by J A Whiting
Kayla blinked. “Well, yeah. Sometimes. He hurt me.”
Olivia raised her eyes to Kayla. It was an honest answer. Wouldn’t lots of people say they wished ill to the person who hurt them? But not really mean it.
“That probably isn’t something you should reveal to the police if they interview you again.”
Kayla said, “Oh, I never would have hurt him. You know. One day you wish he would get run over by a bus and the next day you imagine how you’d forgive him with open arms when he comes running back to you saying what a terrible mistake he made.”
Olivia knew exactly what Kayla meant. Olivia and her aunt spent every summer in Ogunquit, Maine since Olivia was a toddler. From the time she was a little kid until she was fourteen, she whiled away every day of summer hanging out with her best friend, Brad. They would bike and swim and kayak and lay in the grass reading under the apple tree. When they were fourteen, Brad developed a crush on a girl and abandoned Olivia for the last two weeks of summer in order to moon over the newcomer.
Olivia would sit in the rocking chair on the small porch of the house, imagining terrible things happening to Brad and his “mistake” like capsizing in their kayaks and drowning in the ocean. She pictured Brad, as he took his last breath, realizing the error of his ways and wishing he could see Olivia one last time. After that year, Brad’s family decided not to summer in Maine anymore and that was last she ever saw of Brad. Thinking of him, a little twinge squeezed Olivia’s heart.
Funny. To still miss someone after all these years.
Kayla turned to the window and looked out at the lights of the city twinkling in the darkness. A wistful smile played at the corner of her mouth. “Christian was just so great,” she said, and then her face took on a look of immense sadness. “He’s gone. It’s time to stop pretending that I’ll wake up from all this and he’ll come back to me.”
Chapter 17
Olivia came out of the bedroom dressed in a black cocktail dress and black heels. The sleeveless dress had a high neck and the fabric followed the trim lines of her body ending several inches above the knee. She had her hair styled the way she usually did for a more formal party, with it half up and half down, gentle waves falling just past her shoulders. Olivia didn’t usually wear much makeup, just some mascara and lip gloss, but tonight she had applied a smudge of eyeliner and a bit of blush.
Melissa sat in the easy chair in the living room, fiddling with the small buckle on the strap of her heels.
“I can’t get this thing tight enough. There. I pushed it through.” She looked up at Olivia. “Wow. You look great. That dress fits perfectly.” Melissa stood. She had on an emerald green cocktail dress with spaghetti straps. A necklace of blue and green stones circled her neck and she wore dark green heels. She had curled her long, nearly black hair and the waves settled around her shoulders and cascaded down her back.
“Damn. You look like a movie star.” Olivia smiled. “You’re like four inches taller than usual. Now you’re my height,” she kidded her petite friend.
Melissa ignored Olivia’s teasing. She grabbed her clutch and a sweater. “Come on, let’s go dazzle some guys.”
Olivia put on a black velvet jacket and the two went down to the street to the waiting cab. They drove across Cambridge, over the bridge that crossed the Charles River, and into the center of Boston, where the cab stopped in front of a swanky hotel. The college and university formal event was held in a different hotel ballroom each year and, drawing both undergraduate and graduate students from many area schools, it sold out annually. The young women joined couples and groups of friends as they entered the lobby and made their way to the ballroom.
Cut glass chandeliers cast a warm glow over the crowd. The room was decorated with flowers, pumpkins, and tiny white lights. Tables were laden with appetizers and desserts, and waiters carrying trays of hors d'oeuvres wove around the groups of people standing together chatting and laughing. A bar was set up on one side of the room and a DJ played on a stage at the rear. Music pulsed in the air and a large number of people danced in the area in front of the stage.
“What a crowd,” Melissa said. “This is going to be fun.”
They milled about until they found some friends standing on the other side of the room. Olivia thought how great it was that people were out having a good time together knowing that many of them needed a break from the sorrow and horror of recent events. It would be helpful to have a reprieve from things for a short while. Olivia and Melissa joined their friends on the dance floor and stayed there for almost an hour.
Olivia grabbed Melissa’s arm and said, “I’m going to get a cold drink.”
Melissa decided to get something too so they approached the line in front of the bar. Four guys stood to the side talking. Two of them joined the girls at the back of the line and struck up a conversation. Olivia could feel her heart start to beat a little faster when the tall, athletically-built blonde with blue eyes stood next to her. The other guy was fit but a bit huskier with longer dark hair and hazel green eyes. They introduced themselves and they all shared where and what they were studying.
“I’m doing my doctorate in chemical engineering at Boston University,” the blond guy named Jason told them.
“Where did you do your undergraduate work?” Melissa asked.
“MIT.”
“We have some friends studying at MIT,” Olivia said. “Do you know Luke Smithson?”
“No, I don’t. Different department no doubt,” Jason said. “Although even in the same department we all don’t know each other. What are you studying, Olivia?” He smiled at her and held her eyes.
“I’m finishing my degree in international relations and I’ll be applying to law school soon.”
“Do you have a first choice of law school?”
“Not really. It would be nice to be admitted to one of the schools in the Boston area though. I’d like to stay in Massachusetts.”
