Dark Illusion: A Psychological Thriller Novel

by Moison, Dana V.

  Maybe just one tiny bite . . . A dangerous thought sneaked into her head.

  No! she instantly ordered herself. It was well known that the first bite was never enough. It was better not to succumb to her craving.

  “What’s on your mind? You look like you’re concentrating on something.” Andy’s voice interrupted her culinary thoughts, thank God.

  “Nothing special, I’m just excited about today.” Gloria lied through her teeth. After all, she was trying to charm him, not spook him with her weight complex.

  “Yeah, me too.” A perfect set of dimples framed his smile. “Want to know where we’re going?”

  * * *

  The road leading to the forest was long, winding and filled with potholes, but was absolutely spectacular. Breathtaking mountains with snowy peaks and tiers of evergreen forests encompassed them from all sides. Their eyes were mesmerized by rare, vivid shades of blue and green, ones that existed only within the boundaries of nature. It was the kind of view most people only get to see on the National Geographic Channel.

  Gloria was looking out the window, admiring the stunning view, when she felt Andy’s leg touching hers. Though she typically travelled separately, she had joined the travel car with the rest of the crew, not because she wanted to mingle with the common folk, but simply because she enjoyed Andy’s company. From the little that she knew of him, Gloria could almost certainly assume that he would not have abandoned his team at the prospect of a significant upgrade in his mode of transportation to the private rental jeep. He had an honest sense of loyalty, one that prevented him from putting himself first at the expense of others. Gloria admired that about him; therefore, she was also taking the opportunity to hopefully rebut her elitist image and was attempting to get in touch with her simpler side, which she knew was hidden inside of her, though possibly somewhere very deep.

  The car careened around a sharp curve and their legs bumped slightly harder this time. Gloria felt a tingling sensation spreading from her knee to the rest of her body. She wanted to know how it would feel like to touch him again, but this time with intent, to run her fingers through his flaxen hair, stroke his chiseled face, fondle his muscly arms, lean her body against his wide chest. She knew that once they arrived at the shooting site they would have to act strictly professional, so timing became more crucial than ever.

  Maybe she just needed to take the reins and kiss him, even if the car was full of people whose names she hadn’t even bothered to remember? Not a chance in hell. Gloria rejected the idea almost instantly, not just because she was a bit of a coward, but mostly because despite her age, she enjoyed secretly fantasizing about her knight in shining armor, just as a teenage girl would.

  After two and a half hours the driver stopped to refuel one last time. The location of the photo shoot was pretty isolated and there were no gas stations nearby. The passengers had a twenty minute break before continuing on their long and bumpy journey.

  Gloria sneaked into the minimarket at the station and went to the one place that always made her feel better, the chocolate bar section.

  She stood in front of the rows of shelves, noticing the usual chocolate bars like Kit Kat and Snickers, along with some unknown brands that were probably familiar only to local eyes.

  This section always made her feel calm, because as a child, when she was sad, her mother used to take her grocery shopping and would always let her choose a chocolate bar to sweeten her sorrow. The trick never failed. A few years later, her mother became unwell and their sweet trips to the grocery store ceased, but Gloria kept returning by herself to those familiar shelves, where she could always find comfort – even if she hadn’t bought a single candy bar in the last decade.

  “Need some change?” she heard Andy’s voice behind her. “If I were you, I would go for the Twix.”

  Gloria frowned. “Do you really think that just a few hours before I’m going to be photographed in the tightest dress on earth, for which I’ve spent countless hours at the gym, I would actually buy a chocolate bar?”

  Andy must have lost his mind, she inevitably concluded.

  “Then why are you standing here?” he asked confusedly.

  Gloria stared at him but then began laughing, forgetting about maintaining the self-restraint she had so carefully adopted. The reason why she was poised in front of rows and rows of candy bars was obvious only to her. Standing and staring at shelves filled with sweet treats for minutes on end, without buying a single one, just made sense to her; in other people’s eyes it came across as a bit odd, to say the least.

  Soon enough Andy joined Gloria in laughter. They just stood there, indifferent to the curious glances turned at them, bursting into laughter. When their eyes met, the laughter vanished without a trace and was replaced by silence. They looked at each other, smiling and somewhat embarrassed.

  There was only one way out of this situation. Andy leaned over and kissed her. For the first time. In a convenience store. Of a gas station. It was just as magical as it would have been anywhere else.

  Gloria glanced behind her as she walked back to the car. The chocolate shelves never let you down.

  CHAPTER 9

  Even after two days of hard thinking, which seemed like forever, Sharon was having a hard time letting go of the idea that just maybe, somehow, the successful magazine editor had something to do with the horrifying series of murders.

  Suspecting Kelly as the killer seemed quite ridiculous, even for Sharon, but she had a gut feeling that there was a connection, at least if not directly, then indirectly. Of course the shortage of actual physical evidence was a huge setback, but she knew she had to find a way to figure out what was linking the two worlds that seemed so opposing: the ideal illusion of the beauty industry versus the ugly reality she had to deal with on a daily basis.

