Sleep Tight

by BJ Hyman

  Sabrina’s party looks to be even more exciting than usual.

  She looked around but didn’t see him. She texted back quickly.

  Are you here?!?!

  No, but I just drove by. I’m a stalker now, you know. ;)

  She began a text.

  I wish you were here …

  She deleted her start and began again.

  It used to be so much fun with you here. She closed her eyes and sent it with a deep breath.

  Old boyfriends of your friends don’t get invited to cool Halloween parties. I miss being a part of all of that. Not to sound morose. Just wishing things could be how they were. I’m still searching for where I belong.

  Charlie’s lips twitched.

  Aren’t we all?

  Belonging has never been your problem. You fit in just perfectly anywhere you go.

  A small smile touched her lips. She thought she heard Kellie’s voice in the doorway and it made her start. She quickly screen shot the texts and saved them to her cloud before deleting the thread. A small voice inside her said that if there was nothing wrong with texting back and forth with Dean, she wouldn’t have to hide that she was doing it.

  Eli came around the corner just as she finished deleting. She glanced up at him with the glow from her screen illuminating the guilt. His eyes went from the phone to her face before he snatched it from her. “Eli!” He looked at what she had been doing but there was nothing to see. It was all off-site now in the ether. She swallowed noisily. “What did you think you were going to find?” His brows furrowed as he handed her the cell back.

  “Sorry. I shouldn’t have snatched it.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know what I was looking for.” He searched her face thoughtfully. “Can you tell me what I might find? Why you look guilty?” She looked down at the glowing screen before tapping the side to put it to sleep before sliding it back into her back pocket. “Is there something I should know, Charlie?”

  She felt the tingle of vibration in her pocket and knew there was another message. “No.”

  Eli looked her up and down with disbelief gleaming in his eyes before shaking his head and walking away.

  Charlie leaned her head on the wall and took a deep breath. She wiped her wet palms onto her baseball pants. When she stood back up straight, another vibration drew her attention back to her cell. She pulled it out and slid a finger across the screen. One text was from Kellie and one was from Dean. She opened Dean’s first.

  You still there?

  Yeah, but I need to cool it for a bit. I’ll text later.

  She quickly deleted the thread before opening Kellie’s message.

  Mitchell refused 2 wear the gorilla costume so I just look like I’m trying 2b sexy instead of being Ann Darrow. What guy doesn’t want to be King Kong?? I guess I could b confused with Marilyn Monroe. I can live w/ that. Where r u @?

  I’m in the hall leading to the kitchen. I was trying to find Sabrina. Where are you?

  Ur so proper. Only u & Dean ever wrote texts n sentences.

  That doesn’t tell me where you are.

  Den.

  I’ll find you.

  K.

  Charlie rolled her eyes at her sister. Kellie always took it personally that she and Dean wrote in complete, correct sentences, even in text. Language is a dying art.

  She slid the phone back into her pants pocket before turning to make her way to the den. In the main foyer, there were several doorways and one led straight to where her sister was standing in a form-fitting silky dress from the twenties and a long, blond wig. Mitchell stood nearby wearing a white button-down shirt with three black dots going down his right side and black slacks. Charlie walked up to him. “You know that Jim Halpert didn’t wear glasses OR have a beard, right? You were better off as the monkey.”

  He pointed at Kellie with glee. “I told you that she would get it! And, as for the ape, it was hot as hell. I want, at least, the chance to enjoy the night. Sweating in a full fur coat and a mask you can’t see or hear out of is not my idea of fun.”

  “Well, you see what I’m wearing. I chose the comfort option this year too.”

  He nodded at her. “I’m going to get a beer.”

  Kellie called after him. “Get me one!”

  He walked away with a wave over his shoulder. She turned to Charlie with a flourish. “So, where’s Eli?”

  Charlie glance around uncomfortably. “I’m not quite sure. He was here a second ago.”

  Kellie caught the drift of her discomfort and narrowed her eyes. “Things are still tense?”

  “That obvious?”

  “You might as well be blinking in neon. Spill it.”

  Sabrina coasted up just then and draped an arm around Charlie. “Hello, my pretties. Are we having fun yet?”

  Kellie took in her skin tight black dress that left nothing to the imagination. “Wow. Morticia looks good on you.”

  “Oh, honey. I make Morticia look good. She could never have been this sexy.”

  Charlie was grateful Sabrina loved the limelight and took over everything before she had to find a way to dodge her sister’s questions.

  A wind chime like sound filled the sound system playing the party music and began to build with an ominous deep bass. Soon, an unmistakable guitar riff began. Dean had always been a Rush fan and so was Craig. Between the two of them, they had made Charlie a fan. Witch Hunt was not one of Rush’s songs that got radio play but was a great unconventional choice for a Halloween party. She knew that there was no way that Sabrina had made that musical choice though. She pointed up as if the music were coming from Heaven. “Who made the play list?”

