Black Heart

by Jenny Lynn

  “When I got your text I figured I’d stay at the office late and get ahead on a few things so that we can spend more time together this weekend.”

  “You did? That’s really thoughtful Nicholas,” I told him as a yawn escaped my lips. “Sorry, long day,” I said placing my hand over my mouth. “I should get enough rest tonight before my meeting with Doctor Shaffer tomorrow.”

  “We’ll have a quiet night,” he said. Nicholas put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close so that I rested my head on his shoulder. “Let’s go home, I’ll put a movie on and we can relax on the couch,” he told me, kissing my forehead gently. We wove our way through traffic and I sank against him, enjoying the closeness of his body and the familiar scent of his cologne.

  2

  “Enjoy your meeting,” Nicholas said, holding my head in his hands and kissing me before I got out of the car. “Remember, we have dinner plans at Boulevard tonight.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I told him. “Have a good day at work.”

  I stood on the sidewalk, smoothed my skirt and headed into the brick building. The reception area was decorated with smooth brown leather chairs and lush green plants, a series of portrait paintings hung on the walls. I made my way over to the kind looking receptionist who smiled, her glasses slipping down her nose slightly as she glanced at me.

  “Hi, I’m Breanne Taylor. I have a meeting with Doctor Shaffer.”

  “He’s expecting you, Miss Taylor, you can head inside.”

  She gestured to a door in the corner and I walked towards it, feeling a nervous excitement. Doctor Shaffer was one of the top Forensic Psychologists in the world who consulted on some of the most difficult cases. I was finally about to sit in a room and ask an expert about this profession; all thanks to Doctor Tamsen, a close family friend of the Blackstones. I made a mental note to send Doctor Tamsen a thank you card. I turned the brass handle and the heavy wooden door swung open. I waited in the doorway a moment as the tall man with salt and pepper hair looked up and stood from his chair.

  “Breanne, at last we meet. Please, have a seat,” he told me as he gestured to the chair opposite his desk. The room was comfortable, an extension of the waiting area with wooden furniture and a long leather couch beneath the window. The shades were partially closed, casting the space in a warm glow that radiated off of the mustard yellow walls. Behind the desk were tall shelves replete with books, manuals, and journals. Diplomas were framed on the wall.

  “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Doctor Shaffer, I really appreciate it.”

  “Please, call me Shawn, Brian tells me you’re Nicholas Blackstone’s fiancée,” he said as I lowered myself into the chair.

  “I am. I met Doctor Tamsen over brunch; he’s been very kind offering me guidance while I continue my psych studies.”

  “We went to school together, he’s a good friend of mine. And from what I hear you’re a very determined young student.”

  “I was hoping you could give me a bit of advice, in terms of my studies and anything else I should consider that will help my career.”

  “What are your hobbies?” Doctor Shaffer asked me.

  “If I’m honest I don’t have many at the moment. I like to read, travel. Between school, work and my social life there just doesn’t seem to be enough time for anything else.”

  “Understanding people, how they think, will be invaluable to you Breanne,” Doctor Shaffer told me. “If you can find the time, you should try out hobbies that will challenge your thinking and force you to read your opponent. Chess, fencing, even a friendly game of pool or poker can make you think differently. If you continue in this field, having an outlet will be healthy.”

  “What do you do, as a hobby?” I asked.

  “I’m an avid chess player, I volunteer my time playing at a local old age home. I also read a lot, like you, and I garden. When I’m away on an assignment, I bring a puzzle with me. This line of work can be mentally taxing, I’m sure you can imagine. Putting a puzzle together can be really cathartic.”

  “I can’t remember the last time I did a puzzle,” I told him. He looked at me for a moment, then he stood up and headed for his bookshelf. Crouching down, he took a box from the bottom and brought it over, handing it to me.

  “Here, take this home with you,” he told me. He was smiling and the corners of his eyes crinkled slightly. I hesitated and he placed it into my hands. “I insist,” he added.

