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The Tessarae Inn |
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Suspicions In Scarlet Repose CHAPTER 6
Damn. It wasn’t Dorian. It was almost worse. It was Heather Shuttlesworth. What was Heather of all people doing here at Capricorn? Next to coming face-to-face with Dorian, running into that bitch was probably the thing most likely to get Todd to pull the ring on the grenade and go ballistic tonight! This was the absolute last time she was going to run interference for Toni. From now on Toni would have to work her own plans. This whole situation was too doggone stressful. Waiting for Todd was bad enough but now Heather was here reeking like an onion one day past going bad. If Heather was looking for a fight, she’d go a full fifteen rounds with her, even though she really could think of more important things to do with her time. But then maybe Heather wasn’t in the mood for a fight either. Treyscott did spend time here when he was in town. Maybe she was just looking for him. Of course that would mean Heather was looking for a smackdown because, as far as she knew, Treyscott was still angry as hell with Heather and he was not above causing a scene in a public place to prove it. The image of Heather leaning against the wall of the stadium and then sinking slowly to the ground careened into her consciousness. Damn it. Why did she have to think about that? Whether right or not, whether they were good for each other or like poison, hell, even whether she deserved to breathe the same air as he, it was now clear that Heather thought she needed Treyscott. Sadly, she knew how it felt to need somebody like that. She also knew what it was like to have other people scoff at your heart’s reason for being. She kicked the leg of the table. Why was she wasting her time thinking about Heather? It was best just to ignore her and pray that she and Todd did not cross paths. She glanced around the club. There was no Heather in sight. Luckily, Heather seemed to have disappeared almost as quickly as she had appeared. She exhaled then leaned back against the seat and listened to the music, to the general ebb and flow of voices and to the laughter in the background. It was a nice crowd and if it weren't for her concerns about Todd's reaction to Toni's request, she would just settle back and enjoy the night. Instead, she tapped her glass with her fingernail. She needed a refill. Bad. Unfortunately, RJ’s new waitress seemed to do everything except work. She waited a second then slid out of the booth and threaded her way toward the bar. Naturally, Heather drifted right into her path. She steeled herself for battle and started sharpening her claws. She didn't want this but if it was going to happen there was no way Heather was going to win. Heather stared at her with wide eyes but then hunched her shoulders, framed her arms tightly against her body and closed her eyes for a second. It was almost as if Heather was trying to draw up into herself and become invisible. What the hell was wrong? This was not like the Heather. Damn her. She didn't want to or have the time to care about what was going on with Heather, The Bitch. She tried to stop herself. She waited for a good three or four count but finally she said, “Are you all right?” “Hell, yes, I’m the hell all right.” Okay, this was more like it. “And I’m not here to see you," hissed Heather, "if that’s what you’re thinking. So you can scurry back into your snake hole and retract your fangs.” “Listen, you conniving, deceitful....” “No, I won’t listen. I’m tired of listening." Heather lunged forward and pumped the air with her hands. "Now, get the hell away from me.” So much for trying to be civil. She narrowed her eyes and took a step forward. "Or what?" "Or I will rip every hair off your body, starting with those bleached ones on your head." Okay that was it. Heather curled her lips and her breathing sounded low, raspy and feral. But Heather was going to have to do more than that to intimidate her. She raised up on her toes and leaned forward but something in Heather's eyes made her stop short and step back. Something was not right here. Heather was as nasty as ever but the look in her eyes was haunting. She looked like a trapped animal who was wounded and striking out at anything that increased the pain by even a fraction of a degree. Something was not right. Blair stepped back and lifted her hands in mock surrender. Heather glared at her for a second longer but then stepped around her and quickly shifted her attention to the far end of the bar. She exhaled loudly and then visually swept the entire club. Finally, she made a growling sound, uncrossed her arms and stomped to the bar, where she swung onto a bar stool, leaned forward and tapped on the counter furiously. The bartender walked over to her. "What can I get you?" "You can get the freakin' hell away from me," Heather yelled. "Done deal." Blair slipped onto a barstool five or six down from Heather and ordered a refill. She glanced at Heather and then at the booth where she had been sitting. Kelly and Albert were back and now seemed to be in deep conversation. Albert looked as if the last thing he wanted was to be in that conversation but he couldn’t take his eyes off of Kelly. No need of interfering in that. Kelly was just in full-flirt mode. She would wind down soon and withdraw her troops and head on home. That kind of willful denial of pain takes a lot of energy. Besides, finding a clue to whatever had Heather’s panties in a knot was far more interesting at the moment. Heather shoved a handful of beer nuts into her