The
cell phone blared rap music again. Beth cursed and turned it off.
“Vanni? Look at me.”
She wiped at her tears. “This is a nightmare, right? I’m
still in bed?”
Beth sat down on the floor and hugged her. “It’s going to be
all right. In a few days this will blow over. Someone else will do something to
get their attention.”
“Do you think they have more footage they didn’t show yet?”
“I don’t know but it’s going to be okay.”
Vanni pulled away. “How? How can it be?”
Beth had tears in her eyes too. “We’ll get through this.”
“Everyone is going to see that. How am I going to leave the
house? Go to work?”
“I don’t know.” Beth sniffed. “Look on the bright side.”
“I’m afraid to ask what just popped into your head, but
what? I’m desperate.”
“You don’t have to make any phone calls to tell people you
aren’t marrying Carl. I think it’s a given.”
Vanni leaned forward and hugged her again. “Not funny. Try
again.”
“Okay,” Beth whispered. “The reporters are annoying the shit
out of Carl. He threatened to kill you so I hope they give him hell.”
“Not helping.”
“I don’t know what else to say.”
“Me neither.”
A good minute went by. Beth spoke again. “Did you have sex
in that alley?”
“Inside the SUV.”
Beth unwound her arms and sat back. She lifted a hand in the
air. “High five.”
Vanni just stared at her blankly.
“Bucket list, remember? Sex in a car.” Beth kept her hand
up. “Bright side. That’s one thing you ticked off yours.”
“Oh Beth.” Vanni shook her head. “That’s so wrong.”
Beth lowered her arm. “Work with me here. I’m trying.
Otherwise we’re going to cry and stay huddled on this floor.”
“Is that so bad?”
Someone pounded on the door. Beth got up, walked over and
peeked out the peephole. She cursed and backed up as the person pounded again.
“Miss Abris? Travanni? Could we please speak to you for a
moment?” The voice was muffled through the door.
Beth turned. “It’s a lady with a cameraman.”
Vanni clawed her way to her feet and ran into the bathroom.
She got violently sick. Her life would never be the same.
* * * * *
Smiley had been ordered to Fury’s office. He had no idea why
but knew it was urgent. The door was wide open and Fury waited inside.
“You better sit.”
“I’m fine standing.” Smiley stiffened his spine. “Has Vanni
been found?”
More Species entered the room, including Jericho. The grim
look in the male’s eyes had Smiley rethink the offer of taking a seat. He
stepped a few feet over and dropped into a chair. He really hadn’t expected to
be told Vanni was dead. It was his worst fear. It seemed as good as confirmed.
Bile rose but he swallowed it down.
“She’s dead?” He managed to get the question out.
Jericho shook his head. “No.”
Smiley could breathe again.
“Last night there was a human on the roof of the hotel.”
Fury rounded his desk and sat. He lifted a remote and turned on the television.
“Were you aware of that?”
Smiley nodded. “Yes. I heard Shane shout it out and I moved
Vanni inside the back of the SUV to get her under cover in case it was a
sniper.”
Fury pushed a few buttons. “This is playing on all the
stations. Prepare yourself. The male had a video camera and apparently sent it
to anyone with an interest. Here’s one I recorded off the television. I missed
the beginning of it but it’s enough.”
The video wasn’t the best quality but it was clear enough,
even in the dim alley, to make out details. Smiley squirmed in his seat. It was
uncomfortable having a replay of such a personal moment displayed in front of
so many males. It also angered him.
The clip ended and a white-haired news anchor took the lead.
“The woman in the alley has been identified as twenty-seven-year-old Travanni
Abris.” A picture of Vanni and a blond male flashed on the screen. They were
smiling. It returned to the
cell phone blared rap music again. Beth cursed and turned it off.
“Vanni? Look at me.”
She wiped at her tears. “This is a nightmare, right? I’m
still in bed?”
Beth sat down on the floor and hugged her. “It’s going to be
all right. In a few days this will blow over. Someone else will do something to
get their attention.”
“Do you think they have more footage they didn’t show yet?”
“I don’t know but it’s going to be okay.”
Vanni pulled away. “How? How can it be?”
Beth had tears in her eyes too. “We’ll get through this.”
“Everyone is going to see that. How am I going to leave the
house? Go to work?”
“I don’t know.” Beth sniffed. “Look on the bright side.”
“I’m afraid to ask what just popped into your head, but
what? I’m desperate.”
“You don’t have to make any phone calls to tell people you
aren’t marrying Carl. I think it’s a given.”
Vanni leaned forward and hugged her again. “Not funny. Try
again.”
“Okay,” Beth whispered. “The reporters are annoying the shit
out of Carl. He threatened to kill you so I hope they give him hell.”
“Not helping.”
“I don’t know what else to say.”
“Me neither.”
A good minute went by. Beth spoke again. “Did you have sex
in that alley?”
“Inside the SUV.”
Beth unwound her arms and sat back. She lifted a hand in the
air. “High five.”
Vanni just stared at her blankly.
“Bucket list, remember? Sex in a car.” Beth kept her hand
up. “Bright side. That’s one thing you ticked off yours.”
“Oh Beth.” Vanni shook her head. “That’s so wrong.”
Beth lowered her arm. “Work with me here. I’m trying.
Otherwise we’re going to cry and stay huddled on this floor.”
“Is that so bad?”
Someone pounded on the door. Beth got up, walked over and
peeked out the peephole. She cursed and backed up as the person pounded again.
“Miss Abris? Travanni? Could we please speak to you for a
moment?” The voice was muffled through the door.
Beth turned. “It’s a lady with a cameraman.”
Vanni clawed her way to her feet and ran into the bathroom.
She got violently sick. Her life would never be the same.
* * * * *
Smiley had been ordered to Fury’s office. He had no idea why
but knew it was urgent. The door was wide open and Fury waited inside.
“You better sit.”
“I’m fine standing.” Smiley stiffened his spine. “Has Vanni
been found?”
More Species entered the room, including Jericho. The grim
look in the male’s eyes had Smiley rethink the offer of taking a seat. He
stepped a few feet over and dropped into a chair. He really hadn’t expected to
be told Vanni was dead. It was his worst fear. It seemed as good as confirmed.
Bile rose but he swallowed it down.
“She’s dead?” He managed to get the question out.
Jericho shook his head. “No.”
Smiley could breathe again.
“Last night there was a human on the roof of the hotel.”
Fury rounded his desk and sat. He lifted a remote and turned on the television.
“Were you aware of that?”
Smiley nodded. “Yes. I heard Shane shout it out and I moved
Vanni inside the back of the SUV to get her under cover in case it was a
sniper.”
Fury pushed a few buttons. “This is playing on all the
stations. Prepare yourself. The male had a video camera and apparently sent it
to anyone with an interest. Here’s one I recorded off the television. I missed
the beginning of it but it’s enough.”
The video wasn’t the best quality but it was clear enough,
even in the dim alley, to make out details. Smiley squirmed in his seat. It was
uncomfortable having a replay of such a personal moment displayed in front of
so many males. It also angered him.
The clip ended and a white-haired news anchor took the lead.
“The woman in the alley has been identified as twenty-seven-year-old Travanni
Abris.” A picture of Vanni and a blond male flashed on the screen. They were
smiling. It returned to the
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