“Ah, yes. I’m Michael,” he announced pleasantly. “We have a ‘special’ table for you ladies. Please follow me.”
They followed their host through the restaurant past several wealthy looking people dining on lobster tail and caviar. He led them to a corner table near the back of the restaurant that only allowed them to see one table and the bar and was located right next to the bathroom. It was a terrible location, but at least they were in. The host handed them their menus and smiled slyly.
“It may not be the ‘choice’ table, but the party you’re looking for is directly to your right just before the bar,” Michael announced while offering a sly grin. “You’ll be able to see and hear them just through the plants, and they’ll never know you’re here.”
Michael winked and headed back to his podium in front. Sidney chuckled softly and shook her head.
“That Bruber is a clever fellow,” Sidney remarked.
Trisha hid her smile. “He should be for what his services cost.”
They both looked toward the empty table near the bar then glanced at their menus.
Trisha let a slight gasp escape. “Look at what they charge for a bowl of soup!”
“You’re paying for atmosphere,” Sidney remarked simply.
“Atmosphere never cost this much in Marilina,” Trisha snapped softly.
Four men dressed in suits were seated at the table near the bar. Both woman nearly jumped out of their seats and observed the men. There were two men with their backs to them, and the other two faced their direction. Both men facing them wore sunglasses, which would have seemed odd anywhere else, but it seemed to be customary in the Starlight. One was a heavyset man with curly brown hair wearing a brown suit. The hair color was right, but there was no way Harlan could have let himself go to that extent. The other man wore a black suit and had short, dark hair, darker than Harlan’s. He had a short, thin goatee with some gray on the chin. The man was possibly in his late thirties. One of the men with his back to them, also wearing a black suit had blonde hair, so he was out. The other wore a dark blue suit and had light brown hair. Though the hair color was a little lighter than she had remembered, out of her four options, she knew it had to be Harlan.
“That has to be him on the left with his back to us,” Sidney whispered as her heart fluttered slightly. “Go to the bar and make a positive ID.”
“Me?” Trisha whispered back. “Why should I go? You knew him better than I did. Besides, you said you were going to do the talking.”
“He might recognize me, and I won’t talk to him in front of his friends,” she insisted. “I have a plan, but I need to be certain that’s him first.”
Trisha inhaled deeply and nodded. “I’ll do it.”
She stood and nervously approached the bar just past their table. Trisha casually sat on one of the stools and ordered a drink. Sidney watched through the plants then removed a pen from her purse. She began scribbling on one of the beverage napkins. She looked up every couple of seconds to watch Trisha. Trisha was now positioned sideways at the bar with her legs neatly crossed, and scanned the area casually, as if barely interested. Her eyes fell on the man they suspected to be Harlan. By her reaction, he must have made eye contact. Trisha smiled with some embarrassment and turned toward the bar when her drink arrived.
The man with the longer, light brown hair stood and approached the bar with his back still to Sidney. Sidney groaned lowly, wishing she could catch a glimpse of him. He paid for Trisha’s drink, despite her apparent protests and talked to her. Sidney wished she could hear their conversation. Had he recognized Trisha after all these years? It would appear his friends could hear their conversation at the bar. Both men facing Sidney’s table turned their heads, watched the bar with great interest, and laughed. The man with Trisha pointed toward the club with its loud music just off the restaurant.
“No, Trish,” Sidney mumbled softly, realizing he wanted to take her into the club. “Don’t go with him.”
Trisha appeared embarrassed, set her drink down, and reluctantly linked onto his arm. He led her past his table and the plants. Trisha looked through the plants. Her eyes were now wide with anxiety, and she made a gesture. Sidney could now see the man’s profile and realized it wasn’t Harlan. Sidney frowned as her friend disappeared into the nightclub. Had Bruber been mistaken? Had he been following the wrong man? The waitress approached her table.
“Can I get you something from the bar tonight?” the attractive waitress asked with a pleasant smile.
