15 An Alarm Rings

Hasley picked absentmindedly on the lap of grilled turkey sitting on her plate with a fork. She had lost her appetite. The date was going badly. Opposite her, Judith sat twirling a glass of red wine in her hand but not actually drinking from it. She looked so tired that even the beautiful gold colored evening gown she was wearing couldn't hide it.

"We should never have fixed this date." Judith said looking around the exquisite restaurant they had both picked.

"Hmm-Hmm." Hasley grunted but kept staring at the piece of protein on her plate.

"Hasley... Baby... I'm so sorry. The thing is..."

"Work work work." Hasley supplied. She dropped her fork and wiped her hand with a napkin. "Look Judith, I don't know but something's happening to us lately and I've sat to think about everything. You are the problem. I am not saying you shouldn't prioritize your job. But you should understand relationship time is just as important."

"You are nagging again." Judith rolled her eyes.

"Oh here you go again with the manipulation." Hasley said.

Judith dropped the glass of wine softly and rubbed her palms together. Hasley wasn't nagging but was actually speaking facts. The guilt of cheating was still eating her up and she was scared that this beautiful girlfriend of hers would see through her. Being with her these past few days felt like a chore and she knew she needed to tell Hasley at some point, but no time felt like the right time. And Hasley would leave. Hasley would leave if she found out. That was something she was totally certain about. She would too if Hasley cheated on her.

"Babe I'm so sorry. I'm trying but..."

"Is there something going on that I should know about babe?" Hasley frowned at her, looking into her partner's eyes for truth.

Judith looked away. "No."

"Do you need sometime off? Are you depressed? I could move out of the house for a while if you are longing for some 'you' time babe."

"No babe. I'm fine. Trust me I'm fine."

"Have you fallen out of love with me? You can say it. It happens all the time anyway. It would hurt but I'd have to move on. I just need to know."

Judith tilted her head to one side, "Sweetheart, don't say that. You have no idea, not even the smallest bit of how much I love you. I love you soooo much."

And it was true. She loved Hasley more than anyone else. With Hasley, she did not feel the need to be hard or pretend to be a strong woman. She did not have to feel unnecessarily powerful. Hasley was her baby who made her feel even more babyish. This woman had combed out all the vulnerable sides of her she did not even know existed. She loved this woman.

"Then stop being this way. It's getting to me and it's begun to affect my confidence. Heck I can't even eat because you are getting distanced and withdrawn." Hasley pushed the plate in front of her to the side of the table.

"I... honestly babe, it's this case I'm working on. It's draining me mentally and every minute of the day I'm thinking of how to close the case. That's why I sound and appear distracted. It has absolutely nothing to do with you. Please just understand me. I will try my best to make up for the discomfort I've put you through."

Hasley smiled because Judith was a sweet sweet woman. "We don't have sex anymore babe. You never seem interested these days."

"It's the same damn work." Judith chuckled. "Okay guess what babe? Why don't we go home so I can draw you a nice warm bath and then eat you out thereafter?" She winked seductively.

Hasley sighed. "I know you more than anyone else Judith. You don't mean these words. You are just saying them because you feel the need to make me feel less hurt. Let's just go home. I need to sleep. I've got a long day ahead tomorrow."

"Babe don't be..."

"Judith, please." Hasley raised a hand to indicate she was done with the conversation. "Let's just go home and mourn this disaster of date."

***

Paris felt restless as she tried getting her key into the keyhole of her door. Someone was watching her. She could sense it. She looked around. There was nobody, just the cars of her neighbors parked in a makeshift garage.

Her apartment was the only bedsitter in the vicinity. Her landlord had built it for one of his house helps before the boy died leaving the room empty. It was vacant and was available at a cheap price when she moved into town. For someone with a reputation as hers, it shocked many persons to find out where she lived. What was she doing with all the money she made, they asked? Only if they knew that there were more important things in her life that needed money than a decent house. She craved decency and comfort but this small space also made her feel challenged by herself. It was portable for her and after some time, she had developed an attachment to the apartment. She could leave if she wanted but she did not feel it was necessary yet.

The key turned in the door hole and unlocked the door with a loud click. She then pushed it open to get in. But the moment she took a step, a strong hand grabbed her from behind, halting her.

