Chapter Forty-Nine

Mallory

Sitting beneath the darkening sky at the picnic table behind the hotel, I devour every detail on the newest crime case at the mill. I’m waiting for the clouds to open up and unleash a torrent of rain again, but so far they’ve held strong. It feels like it rains every other day here, but I won’t complain because I prefer it over the sweltering heat of the summer. Sweaty tits and chafed thighs are the bane of my existence, and since I’m paler than a sheet of paper, I get a sunburn almost immediately.

Something tugs at the back of my mind, like a connection I can’t quite make. A helium balloon floating just out of my reach. The last two victims are eerily similar. I know enough about true crime to know that the police are keeping pertinent information close to the chest. Nox told me about the coloured contacts even though he shouldn’t have. At the time of their death, the two women shared the same eye colour, similar height and build, and the last three victims all had long dark hair.

I open a new browser window on my phone and look up the victim before Melody. Melissa’s face looks back at me as I swipe back and forth between the two screens. It’s like being slapped in the face by how dumb I can be. Looking over the simplest and smallest detail that could be so very important. Both women have the same initials... M. E. K.

Could my police officer boyfriend have overlooked the same small detail? Should I ask him? It’s possible… He’s so overworked and run down from the unsolved cases that have piled up on his desk. Would it be offensive for me to reach out with a theory like that? We’ve barely spoken or exchanged messages since the antique store, and when insecurity rears its ugly head, I stuff it down and ignore it. Screw it. No bad can come from pointing this out, either he knows already or I help. If he’s offended, that’s his problem.

I try to think of something to say to make his day better, but nothing comes to mind. There’s no good way to talk about this. I pull up his message and type.

Mallory:

G’day mate! Just wondering if you’re

privy to the fact that your last two

victims share the same initials?

I wait but no reply comes, it slightly deflates me. It’s a mix between being ignored, which I know is ridiculous, and being aware that he’s too busy to even look at his phone. Which makes me sad for him. Is he even taking care of himself? Probably not. It’s been almost a week since I’ve seen Nox. I still occasionally see Ghost in between the trees or moving around on the camera, but he never comes closer. I bet this is my punishment for being with Lennox. He's depriving me of his addictive touch and commanding personality on purpose. I hope it’s as torturous for him as it is for me.

Staying with Victoria has been…interesting. From her roommate Jackie cleansing all negative energy from me with a burning sage stick, to Victoria’s middle of the night desire for macaroni and cheese, I’m tapped out on human interaction. Which makes this girls night at some club in the city the cherry on top of my introverts-worst-nightmare-come-to-life sundae.

Victoria and Jackie finally pull up, she’s honking the horn and laughing maniacally while Jackie sinks as low as possible into the seat to avoid being seen. I scramble up and jog over to the car, she still hasn’t stopped honking. Rita is going to be so happy with the dingbat in the blue Dodge Neon. The window rolls down and my duffle bag flys out and hits me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me.

“Hurry up hoe, I want to go eat first,” Victoria jokes.

“Yes, big sister,” I grumble like an annoyed child.

Going to eat is code for Victoria wanting to go to the food court in the mall, so she can con us all into shopping with her after we’re too stuffed with chow mein to move. It’s a good thing it’s only 3 pm and we have time to kill before the club is 'hoppin'.

I tread back inside the hotel, making my way to the employee locker room. I change out of my cleaning uniform, sliding a black summer dress over my head. It has cute cap sleeves and an empire waist line. It’s light material and flows delicately over my hips, hitting above my knees for length. I brush my hair and do a smoky cat eye for makeup, with a touch of lip gloss. Victoria is going to hate my choice of shoes but she will have to deal with it, I’m not even going to attempt a pair of high heels while drinking. I already resemble a baby deer learning to walk while sober, I’ll face plant while drunk. Plus, these all black converse high-tops are my favourite. I think I look pretty cute, in a gothic kind of way. I snap a picture and wonder who I should send it to. Nox or Ghost? Fuck it. I'll send it to both of them. Unlocking my phone, it's still open to Nox’s messages.

Mallory:

Miss you.

Attachment

Smiling to myself, I exit out of Lennox’s texts and open Ghost’s message thread.

Mallory:

Miss me?

Attachment

A thrill shoots up my spine at the indecency of my actions as I pocket my phone. Yes, I bought a dress with pockets and it may be the best invention since dipping french fries in chocolate milkshakes. I exit the back room and make my way back outside.

Jackie cat-calls me as I cross the parking lot and I do a girly spin for her, the dress billowing out around my thighs. I don’t know if she’s flirting or just goofing around, but either way she’s implying that I look nice, so I’ll take the compliment.

“About time, Mal, my stomach was starting to absorb my other organs for sustenance,” Victoria jokes, as I throw my bag in first then slide into the back seat.

“You’re so dramatic.” I roll my eyes and laugh as she grabs her stomach.

“So…hungry…need…food.”

“You literally ate a granola bar ten seconds ago,” Jackie says from the passenger seat. Victoria shoots daggers at her roommate as I laugh under my breath. The car jerks into motion as we start the long drive into the city. My nerves cause my palms to sweat and I silently pray I don’t run into anyone from my parent’s circle of friends.

I feel Victoria’s eyes on me through the rearview mirror. She must see the uneasy look on my face and sense my discomfort because what she does next has a laugh bursting out of me.

“You’re a real shitty DJ, Jackie.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Mal gets shotgun next time because she has to be a better passenger than you,” Victoria quips, sticking her tongue out.

“What crawled up your ass?”

“Starvation mostly.”

Jackie rolls her eyes so hard, I’m surprised they don’t get stuck like that.

“You’re not you when you’re hungry,” Jackie jokes.

“Exactly, so play something good to distract me.”