  “Thank you,” I told him. I glanced at the photo on the cover, it was a two hundred piece puzzle of a symphony, it looked like it would be a challenge. I placed it at my side and took out a notebook and a pen from my bag.

  “I’m currently working on a paper about deception,” I told him. “It’s an area of focus I’m very interested in. I was wondering if there were any case studies or books you could recommend.”

  Doctor Shaffer leaned back in his seat and looked at me, tenting his fingers in front of his lips. His eyes were scanning me, evaluating me, the reason why I wasn’t sure. I shifted, feeling slightly uncomfortable. “What is it?” I asked.

  “I can send you home with a few texts that would be helpful, but I think I can also offer you something much more valuable,” he said.

  “Oh,” I said, unsure how to react. “What would that be exactly?”

  “I’ve been working with a specific patient, and if you’re interested in the study of deception he might be an appropriate case study for your paper. I could get you access to the facility and arrange for you to speak with him, as a student under my guidance, of course.”

  I stared at Doctor Shaffer and held my jaw shut tight to stop it from dropping open. Meeting an actual patient of his was beyond anything I ever dreamed of. “That would be amazing, I don’t know what to say. When would this be?”

  “I would need to make a few calls, make arrangements, be there with you of course. Let me look into this and I will get back to you, I have your email and number,” Doctor Shaffer told me.

  “Can I ask who the patient is?” My curiosity was definitely piqued.

  “His name is Randy Wilkes,” Doctor Shaffer said. I didn’t immediately recognize the name. “Years ago, when he was a teenager, he was responsible for the abduction, torture, and murder of three women. He was found not criminally responsible due to insanity and has been a patient at the Elgin Mental Health Center. I’ve interviewed him a number of times; he’s helped me develop profiles for similar cases.”

  “You think he is deceptive in some way?” I asked.

  “I’ve always had my suspicions, but was never able to confirm them. In all my years in the field, Randy Wilkes stands out as one of the most clever, and therefore most dangerous, criminals I have ever encountered.”

  “Do you think he’ll provide anything different to me than he would to you?” I asked.

  Doctor Shaffer smiled. “You’re very perceptive, Breanne. That will serve you well in this line of work. The fact of the matter is that Randy Wilkes has been limited in his interactions with women, with good reason given his crimes. Maybe having a woman accompany me will elicit a different reaction,” Doctor Shaffer told me, spreading his hands before him. “That is if you’re comfortable with this. You would not be alone in the room, we would ensure your safety.”

  I felt a chill run through me, but held my head high. This was an opportunity of a lifetime, for a student like me to be able to work with Doctor Shaffer and meet one of his patients. “As soon as you confirm a date, I will clear my schedule,” I told him. He nodded.

  “I’ll be in touch, Breanne.”

  He stood behind his desk and I rose to shake his hand, picking up the puzzle he had gifted me and heading out of his office. There was now a sullen, dark-haired man in a chair in his waiting room picking at his fingernails.

  “Thank you again,” I told Doctor Shaffer while he gave me a courteous nod. The man rose from his chair and shuffled into his office, then the heavy wooden door was closed once more. I ma
naged to fit the puzzle box into my bag; the pieces inside rattled slightly, and I headed back outside making my way to the nearest streetcar stop. I had class in a few hours, then dinner with Nicholas.

  I spent time in the library studying, then sat attentively through my afternoon class taking notes. When the lecture was over I collected my things and made my way home. I had just enough time to change for dinner. My phone buzzed, I checked the screen. It was Nicholas.

  I’ll meet you at the restaurant, the car will pick you up in a half hour.

  I wandered into my closet, trailing my hands over fabric and contemplating my options. Finally, I pulled out a wine colored dress with silk trim and a low neckline. The last time Nicholas had seen me in it he had that look in his eyes that betrayed how badly he wanted to take it off me. I slipped it on, fastening a pendant necklace around my neck then stepped into a pair of nude heels. I had fixed my hair and was touching up my makeup when I noticed the time and headed downstairs.

