Authors: Priscilla Poole Rainwater
Running a hand through his neatly cut brown hair, he gave her a sexy smile that she supposed would make most women swoon, then stepped closer to her.
Unnerved by the fact he was now invading her personal space, she muttered, “Excuse me.” then glanced around nervously for Katie, who was nowhere to be seen. Stepping back into the dressing room, she dressed quickly and decided to buy the pants suit and the lavender skirt/sweater set.
When she stepped back outside, she was alarmed to see the man still standing there. Moving in the opposite direction, she spotted a rack containing lovely gown and robe sets, and she chose three, one white, one red, and one black, along with several matching sets of bras and panties.
Heading for the checkout counter, she was relieved to see Katie there, and asked if the items could be sent to Granger's suite, since her mother had not yet returned. Pulling her credit card out, she paid for the items, and added a generous tip for the helpful, pleasant young clerk.
“Thank you, Mrs. Mortensen, come again anytime.” she smiled, her eyes twinkling with excitement at the big commission and tip she had just scored.
Bidding her a good day, Cassandra strolled out and wandered to the shop next door, which was a small, yet extremely upscale jewelry store, and tried to forget about the stranger who had followed her out of the last shop and into this one, as she could clearly see from her peripheral vision. Ignoring him, she pretended to look at several pairs of diamond earrings.
“I think rubies would look great against that lovely dark skin of yours, Mrs. Mortensen.”
Becoming annoyed, and somewhat frightened now, she forced herself to turn and face the stranger. “Are you following me? And how do know my name?” she demanded.
Oh I love it when a target has some spunk...
Zeke thought as he threw both hands up in a placating gesture, and favored her with his best disarming smile. “Now now...no need to be paranoid darlin'.” he drawled. “I'm just a man who appreciates beauty, that's all, and you have more of it than any one woman has a right to! I'm just killing time until I have to get to a business meeting, I have a contract to discuss. As for knowing your name, well, you made the cute little clerk a very happy camper with that huge commission.”
Feeling her face burn with embarrassment, she suddenly recalled Katie calling her by her married name as she paid for her items. Not bothering to reply, she turned back to the display and asked the clerk to show her a pair of two-carat Princess diamond studs. After studying them for a moment, she said, “I'll take these, and I want to find something for my husband, too. Do you have any suggestions?”
“Well, let's see here...” the clerk said, and began pulling items out from under the counter.
Although she was loathe to admit it, even to herself, she wanted to make up for the little tiff she had had with Granger before she had left the suite. Deep down, she knew he was really trying, and that she should do her best to at least meet him half-way. After all, it wasn't like he was asking her to sleep with him, he just wanted to spend some time with her. For now, anyway.
Zeke looked on silently as his potential prey looked at the selection of pinkie rings and men’s bracelets the clerk had placed on top of the counter, and noticed every single one of the ‘suggestions’ was significantly more expensive than those that now remained under the counter.
“It's not a special occasion or anything, I don't need anything that flashy, I just wanted...I don't know, to give him something." she mumbled.
Seeing an opportunity to cast himself in a favorable light, Zeke cleared his throat tactfully and spoke. “What about a nice tie clip, or something like that? You know, my mom used to get my dad things like that whenever she went on one of her frequent spending sprees. It was always just a little token gift, but one that made him feel as if she was always thinking about him.”
Rolling her eyes, she couldn't help but look at him and smile.
Both intrigued and charmed by her, which was certainly out of the ordinary for him when it concerned ‘business‘, Zeke reflected that by now most women would be fawning all over him. But not this one. While he knew he didn't possess the same pretty-boy, movie star good looks her husband did, he had never met a woman who was immune to his charm for
long.
“You honestly expect me to believe a tie clip will make my husband forget about a spending spree that's going to end up costing more than some people earn in a year?” she smiled.
“You have my word as a southern gentleman, ma'am. I am well versed in such grave matters.” he drawled with an exaggerated pantomime of taking an invisible hat off and holding it in front of him.
Chuckling, she turned to the disappointed sales clerk and asked, “You have any of those?” then turned to face the handsome stranger again. “So, the tie clip did the job for momma?”
