Shaking her head, Dawn pulled out her wallet and thumbed through it until she came to her Visa Black Card, “I mean everything you have here right now.”
Turning her head, Laurel looked at Emma, her helper for the day, with a look of shock clearly evident on her face. Slowly, she turned back to Dawn, “Umm...Are you sure? I have about three thousand dollars of inventory here right now.”
Handing Laurel her card, Dawn just grinned, “Ring it up and you can hand them out as samples or resell them if you want. I like to help up-and-coming businesses, and I really think that yours has what it takes to be successful.”
“Thank you so very much!” Laurel gushed, taking the card and running it through the app on her phone. She boxed up some of the pricier items and offered to hold them in case Dawn wanted to continue walking through the festival, but she declined.
Instead, she picked up a basketful of soaps and some of Laurel’s business cards, and started handing them out. She showed up over the next two days of the festival and did the same thing. By the time it was over, she had spent close to ten thousand dollars, but had gotten Laurel’s phone number and they started seeing each other.
Shaking her head to clear the memories, Dawn swallowed the last of her coffee and got into her car to head to the final stop. Once she arrived at her destination, she leaned over to open the glove box and pulled out a Smith & Wesson .357. Checking the cylinder, she made sure that everything was the way she wanted before she exited her car and headed towards the front door.
She pulled open the door and pointed the gun at the receptionist, asking for Alexis James.
MUST GET DONE:
Dig hole
Make coffin & place in hole
Test ventilation system
Make chloroform & douse rag, placing in bag
Clean & load gun
Get Laurel
Bury Laurel
Go to WHSE and talk with Alexis
Die
* * * * *
Leaning back in her chair, Alex ended the call with Laurel. Just talking with the woman always made her smile. As she moved forward to place her phone on the desk, the chair squeaked again. “I guess she’s right, I do need to oil the chair,” she muttered to herself.
She called Avenue Thai, made a reservation for eight o’clock that evening, and checked it off her list. Once that was completed, she confirmed that she had two weeks off the following month before she checked on the price of cabin rentals on Sanibel Island.
Alex knew that she might be overstepping the boundaries, but things had been going well and she had already confirmed with Kate that Laurel didn’t have anything on her schedule the following month.
As she checked other items off her list, she wondered if Laurel remembered that today was their six-month anniversary. She probably did. Laurel was always doing little things for the entertainment reporter that made her heart go pitter patter.
“Pitter patter? Where in the world did that come from?” she asked herself. “You’re getting mushy in your old age, Alex.” Shaking her head, she tried to concentrate on a piece that she was working on. Just then, her stomach started to churn...somehow she knew that somewhere, something was wrong.
Important things:
Confirm schedule for two weeks off X
Check availability of cabins on Sanibel Island X
Call Laurel and ask her to dinner X
Get flowers
Make reservation at Avenue Thai & Sushi X
* * * * *
After confirming some facts for her story, Alex pushed away from her desk with another squeak and stood up to stretch the kinks out of her back. Twisting, she listened to it pop with a satisfied sigh before she ran her hands through her mahogany-colored hair.
She was about to go get something to drink when her cell rang. Picking it up, she saw Jennifer’s caller ID. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Alex...I need to tell you something, but I need you to remain calm,” the woman’s voice cracked for a brief second.
Instantly, Alex’s blood went cold. Something had happened to Laurel, she just knew it. She took a deep breath even as she was putting her free hand over her heart, willing it to slow down, and asked, “What’s wrong?” She heard Jennifer swallow before she answered.
“Dawn went by Laurel’s work under the pretense that she had some items that Laurel had left at her house. Laurel went out to her car with her, but Dawn...” the older woman paused.
“Dawn did what? Just tell me Jennifer! What did she do?” Alex raised her voice and people looked into her office as they passed in the hallway.
“She chloroformed Laurel and kidnapped her. When she was pulling out, she backed into Emma and she’s got a broken leg and a concussion,” Jennifer said in a rush.
