file with little enthusiasm. “I can’t believe she quit. I have so much to do before the wedding. Working late nights is the last thing I need.”
“You still have a few weeks until your wedding. This will only take two days,” he remarked with little concern for her personal problems. “We’ll try to find you a new assistant as soon as possible.”
She groaned with a sound of defeat. “I remember being a lot more ambitious when I was a trainee,” Selena scoffed.
“You were fortunate enough to work with Riley Jericho and Hayes Dante. Things were a lot different back then,” he informed her. “Those two were irreplaceable.”
“Yes, they were quite the team,” Selena remarked without looking at Collin.
It was obviously disheartening to be reminded that she clearly wasn’t Riley. It wasn’t easy living in Riley’s shadow, particularly since she’d been gone so long, but her legacy still overshadowed everything Selena did.
“It’s so sad what happened to her,” Selena muttered softly while shaking her head.
“Senseless tragedy,” Collin remarked as he placed his hands in his pockets. He appeared chilled by the conversation. “It seems almost surreal that she died so soon after Hayes’ accident. What were the odds, really?”
“She did take his death rather hard,” Selena informed him then gave him an odd look. “Maybe her accident wasn’t so much an accident as a cry for help.”
“Suicide? No, absolutely not,” he announced firmly. “Riley wasn’t the type.”
“She was mourning and possibly not thinking straight,” she replied. “An error in judgment, perhaps.” Selena looked at the folder in her hand and sighed deeply. “I should probably get on this list. I have a long day ahead of me.”
Selena hurried across the lobby while skimming the file in her hand. She frowned and shook her head with disgust. A man in his late thirties, Noble Winston, approached her with a folder in his hand. She saw him approaching with his attention focused on her. It was too late to pretend she didn’t see him and turn a different direction. As she looked at the folder, she couldn’t even force herself to smile. She immediately groaned with disgust.
“Please don’t tell me that’s for me,” Selena whined softly as Noble paused before her.
“Good morning to you too,” Noble announced cheerfully and handed her the folder. “I need you to review these, approve them, and return them to me before lunch.”
Selena groaned softly and accepted the folder. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I tried to be nice and pass them off to Collin, but he wanted no part of it,” Noble informed her.
“He should,” she replied with a tone resembling disgust. “These fundraisers are usually his deal. How do I get stuck with all the paperwork?”
“You’re his assistant,” Noble remarked with a hint of mocking. “He wants you to assist with this.”
“Yeah, funny,” she snapped and added the folder to her own. “I’ll do my best.”
“Before lunch,” Noble reminded and continued on his way across the lobby.
Selena’s cell phone chirped from somewhere on her body. She fumbled within her blazer pocket for her cell phone. Both folders fell to the floor, allowing the papers to scatter. She groaned with frustration and grabbed her cell phone without looking at the caller ID.
“Selena Benton, Assistant Curator,” Selena said with a failed attempt at cheerful. As she listened to the caller, her expression immediately dropped. “Who is this?”
Chapter Three
Kane walked across the antique store with a tiny, older woman and guided her to the front door. She appeared pleased with her new purchase; or maybe it was Kane’s attentiveness. The way she smiled at the attractive man made it difficult to tell. The antique store had a reputation for outstanding customer service. The Maddox family was known for their even temperaments, business style, and amazing charm. Kane was no exception.
“We’ll have that armoire delivered to your house by Friday,” he informed her with a smile that matched hers.
The older woman smiled at him and patted his hand. “You always take such good care of me, Kane,” she said. “I wish my grandchildren were like you.”
“We both know you’re not old enough to have grandchildren,” he teased with a grin.
“You’re such a sweet boy,” she said with a giggle, gave his hand an affectionate squeeze, and left the store.
Some men came across as snake charmers with such lines, but Kane enjoyed working with customers. He had a particular fondness for little, gray-haired woman. Perhaps it was because they loved him so much. He had an amazing relationship with his grandmother on his mother’s side up until her death a few years ago. She was a great influence on him growing up. Moreover, it didn’t hurt that she was an exceptional baker. Casper hurried toward him with the old journal in his hand and excitement on his face.
“Dude, you’re not going to believe this!” Casper said.
“Try me.”
Casper was easily excited over the most mundane things. The two had been best friends ever since the day Casper kept a bully from beating Kane on the playground back in the third grade. His reason for coming to Kane’s aid was the most ironic part. He liked the superhero on Kane’s tee shirt, which was also the same reason the bully had wanted to beat him up in the first place. It was one of those things not worth trying to understand.
“I’ve dated the journal. It’s over two hundred years old,” Casper announced. “It didn’t belong to the old man; it belonged to a different, much older man.”