  Sharon picked up the editor’s business card and twiddled it. She knew that right now she could not put forth even the slightest suspicion about Kelly. Her unsuccessful record thus far in trying to solve this series of crimes did not give her the right to offer Rob such an unsubstantiated suggestion. She just might find herself being thrown off the case. In spite of this, Sharon knew that if she ignored her hunch, it would weigh on her conscience. She had to make a decision and fast. She took a deep breath and dialed.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, this is Sharon Davis speaking, New York police department.”

  “Is this about that fine I neglected to pay?” Kelly giggled, but her heartbeat accelerated.

  “Not really, I’m a homicide detective.” Sharon stopped before she continued in an attempt to gauge Kelly’s reaction. All she could hear was silence.

  “Yes . . .” Kelly could barely overcome the dryness that engulfed her throat.

  “I was hoping that you might be able to help us. It’s about the series of murders that you may have heard of, The Sleeping Beauties.”

  “And how can I help exactly?” Kelly tried to feign surprise in her voice.

  “It’s possible that you have a connection to some of the victims.” Sharon stopped and waited for a response.

  Oh no, the bitter end had come. The hand that held the phone was not so steady anymore. Kelly wasn't sure how she should act. Any word could give her away. But she would not let the pressure get to her. Now, more than ever, Kelly needed to stay in control.

  She pressed the receiver closer to her ear and listened.

  “They were beautiful girls who may have had a connection to the modeling world. One of them even showed up for a job interview at your magazine and left with your business card.”

  Bloody Mandy Sheldon, Kelly resented her on the inside. Her pulse began to stabilize. It was merely a coincidence. The cops needed her help due to her position, not because of some kind of suspicion. Otherwise, they would not have settled for just a phone call.

  “Perhaps you remember something of the sort?”

  “Well, in my field of work I am in touch with many young women, all beautiful. Handing ou
t my business card is really nothing special,” Kelly calmly replied.

  “True, but it’s not every day that one of those girls gets murdered,” Sharon commented.

  “No doubt,” Kelly tried to appear cooperative. “Remind me of the name of the poor girl and I will try to recall any detail about her that might be of help to you.” Kelly hated the feminine voice on the other end of the line; she did not speak to her with the respect she deserved.

  “Mandy Sheldon,” the familiar name rang in Kelly’s ear.

  When speaking, Sharon emphasized each syllable in the name of the deceased.

  “Truthfully, I don’t remember anything specific, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I had liked her and had given her my business card.” Kelly tried to sound casual in order to put the detective’s mind at ease, but in reality she was yearning to end this overbearing conversation.

  “In what circumstances, exactly, do you give your card to these young ladies?” Sharon was curious. Something didn't add up. This had been the hottest story dominating the media outlets. It didn’t make sense that a public figure such as Kelly would not remember a person whose picture had appeared all over the papers and news channels for weeks, especially when she had met this young woman just a short time before her death. Sharon had no doubt that Kelly had to remember Mandy.

  After all, she had had an unforgettable appearance.

  I could never forget her name.

  “Usually I give my card to girls I want to connect with agencies that work with the magazine. After that, my job is done. After all, I’m not a fairy godmother who can make them into stars overnight,” explained Kelly.

  That’s not what Mandy told her sister, Sharon thought. She had no doubt that there was more at play than what was meeting the eye. Kelly was revealing a lot less than she knew, but why was she doing this? At this stage Sharon decided not to correct Kelly’s mistake. This conversation had reached a dead end anyway. She needed to calculate her next steps carefully.

  However, Sharon’s passion tended to take precedence over her common sense.

  “Miss Danes,” Sharon knew very well that the rest of the sentence would not go quietly. “We would really appreciate it if you could come down to the station and give us your statement. It would be highly appreciated by the New York Police Department.”

  “Excuse me?” Kelly’s composure broke for the first time in the conversation. “Are you accusing me of something?”

  “Of course not,” Sharon forced herself to let the lie flow from her lips. “Like I said, it would be a gesture of good faith that might help us move forward with the investigation.” Although there was nothing insulting or hostile in her words, Sharon knew that her tone of voice was sending an entirely different message.

  “Do you even understand who you are dealing with?” Kelly snapped. “I’m not some mobster you can twirl around your little finger so you can try and impress your boss. Do you think I have time to help you do your dirty work?”

  That was the final straw that broke the proud detective’s back.

  “Well, if you don’t come willingly to help us with our ‘dirty work’ . . .” The anger erupted from her throat, “it would give me great pleasure to officially bring you in for interrogation.”

  “That’s absurd. Given my personal acquaintance with the commissioner, I doubt I’ll ever step foot in your office.”

  “Your highness,” Sharon enunciated venomously, “an official invitation will arrive by tomorrow. I’ll be happy to see you then!” She hung up without waiting for a response.

  Sharon knew that she had crossed the line and was going to get hell from Rob. There was no way he was going to authorize her to summon Miss Kelly Danes for questioning and damage the editor’s reputation without any substantiating evidence. Sharon knew she was in trouble, but she didn’t care. She now had no doubt this woman was connected to the murders, one way or another.

  Sharon felt like she was back on the horse, having finally found the lead she had been seeking for so long, even if to everyone else it looked like she had lost her mind.