“Iced tea, please,” Sidney replied then gave the waitress a curious look. “Can I ask you something?”
“What can I help you with?”
Sidney cleared her throat. “There are three men sitting at that table near the bar,” she said gently.
The waitress glanced toward the bar through the plants then looked back and nodded. “Yes, they’re here just about every weekend.”
Sidney felt some anxiety but held it back. “Does one of them have an English accent?” Her heart now pounded and she didn’t even know why.
The waitress appeared humored and let out a slight laugh. “That would be Harlan,” she announced.
Sidney raised her brows with some confusion then smiled warmly. “Do you know him?”
“Yes, I know him,” she replied with a tiny laugh. “Why? Would you like to know him?” The waitress raised a suggestive brow while grinning.
Sidney was set back a moment then leaned back in her chair. “I’m thinking about it.” Sidney placed a ten-dollar bill along with the folded napkin on the table near the waitress. “Would you give him this from me?”
The waitress glanced at the money on the table then the napkin beneath it. She took the napkin but left the money.
“Keep your money,” the waitress announced with a soft laugh. “I’ll give him the note, but don’t expect a big response. He doesn’t react big to anything.”
Sidney watched the waitress leave her table with the napkin then leaned forward and peered through the plants. She was confident he would react to her note in a very big way. The waitress casually approached their table and paused with a sweet, seductive smile. The three remaining men glanced at her. They heavyset man spoke to the waitress while grinning, obviously flirting with her. She set the note in the middle of the table. Both the blonde man and the heavyset man scrambled for the napkin, almost knocking their chairs to the floor as they sprang to their feet. The man in the beard smirked and shook his head with a laugh. Sidney watched the heavyset man yank the napkin away from the blonde man.
He read the note aloud while grinning deviously. If that was Harlan, she couldn’t see him through his new form. She took a deep breath and prepared herself. He only read the first line when the man with the goatee suddenly snapped his head in the direction of the man reading the note. He lurched from his chair and snatched the napkin from the other man. Sidney’s heart leaped into her throat. He removed his sunglasses and read the note with wide, green eyes as his mouth opened slightly with surprise. Sidney shot forward and stared at the familiar face beneath the thin layer of facial hair. It was Harlan!
The two other men appeared stunned as he bolted away from the table and approached the waitress. Sidney nervously stood while watching his reaction. She didn’t like his aggressive behavior. He needed some time to cool down. Perhaps writing the poem she gave to him eight years ago wasn’t such a good idea, especially if he thought it had been from a dead woman. The waitress stared at him with some surprise while he questioned her about the napkin. She uncertainly pointed in the direction of the plants. Sidney held her breath and bolted into the nearby bathroom. She couldn’t deal with him in his current state.
Chapter Thirteen
Sidney paced the bathroom’s elegant, flower-scented sitting room for nearly fifteen minutes. She knew she had blown it. Trisha was going to be upset about her blunder. It made her ill when she thought about all the money they’d invested in this little manhunt. Unfortunately, if she didn’t
confront Harlan, Trisha surely would. Sidney knew she couldn’t allow that to happen. She was positive Trisha would accuse him of murder. She’d have to go out there and explain herself. She left the bathroom and approached the table near the bar, but Harlan was gone.
Trisha and the other man still hadn’t returned either. Sidney then noticed Harlan sitting at the end of the bar. He was alone. This was her chance to rectify the situation. She casually walked toward him and sat on the empty stool beside him. She ordered a drink without looking at him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him run his finger along the rim of his glass. The note on the napkin lay open before him. Once she got her drink, Sidney turned toward him and gathered all her courage.
“You look like a man who's just lost his best friend,” she announced with a timid smile.
He barely glanced at her, raised his brows, then looked back to the napkin and crumpled it. “No,” he said with a sigh and tossed the napkin into the ashtray. “Just a couple of ghosts coming back to haunt me.”