“Was he someone famous?” Kane asked dryly in an attempt to curb Casper’s enthusiasm. “Because that still doesn’t make that old journal worth anything.”
“No, no. The journal explains the trinket box. You’re not going to believe it. This is no ordinary trinket box I found,” he said as his eyes glowed with excitement. “It’s used for time displacement.”
“Time displacement?” Kane was now convinced Casper was just making up words for his own amusement. “You’ll need to explain that one to me.”
“Time travel.”
Kane stared at Casper with a strange but all too familiar look. “I think you’ve read one too many comic books,” he informed him then sighed drearily. “If you don’t mind, I have to see a man about white doves.”
Kane walked across the store toward the front desk with Casper on his heels. He wasn’t about to let it go.
“I’m not making this up!”
“Oh, well, in that case, go back in time and talk me into eloping.”
“It
doesn’t work that way,” Casper informed him. “It’s a one-way ticket. The box remains in the present day, so there’s no way to return.”
“Hmm, well, that’s screwed up. Who’d want to time travel and be stuck wherever they went?” Most times, Kane didn’t mind humoring Casper’s eccentric personality, but this was a little much. “Besides, that overpriced trinket box is not a time machine. It’s barely even a trinket box.”
“At least give it a try.”
The look on Kane’s face was priceless. “Give it a try?” he asked with surprise then laughed. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than here and now. I’m marrying the woman I love in a couple of weeks. My life is perfect.” Kane rummaged through the desk and removed several proposals for wedding related items. “Well, it will be, if I survive the wedding planning.”
“I’ll do it,” Casper chirped.
“Do what?” Kane asked without looking at his friend.
“Time travel,” he replied.
Kane snorted a laugh at his odd friend. “You’re my best man. Please don’t make me replace you last minute,” he said and barely paid attention to him. “I’m stressed enough as it is.”
Casper stared at him and frowned his displeasure. “Now you’re just mocking me.”
Kane grinned his response. Casper’s enthusiasm quickly returned. It was hard keeping Casper down.
“I’m going to prove this box makes time travel possible,” Casper announced. “I’m going to travel forward in time by five minutes. You’ll see.”
“Okay, fine,” Kane said with little emotion while preoccupied with the stack of proposals he flipped through.
Casper adjusted the date and time on the box, held it in his hand, and read from the book. Kane headed into the back room while shuffling through his papers. He returned only a minute later while holding up one of the papers and was about to speak. Casper was gone. He uncertainly looked around. The trinket box lie on the antique, Oriental rug on the floor.
“Casper?”
Kane walked behind the desk and looked for Casper. It was amazing how quickly and silently a man of Casper’s size was able to move. As he turned, Casper stood in the middle of the room. Casper uncertainly picked up the trinket box from the floor then looked at Kane with enthusiasm.
“Well, did it work?” Casper asked.
Kane appeared bewildered. “Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. Uh, huh.”
Casper frowned his displeasure.
Kane suddenly thought of something and groaned softly. “Damn, I need to call the photographer. You should see the price of these guys.”
Kane left the room with his nose buried in his stack of papers. Casper looked at the trinket box and frowned. The clock struck three. He looked at his watch. It was five minutes before three. Casper’s eyes widened with surprise.
“It worked,” he gasped.
†
Selena worked on one of the exhibits within the Egyptian room. It was already closing time and the museum was finally quiet. Selena appeared preoccupied by something while sorting through several items for the exhibit scattered along the floor. The sound of footfalls was heard, alerting her. Selena quickly spun and nearly collided with the night security guard, Howard. Both jumped with surprise. Howard laughed softly and held his chest. Howard was fairly out of shape despite only being in his mid-forties. If called upon to jump into action, he wouldn’t be able to jump very far. Thankfully, his job wasn’t very demanding. Selena’s uneasiness wasn’t typical behavior even while alone in the evening.
“You’re a little edgy tonight,” he announced while attempting to control his breathing and forced a smile.
Selena attempted to relax, laughed nervously, and ran trembling fingers through her long hair. “I could say the same about you, Howard.”
“I’m not exactly used to things moving around in here,” he replied while grinning. “I’m ready to lock up. Did you want me to walk you out to your car?”
“No, that’s okay,” she announced then sighed softly and finally appeared less tense. “I’m afraid I have another hour’s worth of work tonight.”
“Another late night?”
“My assistant quit,” she replied while sulking.
“Another one?” he suddenly asked with surprise then shook his head. “What’s with kids these days?” His jovial expression again returned. “Well, when you’re ready to leave, call me, and I’ll walk you out.”
“I appreciate that, but Kane’s coming to get me around eight,” she informed him. “He worries when I work late.”
