by Gibson, Jo
It took her several minutes to stop crying. But as her tears dried, a raging anger took their place. Angela had duped her. She hadn’t needed Cran-lemon juice for her throat. She’d just wanted Carla out of the way so that she could make love to Michael!
Carla wiped away her tears, and stared out at the palm tree at the back of the parking lot. Angela was a bitch. She’d pretended to be so sweet and friendly, but all the time she’d been planning to make a move on Michael. A girl like Angela didn’t deserve Michael’s love. There had to be something that she could do to make sure that Angela didn’t succeed.
There was a rustling in the bushes at the side of the building, and Carla reached out to lock her doors. Was someone out there? And would that someone sneak into the building, thinking it was deserted for the night? Carla had a sudden mental picture of the Cupid Killer taking revenge on Angela, and she shivered a bit. Perhaps it wasn’t fair, but she found herself hoping that the killer would strike again, and make Angela the next victim!
“What was that?!” Michael sat up, startled, and glanced out over the back of the couch. “Hurry up, Angela. Put on your clothes! I think I heard somebody!”
Angela laughed, a deep throaty sound that she knew was incredibly sexy. “It’s just your imagination, Michael. Take off your clothes and come here.”
“That’s not a good idea.” Michael stood up, and began to button his shirt. “Carla could come back any second.”
Angela laughed, and made a grab for his arm, but Michael stepped back. She pouted, and then she licked her lips. “She won’t be back for hours. I personally guarantee it. So come on back here, and show me what an incredible lover you are.”
“What do you mean, she won’t be back?” Michael began to frown. “The grocery store’s only a few blocks away.”
“But she won’t find any Cran-lemon juice there.”
Michael’s frown deepened. “Why not?”
“Because there’s no such thing. I sent her on a wild goose chase so we could be alone. If I know Carla, she’ll go to at least three different stores before she comes back and tells us she can’t find it.”
Michael’s eyes were hard as he stared at Angela. “That was a rotten thing to do!”
“Maybe.” Angela shrugged, and then she smiled again. “But all’s fair in love and war. And I want you to love me, Michael.”
The expression on Michael’s face was fierce, and Angela shuddered slightly. He really looked mad about the dirty trick she’d played, and she was afraid she’d underestimated his feelings for Carla.
“Hey . . . I’m sorry.” Angela managed to look contrite. “I’ll apologize when she comes back. But Carla was in the way. Can’t you understand? I really needed to be alone with you.”
“You don’t need to be alone with me. You just need to be alone, period.” Michael grabbed his guitar case, and climbed down the steps that led from the stage. When he got to the door, he turned and glared at Angela. “I’m going to wait for Carla outside. And when she comes, I’m going to ask her for a ride home.”
Angela sighed, and grabbed her clothes from the back of the couch. Michael was stubborn, but that made him even more of a challenge. Now she had to find a way to get back in his good graces.
It didn’t take long for Angela to dress again. She’d purposely worn clothes that were easy to take on and off. As she was climbing down the steps to go out and placate Michael, she remembered the deli food they’d picked up on their way to Covers. Her mother had always said that the best way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. She’d fix Michael a sandwich, and take it to him as a peace offering. That should put him in a much better mood. And after he’d eaten, she’d appeal to his male ego. She’d promise him that she’d do her absolute best to resist him, even though he was terribly sexy.
Angela was smiling as she opened the packages she’d bought at the deli. There was rare roast beef, Black Forest ham, and three kinds of imported cheese. She slathered two thick slices of freshly baked rye bread with hot German mustard, and began to make a sandwich that Michael wouldn’t be able to resist. When she was through, she arranged it all on a paper plate and popped it in the microwave for a few seconds.
The microwave beeped, and Angela reached out for the catch to release the door. But as her finger touched the lever, all the lights went out. What rotten luck! She’d blown a fuse!
