Deadly Slumber by Victor J. Banis

Author:Victor J. Banis
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Source: Fictionwise, M/M Suspense
ISBN: 9781608200900
Publisher: MLR Press
Published: 2009-08-20T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Chapter Eleven

Consciousness returned slowly. He was aware first of the hardness of the bed on which he was sleeping, and only slowly did he remember that it wasn't the bed, it was the floor, and how he had come to be on it.

“You're awake?”

Stanley opened his eyes, to find Cyril Bartholomew bending over him. “Ah, that's better,” Cyril said. “If I help, can you sit up?”

“I think so.” Stanley struggled to a sitting position and put one hand to the back of his head, feeling gingerly. No blood, just a bump. He gave the crouching Cyril a puzzled look. “Was that you? The woman in white?”

Cyril glanced in amusement down at the clothes he was wearing—neatly fitted jeans and a black turtleneck. Definitely a change from his daytime costume. “Afraid not. Were you having a dream, Stanley? It sounds like something out of an old gothic romance.”

Stanley stood, dusting himself off. “No, there was someone here, all in white.”

“A woman?”

“I don't know, actually. I thought it was at first, but maybe not. It wasn't exactly like a costume, either, not like a dress, I mean, more like somebody just draped in a bed sheet.”

“That really does sound peculiar.”

“I guess it does. She ... he ... was real, though. I followed her down this way and then something hit me.”

Cyril looked up and down the corridor. “I didn't see anyone.”

“How long have you been here?”

“I just came in. I was downstairs and I heard something, a thud, sort of, it must have been you falling, and when I came up to investigate I found you lying here. I was about to call 911 when you started to come around. Should I call them anyway? You might have a concussion.”

“No, I'm all right, just a little shaky still.” Stanley got to his feet, dusted himself off, felt here and there. Everything seemed to be working fine. “What are you doing here anyway, Cyril? It's the middle of the night. It must be one o'clock in the morning. I thought Vincent was on duty.”

“He is. I just got here. I came by ... well, to be honest, to check on you. I thought...” he made a sweeping gesture with one hand. “This place can be a bit intimidating, if you're not used to it.”

“So you came by at, what, one o'clock, two in the morning? What were you going to do, peek in on me?”

“Something like that.” Cyril smiled a bit too generously; a smile, Stanley felt sure, that had often been used to melt resistance. “I thought ... well, I thought you might want some company.”

“As you pointed out earlier, that bed upstairs is a bit small for two.”

Cyril's smile faded. “It was big enough, apparently, for you and the Jew boy,” he said in an icy voice, his soothing charm vanished in a twinkling.

Stanley took a step back, astonished by the remark and then, more slowly, enraged.

“Whatever you thought you saw, Cyril, you were mistaken. David Solomon did indeed stop by the apartment earlier.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.