Sidney stared at him a long moment with some confusion. Hadn’t he recognized her? Was this to her advantage?
“Yes,” she cooed softly and looked back at her drink. “The past just never dies, does it?”
Harlan looked at her a long moment, tilted his head, and then offered an all too familiar smile. “Always hanging over my shoulder,” he replied then extended his hand. “Harlan.”
Sidney’s heart pounded as she accepted his hand. “Sindy,” she replied.
He maintained his pleasant attitude and released her hand. “Are you here alone, Sindy?”
“No,” she replied. “My friend is in the club with your friend. What became of her, I’ll never know.”
He chuckled softly and raised his glass. “Ah, Lyle,” he announced casually. “You’ll be lucky if you see her anymore tonight. Lyle’s burning some bridges.”
Sidney laughed softly and studied his handsome profile. He looked so much older than he had just eight years ago. The goatee gave him a distinguished appearance though.
“He chose an iceberg for his latest conquest,” Sidney remarked simply with a humored smile.
A thousand memories came rushing back. Her heartbeat quickened. A low chuckle escaped his throat. Sidney knew she couldn’t get any information out of him without revealing her true identity, but she didn’t want to do it here. The bar was becoming more crowded. She’d have to get him to take a walk with her, but she wasn’t sure she liked the secluded area just beyond the Starlight. She guessed there was no rush. She looked around the bar area with great interest.
“Does this place always get this busy?”
“It’s always packed on the weekend,” he replied while studying her. “We only come here because Lyle’s brother owns the place. Gives us our drinks at cost.”
She laughed softly.
“Are you from around here?” he asked while raising his brow and gave her a curious look.
“Actually, I’m from New York. We’re just visiting briefly,” she replied simply. “We leave on the first plane out tomorrow.”
“What do you do in New York?” he asked.
“I manage a hotel on Manhattan Island,” she said then chuckled in her throat. “That is, I think I still do. I left without advance notice.”
“Pressure getting to you?”
She shrugged and thought about the phone call she’d received from Trisha. “Yeah, something like that. What do you do for a living?”
“For a living?” he asked. “Journalism pays the bills, but I’m a photographer at heart.”
“Really,” she said and tilted her head as if she had no idea. “Are you any good?”
He laughed softly. “I’d like to believe so.” A gentle smile crossed his face. “Would you like to see my work?”
Sidney’s heart jumped in her chest. Did she dare take him up on that offer? She had a good idea what was going through his mind, but she needed the opportunity to talk to him in private to discuss her real reasons for being in California.
He stared at her expression then laughed softly. “That wasn’t a come-on,” he remarked. “I assure you, I’m quite safe.”
Sidney forced a smile and relaxed some, though her pulse quickened. “I’d be interested, yes,” she replied.
He stood and left a tip for the bartender. “My apartment is just a couple of blocks from here,” he announced. “Would you like to tell your friend where you’re going?”
“Uh, yes. I probably should.”
They entered the club portion together. Trisha was sitting at a table with Lyle. They seemed to be having an in-depth conversation. Sidney pulled Trisha away from the table to talk to her in private.
Trisha looked toward Harlan while they spoke. “Is that him?” she gasped.
Sidney nodded and glanced back at the men. Lyle and Harlan were talking as well. She looked back at her friend.
“I’m going with him to his apartment,” Sidney said above the loud music.
Trisha’s eyes widened with horror. “That’s not a good idea, Sidney. If you confront him in the privacy of his own apartment, he might kill you. Besides,” she remarked lowly, “you know why he wants to take you there.”
“Don’t worry about it, Trisha,” Sidney announced. “I have everything under control. The walls in apartments are paper-thin. If anything happens, I’ll just scream.”
“I don’t like this at all. I don’t trust him,” Trisha protested. “Don’t go, Sidney.”
“You want me to ask him about the murder? I have to get away from here if I want him to talk freely,” Sidney said firmly.