  * * *

  Anyone who had been in the vicinity of Kelly Danes’ townhouse moments after her conversation with Detective Davis would have heard the screams of rage coming out from her home.

  Who the hell does she think she is? And to even suspect a dignified woman such as myself? Kelly could not stand the degradation that had been oozing from the detective’s tone of voice, but worse, she could not stand the fact that someone had succeeded in linking her to her sweet, sinful secret.

  How could it be that a miserable cop, who was just trying to cover her own ass, had succeeded in connecting her with her own monstrosity? Kelly figured that right now it only appeared to be purely circumstantial, otherwise the detective would have already arrested her, but if, God forbid, another slip were revealed, there could be severe consequences.

  She had to nip this in the bud. Kelly opened her phone book and looked for the police commissioner’s number.

  CHAPTER 10

  “Davis, are you out of your mind?” Rob’s enraged voice jarred on Sharon’s ears.

  She knew she was doomed.

  “What were you thinking, confronting a respected woman like Kelly Danes as a murder suspect? And making it seem as if it were being backed up by the department? Why should I have to catch hell from the commissioner and look like an idiot just because I was not aware that my head detective has gone nuts?!” Rob did not even wait for a response. “This is the first time the commissioner has actually called me by the right name, and he did it to imply, not so subtlety, that if I keep making the wrong decisions I will be transferred to the traffic division!”

  “Rob, I really am sorry that you were in the line of fire because of me.”

  “It was more like a firing squad,” he ranted. “It’s hard for me to believe that you don’t understand how your actions can get us all in trouble. So congratulations, you’ve proved you have balls, but for what?”

  Sharon could not bear the disappointed look on Rob’s face. She began to have doubts about her audacious decision to go after Kelly. She had never imagined that her actions might cause the whole department to look bad.

  But damn it, she knew she was right. She felt it in her bones.

  “Listen, you’ve known me for a long time. I know that sometimes I’m a little bit hasty, and I tend to forget that I’m not a bounty hunter who answers to no one. But have I ever performed in a way that has hurt the progress of an investigation?”

  She managed to silence him, but only for a moment.

  “Davis, we both know that you’re good at what you do. That’s not the problem here.” He took a deep breath. “This case might be too much for one investigator. Maybe I should add someone to balance you, like Bryant.”

  Rob knew she wouldn’t accept this suggestion amicably, to say the least.

  “What?” Her cheeks turned red. “Mark Bryant is a chauvinistic idiot who has managed to get ahead only because he is his father’s son. We both know he is useless and that’s why he has never been in charge of a case on his own. And now you want to assign him to me?”

  Rob knew that Sharon was right, but he had to mediate between the pressures from above and what was going on in the field. And, unfortunately, the sexist idiot’s father had been the deputy commissioner for years. But that wasn’t something he was about to share with a subordinate.

  “If you don’t want this case to be reassigned to someone else . . .” Rob stressed slowly, “you’ll have to learn to restrain yourself. You can’t just do whatever you want. From now on you need to answer to me and get my approval for every single move you plan to make. And no more shenanigans.”

  Anyone else would have heard in those words a warning or a reprimand, but Sharon identified the final lifeline her boss had tossed her.

  “Thanks, Rob,” she said quietly, almost whispering.

  “And that means that your special interest in the editor, who is also the commi
ssioner’s friend, ends now.”

  “That’s impossible,” Sharon stated.

  “For God’s sake, I’m an inch away from the point where this case is taken off my hands, and that means your hands as well. We both know there’s no way Kelly Danes is a legitimate murder suspect, so just look for another way to find the information that you thought you could get from her.”

  As highly as he valued Sharon, Rob found it extremely difficult to understand how she could have connected the respectable editor to the heinous series of murders.

  Sharon couldn’t give up so easily; she decided to present her findings to Rob. She couldn’t keep on doing this alone.

  “Okay, but first, I want to explain to you why we should keep investigating Miss Danes.”

  “I didn’t think otherwise. Be in my office in two minutes on the dot.”

  The truth was he had already begun to wonder what this whole thing was about. Sharon was too professional to make false accusations. He was intrigued.

  CHAPTER 11

  This woman absolutely intrigued him.

  Andy was sitting in the passenger seat with the road map spread across his knees, just in case the GPS system stopped working due to reception difficulties in the remote area. They were getting closer to their destination, and Andy had moved to the front of the car in order to direct the driver exactly where he wanted to go. Now he had to look at the road and concentrate on the route, though he would have preferred returning to the back seat, where Gloria sat, her laughter echoing in the background.

  A smile crept to his face as he remembered their first kiss in the gas station’s minimart. He still wondered why Gloria had lingered in front of the chocolate bars without buying anything, but he was glad she had. In any case, he thought to himself, she could not have found anything sweeter than the taste of her lips.

  The famous model remained an enigma in his eyes. Andy had always been attracted to mysterious women, but Gloria was in a league of her own. For years she had been, due to her profession, flaunted in public, but hadn’t actually revealed anything. The media, like a hungry vulture, had tried sinking its claws into her, but she refused to surrender.