As the limo set in motion, I imagined the scene unfolding just as I’d read his words—Winston’s curiosity, Claire’s iron grip tightening in warning. I leaned back against the plush leather seat, satisfied.
He was mine.
Hook, line, and sinker.
District Attorney Mitchell:What was your relationship with the defendant?
Alyssa Brooks:I leased her a furnished property in Henderson. I was her Realtor.
District Attorney Mitchell:Was there anything unusual about her interaction with you?
Alyssa Brooks:She signed the lease without seeing the place, and it was an expensive lease. I thought that was strange. She seemed to have ulterior motives for—
Defense Attorney Blake:Objection, Your Honor, speculation. The witness is guessing.
Judge Thomas Antunez:Sustained.
12
A Conference
I never finished school. It had been impossible for me, considering I’d had to live on the streets for a while after fleeing home that night ten years ago. But I’d never stopped learning, reading whatever I could get my hands on, from discarded newspapers and books found in the trash in those early days, on to the internet, later, when I could afford it, and to books I actually bought for myself.
During my homeless days in Dallas, I’d spent my nights in front of an electronics store. They used to leave their large TVs on at night, and I’d sit on the sidewalk leaning against a tree and watch movies and shows, too afraid to fall asleep until the light of dawn. Watching, I learned things.
And then, as my chosen lifestyle evolved and my goals became more clearly defined, I studied everything I needed to know to be successful. In the case of Winston, that was solar energy, and I was truly fascinated by it.
But it turned out to take more than a glimpse of my low-cut dress back, my plunging V-neck, and a sway of my hips to make him pick up the phone. That would’ve been too easy. His silence frustrated me, but I respected him for it.
He just needed another nudge, and I was ready to deliver.
For ten days, while I waited for the Solar Future Shining Bright Conference to start, I took care of a few things. My two-week stay at ARIA ended, and I had to give up the convenience of having messages taken for me and people knowing where to find me. Moving into my rental house was both enjoyable and scary, given that there’d be no hotel security to call if I needed help—nothing to keep good old Jack from barging through the front door to do whatever he had in mind. Because he was still out there, showing up whenever I finally dared to hope he was gone. Never saying anything else. Never doing anything but staring at me, his eyes chilling me to the bone.
He wasn’t going away. In fact, he seemed to be the only person in town who still remembered who I was.
Because people were starting to forget about me. I’d left my new address with the hotel, but there were fewer messages and fewer invitations forwarded each day. Making matters worse, the solar energy conference organizers had not invited me to speak or attend. I’d been invited to dozens of other events, but not the one I needed, which Winston would attend as sponsor and keynote speaker.
For a while, I considered doing another news piece.
But then, gritting my teeth, I decided to keep my face and my name from showing up in the news again, thinking more on what Jack had said. That I should leave Vegas. That I wasn’t safe there.
Out of options, I volunteered to help with the conference, framing it as something I cared about deeply and wanted to champion. People like me, with means and a charitable agenda, often give their time to causes they believe in, and this should seem no different. Winston would see commitment and passion in my gesture, nothing else. Yet having to knock on doors and ask left me a little upset. It reminded me of when I’d had to rely on the kindness of strangers to survive.
I worked with the organizers the entire weekend before the start of the conference. By the time people started arriving at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Monday morning, I’d memorized the names of the panelists and devised a game plan.
This time, I was the one wearing the business suit and heels, standing by the door with a clipboard in hand. I checked in speakers, quick on my feet so that I’d be available to welcome Winston when he finally arrived. I helped give everyone badges with their names and photos, color coded by function. Green for keynote speakers. Blue for panelists. Yellow for attendees. I wore a purple one, like the other organizers.
The participants had a choice of a clip or a personalized lanyard with the conference logo embroidered on the strap. I had Dr. Newhall’s badge in my pocket, on a lanyard. He was a panelist, an engineer from San Francisco. I’d read a couple of his papers the night before, but the reason I’d singled out his badge wasn’t related to solar energy or his work. He looked somewhat like Winston, and he was also going to be late; I’d made sure of that with a call to his hotel advising of a schedule change.
I got rid of an attendee quite unceremoniously when I saw Winston approaching, and abandoned my clipboard on a table by the wall. I rushed to greet him, my heels clicking loudly on the floor.
“Finally,” I said when I reached him, ignoring his intrigued smile. “You’re the last one in, Dr. Newhall, but we have a few minutes to get you situated.” I took Dr. Newhall’s badge out of my pocket and hung it around Winston’s neck, the gesture bringing our bodies close enough to touch.
“I’m ... sorry I kept you waiting,” he replied, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Tell me what I need to do.”
I hadn’t expected that. I’d thought he’d just say,You have me confused with someone else. Now I had to play along, pretending he was Newhall.
“Well, you’re on the desalination panel. You’re leading that.” I showed him the way with a wide gesture, pointing toward one of the panel rooms, then started walking. He matched my pace, not taking his eyes off me. “By the way, your application of solar power in desalination is so intriguing. Especially for here in Nevada, a desert state depending on the Colorado River and groundwater for survival.”
