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Chapter Thirty-five
Ray had all the plans in place now. Taking care of one of his brood, a loose end who’d lost his nerve, released an omnipotent authority over life and death… an exultant sense he’d now experienced and would never forget.
Poor Billy hadn’t believed Ray would hurt him, sucker-baby. He’d begged for his life. “I’ll do better next time, Ray. I’ll kill whoever you want me to.”
“No, Billy. You won’t. First bit of opposition, and you crumbled.”
“But Ray, I told you before, that teacher had been one of the only people who ever talked to me, gave me a bit of respect. I didn’t want to hurt him. Anyone but him.”
“And yet you ended up killing the prick.”
“Only because you ordered it.”
“Serves him right. He should have helped you more instead of letting you live on the streets. He knew you were a foster kid but didn’t care your foster family had kicked you out. Right?”
“No. You’re twisting everything. Look, he gave me money. Told me he’d help if I wanted him to, but I got scared. Besides, by then I had you to look after me. I never gave the guy a chance.” Billy’s earnestness proved he told his truth.
“Too bad, Billy. You’re no good to me now.” The disbelief faded when the bullets penetrated. A nagging worry clawed then.Run.So rather than finish Billy off, Ray cleaned the scene and faded away.
Now that the sweet God-like feeling had been experienced, another little chick needed a visit. This time, the hospital room posed the barrier… getting in without being seen. Easy-peasy. Instigate a distraction, slip inside, and do the dirty work. Sharpening the knife, rubbing the shine into the blade like one might clean a precious jewel, plans took shape.
Chapter Thirty-six
Starstruck, Beau watched Lori through the bar mirror in front of him. When they lowered the lights so those on the stage had more power, he finally gave up the undercover ploy and turned in his stool. The woman performing had the room in an absolute uproar, and his heart in the same condition.
God she was beautiful, her voice pure magic. The moves she made were ridiculously appealing, sexy and engaging all at the same time. Using that mass of hair, she whipped her head from side to side, gyrating with the music.
Remembering the night he’d had that incredible body under his, her hips welcoming, and her legs wrapped around his waist made him lurch uncomfortably, squirm to give more room to Mr. Wiggly who’d decided to perk up and give him hell.
The memory brought a rueful grin to his face. He pulled the rim of his baseball hat lower. His intentions weren’t to have her recognize him, or anyone else for that matter. Bodyguarding her meant he had to keep a watchful eye for an onlooker not acting normal.
Knowing he’d appeared on multiple news channels – videos of the shootings had played ad nauseum – covertly he let his eyes roam the room and his training took over. Slowly, he wandered between the tables making sure nothing looked out of place, no younger man who sat alone being fixated on Lori.
“Excuse me.” A slender youngish female sashayed past him too close for his liking. Tall and willowy, her come-on look one he’d seen many times. Red lips smiling invitingly, her body brushing close, she smelled of strong perfume that reminded him of violets like those his mom used to grow in the back yard and cut to bring inside every spring.
Being a gentleman, he stepped back to let her pass and nodded politely before moving on. No time for funny business tonight. In fact, no time for funny business ever again. Fed up with that lifestyle, having no taste for that nonsense now, his gaze drew toward the woman on the stage, and he took a place close to her and continued his surveillance.
Sometime later, when the final song had been announced in her raspy voice, she took to the stool in front of the mic one of the stage helpers had set up, lifted her guitar, and spoke to the boisterous crowd. “Ladies and Gentlemen. You’ve been stellar tonight, thank you. I’ve loved every minute I’ve spent with you for both shows. You’ve been so wonderful, I’d like to perform a special song as my goodbye, a favorite from when I was a little girl, and my mom would sing this for my dad.” Lori looked straight at Beau just before she began to play her guitar and sing the same song she’d sung the first time he’d seen her on stage.
The slow, sweet melody of “Bird on a Wire” dripped from her sweet voice and Beau’s heart constricted with such joy, he had to lower his face so she wouldn’t see the flash of tears.
After a few seconds, he lifted his gaze and hers caught with his. She sang that song for him. He knew it and so did everyone else who’d begun to stare from her and then in his direction. When the applause broke out, he stood with the rest of the customers and whistled as loudly.
Since the eruption wouldn’t settle until she gave them one more song, she broke into a favorite dance number that had the folks on the floor and the band going crazy. Even his feet stomped in time with the beat.
When she finally lowered the mic, she came to the edge of the stage, lowered to sit, and raised her arms when he moved to intercept her and help her down. “Hi.”
“Hi yourself. That was magic. Pure and simple.”
“I guess I got into it tonight, made me remember why I loved performing so much.”
“I could have listened to you for hours.”
“You did.”
Beau grinned as he lowered her to her feet. “You made me.”
“Wasn’t hard, even with the hat and football jacket.”
