Chicago Blues by T. Lee Harris

Author:T. Lee Harris
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Paranormal police procedural
Publisher: Per Bastet Publications LLC
Published: 2013-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

TWO

Jay put the finishing touches on her makeup in the glare of the dressing-table lights, examining the results critically. Outside her window, she noted the sky darkening and smiled conspiratorially. Somewhere out there, BC Peale was waking up. Or was he already awake? Speculating on the sunset-stained clouds, she ached to tell him she knew his secret. There were gobs of questions to ask. His true age for starters -- or would that be too personal? She shrugged at her reflection. Friends kindly referred to her as candid and inquisitive. Mick and her five other siblings used the term nosy. She had the uncomfortable feeling her family was closer to right.

The doorbell rang and, as she rose to answer, her eyes lit on her bedside clock. Oh geez! She'd futzed around daydreaming so long she was going to be late. Well, whoever it was could just come back later. Grabbing her pantyhose, she plopped back onto the vanity bench -- the bell rang again. Then again. Another ring, then someone started pounding on the door. Jay spat a curse and, wrapping a dressing gown over her lacy chemise, she sprinted through the apartment to peer out the spy hole pausing just long enough to drop her cell in the gown's pocket. The fish-eye lens revealed a distorted view of Mario Hernandez. If his behavior was odd before, it was downright spooky now with constant fidgets, nervous glances over his shoulders, and plucking at the strap of the backpack slung over his shoulder. Hands clumsy with anger, she fastened the security chain, then demanded through the slitted door, "Mario Hernandez, what the hell are you doing here? Clear out before I call the cops."

The door caught her on the temple, knocking her backward across the loveseat. In slow motion, the chain-lock jerked taut, held, then snapped as the cheap wooden doorjamb splintered and gave way. A black shape blotted out the overhead light, and she yelped as large hands grasped her arms to draw her upright with exaggerated tenderness.

A rough hand stroking her hair broke her daze and she ducked away, clutching her dressing gown closed protectively. She defiantly met his gaze -- then froze. Only the hurtling freight train of pure insanity looked back.

Retreating another step, she knew too late she should have used the phone before she opened the door. Now her only option was damage control. If only she could remember what Mick did in these situations. Unfortunately, all she could dredge up was the need to calm the subject down, but Mario wasn't agitated, if anything, he was unnaturally calm.

He regarded her with earnest solemnity as he pronounced, "I know about Peale."

Her heart skipped a beat. "What the hell are you talking about, Mario? What's there to know about BC?"

He only stared with the same compassionate intensity, if not for the chilling madness spilling from his eyes, she might have softened. Mario had never been poster child for mental stability, but he'd begun an alarming downward spiral since she'd left him at .

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