  As expected, the car was idling at the curb. I slid inside and smiled at the driver. He was young this time. The car service frequently changed who they sent and it was hard to get to know any of them well enough. But still, I tried to make a point of being friendly. We pulled into traffic and made our way to Boulevard. It was a short ride to the five-star restaurant, and when we arrived I thanked the driver before getting out. A doorman held the glass door open for me and I went inside.

  I walked up to a hostess who stood behind an ornate desk decorated with a tall vase of flowers. When I approached she looked up at me. “Welcome to Boulevard,” she said with a broad smile, flashing porcelain white teeth.

  “I’m meeting Nicholas Blackstone, we have a reservation,” I told her. She glanced at the screen of the tablet in front of her then nodded.

  “Right this way please.” I followed her through the restaurant, tall glass windows and silver accents everywhere. Each table, covered in a smooth white tablecloth, had a small silver vase with delicate white flowers as well as a flickering candle. There was a murmur of a multitude of conversations, mingling together but none of them rising above the others. In a corner of the restaurant, near a tall green fern, was Nicholas. When he saw me approach he smiled, his eyes moving over my body, and he stood up. The hostess left us and he came close, wrapping his arm around my waist and whispering in my ear.

  “Breanne you look beautiful, as always,” he told me, then kissed my cheek.

  “Thank you,” I said as he pulled out my chair and sat down. “You don’t look bad yourself.”

  Sitting across from him, I took in the lines of his face illuminated by the candlelight. The angle of his jaw, the line of his nose, his piercing blue eyes, the way that his lips curved up in the corners when he smiled. He could communicate so much to me without words, simply by the expressive nature of his features. I was still utterly captivated by him and entranced by how attractive he was. I would never get enough of him.

  A waiter appeared and began uncorking a bottle of wine. “I ordered us a bottle of Shiraz,” Nicholas told me. “I hope you’re in the mood for red.”

  “I’m always in the mood for a glass of wine,” I told him as the waiter poured for us. When he left, Nicholas raised his glass and I did the same. I took a sip and let the complex, tannic flavor roll over my tongue. It was delicious, and no doubt, expensive; Nicholas really knew his wine.

  “How did your meeting go?” he asked me.

  “Better than I could have hoped for! I need to send Doctor Tamsen a thank you note for making the introduction. Meeting someone who works in the actual field would have been one thing, but Doctor Shaffer is world-renowned. He’s brilliant, the work he’s done with the FBI; he’s an absolute legend.”

  “I’m glad. So this means you got what you needed for your paper?”

  “Not yet, but I will,” I said. “Doctor Shaffer is arranging for me to meet a patient.”

  Nicholas raised an eyebrow at me. “A patient? Not someone dangerous I hope.”

  “I’ll be at a facility under supervision, you have nothing to worry about. This is the line of work I want to get into, you know that.”

  “I know, you’re right. The human mind can be a dark place, I just don’t want you to lose your optimism about humanity.”

  “I think if anything was going to damage me it would be when I was almost thrown off a roof by Liam. I know what people are capable of, we both do after that. But I want to understand it, study the human mind, and potentially save lives.”

  “I’m really proud of you,” Nicholas said, reaching across the table and squeezing my hand in his. “And I’m excited you’ll get a real-life case study. That will set your paper apart from your classmates.”

  The waiter reappeared to take our order and I quickly glanced down at my menu. “I’ll have the duck with a side salad,” I said.

  “I’ll have the steak, medium,” Nicholas added and his menu was taken as well. When the waiter left I took another long, leisurely sip of my wine and looked at Nicholas across the table. In the dim glow if the candlelight he was ruggedly handsome, a very light stubble across his jaw. “What is it?” he asked me, raising an eyebrow.

  “Nothing,” I replied sweetly. “Between both of our busy schedules, I haven’t seen much of you lately. This is nice.” I slowly, seductively trailed my foot up his leg under the table and bit my lip.

