Prowl (Nothing Else Matters But Survival Book 1)

by Stephanie Nicole Norris

  He saw her, only her, in all her divine glory. The rest of the room, the art, the people, faded into nothingness. All he could see was her. She was beautifully breathtaking in her designer gown, and he appreciated every inch of her statuesque profile. He kept her in his periphery, moving in such a way to remain just out of her line of vision. A smile creased his lips as she moved so effortlessly through the exhibit. She never stopped to notice the men in the room stopping to admire her. Something else had her full attention.

  The blare of the alarm caught him daydreaming. Agent Mason Fuller was snatched back into the present. Images that had been unclear, quickly came into focus as the angst in the crowd grew. He momentarily lost sight of her. Mason found himself still searching as his ear piece hummed to life.

  “Fuller, you got eyes on the mark?”

  His partner, Agent Brittany Stinson was on the other side of the museum. She had been watching Symone Ellis, too. But in all the chaos from the alarm, she lost her in the crowd.

  “Fuller, Fuller, come in?”

  Stinson scanned the crowd searching for their suspect.

  “No eyes on this end,” Mason finally answered.

  “Checking the rear,” Stinson answered; moving against the mass of people to see if she could spot Ellis.

  Mason’s eyes were peeled. He scanned the crowd in hopes of seeing the target of their investigation. But there was a part of him that hoped he wouldn’t see her. That was his dilemma, his quandary. He wanted Symone Ellis for all the wrong reasons.

  Symone sat down solidly on the couch. She was absolutely flabbergasted. There were a plethora of emotions she felt all at the same time, but her only physical reaction was to sit with her mouth agape.

  “Say it ain’t so,” Brooklyn exclaimed. Her eyes were wide and bright. She smiled at Drew who sheepishly smiled back at her.

  “Can I hold it,” Brooklyn asked grinning from ear to ear.

  “Yeah,” Drew replied laughing.

  “Are you sure? Can I? Please, can I hold it?” Brooklyn asked, playfully rubbing her hands together.

  “Here girl,” Drew answered. She knew Brooklyn was clowning her, but that was cool. She knew that was Brooklyn’s way of letting her know she was proud of what Drew had done. And that’s what she wanted to do, make her big sister proud.

  Brooklyn sat down next to her kid sister. Drew handed Brooklyn the precious artifact. Immediately, Brooklyn appreciated the weight of it, but immediately after that, the absolute beauty of the Saliera overwhelmed her.

  Leah was transfixed. She hadn’t moved from her spot since seeing the prize in Drew’s hands. This was the big score. Everything the group did, everything they risked was all for this moment. Leah’s hands still covered her mouth. Symone broke the spell.

  “Drew, I don’t even know what to say,” she began. All eyes were on Symone.

  “There’s a part of me that wants to scream and celebrate and shout ‘cause you did it, girl. You lifted the Saliera!”

  Drew smiled, accepting the compliment. Symone paused before continuing.

  “But, there’s another part of me that wants to cuss your ass out!”

  “Wait, Wh-,” Drew began, sitting up straight on the couch.

  “We almost got caught, Drew. You almost got us busted! All the planning and preparation and studying for you to go off and freelance? Did you even see Mason? Did you even know he was there?”

  Symone was beside herself. She flopped back on the couch and folded her arms across her ample bosom. The spell Leah had been in was finally broken. She walked the short distance from where she was standing and sat down next to Symone. She placed a gentle hand on Symone’s leg. Leah was the empath in the group; always trying to hold everyone together. These three ladies meant the world to her, and she never wanted any kind of dissension to come between them. Leah was slow to state her opinion, but on this one, she kind of agreed with Symone.

  Brooklyn leaned over to her sister and cupped one hand over her mouth as she loudly whispered in Drew’s ear.

  “…she called him Mason… Did you hear that?”

  Everyone in the room heard it, and that was exactly Brooklyn’s intention.

  “Mason,” Drew mimicked singing his name like it was part of a hit song.

  Drew snickered, and Leah smiled looking over at Symone.