mouth and chomped furiously. Blair sipped her drink. There was still no sign of Todd. She did, however, see Carmen Duvet dressed as always in her signature red sashaying down the hall toward the main room. Her long, dark, wavy hair bounced to the rhythm of her steps and the soft copper color of her skin glowed perfectly in the hushed lights of the club as if she had a permanent tan. Her boobs were all but falling out of her low cut top and she seemed to be perfectly balanced on those stiletto heels she wore everywhere. For a brief moment, she wondered whether Carmen had been with RJ then she remembered that Todd was with him. Why had that weird thought jumped into her mind? Why? Because there was something about Carmen that she just didn’t like and she was convinced that Carmen and RJ had crossed paths in the past. Exactly why, where or when she didn’t know and RJ was not talking. The only good thing about the Carmen situation was that Toni was so distracted by the wedding plans and by the Keri’s future potential in-laws crisis she hadn’t seemed to notice the strange vibe popping off of this whole Carmen pops-up in Llanview and into Capricorn one heartbeat after running into RJ in Creedyville scenario. Too weird to be a coincidence as far as she was concerned. And what was it about Carmen that made her so suspicious? Heather was a stone-cold predator but even she did not generate the intensity of wariness that Carmen induced. There was a flurry of movement to her right and Blair turned just in time to see Heather totally lose whatever composure she had mustered in the last minute or two and rush toward Carmen. “I’m not one to repeat myself," Heather yelled. "I told you before to stay the hell away from him or--” Carmen stopped walking, put her hands on her hips and flipped her hair off of her shoulders. “Or what?” “You have no idea who I am. My father--” “No idea and could care even less. Nothing but some spoiled little rich girl hiding behind her father’s pants’ leg. Keep messing with me and ask him what can happen. Ask him.” “I’ll end it for good, you bitch. And I’ll get away with it, too.” Carmen drew herself up straight. “I don’t take threats lightly. Never had to. I was born under a yellow moon.” “What the hell does that mean?” “The fact that you have to ask won’t keep you safe.” “Take your mumbo-jumbo crap and shove it. I said what I came to say. You’ve been warned.” “As have you.” Heather glared at Carmen for a few seconds longer and then literally ran toward the entrance and out of Capricorn. Blair watched Heather’s retreating back. What in the hell was that all about? Was Heather having a general meltdown or was there something in the drinks RJ was serving? She turned back around and then jumped slightly. Carmen was standing right next to her, smiling. “Sorry about that," Carmen said. "Some women are just crazy. You’re Caitlin Shaw aren’t you? We have some things to discuss.” “It’s Blair…Blair Manning.” “Right. That’s right." Carmen fluffed her hair. "Sometimes I mix up your Creedyville disguise and your Llanview persona. Not use to having to juggle so many names and such for one person.” “I’m sure you’re not.” Carmen narrowed her eyes and titled her head a bit to the right. “I can see why you came back to Llanview. There was nothing in that one-gas-pump rest stop to match up to that gorgeous piece of manhood you’ve attached yourself to here. Good I wasn’t here when you were off taking a vacation from your life in Creedyville. Sheesh of all the dumb places to end up. But if I’d known, I may have made your life simpler by giving you one less reason to come home.” Blair cocked her head, ran her tongue along the back of her upper teeth then stood up slowly and faced Carmen. “Well, aren’t you the helpful little bitch?” Carmen shrugged. “Just suggesting that you keep an eye on your man because I know a whole lot of other women who already are.” “I don’t need you to tell me about MY husband.” “Fine. That was free advice anyway. We have more important things to discuss.” “Like what?” “It’s too personal to discuss here. Maybe I can come by your place later.” What was with these crazy women tonight? “Not in this lifetime.” “You will want to know what I have to tell you." Carmen wet her lower lip and leaned forward. "That much is true. I give out good free advice but the stuff that cost you a little bit, ahem, of your time is a hundred times better. I'm sure you understand from long experience the downside to just giving it away.” A wave of heat swept over Blair. It looked like this night was destined to be the one where she kicked somebody's ass. And this scarlet bitch just painted a bull's eye on her behind. She moved closer to Carmen. "You don't know a damn thing about me but you're about to find out firsthand." Carmen tossed her head back and chuckled. "I'm just trembling in anticipation. Of course the offer to share this information is a limited-time offer and I tend not to share with people who try to ruffle my feathers, so to speak. So have it your way." Carmen knew something. About what or who or where, she didn’t have a clue. But there was something in Carmen's attitude, in her tone that made her think that maybe the wise thing to do was listen first and stomp later. She reached into her purse and pulled out a business card. “Tomorrow morning in my office—9:00. I can spare you a minute or two but no more.” Carmen took the card and fingered it. Finally, she nodded and slipped the card into the side pocket of her dress. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Why did that response make the hairs at the nap of her neck shoot straight up?