Angela reached into the interior of the microwave, and picked up the sandwich. At least it was hot. Dim light from the parking lot filtered in through the high kitchen window, and Angela carried the sandwich across the kitchen floor. But she stopped and gave a little gasp of fright as she came to the kitchen door. It was closed, and she distinctly remembered leaving it open.
That was when she heard it, soft breathing coming from the dark shadows near the walk~in cooler. Angela shivered, and stepped back so far, she bumped against the wall. Suddenly she remembered the stories she’d heard about the food thief and the Cupid Killer, and she began to panic. Someone was in the kitchen with her!
“Michael?” Angela’s voice was shaking, she was so frightened. “Is that you?”
But no one answered. There was only silence and that terrible breathing. In, out. In, out. The breathing got faster and faster. Angela felt her hands begin to tremble, and she flung the sandwich toward the darkest shadow as she turned and ran toward the other kitchen door, the one that led outside.
Her hands found the knob and she twisted desperately, but the door wouldn’t pull open. She knew there must be a second lock, but where? Her shaking fingers had just located the deadbolt, when strong arms grabbed her from behind. It was too dark to see the arrow, and she didn’t even have time to scream before something hard and heavy crashed down on her head, and endless darkness closed in.
Nineteen
“And you found her?!” Linda looked shocked as Carla nodded. “Was Michael with you?”
Carla nodded again. “Michael was waiting for me when I drove up. Von’s didn’t have any Cran-lemon juice, so I bought a quart of Cran-apple.”
“Cran-lemon?” Linda looked puzzled. “I didn’t know they made that kind.”
“They don’t. It was just Angela’s excuse to get me out of the way so she’d have time to put her moves on Michael.”
Linda sighed. “I know it isn’t nice to say, under the circumstances, but Angela was really a bitch.”
“That’s true. I knew all that when I went out for the juice, but I’d promised, so I did it. The trip to the store helped. I needed the time to cool off.”
“I’ll bet!” Linda raised her eyebrows. Carla had already told her how she’d gone back inside and discovered Angela and Michael on the couch. “I don’t think I would have gone back.”
“I wasn’t going to, at first. I felt like driving straight home, but then I remembered that I’d only seen Angela’s clothes draped over the back of the couch.”
Linda nodded. “And you were hoping that maybe she was just changing into another outfit?”
“I knew better than that.” Carla gave a small laugh. “But I decided it was only fair to give Michael the benefit of the doubt. After all, I didn’t see any of his clothes. As it turned out, I was right. Angela did her best to seduce Michael, but he got so mad when she admitted that she’d tricked me, he grabbed his guitar and left.”
“And he forgot his keys?”
“That’s right. The door locked behind him, and he couldn’t get back in. That’s the reason he was waiting outside.”
“Did Michael know what was happening inside?” Linda winced a little.
“No. He didn’t even know that the lights were off, until I unlocked the front door.”
“Were you scared?” Linda shivered again.
“Of course. Michael remembered how the lights had gone off when Heidi was killed, and neither one of us really wanted to go inside.”
“But you did.”
“Only after we called out for Angela, and she didn’t answer. That’s when we knew that so
mething was wrong. I got the flashlight from my car, and Michael picked up a big branch to use as a club. And then . . .” Carla stopped and swallowed hard. “And then we went inside.”
Linda looked worried as she saw how pale Carla was. “You don’t have to tell me any more if you don’t want to.”
“Thanks, Linda.” Carla smiled at her friend. “But I don’t mind telling you. I’ve already gone over it twice for the police, and once more won’t matter. But I’ll never forget how scared I was, shining that flashlight around in the dark.”
“Did you find Angela right away?”
“No. We went straight to the light box, and Michael turned on the lights. The killer had turned them off with the master switch.”
“Just like he did the last time!” Linda took a deep breath, and let it out with a shuddering sigh. “That was when you knew, right?”
“That was when we suspected. But we were still hoping that Angela was all right. We looked on the stage, and she wasn’t there, and then we went to . . . to the kitchen to see if she’d run out that way.”