Howard offered a knowing smile. “Nothing wrong with that in a future husband.”
“No, nothing at all,” she replied and returned the smile while subconsciously playing with her antique engagement ring.
“I’ll leave you to your work,” he announced cheerfully. “I wouldn’t want to be the reason you have to stay even later then you already are.”
Selena laughed softly, but it was obvious something still had her unhinged. Howard didn’t seem to notice and continued on his way across the exhibit.
Chapter Four
It was almost eight o’clock and the museum was closed for the evening. The lobby was dimly lit, lending a creepy appearance to the massive room. There was nothing creepier than the museum after hours. When it was quiet and the exhibits were mostly dark, shadows were cast, and one’s imagination was projected back into time when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Kane stood outside the glass doors and rang the bell. Howard saw Kane at the main door from across the lobby, grinned as he approached, and opened the door for him. Howard had gotten to know Kane well since he started dating Selena and frequently came to pick her up when she worked late. All the employees knew one another and even frequently socialized outside of work with spouses and significant others. Kane entered and smiled at the guard.
“Evening, Kane,” Howard greeted him cheerfully.
“Hey, Howard.” Kane looked around the dim, quiet lobby and shook his head. Afterhours in the dimly lit museum always caused the hairs on the back of Kane’s neck to stand on end. He didn’t know how Howard could tolerate staying there alone every night. “Aren’t you worried one of those dinosaurs will come back to life and eat you?”
“Be serious, Kane,” Howard announced then grinned. “I’d have a heart attack long before one of those walking skeletons could ever eat me.”
Kane chuckled. The image was one he was sure Casper would enjoy. “Is Selena ready?”
“I don’t know, but you need to take that girl home. She works too hard for someone so young.”
“I hear you. Unfortunately, she makes more here than what I could pay her at the antique store,” Kane replied with a defeated sigh. “Where is she?”
“In the Egyptian exhibit, I believe.”
“Thanks, Howard.”
Kane walked through the dinosaur exhibit and looked around with a grimace. The shadows reflected by the large dinosaur skeletons were enough to quicken his pace. He hated to admit that the place gave him chills. It seemed childish. He headed into the Egyptian exhibit. The massive, dimly lit room was filled with mummies in glass cases, sarcophaguses, and various scenes from Egypt. Kane entered the eerie room. The mummies were possibly less comforting than the dinosaur skeletons. As he stared at a mummy beyond a glass case, he didn’t envy Howard at all. A gunshot was heard and echoed throughout the room. Kane was paralyzed a moment while considering if he had actually heard a gunshot. Alarm swept through him. Kane ran across the exhibit and suddenly stopped. Selena was lying on the floor with blood soaking her shirt and a gun near her outstretched hand. Kane ran for her and dropped alongside her. He grabbed her hand and pat if firmly. A flood of emotion swept over him as he stared at the woman he loved bleeding before him.
“Selena, Selena! Talk to me!”
Selena gasped as if about to speak but no words came out. Her eyes rolled back, and she stopped breathing. Kane gasped with horror while staring at her. He suddenly sobbed and pulled her into his arms.
“No, Selena!”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone move through the shadows. Kane suddenly grabbed the gun, jumped to his feet, and prepared to shoot the first thing that moved. To his surprise, the gun was kicked from his hand with amazing force. He stared Selena’s killer in the eyes. It was Riley Jericho! Kane stared at the woman he’d never seen before and appeared unable to move. She had a noticeable scar above her right white, blind eye and down her cheek. She was dressed in a black slinking outfit and her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Kane lunged for the woman with rage. She kicked him in the chest with her black booted foot and knocked him backwards. She casually turned to leave. Kane clutched his chest with agony and stared after her. He wasn’t about to let Selena’s killer get away. Without thinking, he again lunged for her while her back was turned. Scarred Riley spun into a backwards roundhouse kick and hit him across the face. Kane roughly struck the floor and appeared unable to move. Scarred Riley slowly approached Kane and crouched alongside him as he writhed in agony and clutched his bleeding cheek. He gasped and looked at her. The scar on her face and her white, blind eye were intimidating, and he allowed the fear that she’d kill him overtake him. Despite his pain, he was paralyzed with fear and stared helplessly at her. She casually stared into his eyes and showed no emotion.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Kane,” she remarked simply.
Kane stared at her emotionless expression as a shiver ran down his spine. He was sure he was dead. Howard was heard running into the exhibit. Kane had to alert Howard, even if it meant the woman would kill him. He slowly and painfully looked across the room as Howard entered the exhibit. He had his hand on his gun, although if he’d heard the gunshot it should have already been in his hand.
Death Displacement: A time travel romantic thriller Page 2