Leaning on the display case, he rubbed his smooth chin as if deep in thought, then replied, “Sugar, things went just as smooth as peaches and cream. Well, until my daddy got the credit card bill, that is. He used to cut at least four of those up a month, the credit cards, I mean, but that never stopped momma, she always had backups .”
“Well, I guess I better make sure this is a good one, huh?” she laughed. “And since you're the foremost expert on tie clips, perhaps you wouldn't mind helping a lady choose?”
He ended up helping her pick a titanium clip centered with a small, tasteful diamond chip, and matching cuff links. Like her earlier purchases, she also had these items wrapped and delivered to Granger's suite.
“You've chosen wisely, ma'am.” Zeke drawled, the expression on his facing looking as if they had just discussed the fate of a nation on the verge of nuclear war.
Completely relaxing around him for the first time, she laughed and hooked her arm through his. “Well, hows about this southern belle buying you a beer, in exchange for your expert consultation?”
“I would be honored beyond words, lovely lady.” he smiled as they began walking in the direction if the Inn's lounge.
You're so sweet, and lovely to boot, it really is a shame you'll have to die...
he thought as he smiled down at her and made idle chit-chat.
***************************************************
Scanning his mother's financial records for the time of Cassandra's disappearance, Granger was relieved to find there was nothing unusual.
Maybe I was wrong about her…
he thought, although he knew he would still have to make it crystal clear to her that she would treat Cassandra with respect, or she would find herself alone. Deciding now was the best time to talk to her, he reached for the phone just as the doorbell rang.
Getting up, he went to the door and opened it, and was pleased to see Jocelyn standing there, but was puzzled by the presence of two staff members who were loaded down with bags.
“Sir, your wife requested these be delivered. Where would you like them?”
Pointing to the bedroom, he waited as they came in and unloaded, then tipped them both and shut the door.
“Where's Cassandra?” Jocelyn asked, clearly puzzled.
“I guess she decided to go shopping, she got a little aggravated with me. Again.” he shrugged.
“Lord Lord, that child can be so stubborn.” she muttered as she reached into her purse and pulled out the bottles of pills Brett Parker had given her. Handing them to Granger, she sighed. “Doctor Parker came sniffing around, at her place. Asking me where she was, and how he could get in touch with her. I didn't tell him a damn thing. I slammed the door in his face instead, that’s what I did,” she huffed.
“He better pray to his personal God that I don't see him anytime soon.” Granger seethed. “We got the test results back, Jocelyn, he's been giving her a not-quite lethal combination of drugs. Her new doctor thinks he'll have to wean her off them slowly. I'll put these away to give to her new doctor. By the way, he believes that if I speak out against Brett, Cass will only get combative and defensive.”
Releasing another tired sigh, she simply nodded and thought about how badly she wanted and needed a hot bath, and some room service perhaps. Although her daughter had promised to take her out to eat, she desperately needed to catch up on three
years’ worth
of lost sleep.
Besides, she needs to spend time with her husband…
she thought. Kissing Granger on the cheek, she explained, then bid him a good night and left.
When she was gone, he grabbed his key card, wallet, and cell phone, then left to go find his wife.
************************************************
“Now let me get this straight, honey, you only have memories of the last three years, and you just recently found out you're married to THE Granger Mortensen? Mr. ‘I own half of South West Virginia, and by the way, I have more money than God
’, Mortensen?”
Zeke asked, amazed at how much of an open book the beautiful woman sitting next to him was. She wasn't boasting either, she was simply being honest and open.
People like her are always too easy to manipulate, they see good in everyone, until the mask comes off. And by then it's too late...
he thought. He had also put two-and-two together, and correctly deduced that Martina had had a hand in her attack.
“I know it sounds like something you would only see in a movie on the Lifetime Channel, but it's true.” Cassandra replied as she took a sip of her Heineken and shrugged her slim shoulders.
“Cassandra!” a voice called suddenly.
Turning, Zeke saw Granger Mortensen himself stalking in their direction, and the man did not look pleased.
Looking over her own shoulder, Cassandra groaned inwardly as Granger came to a stop, glaring at both her and her new friend, his long nose flaring like an angry bull. He had changed into a blue sweater and jeans, and the thought crossed her mind that he actually looked better in casual dress. “Granger, I'd like you to meet my new friend, Zeke.” she said in a nervous voice.