  Symone felt her cheeks getting hot but pushed her pouty lips out and re-crossed her arms over her chest with emphasis.

  “That is so not the point, Brooklyn,” Symone shot back.

  “Well, what is the point Symone,” Brooklyn fired back, standing to her feet. What was the goal? The goal was to steal the damn salt shaker, or pepper shaker or whatever the hell this fifty million dollar beauty is.”

  Brooklyn looked down still holding the Saliera.

  “We got the goods. That’s the only damn point that matters!” Her voice echoed through the house.

  Leah dropped her head and Drew looked away. Symone glared at Brooklyn who stared back at her. The moment was heated, and the intensity nearly choked the oxygen out of the room.

  “…and the fact that you called him Mason…” Brooklyn added, her previous silly smile returning.

  Drew tried to hold in her laugh but couldn’t. She looked over at Symone who was still pouting like she did when they were kids.

  “Come on Symone, we did it,” Drew added, trying to regain some level of composure. “Can’t you let that other stuff go and just enjoy the victory?”

  “Straight up, Symone,” Brooklyn chimed in. “We should be popping bottles and celebrating. But you’d rather harp on the shoulda, woulda, coulda's… pssst,” Brooklyn replied popping her lips.

  Drew got up from the couch and walked over to Brooklyn removing the salt shaker from her sister’s hands.

  “This… this solves all our problems… this right here,” Drew continued, walking over to Symone and squatting down in front of her.

  “This is what it’s all about.”

  Drew took the salt shaker and placed it under Symone’s exposed fingers making her touch it. As desperately as she wanted to, Symone couldn’t resist wrapping her hand around the artifact and holding it. She unfolded her arms and examined the Saliera. It was magnificent and just as Drew suggested, the answer to all of their prayers. Still, Symone felt undermined. Drew would have never pulled a stunt like that if Brooklyn had been running the heist. The beauty of the Saliera began to fade as Symone held on to her hurt feelings. Roughly handing the treasure to Leah, Symone popped up from the couch and stormed out of the room. She was frustrated but outnumbered. She needed a minute.

  Up until this point, Leah had only seen the treasure from a distance, but now she was holding it in her hands. Her eyes started to mist over as she thought about what this trinket truly meant. It was security; not just for the four of them but for everyone that mattered most.

  A knock at the door broke the silence.

  They each looked at each other.

  “Are you expecting someone,” Leah asked.

  “No,” Brooklyn replied looking concerned. There was another knock followed by several rings of the doorbell in quick succession.

  “Drew?”

  “No, I’m not expecting anybody. Who even knows we’re back?”

  Whoever was at the door wasn’t letting up. Brooklyn had no choice but to answer it.

  “Put that thing away,” Drew said, waving at Leah. Leah didn’t know what to do with it. She looked around for some place to put it. Symone heard the door and came from the powder room.

  “…what the hell?” Symone gestured.

  Brooklyn’s heart beat hard in her chest. She looked back over her shoulder at the trio before peeking through the peephole. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Brooklyn swung the door open.

  “James!” Brooklyn exclaimed, reaching out her arms to the little man standing in front of her.

  “Hey, Auntie Brook,” James replied, hugging her tightly around the waist. Although they were of no blood relatio
n, Brooklyn always looked at James like a nephew.

  The remaining three breathed easier as well. Quickly, Leah stuck the salt shaker between the cushions of the couch.

  Releasing her, James bounded into the family room where the rest of his aunts were.

  “Hey Mom, hey Aunt Natalie,” Brooklyn said, hugging her mom and then her aunt as they entered the home. Constance Patterson and Natalie Hunter had been friends since grade school. Their bond grew tighter throughout the years, with them having their kids around the same time. It’s inevitably how Brooklyn and Drew grew such a tight-knit bond with Leah, Natalie’s daughter, and Symone, Natalie’s niece. Their friendship turned into a partnership when they decided to go into business together with Patterson Pharmaceutical.

  “How did you all know we were home?” Brooklyn asked.

  “I’m your mother, honey, I know everything,” Constance said, sashaying in.