“And you found her there, by the outside door?”
“That’s right.” Carla nodded. “We thought maybe she was still alive, but then Michael saw the shaft of the arrow, and we knew for sure that she wasn’t.”
Linda reached out to pat Carla’s shoulder. “This is going to sound strange, but I’m glad you were there with Michael. At least the police can’t suspect him this time.”
“Oh, yes they can!” Carla’s voice was bitter. “Don’t forget that I was gone for at least twenty minutes, getting that juice. All they have is Michael’s word that he was outside when Angela was killed. There was no one else there to verify it.”
“So he’s a suspect again?”
Carla nodded. “I’m afraid so. I know that Michael didn’t kill Angela, but the police think he did.”
“Are they going to arrest him?”
“Andy says it’s only a matter of time. His uncle told him they’re ninety-nine percent sure that Michael’s the Cupid Killer.”
“That’s awful! What are you going to do?” Linda looked nervous.
“I’m not sure, but I have to do something.” Carla shivered, although the hot afternoon sun was streaming through the office window. “I’m going to prove that Michael’s innocent, even if I have to catch the Cupid Killer myself!”
Somehow, the word got out and though Nate Rose cancelled, Covers was packed for the Monday night show. It was a good audience. They applauded wildly for every act. But when Michael got out on the stage, people were very quiet. They listened to him sing, and they clapped politely, but Carla could tell they were seeing Michael in a new light. Everyone thought that he could be the Cupid Killer.
The same thing happened on Tuesday, and it kept on happening all through the week. The audience applauded, but they looked very nervous during Michael’s sets, and they whispered to each other while he was performing.
Late Sunday afternoon, Carla met Michael at Covers. She had book work to do, and she’d asked him to be there with her. It wasn’t for her protection. It was for his. If the Cupid Killer struck again, Carla was determined to be Michael’s alibi. But Carla was almost sure that the killer wouldn’t surface for quite some time. Michael wasn’t dating any new girls, and that meant the Cupid Killer didn’t have any new targets.
Carla had just finished making out the paychecks when Michael stuck his head in the office door. “Do you have time to listen to a song I just wrote?”
“I’d love to hear it.” Carla smiled and motioned to the huge leather couch in her office. Michael had written four new songs this week, and he’d asked her to listen to all of them. The only time he seemed truly relaxed was when he was singing, and his new songs were all very good. Carla was glad he’d found some way to cope with his frustration.
But when Michael started to sing, Carla drew in her breath sharply. His new song was all about a guy who was accused of crimes he hadn’t committed. Tears came to Carla’s eyes as he sang of his loneliness, and how much it hurt when all his friends had abandoned him. There was only one ray of hope, and that was the girl who had stuck by his side, loyal and loving, even though everyone else had stopped believing in him.
The last note died away, and Michael looked at Carla. “Well? What do you think?”
“It’s . . . it’s beautiful, Michael.” Carla spoke the words that were in her heart. “But it’s so sad, it makes me want to cry.”
“That’s why I wrote it. It’s my way of crying. Sometimes I wish I was a little kid again, so I could bawl my eyes out.”
“I know.” Carla got up and walked to the couch where she sat down beside him. She put her arm around his shoulders and patted his back. “It’ll all work out. Don’t worry. There’s going to be a lot of embarrassed people at Covers, when the police catch the real Cupid Killer, and they realize that it’s not you.”
“You’ve never doubted me, have you, Carla?” Michael pulled her close and hugged her.
“No, I haven’t.” Carla’s voice was shaking. It felt so good to be in Michael’s arms. “But maybe that’s because I know you better than anyone else.”
“Maybe that’s it. But I was kind of hoping it was because you loved me more than anyone else.”
Carla held her breath. It was suddenly very quiet, and she could hear her heart beating fast. She did love Michael. And this was the perfect time to tell him. She’d been afraid that he’d back away if she said it before, but tonight he seemed to want the closeness that they could share.