  “Are you trying to seduce me over dinner, Breanne Taylor?” Nicholas asked, the corners of his lips curving up into a smile.

  “And if I am?” I said playfully.

  “I’ll have to insist we skip dessert, just to get you home quicker.” His voice was taking on that slightly husky edge that drove me wild. I leaned forward so my face was closer to his.

  “I guess we’ll have to think of a more satisfying way to end our evening than chocolate. I hope you’re up to the challenge, Blackstone.” I leaned back in my chair and Nicholas chuckled to himself.

  “What am I going to do with you Breanne, I’ll never get enough of you.”

  “Then it’s a good thing we’re getting married because you’ll never have to,” I told him. Nicholas refilled our wine glasses and we sat together in the ambient restaurant, basking in each other’s company. His career, my studies, our life together. Everything in our lives was falling into place, and it felt wonderful.

  3

  I rolled over in bed, the sheet clinging to the contours of my body, feeling rested and satisfied. I reached for the space beside me but found it empty and sat up, looking around the room. Nicholas wasn’t there. Slipping my legs over the edge, I pulled my blue silk robe over my shoulders and tied it around my waist as I headed for the kitchen. Nicholas was standing there in a suit, making himself a coffee in a travel mug. I watched him, confused, and rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

  “Why are you dressed like you’re going to work?” I asked. Suddenly panic flooded over me. “I thought it was Saturday, is it not Saturday?”

  Nicholas walked over and kissed me on the forehead. “It’s Saturday, you should go back to bed. I didn’t want to wake you but I need to go into the office. Something came up.”

  I frowned. “Really? But we were supposed to spend the day together. I thought we were going to start making some decisions about the wedding, it’s going to come up fast.”

  “I know,” Nicholas sighed. “And I’m so sorry that work has been consuming so much of my time. But I have a surprise for you, be dressed and ready by noon okay?” I looked at him, squinting my eyes and trying to figure out what it was. “Relax,” he laughed. “You’ll find out what it is later on. But I need to go.” He pulled me against him and I ran my hands along the lapels of his jacket, feeling the firm contours of his body. The same immaculate body that had given me pleasure over, and over again last night. I forced a smile, I didn’t want to make him feel bad about having to work. He was Nicholas Blackstone, and with that came certain expectations.

  I went back to the bedroom and looked at the bed, the blankets thr
own back and crumpled. I smoothed the sheets, replaced the pillows then headed for the bathroom. After a steamy shower I dried my hair and applied a bit of makeup. Heading into my closet I pulled out dark jeans and a flowy white top, got dressed, and headed into the living room.

  I was focused on research for one of my classes, taking notes and browsing on my laptop, when my phone rang precisely at noon. I checked the display and saw that it was the concierge desk downstairs.

  “Hello?” I answered.

  “Good afternoon Mrs. Blackstone, a guest is here to see you, she says she has an appointment,” replied the male voice.

  “It’s still Ms. Taylor for now, but thank you. You can send them up.”

  “Of course, my apologies. Right away Miss Taylor,” he said before hanging up. I put away my notes and closed my laptop, curious who my visitor was. I didn’t have to wait long for an answer. The elevator doors opened and a middle aged woman wearing a navy shift dress and heels walked out. She had a smooth blond bob, bright eyes and glowing skin. I walked over and smiled at her, she extended her hand and when I reached forward she shook mine.

  “Breanne, I take it?” she asked.

  “Yes I am,” I replied, waiting to find out who she was.

  “My name is Stephanie Ball, Nicholas sent me,” she offered. When I still looked confused, she continued. “I’m the wedding planner, I’ll be helping you finalize details for your big day.”

  “Oh,” was all I could manage. I wasn’t expecting this. I had assumed Nicholas and I would be planning the details together, but with the date fast approaching I rationalized that it made sense to bring in an expert. The types of weddings that were thrown in the high society circle the Blackstone family belonged to were not the types of events I had confidence I could plan on my own; I had assumed that with Nicholas’ help we would have managed somehow. Stephanie patted her bag.