Nodding his head, Zeke mumbled “Meetcha'.”
Big fucker looks ready to pounce...
he thought privately.
“Cassandra, it's time to go, NOW!” Granger snapped, ignoring the startled, uncomfortable looks several people were shooting in their direction. After asking around for her, armed with a photo, he had learned from the clerk in the jewelry store that she had offered to buy a complete stranger, and a man, at that, a drink. Looking at her sitting there with him, and sporting a fresh new hairstyle to boot, nearly drove him insane with jealousy.
If he thinks he can bully me, he is so wrong
.... she thought, then, just to irk him, she took a final sip of her beer and turned her attention back to Zeke. Offering her hand primly, she said, “Zeke, thank you for your assistance and your wonderful company, I hope we run into each other again sometime.”
Taking her hand in his, he kept one eye on her enraged husband as he kissed the back of her hand chastely. “The pleasure was all mine.” he murmured.
“Come on.” Granger growled as he grabbed her arm with one hand, then threw money down on the table with the other.
As Zeke watched the two of them leave, he frowned thoughtfully and took an absent- minded swig of his beer, which was now warm. Incredibly, he found himself missing the woman already, yearning, even, for her company. In the short time he had known her, he had come to believe she was the kind of woman his grandmother used to call “salt of the earth”. The woman genuinely seemed to have a kind heart, one not corrupted by power, wealth, pride, selfishness, or vanity.
But the money is too good to pass up......
he reminded himself sternly.
*********************************************
Out for a walk in the chilly night air, Zeke took one last drag from his cigarette, then tossed it down at his feet and ground it underneath his heel. After Cassandra Mortensen and her irate husband had left, he had found himself strangely compelled to get some fresh air, in order to clear his thoughts.
Despite his best efforts, he still couldn't shake the strange and unfamiliar emotions that were troubling him. The fact of the matter was, after meeting Cassandra Mortensen, he found himself unable to wrap his mind around the prospect of hurting her, let alone murdering her. Nothing, or no one, in his life had ever given him such a moment of pause, and it was as bewildering to him as it was inexplicably exhilarating. There was something so different about the woman, so powerful, so pure. At first he had merely been physically attracted to her (what man wouldn't be, he mused), but after getting to know her somewhat over a span of thirty short minutes, he had been astonished to find that he wasn't merely attracted by her physical beauty, but a beauty that had shone through her eyes, an inner beauty, an inner strength, and it made his own feelings rise far above petty lust.
He wasn't deluding himself about any actual chance of a romantic relationship with the woman, in fact, he now felt ashamed of himself for pouring on the initial false charm. He felt he had soiled her, defiled her in some way, by his mere presence. As she had chatted away with him, he had gazed into her eyes and found himself wondering, for the first time in his life, what he had become, and how easily the path had seemed to unfold before him.
Didn't you once want to be something better? WEREN'T you someone better?
An
unwelcome inner voice whispered, and he suddenly shuddered and pulled his trench coat tighter around his body, trying to shunt the voice to one side.
The sudden ringing of his cell phone startled him from his reverie. The ring tone went to the tune of the song, 'Wanted, Dead or Alive', and up until one hour ago, he had always found it ironic and somewhat amusing. But at the moment, he found it appalling and morbid.
Frowning, he stopped and reached into his pocket, then pulled the phone out and flipped it open. A text message was displayed, and the look on his face became even more troubled as he read:
Have your money. Call me so we can meet and plan. Martina.
Flipping the phone shut, he put it back in his pocket, then retrieved another cigarette and lit it with a shiny new Zippo. Taking a large drag, he inhaled, then exhaled, blowing a couple of slow, lazy smoke rings in the air. “Fuck it, you know you can't walk away from that kind of cash. Hell, no one is worth throwing that much money away.” he said to himself, then began his slow walk back to the hotel. “There's no finer feeling in the world than a huuuuge payday.” he muttered, then began repeating the phase over and over in his mind, like a mantra. He thought that if he repeated it enough, he might just start believing it again.