“I do love you.” Carla raised her eyes to his. “I’ve loved you for a long time, Michael. But I didn’t think it was right to say it back then.”
Michael reached down and wiped a tear off her cheek. He looked very serious. “I love you, too, Carla. And it’s not just because you’re the only friend I have left. I think I started loving you right after Judy died. It was like a nightmare, and you were right there for me. You kept me from going crazy.”
“Maybe you’re confusing being grateful with being in love.” Carla voiced her worst fear. She hoped that Michael wouldn’t deny it, but she had to ask. “Are you really sure you love me, Michael?”
Michael nodded. “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. That’s why I was so angry at Angela for tricking you. I never wanted her. I wanted you.”
Carla didn’t say anything. She was too happy to speak. Michael reached out very gently, and tipped up her face to his. And then he kissed her softly.
His kiss was gentle, and Carla sighed softly. Her dream was coming true. Michael loved her, and she loved him. She’d never been so happy in her life.
“You’re my girl, Carla.” Michael bent down to kiss her again. And then he took the fraternity ring off his finger, and slipped it on hers. “Here. I want you to have this. I never really wanted to give it to anyone but you.”
Carla looked down at the ring on her finger. He’d put it on the third finger of her left hand, and she had to ask, even if her whole dream dissolved right in front of her eyes. She took a deep breath and blurted out the question. “What does it mean, Michael?”
“It means that we’re engaged to be engaged.” Michael smiled at her tenderly. “Is that all right with you?”
“Oh, yes!” Carla felt her spirits rise to the ceiling, burst through the plaster, and float freely up to the stars.
“We’ll tell my parents tomorrow night. They went to Palm Springs for the weekend, but they’ll be back tomorrow. How about your family? Do you want to tell them now?”
Carla glanced at the clock on the wall. It was past ten and everyone would be in bed. “I think we’d better wait until tomorrow. They have to get up early for work.”
“We should tell someone.” Michael grinned at her. “It’s not official if we don’t.”
Carla reached up to kiss him again. And then she gave him a happy smile. “It’s official if we tell a friend, and we did that.”
“We did?” Michael loo
ked puzzled, as Carla nodded.
“You told me, and I told you. That means we both told our best friends.”
Michael laughed softly and pulled her close again. And then Carla lost track of the time, because Michael was kissing her again. His lips were warm and very gentle at first, and Carla loved his tender kisses. But she had waited a lifetime for this moment, and she felt a rush of compelling urgency. The police could arrest Michael any day. And then she’d be without him again! She wrapped her arms around Michael’s neck, and molded her body to his, letting him know that she belonged to him completely.
Michael groaned, deep in his throat. He knew Carla was his for the taking. But he wanted much more than this one night with her, and as tempting as her kisses were, he held himself in check.
“Not now, Carla.” Michael’s voice was trembling with emotion. “And not here. We’ve got a whole lifetime to love each other.”
Carla nodded, and gave him a shaky smile. She wanted Michael to make love to her, but she knew this wasn’t the right time or place. Michael knew, too, and she loved him even more for reminding her that they had a future. They didn’t have to cling to each other in desperation. The police would catch the Cupid Killer and everything would work out.
Suddenly Carla felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She felt as if disapproving eyes were watching them, eyes that burned with an almost fanatical anger.
Michael felt her shiver, and he looked concerned. “What’s the matter, Carla?”
“I just felt a little chill, that’s all.” Carla smiled quickly, to cover her distress. It was only her imagination, and she didn’t want to cast any sort of pall over this happy night. And then both of them heard it, the sound of the front door banging closed. Someone was here!
“Hello? Is anyone here?”
The voice had a heavy Spanish accent, and Carla began to laugh. It was only the cleaning crew, coming in to work. Mr. Calloway had hired a service to re-surface the stage. Carla had made all the arrangements, and they’d picked up the key on Friday morning.