After finishing drinks, Jason and Olivia, and Melissa and John, took to the floor in front of the DJ and mixed in with the throng of dancers enjoying all of the latest hits.
Olivia and Jason danced to a number of songs before deciding to take a break and find a table to sit down at and talk, so they moved away from the crowded dance floor and saw some people that Olivia knew. The group called them over and Olivia and Jason sat with them and chatted. A guy that Olivia didn’t know introduced himself to her.
“Nick,” he said shaking her hand. “I graduated last year. Now I’m working for a start up in Kendall Square.”
“Which one?” Olivia asked. “We have friends working in Kendall.”
“LearnApp. We do educational products for middle school kids.”
The company name sounded familiar to Olivia and then she placed it. “I met someone recently who worked there. He got laid off.”
“Really? Who?”
“His name is Eric. I don’t know his last name.”
Nick’s face went serious. “Eric Daniels?”
“Maybe.”
“How do you know him?” Nick asked.
“I met him through a friend. I don’t know him well at all,” Olivia said.
“Then you’re lucky.” Nick scowled.
“Why?”
“He was a problem. Things would set him off. Sometimes he was friendly, a nice guy, then he would turn nasty. Would say mean things to people. He didn’t work well with the rest of the people at the company.”
“So they laid him off?”
“Well.…” the guy shrugged.
“He got fired?” Olivia asked.
“One day, out of the blue, he stormed into the CEO’s office, ranting about a co-worker. The CEO had to call the building security. It was all about nothing. Eric had a fit over some difference of opinion with someone. Nobody wanted to work with him because of his moods. He was volatile.”
“Wow,” Olivia said. “I wonder if this is the same Eric.”
“I think it must be. Nobody’s been l
aid off at our company.”
Olivia thought over what she had just heard.
Nick said, “Eric’s like some technical genius. I always thought he should be working for the government, CIA or something. But with his temper and personality, that’d be out of the question. Eric wants to do everything his own way. He’s not a team player. I don’t think he’ll be working at any startups anytime soon. People know each other around here. Word gets out.”
Olivia nodded. “I only met him in passing.” She craned her neck to see if she could find Melissa. She wanted to tell her what this guy had just shared. “I’m going to go look for my friend. Nice talking with you.” She stood and headed off to find Melissa.
“Olivia.” Good looking Jason called to her. “You’re not leaving are you?”
“I’m going to find Melissa.”
“Can I come with you?”
“I’ll be back,” she told him. She didn’t know if she would be back. Jason made her slightly uncomfortable. Somehow she got the feeling that he might be possessive. Olivia had so much to do with schoolwork and law school applications that she wasn’t sure she wanted to get involved with anyone. She spotted Melissa coming out of the bathroom.
“Mel,” Olivia called to her.
Melissa smiled and walked over to meet Olivia. “How’s it going with Blondie?”
“He’s okay. He might be a pain. I haven’t decided yet.”
Melissa laughed.
“What about the guy you were dancing with?” Olivia asked.
“I get the feeling he has a girlfriend.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Listen to what a guy I just met said about Eric.”
“Kayla’s Eric?”
“Yes.” Olivia proceeded to tell Melissa all of the details. “The guy should never have spilled so much about Eric but I think he’s had a few too many drinks so he told all of that stuff.”
“That’s wild. But actually, I believe it. Didn’t you get the feeling something was weird with Eric? He’s so…I don’t know … bitchy.”
“Yeah. The way he was so critical of Christian even though he had only met him once,” Olivia said. “But I suppose he was just looking out for his friend.”
“He’s still odd,” Melissa said. “Speaking of one too many drinks, I think I’ve had enough for the night.”
“You want to go home?”
“I’m starting to feel sick,” Melissa said.
“Let’s get out of here, then.” Olivia took Melissa’s arm, went to pick up their things, and then headed for the exit. “Just don’t throw up in the cab.”
***
Olivia paid the cab driver and the girls stepped out onto the dark sidewalk in front of their building. When they reached the front stairs, someone called out to Olivia, and they turned towards the voice, startled.
Jason from the formal dance was sitting on the hood of his parked car. It was a bright red Porsche 911 convertible. He hopped off the hood and leaned back against the front of the automobile, smiling. “You didn’t say goodbye,” he said to Olivia.
Olivia bristled at how forward Jason was. “Goodbye,” she said.
Jason laughed. “I could have given you a ride home, you know.”
“Three of us in that thing?” Olivia asked, and then her face hardened. “How did you know where we live? Did you go through my purse?”
Jason chuckled and shook his head. “Of course, not. I just asked around.”
Olivia didn’t like that Jason had shown up at her apartment uninvited.
“I wanted to be sure you made it home safe,” he said. “There’s been trouble around here recently.”
“Well, thanks. We made it home.” Olivia couldn’t help the scowl on her face.
Melissa stood silently listening to the back and forth banter.
“Can I come up?” Jason asked. He took a step away from his car.
“No,” Olivia said, exasperated.
“Another time?”
“Jason, we’re tired. It feels weird that you’re sitting outside my building. It’s creepy almost.”