Something glints in Jackie’s eyes as she plugs her phone into the car stereo system. "The Bad Touch" by Bloodhound Gang starts to thump and Victoria’s over exaggerated singing and dancing pulls me from my sullen mood immediately.

∞∞∞

The music thrums through my body, accompanying the liquor in my blood. My thoughts are non-existent as the three of us sway to the electronic beat. This is the third club Victoria has pulled us into on the strip. I didn’t even know something like this existed in the heart of the city. Clubs line both sides of the road, separated by restaurants sporting 'Open Late' neon signs, cute little shops and a large hotel smack dab in the middle of the downtown scene. I don’t know the name of this bar and I’ve stopped caring. Jackie is overprotective as shit, scaring off any guy that tries to latch onto us like a starving, horny leech. So, I’ve just let myself live in the moment.

I wonder what it would be like to come to a place like this with Lennox? Would he press his hard body up against mine as he directed my hips along to the beat? What would Ghost do? An alcohol fuelled giggle slips out at the thought of my masked stalker in amongst the throng of bodies. I remain unheard by my companions thanks to the boom of the bass. The thoughts of my men mix and twist into a dirty fantasy that has me aching for them. The influence of the liquor making me bold as I pull out my phone. I half expect Victoria to snatch it from my hand, claiming friends don’t let friends drunk text. But, she’s too busy playing tonsil hockey with Jackie to notice, so I seize the moment. Opening my messages with Ghost, I see an unread message from him before I send my own.

Ghost:

Always.

His words bring a smile to my face and a warmth to my core. The need to ask him where he’s been tugs at me, but I ignore it. I’d rather see what happens after I ask him this question.

Mallory:

Would you ever have a threesome?

I don’t wait to see if a reply comes in. I check the time then pocket my phone. I see that it’s just after 1 am and I have to pee. Best to go now before we start the walk back to the hotel Victoria booked for us as a surprise. We didn’t end up at the mall today. Instead, we had dinner and a few drinks at the swanky hotel restaurant before hitting the town to walk the streets and check out all the funky stores. To say my feet are killing me is an understatement.

When I first saw the hot tub in our shared room, I thought, “there’s no fucking way I’m getting in that with two other women.” Now, it’s calling me to soak my exhausted body. I don’t remember the last time I was this active. The thought of Ghost chasing me through the woods slams into me and the longing returns.

The line for the bathroom is hellishly long, so to kill the time I pull out my phone and call Victoria. Not wanting to walk right up to them and rudely interrupt, I figured this was more appropriate. I can see her across the club as she pulls her phone out, how she hears it is impossible to fathom. She must see my name on the screen as her eyes jump to the place that I was last seen. I’m not there and I can momentarily see panic in her eyes, wondering where the fuck her sheltered best friend wandered off to. She raises the phone to her ear.

“Where the fuck are you, Mal? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I’m in line for the bathroom.” Her eyes dart this way and she visibly relaxes when she spots me. I raise my arm and wave like a flailing lunatic, earning me an annoyed look from the girl to the right of me.

“Why are you calling me?”

“Because I thought it would be rude to just yank you and Jackie apart by your hair," I joke.

“Oh.” I'm sure I can see her face redden in embarrassment from here.

“Yea... Are you two ready to go?” I watch as Victoria turns to Jackie, her mouth moves and Jackie nods.

“Yeah, we’re ready. Why don’t you just pee back at the hotel, it’s like, a minute down the road.” I’m hesitant because my bladder is screaming at me but I concede. We step out into the fresh night air and for once I’m happy Victoria wasn’t goofing. I can see the hotel just down the street. Jackie separates from us and heads down the road in the opposite direction.

“Where is she going?” I ask Victoria.

“To pick up our food.”

“Should we go with her?”

“Nah, she wanted a moment alone to recenter herself.” I have never related to Jackie more than right now. Victoria links her arm with mine and starts to pull me towards the hotel.

“So, did anything happen with that cop from a month ago? I haven’t heard anything since he offended you by making a sleazy joke.”

“Ugh, where do I even begin?”

I spill the beans as we walk. Then in the elevator. Then again as we sink into the hot tub. The hot water and jets feel amazing. Victoria pours something into the water and bubbles start to overflow. She laughs as the chambermaid cleaner inside of me cries for whoever will have to steam clean this carpet tomorrow.

“It sounds like things are going good with him, Mal. I’m happy for you.”

“Yea, thanks.” I smile, but it’s forced. I’m sobering up and my mind is struggling with whether to tell my best friend about my other man or not. Having someone to talk to about this whole fiasco would be life changing, but I can’t handle the judgement. What if she called the cops on my stalker? What if Nox found out my other man is an unknown face who beats people up for me? Ghost is a criminal, I have to keep my mouth shut and secrets locked up tight.

“Mallory Elizabeth, what are you not telling me?”

“Huh? What makes you think I’m hiding something?” I reply, shock clearly evident in my voice.

She levels me with a glare and I panic.

“Better tell me now before Jackie comes back, you know I won’t let this go. Whatever it is, it’s eating at you. Now, spill.” How can she know me so fucking well? It’s unnerving.

“Nox won’t have sex with me,” I blurt out. It’s the only thing I could think of that would save me.

“He fucking what? Why not?”

“I don’t know. I’ve barely been allowed to touch him south of the equator.”

Victoria picks up her beer and guzzles it down, lost in thought. My eyes fall closed as I lay my head back and soak up the fleeting moment of tranquility.

“Maybe he’s got a tiny dick,” she finally says, breaking the silence.

My eyes shoot open and I raise my head slowly to look at her. She starts cackling maniacally just as Jackie comes strolling through the door. Perfect timing. The mouth-watering aroma of pizza and burgers saturates the room, effectively silencing Victoria’s questions for the rest of the night.