  “And what Constance knows, I know,” Natalie replied, following in the sashaying style of her best friend and business partner.

  Brooklyn closed the door behind the two and followed them into the great room.

  “There’s my handsome fella,” Leah replied, opening her arms to James who ran straight into them. She hugged him tightly. Leah always missed him when they were apart. James was just what the group needed to shift the tension in the atmosphere.

  Chapter Three

  Agents Fuller and Stinson were still at the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

  “Roll back the footage again,” Agent Stinson said, speaking to the owner and security team.

  “See here,” she said pointing towards the screen. “The time stamp is going from five to eight pm. Three hours are missing. That’s not a coincidence.”

  Agent Fuller was silent. He heard everything she said and Stinson was right, but he felt like they might be on the wrong track.

  “Did you hear me?” When he didn’t respond, Stinson snapped her fingers.

  “Mason!”

  That got his attention. Mason blinked, coming out of his trance and stared at her. Ever since their one night stand when he made the bad decision to sleep with Stinson, she’d been hinting at a relationship or ‘exploring more of their attraction’, as she called it. But while Brittany was attractive, Mason was not interested and tried to tell her gently that he wasn’t looking for a relationship. But Stinson didn’t seem to get it.

  “Agent… Fuller,” he corrected.

  If she felt affronted by his accuracy, Agent Stinson didn’t show it.

  “I think it’s time we bring her in for questioning,” Stinson continued.

  “I disagree.”

  “Why?” She settled her weight in her left leg crossing her arms over her chest.

  “I don’t think it’s her. I need to make a phone call.”

  Fuller turned to leave but was halted by Stinson’s hand grabbing his arm.

  “What do you mean, you don’t think it’s her? We’re on her trail because of your gut feeling. What’s that you’re constantly saying, always trust your gut? Now suddenly you don’t think it’s her? You’ve got to give me more than that, Agent… Fuller.”

  Stinson said his name with a little malice. Fuller sighed. “When the alarm went off, I had her in my sight and from what I could tell, she was alone.”

  “But you don’t know that for sure.”

  “I was watching her. I think I’m pretty sure,” Fuller rebuffed.

  “But were you watching her surroundings?” Stinson continued.

  He lifted an inquisitive brow at her. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “I don’t know, you tell me.” Stinson stared him down, looking for the slightest hint of indecision.

  Fuller chuckled. “You’re serious?” His dark gray eyes hitched, bewildered at Stinson’s passive accusation.

  “I’m just making sure you’re on top of your game, agent. Isn’t that what partners are for?”

  Fuller’s smile was dry and tight, but he let it go. “You’re right. Thanks.”

  Mason slapped Stinson on the shoulder and left the security room. He needed to clear his head. There was a bit of truth to her words, but that was for him to figure out. Not her. It had been a long night, so much so, that it was now eight o’clock the next morning. The investigation into the missing Saliera caused his boss to call all hands on deck. But it was imperative for Fuller to get some shut eye so he could think with a clearer head.

  Back at his hotel, Mason drew the curtains closed and shed his suit, cuff links, and shoes. He sat on the edge of the bed pondering Symone’s sudden disappearance. Was it possible he was crossing her off the list because he didn’t want her to be a suspect? Or, was he going about the investigation all wrong? Mason thought about what he’d seen last night. There were a few times he spotted her with another woman, but they didn’t stay in conversation. She’d only given the few people she spoke to minimal attention, most likely about the art, before moving on. He grabbed his cell phone and called the airport.

  “Vienna International Airport,” the woman answered in German.

  Mason replied in her language, “This is Agent Mason Fuller. I’m investigating the missing Saliera at Kunsthistorisches Museum, and I need some information.”

  “What can I help you with, agent?”

  “Has a Symone Ellis flown out through your terminal?”

  There was shuffling, then several clicks through the phone as the lady entered in Symone’s name.

  “I’m not showing a Symone Ellis.”

  “Check again, please.”

  “Spell the name please, sir.”

  “First name, S, y, m, o, n, e, last name, E, l, l, i, s.”