  Sabrina bumped her with her hip before stepping away to peek around the doorway. Once satisfied, she turned back. “It was Craig. He actually begged me to let him. Who begs to do the play list for a party? Anyway, I indulged him. He said he was going to use songs that weren’t your ‘usual’ Halloween songs. I’m not so sure yet. Who refuses to play Monster Mash at a costume party?” She rolled her eyes.

  Charlie smiled. “I actually like it. I get tired of the usual and, while this song is the only one I’ve noticed so far, I think it’s great.”

  Kyle came around the door frame looking more like conventional Dracula than Gomez Addams. His hair was darkened and slicked back from his forehead. He wore a black suit with a wide lapel and an ascot. The only thing missing was the teeth. Sabrina slid up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Without you beside me, everyone keeps thinking I’m Elvira. You need to stick around and stop wandering off.”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m trying to be social.”

  Eli’s head popped around the corner but, when he caught sight of Charlie, their eyes locked. With a sigh, he disappeared from view. Charlie felt a rock land in the bottom of her stomach and she knew what she needed to do. Her legs were made of lead as she forced them to carry her out of the room in search of her boyfriend.

  She didn’t have to go far. She found him in the kitchen with his head in the fridge. He pulled out a cherry tomato on a toothpick with cheese and a leaf of what Charlie could only guess was basil. He straightened up and put the whole thing in his mouth cleaning the toothpick off with his teeth. He chewed and nodded in appreciation before turning to find a trash can. That was when he caught sight of Charlie leaning against the door frame watching him. He started and choked a bit on the food. His eyes widened before narrowing and his brows furrowed together in the middle of his forehead. Taking his time, he finished chewing and found a place to throw away the incriminating wood stick. “I didn’t expect to see you. You scared me.” His eyes stayed on the floor until it no longer could be interesting. They flicked to her and then around the room as if inspecting it for bugs.

  Charlie pushed off of the door frame and walked over to him getting right in his line of sight so that he couldn’t help but meet her gaze. She took his hands in hers between their bodies, and they both looked down to the intertwined fingers. She couldn’t f
ind her voice at first, but when she spoke, it barely registered at a whisper. “I’m sorry.” She rubbed his thumb with hers. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but you don’t deserve to feel like you need to check up behind me.”

  He looked up into her face. “I don’t know that I’ve ever felt jealous before. It sucks. You bring out some very ugly feelings in me. I want to hurt whoever is hurting you and I want to be the only one you can count on. That’s just crazy. Whatever is going on with us, I don’t want things to continue feeling like they are right now.”

  She smiled at him softly. “We’ll work on it, okay? That’s what responsible adults do in a relationship. I love you. I might not always act like it, but I do. Forgive me for how I’ve been acting. I’m going to do my best to stop being such an idiot. Okay?”

  He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. “I think I can handle that.”

  She dropped one hand and drew him along behind her. “Let’s be social and get our party on.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Secret Garden

  The party was a good distraction for Charlie. The past several weeks had been very trying and the mere act of hanging out with friends, playing games, and eating party food was draining some of her stress away.

  Even so, there was an unease that had settled into her bones. With every moment, there was a growing certainty that she was being watched. She told herself she was imagining things, but the feeling wouldn’t shake. She would turn and catch eyes with different people, some she knew and some she didn’t, and found herself wondering if they were the one tormenting her. Or was it more than one?

  Craig’s play list wasn’t doing her any favors either. Who knew Helen Reddy put out such a creepy song as Angie Baby? Charlie found herself listening to the lyrics for once because she couldn’t figure out why he would include a freaking Helen Reddy song in a Halloween party music list. The song is about this girl who isn’t quite right in the head but listens to music and it fills her…or something. Some guy had been watching through her window and decided one night to try to do something bad to her. But she somehow uses the music and some sort of Jedi powers to suck him into her radio where he’s stuck dancing with the weird girl for the rest of time or some crap.

  Besides that, he used some song about this guy that died but is haunting his girlfriend he left behind. He tells her that all she has to do is think of him and he’ll be there. Charlie used Soundhound to find out who sang that one. It was by The Escape Club. She thought it was fitting since she wanted to escape herself.

  Dean hadn’t texted in a while. She couldn’t help but check the phone every few moments when Eli wasn’t looking. She had a twinge of guilt with each peek, but it was too much for her to stop. She knew he would probably see her if she kept it up. Kellie had and had given her a snarl.