Heather laid her head back on the headrest and tried not to cry. She was just totally losing it. At least she knew why now. How in the world had she let herself get pregnant? She didn’t even like children! Now she was going to be somebody’s mother and the father of her child hated her. When had her life gotten to be such a mess? For just one second when she learned the truth she thought it was the key to getting Bryan back but the idea passed quickly. She was a manipulative shrew and proud of it, but she would never use a child to trap a man. Never. She rubbed her abdomen slowly. She used to think that women who talked to unborn babies were crazy but now the baby was her major confidant and only source of comfort. “It’s just the two of us, Pumpkin. Somehow I have to let your daddy go and make this work. I know it was stupid going after that whore the way I did but I needed something—anything to make me feel better. But it didn’t work. Nothing seems to work when it comes to your daddy.” Tap. Tap. TAP. Heather jerked and sat up straight. What the hell was that? TAP. Tap. She turned her head toward the sound and saw a slightly familiar face. It was that jerk from the other morning and he was bending down and staring at her through the driver's side window. She rolled down the window and glared at him.. He smiled. “We have to stop meeting like this.” She exhaled loudly. There was a good comeback for that line somewhere but she was too tired to play verbal games right now. “Who are you?” "That's it?" "Yes. Who are you?" “Okay, but this is not nearly as much fun as this morning. I’m a private investigator working on a case and I must tell you that you keep popping up in the middle of it. That was some scene you caused back there. But here’s a piece of advice, Miss Heather Shuttlesworth of 1634 Winterpark Place, it is not a good idea to threaten people in front of witnesses. Can get your ass in a whole heap of trouble.” “Thanks for the advice. Now, I’ll tell you something, Mr…?” “Evans.” “Mr. Evans, get away from me before I run you over, back up and run over you again.” “Now, see, that was better. Just the two of us and I’d be the only witness to your homicidal threats and it would be your word against mine. Better indeed.” Heather glared at him then started the car. She hit the accelerated and spun out of the parking space and then rocketed out of the lot. Banyon Street was almost deserted so she pressed the accelerator harder as she turned on the radio. She didn’t know where she was going but she wasn’t surprised where she ended up. She let the car run and looked up at the windows of his apartment. Was he alone? Was he getting ready to go meet that bitch? Why couldn’t she stop caring? She had him in the palm of her hand and let him go…pushed him away. Was she just one of those women who wanted what she couldn’t have? No. She made the choice because of Daddy Carl and look what it got her. Her body ached for Bryan. She needed him. Didn’t he need her at all? How could he just cut her out of his life? She groaned when she heard the song streaming from the radio. Why did they have to play that one? Why now? She moved her hands along the smooth skin of her exposed thighs. “If I could do it over,” sang Maxwell. “If
I had to do it again. I wouldn’t
want to. This never would have begun.” Heather threw her head back and moved it slowly from side to side. “You’ll never know this but there’s no one quite like –no one quite like you. I try to forget you. But you’re all I want to do. Oh, I can do better but there’s no one quite like –no one quite like you.” All she wanted to do right now was to go up there and throw herself on him. It didn’t matter what he did to her. All she wanted was feel the hardness of his body and to feel him inside of her. “If I made you love me again. If I made you love me again. If I made you want it again. If I gave it, you probably wouldn’t want it, baby. But that’s all right because there’s no one quite like you.” The image of Bryan standing naked in front of her drifted into her mind. How many times had she seen him like that? Despite what he believed, never, not once, had she felt as if she had any choice but to drown in him. Didn’t he understand that’s why she had to run? She needed and wanted him too damn much. And in the end, look what it had gotten her. Alone on a dark street crying for him. Damn him. Damn love. “Try to forget you.
But you’re all I want to do. I
can do better. But there’s no one
quite like—no one quite like you."
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Suspicions In Scarlet Repose FAN FICTION SLIDESHOWS
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