She yelped in shock, then realized herself immediately and calmed down. There were situations where fear was the tool the attacker needed to feel powerful and oppressive. And putting a bold front when there was danger had proved much more effective for her than showing fear.

"Who is it?" She asked calmly without turning.

"Me."

She recognised the voice immediately and shrugged the hands off her shoulder with aggression. She turned around and slapped the person.

"Why have you followed me here, Abim?"

He looked ghostly in a pale white sweater as he laughed and rubbed his cheek. "That slap was hot." He said. "Can I come in?" He asked.

"I don't understand." Paris bounced a hard stare all over his face. "Is this a joke or what? I repeat, why have you followed me home? You want to kill me because you are the abductor and murderer?"

Abim shook his head. "I didn't follow you home. I came to visit."

"And you stood out there watching me all these while? I felt it."

"Me?" Abim touched his chest in surprise. "I wasn't watching you. I just came in and saw you struggling with your door. So I decided to play a small prank."

She eyed him suspiciously and went into the house without answering him. He followed her.

Inside, it was warm. He slammed the door shut.

"Your girlfriend thinks I like you." She said pulling off her shoes. "You shouldn't be here."

"Do you like me?" He asked feeling his cheek. The effect of the slap had not faded yet.

"What?!" Paris had a look of pure disgust on her face. "Your ego must be really big for you to think I have a crush on you. Jeez."

"In my experience, ladies pretend when they like a guy." Abim was very comfortable in the way he spoke. "Can I sit?"

"Make yourself comfortable." Paris scowled. "And in all sincerity, I don't like you."

"Oh." He walked to a plastic arm chair resting against the wall opposite the bed and sat down. "Jessy Paris."

"What?"

"Why don't you tell me something interesting about you?"

She turned slowly, sweeping a hand through her dew-wet hair in the process. "What exactly do you want from me? To find your brother or to fuck you? If it's the latter then my answer is no."

"Well I'm not here to fuck you." He said casually. "Except of course you want me to." He added.

Paris shook her head in pity and went into her kitchen to fetch a can of water. When she returned, she met him staring at an old framed picture of her hanging on the wall.

"That's from how many years ago?" He asked.

"Four."

"I think you were more beautiful than you are now."

"That's an edited picture Abim but you can stick to your own version of my story."

He didn't respond. Instead, he stood and up and strode briskly towards her. "I have been observing you since the first day you turned up at my door. You are the strangest lady I have ever come across."

"Sounds like a compliment to me. And that is the best you will ever understand about me." She said aware of the encroaching closeness betwen them.

"You did something to David?"

She raised a brow. "I don't understand."

"David told me he met you randomly somewhere, took him home where you seduced him and chased him out with a gun."

"Okay." She dropped the can of water which was now half empty.

He chewed his lips. "Is there a man in your life, Paris? Do men approach you?"

She didn't step away. Not even when he was now so close. "I am already so jaded by the ceaseless exposure to pawing males for whom I care nothing." She tried to utter the words gently but they came out fiercely. "Now get out."

"No."

"I have a gun, Abim, I'm warning you."

"Use it on me then."

"Of course with pleasure! You want to rape me uh?" She turned towards the cupboard where she kept her gun, but she did not make any progress with her feet before he caught hold of her hand and twisted. Paris groaned in pain and he let go of her immediately.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it to hurt." He said now holding her hand again, but this time gently. He caressed it.

He stood half a feet taller than her and she could smell the perfume on his neck, and feel his harsh breaths bouncing on her forehead.

He was so close. They were so close and she didn't like it.

"I'm stubborn when I want to be but I did not mean to hurt you." His voice sounded like a megaphone; booming.

Paris felt nothing but the urgent desire to blow his head off. He must have thought she was weak. He was mistaken. She was not and she was never going to be. Not before a man and mostly not before him. She jabbed her fingers hard into his solid chest and back-handed him on the face. "You will leave my house now and I mean it!"

"You slapped me again." He laughed. "I could sue you for assault. But why so defensive? Are you scared?"

"I. Am. Not. Scared."

"Yes you are. You are scared of my..." The buzzing of his phone interrupted him. He moved away from her to answer the call. She watched him with langour as his countenance changed from bright to dark. The phone suddenly dropped from his hand as he turned to her.

"Max is dead!" He announced, his voice ringing an alarm.