Turning back to her desk, Alex grabbed her car keys and her satchel and headed out of her office. “Where are you right now?”
“I am at the hospital with Emma. The police have been notified so I guess you can head there so you can find out what’s going on,” she answered.
Almost running down the hallway, Alex told her that she would call her back and ended the call just as she was getting to the front reception desk. She skidded to a stop when she came face to face with a dark-haired woman dressed in black jeans, a long-sleeve t-shirt, and vest, who was calmly pointing a gun at her.
“Ms. James...so nice to meet you. My name is Dawn Lorrayne and I believe that we have a friend in common,” the dark-haired woman stated with a smile. Her smooth accent didn’t hide the cold hatred in her dark brown eyes.
Getting her wits about her, Alex took a deep breath said, “I’ve heard of you. How can I help you?”
People were clearing out of the reception area, shouting to call the police and to get out of the way.
Dawn waggled the gun at the taller woman. “I’m just here to let you know that Laurel won’t be available anymore.”
Unconsciously, Alex took a step forward. “What do you mean? What have you done to her?”
Walking so that she was a few feet away from the reporter, Dawn grinned as she said, “I’ve just hidden her away and she has roughly...” her eyes flicked over to the clock on the wall, “six hours of air left, if she controls her breathing. But after that, she’s shit out of luck.”
Alex stared at the woman wide-eyed. “Why are you doing this? What did she ever do to you?” She wanted to get the woman talking.
Taking a step closer, Dawn held the gun less than a foot away from Alex’s face. “She said that she loved me, but then she left,” she waggled her head from side to side as she spoke. “She said we would always be together, but then she left.” She smiled crookedly and nodded. “She leaves a lot, so I’m actually doing you a favor. You would end up just like me...alone and in pain.”
“No, Laurel still cares for you, but she...she just couldn’t stay.” Alex held a hand up when she realized that she may have said something wrong. “Wait, please, before you say something...she has never told me what happened between the two of you, other than it just didn’t work out. You know Laurel better than most...” she was rapidly trying to calm the woman down, “and you know that she would never speak out of turn against someone; she would rather take the blame.”
Nodding her head after a brief moment of thought, Dawn agreed, “That is so true. She does accept a lot of blame, like now.”
“Where have you hidden her? Please tell me where she is,” Alex asked in a rush. The look in the other woman’s eyes was just too calm...no, that wasn’t the right word. The gaze was void of emotion and she unconsciously reached out to stop what she knew was about to happen.
Calmly, Dawn answered as she kept the gun trained on Alex. “Sorry...I’ll never tell and you’ll never see her again, but you’ll pass by her every day.” She began to walk around the taller woman as she continued speaking, “You’ll wonder if she is in the ditch that you just drove past or in a vacant lot or actually buried in a cemetery. Maybe someone will find her someday,
but it won’t be today and it won’t be you.” Stepping back in front of the reporter, she added one final opinion, “And that’s the most important thing.” She then brought the gun back to her own head and pulled the trigger, splattering bone, skin, and brain matter all over Alex and the reception area.
Blood dripped down Alex’s face as she stared at what was left of Dawn. She wondered how they were ever going to find Laurel now.
* * * * *
The heat in the box was stifling and it was becoming harder for Laurel to concentrate on her breathing. She had no idea how long she would be there. She didn’t want to consider that she wouldn’t be getting out. No, that wasn’t even an option. Taking a deep breath, she slowly let it out, and as she closed her eyes, Laurel thought back to her first date with Alex.
It had been in early April and they had met in front of Café 118 in Winter Park. It was a natural food restaurant that Alex had heard about and she thought that since Laurel was into essential oils and herbs, she would appreciate the menu.
