Dancing In Darkness

by Sherrie Weynand

  Adam parked his car and walked through the apartment grounds until he reached her building. Looking around and scanning the area, he realized exactly how correct he was. This was a dangerous place for her to be right now. Her apartment building sat behind the first row of buildings and was obscured from sight by trees and shrubs. Security was something that he took very personally. He was concerned about his which made him concerned about anyone he cared about. “Wait a second,” He thought to himself. “Anyone he cared about? Where in the hell did that come from?” Yes he cared about her in the way one human should care about another, or is that only what he told himself? You can’t care about someone after only a short time, as in days. Yet he did. He felt this deep seated need to protect her. “Of course you do. You want her for a sub. That’s what you do, you protect.” He thought again.

  Knocking on the door, he waited patiently. He did notice that she checked the peephole before opening it. That was good, at least she was being somewhat vigilant about it. He really did not want her here alone. She opened the door and greeted him with a smile. “Hi you.”

  “Hi yourself.” He replied.

  “You want to come in for a minute before we go? I need to slip on some shoes. You caught me just a few minutes early.” She asked him.

  “Sure. Take your time.” He smiled. He was glad she invited him in. If she couldn’t be convinced to stay with him, then he had to make sure that she was taking all precautions here on her own.

  Walking back out of her bedroom she saw him looking at her sliding door at the patio. “What exactly are you doing?” She asked incredulously.

  “I was checking to see how secure the door and windows were. I’m not so concerned with the bedroom window, but this one here and the sliding door need to be secured more than they are. The other way to achieve this is to simply come stay with me until this person is locked up.” He answered as nonchalantly as if they were talking about what to get to drink.

  “Let’s have lunch before we get into that argument again. Please?” She said as she looked at him over her shoulder.

  “Fine. You win this one. Don’t get used to it. I’m used to getting what I want.” He said with a wicked look in his eyes.

  “Oh really. We’ll see about that Mr. Linston.” She countered.

  “Where do you want to eat?” He asked her, quickly changing the subject. It was not in her best interest to challenge him much today.

  “Your call. I shall follow.” She laughed.

  “After you.” He told her.

  Grabbing her bag from the sofa on their way out the door, she waited while he double checked the lock. As they walked down the stairs towards the sidewalk that led to the parking area, he told her that she needed to be extra cautious of the shrubbery around the buildings and around the staircases. While she appreciated the concern, she was beginning to wonder why he was so hell bent on ensuring her security himself.

  He decided on a beachside bistro for lunch. The fresh ocean air and the warm sun was good for anyone. On top of the food being very good here. He didn’t tell her he came here all the time. Some things could be left secret for now, making his good choices look even better. That part didn’t matter, he did find it rather humorous himself though.

  Priscilla opted for the vegetarian grilled Portobello salad. She wasn’t a vegetarian but could live without red meat if she wanted to, and it was clear that Adam could not. His burger was huge. It was quite possibly the largest burger she had ever seen in person. With his excellent manners and impeccable taste, she was curious if he would actually eat it all or even most of it.

  “How on earth can you eat all of that?” She asked before he started.

  “Pretty easily really. I just pick it up and take bite after delicious bite.” He smirked.

  “Smart ass.” She shook her head.

  Lunch turned out to be a really good time. They talked, got to know each other a little better, they laughed. Both of them being on the sarcastic side, his humor a little drier than hers, but it sort of flowed between them. As she was finishing her salad, she noticed him staring at her.

  “What, do I have a piece of spinach in my teeth or something?” She said, smiling as wide as she could for good measure.

  Laughing at her, he said, “No. Not one tiny piece. Do you know how beautiful you are?”

  She sat her fork down on the plate and contemplated what he had just said. It was the first time in twenty eight years that a man had ever said that to her. That is a man that wasn’t drunk and watching her dance. It made her feel good and she knew that she was blushing because she felt the warmth creep into her ears.

  “Don’t blush when I say that, it’s perfectly true.” He replied quietly.

  “I’m sorry, I’m not used to hearing it.” She answered truthfully.

  “You should be told that on a daily basis at least.” He said. “By someone who means it.”

  “You sir, have your game on point, don’t you?” She giggled.

  “Maybe. This isn’t a game however. It’s point blank truth. You are fucking beautiful.” He replied.

  She was floored at his directness. While it wasn’t unpleasant, it was a little unarming, but she thought she could get used to it. Thinking to herself that while she could, maybe she shouldn’t. Then he floored her with his next statement.

  “You need to go back to your apartment and grab some clothes. I’ll have movers pack everything else, tell Nina that you can’t come in until they catch this killer and bring your ass home with me.” He said.

  “Wait a minute. What? I thought we were going to discuss this. As in you and I both, not you telling me what to do.” Her answer was quick and short.

  “If I leave you to discuss it, we will be sitting somewhere tomorrow while you still try to figure it out. That’s a day that could be too late.” He countered her attack.

