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I’ve never seen a person more in their element, doing something so distinctive. She was born to dance, to perform. It radiates from her entire body. Her passion bleeds out onto the stage every night, and she leaves nothing untouched.
It’s awe-inspiring.
“She’s living her life, Alex. She’s being cautious, but she isn’t letting him stop her,” I say simply.
I don’t want to overstep. He’s someone she trusts who had the forethought to bring me in, but I won’t let him criticize her, either.
“I get it. I do, but her position in the new play is set. Why risk it?”
“She doesn’t see this as a risk. She sees it as the reason she wakes up in the morning, the reason she breathes. I would think you would’ve gotten that by now.” My hard glance cuts to him quickly, and he visibly shrinks back.
Good. This guy needs to back off so I can do my job.
I seem to have Nora’s trust, which makes this ten times easier and puts a smile on my face. But Alex? He doesn’t trust me yet. I would say we’ll get there, but with the way my gut screams at me when I’m around him, I’m not so sure.
Suddenly, Alex stands straighter and jabs my shoulder blade with a bony finger. With our height difference, he has to reach to do so.
What the hell?
I turn in time to see Alex pointing just offstage to the right of the seats that line the theater. I glance in that direction, but I see nothing amiss. Just the crowd entranced with Nora, the same way I was just seconds ago.
“Did you see him?” Alex practically shouts as I step in the direction he’s pointing.
I squint while trying to identify anything that stands out in the crowd, but it’s dark in the audience, and my eyes don’t have enough time to adjust.
“Who?” I ask as we both move in said direction.
“It was him! I know it! There was a man.” His voice and body language tell me he’s anxious and rattled.
My feet move faster as we quickly make our way down the aisle and toward the back exit. I scan each row as I pass, noting if anyone looks nervous or out of place, but nothing is suspicious. I take one final look back at Nora on the stage as I push through the exit door.
I don’t enjoy leaving her unattended, but Alex is adamant he saw someone, and I can’t not check it out.
“Over there!” He points toward the restrooms as he jogs past me.
I continue to scan the lobby, seeing no one but the staff mingling around. The show is in full swing. It would be odd for anyone to be out here right now.
I pick up my pace and pass him, entering the restroom silently. He barges in right behind me, throwing the men’s restroom door open. It bangs loudly against the wall as it harshly swings back at us. I move forward fast enough to avoid a collision with it, but Alex doesn’t.
“Ah, fuck!” I spare a moment to look, and he’s bent over, clutching his nose. “What the fuck dude!”
If I weren’t too busy looking for Nora’s stalker and trying to be quiet—which the bull in the China shop behind me is quite effective in ruining—I would chuckle. However, that plan is shot to hell as he continues to cuss up a storm. He should have moved.
I look back at the boy child, still bent over and clutching his nose. Blood trickles down his chin and splashes onto the tiled floor. I shake my head and fight the urge to roll my eyes. He looks up in time for me to tell him with a pointed glance to shut the fuck up. He seems to get the message when he straightens, and the hysterics stop.
The urinals are all empty, but there are a few closed stall doors. I pull out my 9mm and start at the stall closest to me. Placing my back towards the opposing wall, I push at the stall door. It swings open with a thud, and I find it empty.
On to the next one. I do the same routine. Clearing each stall one by one like I was trained to do. All empty.
There’s not a damn thing in here. We just went on a wild goose chase. For what? Because Alex thought he saw something.
“What did you see exactly, Alex?”
I’m trying to not lose my shit because we left Nora alone for seemingly nothing, but I didn’t see what he saw. I trusted he saw someone. Maybe that was a mistake.
“You saw him, too! He was standing in the aisle and inching closer to the stage. Then he turned around and took off!”
I’m already shaking my head. “No, I didn’t see him, and there is no one in here.” I spread my arms wide to showcase that fact.