They had a few quiet moments at the beginning, looking over the menu and ordering, but once the waiter walked away, Alex leaned forward on the table and stared into Laurel’s eyes, smiling slightly. After a few moments, she softly said, “I think that no matter what happens, we will be great friends, but I think...” she paused for a moment before she continued, “I hope...that we will be more than friends.”
Laurel smiled as she reached out to cover Alex’s hand with one of her own. “I believe that you are right.”
The rest of the meal was spent discussing their lives with each other. Afterwards, they walked through Central Park, which is in the heart of Park Avenue, chatting about anything and everything that came to mind. They discovered that they shared a likeness for really good bad movies like ‘Howard the Duck’ and ‘The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.’ They stayed in the area for dinner and it was close to eleven when Alex finally walked Laurel to her car.
“It’s been a lovely day and I thank you for sharing it with me,” the taller woman said as she nervously put her hands in her pockets, suddenly unsure what to do next.
Laurel smiled up at the mahogany-haired woman who was shifting her body weight from foot to foot. Carefully, she reached up and softly touched the tiny crow’s feet on Alex’s face. “I thank you too, and I look forward to many more days like this.” She quickly rose up on her toes and placed a gentle kiss on Alex’s cheek, “Please call me when you get home. That way I know that you’re safe.”
Alex had agreed and from that day forward, they talked to or saw each other daily. They had enjoyed dinners and gone out with friends and had taken the time to really get to know each other.
Laurel wiped a tear that escaped and sniffed loudly as she carefully moved in the confining box. Alex would find her. She held onto that thought as she closed her eyes.
* * * * *
Two hours later, Alex was finally able to take a shower and change clothes. She was at the police station where a female officer gave her a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt to wear. Her other clothes had been collected as evidence, but she didn’t ever want to see them again.
After brushing her wet hair, she put her phone in her pocket and walked out of the locker room towards the conference room where the search coordination was going on.
Detective Daniel Walters was standing in front of a white board that had all of the vital bits of information that they had written down. He stated, “We’ve gone over her car, home, and office. All we found was some traces of dirt, grass from a shovel in the trunk, and a plastic bag with a rag doused with chloroform. The dirt and grass could have come from anywhere in Orange, Lake, or Seminole County. We know that Ms. Taylor was taken roughly about eight hours ago and now has approximately four hours of air remaining,” he glanced down at his notes. “You stated that when Ms. Lorrayne came to the station, she said that Ms. Taylor had roughly six hours left.”
“She also said that she had hidden Ms. Taylor someplace that you would possibly pass by daily. That gives us an area that originally is a fifty-mile radius, but we had witnesses call in to say that she paid for a coffee about an hour and a half after the kidnapping and then she was seen at Lake Eola. That narrows the search area down,” Detective Walters directed that statement to Alex.
Alex ran her hands over her still wet hair, trying to think about what little she knew about Dawn. Laurel had never gone into great detail about her past relationship other than to say that there had been some physical and emotional abuse. Jennifer had warned Alex about the situation ahead of time so Alex understood. “So there was nothing at all that would have showed us where she could have taken her?”
The detective shook his head. “No, but we are still looking. She’s made a mistake...we’ve just got to find it,” he sighed before walking off.
Shaking her head, Alex went over to take a seat on the far side of the room. All she wanted to do was scream in frustration, but knew that she had to keep it together. Her stomach was now completely tied up in knots and she was trying to control her breathing as she felt a panic attack coming on. Leaning her elbows on the table, she held her head in her hands as she thought back to the night when she and Laurel had first made love.
They had been out bowling with a group of friends and Alex had driven them back to Laurel’s house. It was close to midnight and the skies had decided to open up, pouring down rain.
Pulling into the driveway, Alex shut off the car before turning to Laurel saying, “I really had a great time tonight. We need to do this again.”
Laurel laughed, “You must be a glutton for punishment if you want to watch me try to bowl. I got more gutter balls than pins.”
“Hey! You were getting better towards the end. Of course, by then, you had had a couple of beers so that may have helped,” Alex joked back.