  “I can’t just up and leave my apartment. I signed a one year lease and I’ve not been there very long. I’m grown and capable of making my own decisions.” Her anger was coming fiercely to the surface. “I will not have some man demanding that I do this or that for any reason.”

  “No, that man won’t have to demand, you’ll do it willingly because you want to and you know that it will please that man.” He said as he shrugged his shoulders. In what should have been a nonchalant gesture, it pushed her over the brink of insanity.

  “Let me tell you one thing. I am not, I will not be and don’t even think about me as one of your subs. Do you get that? No man is going to do that to me, ever. You might think that you can get into the heads of everyone else, but you won’t do it to me.” She kept her voice deadly quiet.

  Pondering her statements, he smiled. He knew that he had gotten under her skin. Not so much to where she would agree to it, but she was definitely thinking about it. While he sat in his chair smiling, Priscilla looked like she had seen a ghost. He wasn’t sure where this look came from but he didn’t mind it either.

  “Adam, you need to take me home right now. If not, I will call a taxi and take myself there.” She demanded.

  “I’ll take you home, you are a free woman. Holding someone against their will isn’t exactly my style.” He said, his eyes were sparkling from the exchange. She had a fire in her that he found extremely attractive.

  Without saying another word, she grabbed her bag and started to storm out of the restaurant. Unfortunately she had to go back through the main doors to exit. There was no gate on the railing anywhere. He laughed silently as he laid a one hundred dollar bill on top of the check and stood up to follow her.

  “Why are you so upset? I’m taking you home like you asked.” He offered.

  “If you have to ask why, then you aren’t as smart as I thought you were, my friend.” She volleyed back to him.

  He had to admit that she was quick witted and able to slash her target with words. Another quality he admired. Something told him that she wouldn’t use those words to hurt, only protect. He walked along with her at a
fast clip. She was on a mission and he wasn’t going to interrupt her. What he had to say could wait until they arrived back at her apartment and he had her safely locked inside. It was a horrible way for anyone to have to live, but in lieu of the alternative, it was the safest thing for her to do. No, coming home with him would be the safest, he wasn’t sure that was going to happen at the moment.

  The ride back from the beachfront was quiet. She didn’t offer up any more smart ass remarks, he didn’t offer up any of what she thought were ridiculous ideas. Her facial features had softened and she didn’t look as angry by the time they pulled into the parking lot.

  “I’m walking up with you, so give me one second.” He said.

  “No thanks, I don’t need a babysitter.” She said as coolly as possible. She really didn’t feel like fighting with him. She had a long day, dealing with the death of her friend, the police so rudely waking her up and then him. Then there was him. Part of her wanted to choke him and the other part wanted, well, she didn’t know exactly what the other part wanted. It wasn’t to argue that was for sure.

  “I don’t think you do need a sitter, I think you need a friend to walk up with you to make sure everything is alright.” He explained, trying to gain her trust.

  “Fine, if it will make you feel better and get you off my ass about it, fine.” She replied.

  They walked up to her door and he asked her for the key. When she handed it to him, he looked surprised that she didn’t put up much of a fight. He walked in first with her following behind him. He checked the slider and the window in the kitchen. Both appeared to be as they left them. He did a quick walk through of the rest of the apartment and it was clear.

  “I’ll leave you, nothing out of place and everything intact. If you need anything please call me. I mean it. All I want is for you to be safe. Oh, you might want to contact Nina and let her know that you won’t be in. That is imperative.” He said to her, his demeanor slightly different.

  “I can do that. I won’t leave my home though.” She acquiesced.

  “I’m going to run. If you need me you know how to get in touch with me.” He said.

  She walked him to the door and closed it behind him, locking the lock and the security lock. Going into the bedroom she noticed a piece of paper folded on the kitchen counter. Not remembering having it there, she assumed that Adam left it. Opening it expecting to find something silly, all she could do was scream when she read it. Grabbing her phone she dialed Adam immediately. He didn’t have time to get out of the parking lot yet or so she hoped.

  “Priscilla what’s wrong?” He demanded.

  She couldn’t speak, only cry as she read the note to him. “You’re next.”

  “Priscilla right now you get your bag and come straight down those stairs, I will meet you midway between the buildings. If anyone is there you scream, do you understand me?” He yelled into his phone as he swung the car back in the other direction.

  Leaving the car running and the door opened, he ran through the lot and the first building, he met her almost halfway. “Are you okay?” He asked her, holding her by her arms to keep her from falling.

  “No, I’m not okay at all.” She admitted as she fell against him and cried hard.

  “We need to get you in the car right now and go straight to the police.” He wasn’t leaving her any room for argument. “Do you have the paper with you?”

  “Yes sir, I do.” She showed it to him but he wouldn’t touch it.

  “In case there are fingerprints on it, this way it should be just yours and whomever wrote it.” He told her briefly.

  “That makes sense. I’m so sorry, I should have listened to you. I need to call Nina and see if she will close for a couple days. Plus someone needs to get to Abi and let her know. This isn’t going to end well unless someone is caught.” She stammered through her tears.