  More clicks from her keyboard. “No sir, I’m sorry, but there’s no name in our system that matches that one.”

  “Thank you.”

  Mason disconnected the call and stretched out on the bed. Maybe she was still in Vienna. He didn’t want Symone to know she was a suspect because if she was indeed guilty, she would surely run. But the more he thought about it, Mason wondered if his investigation into Symone was more about proving she was innocent rather than guilty. With his hands behind his head, Mason murmured her name, “Symone… Symone… Symone…” falling off into a deep slumber.

  Leah pulled her Infinity in front of Tompkins Square Middle School and parked.

  “You don’t have to walk me in, mom. I promise, it’s okay.”

  “You’re just saying that because you don’t want your friends to see me kiss you on those cheeks.” Leah pinched James’ jaw.

  “Moooom!” He moaned. Leah laughed and puckered her lips. James crossed his eyes and leaned in for her kiss.

  “Muah!” she said laughing at the way he squirmed. “You’ve got your lunch?”

  “Check!” he responded.

  “And your homework?”

  “Check!”

  “And your cell phone?”

  “Is only in case of emergencies, I know. Do we have to go over this every day?” James sulked.

  “Yes we do, now quit slouching, or I’ll walk you inside.”

  James looked horrified, causing Leah to fall into a heap of giggles.

  “Oh come now, I’m not that bad.”

  “Mom please,” he begged.

  “Alright, go on now. I love you.”

  James opened the door. “I love you, too!”

  He ran off, and she watched him from her car. Leah had gotten used to hearing her nephew call her mom. When her twin sister Nia, disappeared nearly eight years ago, Leah took James in, claiming him as her own. It had worked so well that she didn’t have the heart to tell him she wasn’t really his mother. Whenever it crossed her mind, Leah shook it off. The conversation was a heavy one. How do you explain to a child that their mother left for reasons unknown and never looked back? No, she couldn’t. So, for now, things would stay the way they were.

  Leah peered at the middle school. Previously, James had been a student at KIPP Charter School, but when hard times hit, she cou
ld no longer afford the tuition on her social worker salary. If she hadn’t of purchased the Infinity outright, there’s no doubt it would’ve been repossessed. When she could no longer see James, she pulled away from the curb.

  “What is love? Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, no more.”

  Haddaway’s 1993 hit song blared from her cell phone. Leah glanced down at the screen.

  “Hey what’s up?” She answered.

  “We need to have a conversation,” Symone said.

  “I’m listening.”

  “Not over the phone. What time are you going in,” Symone asked.

  “It depends. How important is this conversation we need to have?”

  “Meet me, Joey’s Deli.”

  “I’m ten minutes from there. How long will it take you to get there,” Leah inquired.

  “I’m already here.”

  “Okay.”

  When Leah pulled up to Joey’s Deli, she could see Symone sitting in a booth through the window. Leah slid her handbag on her arm and tightened the scarf around her neck bracing herself for the wintery breeze. The doorbell chimed when she entered; her boots click-clacked on the brick tile. When Leah pulled up next to Symone, she bent giving Symone a quick hug. Leah removed her sunglasses before sliding across from Symone.

  “What I miss,” Leah asked, adjusting in the booth seat.

  “Breakfast, for one thing. You were gone before I had a chance to speak to you this morning.”

  “Sorry, I had some things on my mind, so I got an early start.”

  Symone gave a worried glance. She knew it was the anniversary of the day Nia disappeared, and every year Leah became withdrawn.

  “That’s a nice sweater. Is it new,” Leah asked, wanting to take the obvious attention away from herself.

  “It is actually,” Symone replied, looking down at herself, admiring the newness.

  “I love the drop on the neckline, but should you be buying new things with everything we’re going through,” Leah chastised.

  “It was on sale, I couldn’t resist.” Symone tugged at the thick turtleneck sweater that hung in waves around her neck. “Anyway, are we going to ignore Mason Fuller’s presence at our last job?” This time when Symone said it, there was no glint in her eye. Maybe the thrill was gone.