  Charlie decided to float through the party and see if there was anyone she knew that she hadn’t seen yet. She drifted from room to room trying to see through the makeup, wigs, masks, and such to find the people behind the costumes. The faces didn’t bother her at first, but then they started swimming together like a nightmare. Some tried to scare her and succeeded. Some were just laughing but looked frightening with their garish faces pulled wide in laughter. Her pulse rose with each room until her breaths were coming in short pants like she had been running. A fine sheen of sweat formed on her forehead. Just when she was as anxious as her limits could allow, someone reached out and grabbed her. It was as if she had been electrocuted.

  Her panicked eyes turned to find Craig dressed as Gene Simmons from KISS standing over her in full costume. She shrieked.

  He laughed. “That’s the best response I’ve had all night. I am ‘The Demon,’ after all! I thought I was going to have to spit blood before I got someone to scream.”

  Charlie was so relieved that she wrapped her arms around his unnaturally and freakishly tall frame. He was already unusually tall but wearing the platform boots to complete the outfit raised him to crazy heights. He patted her with a laugh. “A true fan. And all I was trying to do was find the TV. There’s no place for a phone in this getup so I can’t find out the score.”

  Charlie pulled herself together before she let go. “I’ll show you where it is. Come on.” She grabbed his hand and led him through the carnival of party goers.

  She dragged him to what looked like a formal sitting room with a fireplace. A giant picture hung over the mantle. Craig examined the room. “There’s not a television in here.”

  Charlie smiled and winked at him. “Yes, there is.” She pulled out a remote and pointed it at the painting over the fireplace. It went black before blinking on with the Hallmark channel.

  “Whoa! That’s awesome!” He turned his head to the side. “The Hallmark channel? I wouldn’t have thought Sabrina was a Hallmark gal.”

  “Watch more design shows on DesignTV and you’ll see what’s available in the world as far as hidden televisions are concerned. And anyone can be a Hallmark person. I hear Glenn Beck and his crew watch the Christmas movies just for the laughs…and maybe because they’re addictive.” She handed him the remote before sitting on the mid-century modern sofa facing the fireplace.

  He turned the channel to the local ABC affiliate, but they were doing a live news segment. “Live news during a game? What in the world? They never do a local live news thing.”

  A pretty young thing stood in front of an apartment complex holding a microphone and indicating the building behind her. Police and ambulance lights flashed all around her like she was at a club instead. The graphics bar at the bottom of the screen said: ANOTHER BODY FOUND. Craig turned up the volume. “…authorities haven’t released the name of the victim but confirm that it looks like the work of the same killer of the two women recently found dead under similar circumstances. If that’s the case, there are at least three deaths attributed to this murderer.” Charlie gasped and put her hand to her throat. “…A source in the police department also suggested that there are two prior unsolved cases that might be linked. It has women all around the area on alert.”

  Craig glanced over at Charlie who appeared stricken. “It might not be the same person who’s doing those things to you. Detective Brooks doesn’t seem to think so, or he would have mentioned it, right?”

  Charlie burst from her seat. The room felt like it was closing in on her and she needed some air. She ran for the kitchen. When she got there, Eli was talking to another man with a beer in his hand, his back against the counter. He reached for her, but she shook her head and walked straight out the back door. It slammed behind her like the crack of a whip and she jumped half out of her skin.

  The night air was cool and felt good as she took great gulps of it while leaned over the banister of the back porch. The sounds of the party faded through the closed door. She listened to the laughter and music from inside. It had the muffled quality of putting your hands over your ears. She turned back toward the house and leaned against the railing. She could see Eli looking anxiously out the window at her. Charlie just couldn’t face anyone right now. She turned and stepped down into the yard.

  Sabrina had always had wonderful taste and a love for creature comforts. Her backyard was no exception. She had little nooks and crannies with comfortable seating tucked here and there throughout the garden. Arches covered in vines that bloomed in spring and summer made natural entrances to walkways that led to other sitting areas. It was a maze of a secret garden. The trees and climbing vines made natural outdoor walls that created a sense of privacy and separated the space into an almost room-like experience.

  Charlie sauntered down the pebble strewn paths with her arms wrapped around her. The autumn night was brisk, and she rubbed her arms to generate warmth. Rounding a corner, she happened upon a couple making use of the privacy in the corner of the garden. She stopped abruptly but they took no notice of her. The woman was dressed as Cleopatra and her straps were pushed off her shoulders exposing her bare breasts to a man dressed as either C
aptain Caveman or Barney Rubble. Not exactly the coupling you would expect to find canoodling in the garden.

  She couldn’t help but think about the man’s costume. If he was supposed to be Barney, then where was Betty Rubble? And there most certainly should be a Fred and Wilma Flintstone to make Barney and Betty Rubble make sense. Is that why they were braving the cold? They thought no one else would be stupid enough to want to go looking for a couple hooking up in secret in flimsy costumes in these kinds of temperatures? Charlie turned quickly but not before she noticed the goosebumps covering the woman’s nakedness. She wondered if she even felt the cold that her body was registering so obviously.