  Dialing her phone while he drove, she waited on Nina to pick up. Finally there was an answer from the other end.

  “Priscilla, is everything okay?” The woman asked.

  “No Nina, it isn’t. Adam is taking me to the police station right now. I need you to close the club for a day or two and if you could find Abi and make sure she isn’t alone.” Priscilla almost begged her.

  “What the hell happened?” Nina asked, “And of course I will.”

  “I went to lunch with Adam and when he brought me home, there was a note laying on my kitchen counter that says, you’re next.” Priscilla explained quickly.

  With an audible gasp, Nina replied. “Oh dear God. I’m going to get Abi and her kids right now. Please let me know when you get to the police department. Even if you can’t call, shoot me a text.”

  “I will. It should only be a couple minutes. I am going to take Adam up on his offer of staying out at his place. It’s very secure and no one would know where I am.” She said as she looked at him.

  He looked pleased with her decision and let his mind run as she talked on the phone. Who the hell would want to kill all of these women and why? He would never understand violence. Especially when it wasn’t deserved. He didn’t know any of the other three women, but he knew this one, somewhat, and couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to harm her. He pulled into the police station parking lot and told her to hang up. Walking into the entry they used the keypad and asked the dispatcher for Detective Beth Ward.

  CHAPTER NINE

  The lady at the desk asked them to have a seat and she would see if the detective was available. Priscilla didn’t give her a chance to say anything else, “Tell her it’s Priscilla Barnes and I have information about the murders of the three exotic dancers found in the park. She’ll know who I am.”

  The lady turned away and picked up a phone. It was a matter of seconds before Beth Tony opened the door and asked the pair to follow her. Instinctively she knew something was wrong. The young woman was shaken and had been crying, her coloring was off since she had seen her that morning. Opening the door to a much smaller interrogation room, she asked them to come in and have a seat.

  “Ms. Barnes, what is the problem?” Tony asked her.

  Spilling out her entire story she told her what had happened. When she showed the note to her, she immediately asked who all had touched it.

  “I’m the only one that touched it in my apartment. Adam wouldn’t touch it so his prints wouldn’t get mixed up on it.” Priscilla told her.

  “That’s good, the less contamination the better. I need to grab an evidence bag and some gloves and I will need you to provide a set of fingerprints for yourself if you don’t mind. I’m sorry, Mr…” She asked, not sure of the gentleman’s last name.

  “Linston.” He replied.

  “Mr. Linston if we could get a set of your prints as well, that would eliminate any extra work at the apartment. I am going to have a couple marked units head that way to secure the scene. If you could please give me a few minutes to get all of this started.” Tony asked them.

  “Detective, please could you check someone to check on my friend, Abi Martinez? I have her address in my bag somewhere. She’s the only other dancer left from our night shift, other than myself. I am really scared for her and her kids. I know that Nina was going to try and go pick them up, but just in case.” Priscilla looked at the woman with pleading eyes.

  “Yes, I’ll get someone to check on them. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back.” She said as she walked out of the room.

  Suddenly, Priscilla felt all alone. It was a tiny room and she had a touch of claustrophobia. With her stress levels already running at full gauge the room felt like it was closing in on her. Adam stood up and walked to her, pulling her against him so that her head was resting on his stomach. It was a genuine action that made her feel comfortable and safe.

  The door opened and Det. Tony started to speak, “We have a unit going to check on Ms. Martinez and her family, we have a unit going to Nina’s Place and we have two marked units and our crime scene investigators going to your apartment to try
and find evidence there. Now, if you two would follow me, we will go get you printed so I can get this paper in for prints.”

  As they walked down the hall Priscilla caught sight of Mike Ward, Tony’s partner and the one that had treated her like shit that morning. She wondered if Adam knew who he was, because there was a slight hesitation when the two men noticed each other. Priscilla didn’t say anything about it, but she definitely would when they were safely back in the privacy of his car.

  They went down to the booking and holding area to be fingerprinted. It was a process that neither of them had ever been through and especially from the other side of the law. It only took a few moments to do, they were digital and simply had to be scanned. Priscilla was thankful because she hadn’t been too fond of the ink idea. Of course she had only seen it on television. Adam went second and they were instructed to wait for the detectives.

  “I’m sorry Adam, I should have listened to you the first time.” She sounded contrite.

  “It’s okay, I’m just glad that no one was actually in there. I don’t know how I missed that or if I would have even said something about a paper on the counter top.” He told her. Reaching out, he gently pushed the hair back from her face and put it behind her ear.

  “I have no clothes at all. I just left like you told me to.” She whispered.

  “They are just clothes. We can get you some. I’ll give your sizes to one of my staff and they can pick up some things that will hold you over until this ordeal is finished.” He assured her.

  “Oh, I think I can manage to go shopping for my own clothes.” She said.

  “Really? You think this is the right time to go shopping? No, they can do it and I am putting my foot down.” He told her bluntly.