Trisha held her breath. “One hour, Sidney. If you’re not back at the hotel room in one hour, I’m coming with the SWAT team.”
“If I’m not at the hotel, I’ll call,” Sidney replied simply. “I know what I’m doing.”
Chapter Fourteen
Sidney attempted to memorize the direction they drove after leaving the club. Harlan drove his newer model car along a dark road just off the main street. The area looked fairly secluded, without any traces of an apartment building. The further away from the city they got, the more concerned Sidney became. They approached a tall security gate surrounding what appeared to be an old warehouse. Sidney sat forward in the passenger seat and stared at the building. Harlan pressed a button, and the gates electronically opened then closed behind them. She shifted nervously as they pulled up to the old warehouse.
Harlan looked at her and laughed at her silent question. “Yes, I live here,” he said simply then stopped the car. “It’s more impressive on the inside,” he teased. “Come on; I’ll show you.” He opened his car door and got out.
Sidney eyed the warehouse through the windshield and groaned. “I’m dead.”
They entered through a locked door at the bottom and walked toward an old, gate style elevator. When he pushed the button, the doors opened, and she uncertainly entered with him. The gate on the elevator sounded like a prison door closing. They rode to the fourth floor. When the elevator doors opened, they stepped out and he unlocked the apartment door, allowing her to enter the dimly lit studio apartment. He turned on the lights and closed the door behind them. The apartment encompassed the entire fourth floor of the warehouse with large, exposed metal beams throughout. Windows lined the entire wall facing the street with vertical blinds along them. There was a living room with a large screened television, a bar, and a pool table in the right corner. The large kitchen had an island counter, and there was a dining room to the left side. The bedroom was beyond sliding wood doors. The floors were all finished hardwood with large, oriental rugs throughout. There were ceiling fans above each section within the studio. Sidney noticed the large, framed photographs throughout the apartment.
“Do you like it?” he asked while grinning.
“It’s amazing,” she said and looked back at him. “Who decorated it?”
“I converted the entire studio myself.” He walked past her toward the bar while briefly gl
ancing at her. “Can I get you something to drink? I’m afraid I don’t have much besides brandy and soda. I don’t entertain often.”
“I’m fine, thank you,” she announced and continued to study the place. “Do you mind if I look around?”
“No, go right ahead,” he replied and poured himself a brandy. “My best photos are on the walls. I can’t see putting them in albums where they’re forgotten.”
Sidney wandered around the huge apartment and examined the framed photos. Her heart sank when she saw the photo of the old stone house.
“Where was this taken?” she asked in an attempt to sound casual.
He approached and looked over her shoulder at the framed photo. “I don’t remember,” Harlan replied.
Sidney knew that was a lie. She continued on her journey around the apartment, examining each photo. He was an amazing photographer. Of course, she knew that years earlier.
“Would you excuse me a minute?” he asked then went toward the bathroom on the opposite side of the apartment from the bedroom.
Sidney paused near his bedroom door and turned on the light. The ceiling fan came on, startling her. On the wall beside the king-size bed was a large, framed photo of her sitting on the well. Sidney’s eyes widened with surprise, and her heart pounded. She uncertainly entered the room and approached the picture. She stared at herself a long moment and swallowed dryly. Despite her surprise to see herself in a photo within his apartment, she was astonished at how well he’d captured that day. She couldn’t believe how much older she looked in the photo and the seductive way she stared up at the sky. Her hair had been frumpy and wild from the quick shake she’d given it when she had earlier removed the hairband. The ceiling fan stopped causing Sidney to gasp and spin around with surprise. Harlan casually leaned against the doorframe and raised his brows with a curious expression. She nervously glanced back at the photo.
“I’m not very good at photographing people, but that turned out rather well,” he remarked simply as he walked across the bedroom. “My friends love that one. They couldn’t believe you were just fifteen when that was taken.”
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