“I think it’s kind of nice that he found you,” Melissa said.
Olivia glared at her.
“I think you should listen to your friend,” Jason said. He grinned at Olivia.
“I’m going in and going to bed.” Olivia tried to banish the annoyance from her tone. “It was considerate of you to make sure we got home.” She took Melissa’s elbow and turned her to the stairs.
“Can I have your number?” Jason asked.
“I’m sure you’ll be able to find it on your own,” Olivia told him without looking back. “Goodnight.”
Olivia unlocked the front door. Melissa pulled off her heels and the two of them trudged up the stairs to their apartment.
“He seems sweet,” Melissa said.
“He just wanted to be sure I saw that car of his. He’s showing off. He seems like a stalker,” Olivia said. “The word ‘pushy’ also comes to mind.”
“Along with the words cute and fit and wealthy,” Melissa chuckled.
“I’m just not in the mood for his antics,” Olivia said. “I’m exhausted and unsettled and I feel like I can’t think straight these days. I don’t have the energy to deal with him or to start something new.”
They reached the landing in front of their door.
“Are those stairs getting steeper?” Melissa asked as she leaned against the wall puffing while Olivia fumbled for her key. “I think you should go out with him if he calls.”
Olivia made a face as she stuck the key in the lock and turned it.
“He might be a nice distraction from all this mess that’s been happening,” Melissa said.
Olivia pushed the door open. “A nice distraction or a pain in my butt?”
Chapter 18
Olivia, Melissa, Ynes and several others of Melissa’s friends left the “T” station and walked to the South End club. It was Melissa’s birthday and the group had just left a restaurant on Boston’s Boylston Street where they had gathered for the birthday dinner. The group of friends wanted to extend the celebration and decided to head to some clubs for dancing. Melissa had been slightly subdued during dinner.
Olivia walked beside her friend and asked, “You okay? You seem sort of quiet tonight.”
“I’m okay. I feel like I might be coming down with a cold or something but I’m having fun.” Melissa put her arm through Olivia’s as they strolled along. “It’s nice to be all together just hanging out for the night.”
Olivia said, “Oh, did you text Luke to tell him where we’re headed?”
“Yeah, he said he was done in the lab and would head out in a few minutes to meet us here.”
The group entered the club and found a table that they pulled chairs up to and squished around. A waitress came by and took drink orders. A few of them sat and chatted while the rest got up to dance.
Sitting at the table, Melissa said to Olivia, “I’m feeling warm.”
Olivia touched her friend’s forehead. “I don’t think you have a fever.”
“Do you have some aspirin?”
“I changed to a smaller purse and left the aspirin at home,” Olivia told her. “You want me to go get you some? We passed a convenience store a block from here.”
“Maybe. You wouldn’t mind?” Melissa asked. “I don’t want to go home. I want to stay out with everyone. A couple of aspirins might make me feel better.”
“No worries. Sit tight. I’ll be right back.” Olivia smiled.
“I’ll go with you,” Ynes told her. “It’s getting late. I don’t want you walking around alone.”
The two girls left Melissa talking with another friend and they exited the club to run the brief errand. It only took ten minutes to get to the store and purchase the aspirin. As they headed back and approached the club, the girls heard a female voice cry out from the parking area in the rear of the building.
“What was that?” Ynes asked. She stopped and looked around for the
source of the cry.
“Is someone in trouble or are they joking around?” Olivia asked, peering down the side street that led to the club’s parking lot.
A scream pierced the air. Ynes and Olivia exchanged a quick glance and took off running towards the parking lot.
“There!” Ynes pointed at a guy looming over a girl. They stood in between two parked vehicles. The guy had one hand on the young woman’s chest. His other hand held tight to the girl’s long hair yanking her head back. The man’s mouth was clamped over her lips. The girl squirmed and pushed at the tall, husky guy who was man-handling her.
Ynes yelled at him to let the girl go. Olivia shouted that she was calling the cops. She punched “911” into her phone and reported the incident as she and Ynes ran closer. The guy looked up and when he saw Ynes and Olivia, he whirled, recognition flashing over his face.
“You two!”
The girls were face to face with Adam Johnson. The girl he had been harassing clutched at her ripped blouse and took off, crying.
“You two interfering bitches,” Johnson growled, his face contorted in anger. He lunged at them.
Olivia side-stepped away from him, but her ankle twisted and she went down hard on her butt. Johnson grabbed Olivia’s hair with one hand and tried to yank her to her feet. His other meaty paw clamped around her neck. She gasped for breath and clawed at Johnson’s hand.
A second later, Johnson released his grip. By the time Olivia’s mind processed what had happened, it was done, and Johnson was doubled over clutching his gut. He dropped to his knees next to Olivia, sucking air in rasping gulps.
Ynes had struck Johnson so swiftly with her hands and feet that Olivia only registered the attack on the hulking athlete as a complete blur. Olivia sat on the concrete, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. She rubbed her neck where Johnson had gripped and choked her. Ynes reached down to take Olivia’s hand to help her up.
“Don’t ask,” Ynes said.
“Really? How can I not ask? What the heck was that? How did you do that?” Olivia questioned her.
