before they left tonight.”
Then I paused and looked accusingly at June as I asked, “Wait, how did you know we were stuck in there?”
J-Dub just put on her cocky, self-assured look, which always made me grin, and she answered with, “We didn't. A couple hours after closing time, the security firm called me to tell me that the alarm system hadn't been armed tonight. They asked if we wanted it armed remotely. I couldn't imagine Jen ever not arming the alarm before she left. That would be like Wile E. Coyote forgetting the phone number to the Acme corporation.”
She wiggled her eyebrows at the apt comparison then continued, “So we called her. No answer. Then we called you. No answer. So I told Nessie we should check it out.”
Eliza rolled her eyes. “What Miss Hotshot here isn't saying is that she called me in a panic on their way here. She was spouting off nonsense about accidents and kidnappings and something about platypus tunneling machines.”
June pointed at her and narrowed her eyes. “Hey now, I was worried about them, lady.”
Liza batted at her finger like a cat.
She gave Liza one last playful warning look and said like she hadn't been interrupted, “So when we got here, we heard your voices murmuring. Then it was quiet until we got back to the elevator, and when it didn't come when we pushed the call button, we realized you must be stuck in there.”
Eliza was grinning like a loon now and she said, “Well since there is neither blood and gore, nor ransom notes, I gotta bet back over tho the club before things get into full swing.”
I collected my hug toll then the other two led us through the building to the door. Jen armed the system and we exited the building and walked to the cars.
I looked back at the building and the now crowded parking lot and the long line wrapping around the building. It never ceased to amaze me, the draw that Walker's has. And the old time look and feel made you think you were stepping back in time to the roaring twenties.
We hugged our rescuers, and June whispered into my ear as we hugged, “Your eyes are positively puffy and red, you've been crying. Do we need to talk?”
I smiled and whispered back before I let go, “No, everything is fine.” I nodded to reinforce it.
We watched them go and then I drove my well-dressed accomplice home. She hesitated as she got out of the car and said in a soft voice, “We need to talk Zil. Soon.”
I nodded, dreading the conversation about the almost kiss. About emotions being heightened in the elevator and she didn't know what she was doing. I waited until she got into her apartment before I drove off... alone.
Chapter 6 – Denver
I awoke from a fitful sleep by the Nightmare Before Christmas theme playing incessantly, my cellphone's ringtone. I was beyond exhausted as I looked blearily at the glowing green numbers on my bedside clock. It was three in the morning. What do the Brits say? Bloody Hell. The music stopped as I was reaching for the cell. Then it buzzed and quacked in my hand, now an incoming text message?
I sat up and yawned then looked at the screen. I blinked, talking about my parent's must have sent up a cosmic flare or something, it was from Isaac. I shook my head to fully awaken, then I froze as I read the text. I could feel the blood draining from my face as I got a little dizzy. It read, “Esmeralda in hospital. Emergency surgery. Call home.”
I heard a little girl somewhere on my head squeaking out a frightened, “Mom?”
I quickly pulled up my voicemail and listened to Isaac's message. Mom had a ruptured appendix and it was looking grim. I was dialing him immediately.
He answered with a strained, “Baby doll?”
I rushed as I said, “Is she going to be ok? Is there news?”
He said in that deep bass rumble of his, “They just took her in, I don't know but I heard one nurse saying something about complications.”
Please
Then I paused and looked accusingly at June as I asked, “Wait, how did you know we were stuck in there?”
J-Dub just put on her cocky, self-assured look, which always made me grin, and she answered with, “We didn't. A couple hours after closing time, the security firm called me to tell me that the alarm system hadn't been armed tonight. They asked if we wanted it armed remotely. I couldn't imagine Jen ever not arming the alarm before she left. That would be like Wile E. Coyote forgetting the phone number to the Acme corporation.”
She wiggled her eyebrows at the apt comparison then continued, “So we called her. No answer. Then we called you. No answer. So I told Nessie we should check it out.”
Eliza rolled her eyes. “What Miss Hotshot here isn't saying is that she called me in a panic on their way here. She was spouting off nonsense about accidents and kidnappings and something about platypus tunneling machines.”
June pointed at her and narrowed her eyes. “Hey now, I was worried about them, lady.”
Liza batted at her finger like a cat.
She gave Liza one last playful warning look and said like she hadn't been interrupted, “So when we got here, we heard your voices murmuring. Then it was quiet until we got back to the elevator, and when it didn't come when we pushed the call button, we realized you must be stuck in there.”
Eliza was grinning like a loon now and she said, “Well since there is neither blood and gore, nor ransom notes, I gotta bet back over tho the club before things get into full swing.”
I collected my hug toll then the other two led us through the building to the door. Jen armed the system and we exited the building and walked to the cars.
I looked back at the building and the now crowded parking lot and the long line wrapping around the building. It never ceased to amaze me, the draw that Walker's has. And the old time look and feel made you think you were stepping back in time to the roaring twenties.
We hugged our rescuers, and June whispered into my ear as we hugged, “Your eyes are positively puffy and red, you've been crying. Do we need to talk?”
I smiled and whispered back before I let go, “No, everything is fine.” I nodded to reinforce it.
We watched them go and then I drove my well-dressed accomplice home. She hesitated as she got out of the car and said in a soft voice, “We need to talk Zil. Soon.”
I nodded, dreading the conversation about the almost kiss. About emotions being heightened in the elevator and she didn't know what she was doing. I waited until she got into her apartment before I drove off... alone.
Chapter 6 – Denver
I awoke from a fitful sleep by the Nightmare Before Christmas theme playing incessantly, my cellphone's ringtone. I was beyond exhausted as I looked blearily at the glowing green numbers on my bedside clock. It was three in the morning. What do the Brits say? Bloody Hell. The music stopped as I was reaching for the cell. Then it buzzed and quacked in my hand, now an incoming text message?
I sat up and yawned then looked at the screen. I blinked, talking about my parent's must have sent up a cosmic flare or something, it was from Isaac. I shook my head to fully awaken, then I froze as I read the text. I could feel the blood draining from my face as I got a little dizzy. It read, “Esmeralda in hospital. Emergency surgery. Call home.”
I heard a little girl somewhere on my head squeaking out a frightened, “Mom?”
I quickly pulled up my voicemail and listened to Isaac's message. Mom had a ruptured appendix and it was looking grim. I was dialing him immediately.
He answered with a strained, “Baby doll?”
I rushed as I said, “Is she going to be ok? Is there news?”
He said in that deep bass rumble of his, “They just took her in, I don't know but I heard one nurse saying something about complications.”
Please
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