Laurel playfully slapped her arm, “Hey....”
Looking out at the rain, Alex apologized, “Sorry I don’t have an umbrella. I’m afraid that you’re gonna get soaked.”
Nodding her head, Laurel agreed, “Yeah, but I’m more worried about you driving home. Why don’t you stay here? I’ve got plenty of room.”
Turning her head to look back at Laurel, Alex thought for a moment before saying, “Alright. I really wasn’t looking forward to the drive. There are still spots that don’t have any lighting and it’s really hard to see.”
“Okay then,” Laurel waited until the younger woman gathered her keys before they got out at the same time, running towards the front door.
After getting inside, Laurel toed off her sneakers and left them by the door before heading to the bathroom to get a couple of towels. Coming back, she found Alex exactly where she had left her, also taking off her shoes.
“Here...dry off before you catch cold,” she managed to say even as she tried not to look at the firm breasts that were now showing through Alex’s wet t-shirt.
Alex swallowed before saying, “If you keep looking at me like that, I won’t be catching a cold.”
Pausing as she looked into Alex’s eyes, Laurel didn’t even have to think what she was going to do next. It felt as natural as breathing. Rising up on her toes, she brushed her lips against the taller woman’s lips.
Unable to resist, Alex ran her tongue across the blonde’s lips, tasting the natural sweetness that she had come to associate with Laurel.
“Wait just a moment,” was all that Laurel said with a soft purr, but the molten look in her eyes was making Alex quiver.
Laurel moved towards her bedroom and Alex found that her heart was racing, the nerves along her skin beginning to tingle in anticipation. She closed her eyes for a few moments, and then she heard her name called softly from the doorway.
Opening her eyes, she saw Laurel holding out her hand and Alex was drawn to the woman like a moth to a flame. She was sure that she would burn as soon as the shorter woman touched her.
With a voice that floated on air, Laurel’s words weave
d through Alex’s heart and soul, “This is something that I have wanted since the first day we met. Thank you for allowing us to take the time to be sure...and I am sure about this. I know that you will never hurt me, nor I you.”
Reaching out to cup Laurel’s cheek, Alex stated, her own voice a whisper, “I won’t.”
Turning her head slightly to allow her tongue to brush over Alex’s thumb, she answered, “I know.”
Together, they crossed the threshold and Alex almost lost the little breath that she had left. The room was aglow with flickering, dancing candlelight and the queen-size bed was turned down to show black sheets.
Leading Alex over to the side of the bed, Laurel turned to face her and reached down to grasp the hem of the sodden t-shirt. Quickly, she pulled it up and over the head of the taller woman, tossing it in the direction of the bathroom.
Taking a step closer, Laurel leaned forward to place a gentle kiss against the soft swell of the closest breast before placing another on its twin.
Alex fisted her hands, resisting the need to pull the woman closer to her. Tiny goosebumps were erupting all over and it sent shivers along her skin.
Leaning back, Laurel looked into eyes that were hooded and full of need. Reaching out with both hands, she unbuttoned the top button of Alex’s jeans, and slowly eased down the zipper. Every click of metal on metal sounded like the thrumming of their hearts. Reaching the end, she then placed her hands on the insides of the jeans and slowly drew them down Alex’s legs, taking her time. She swirled her tongue in the woman’s navel and was rewarded with a gasp.
Alex reached down and used Laurel’s shoulders for balance as she stepped out of the wet pants. The shorter woman flung the pants away as she reached once more for the towel and began to dry Alex’s calves.
Even though the towel was soft, the texture worried the nerves barely below the skin, making the woman groan under her breath and parts of her tighten with need. Alex had been with a few women, but no one had ever made her feel what Laurel did. It wasn’t just the touch of her hands, it was also the heat of her gaze, the caress of her words as she spoke, and the breath from her lips as they brushed against Alex’s stomach, making her tremble.
A Lost Love Page 2
