Page 14 of Bloody Quarter

“I brought you this. You won’t believe where I got a job. You were right. Mr. Molisano is amazing to work for. I just wish you’d had more time to train with him. I could see you opening a bakery and giving all of the French Quarter a run for their money. Hell, I might’ve ended up working for you.” My smile faltered, and I closed my eyes, laying my hand on the cold stone as I pictured lying on her shoulder. “I went to see Mom. That was a big mistake. She hates me, Evie, like never forgive me kind of hate. I shouldn’t be surprised, but…it hurts.” Sniffling, I blinked back the emotion that was once more threatening to take over and peered down at the cheap watch on my wrist. “I’ll be back. I need to catch a meeting. Almost slipping the other night scared me. I don’t want that to happen. I’m trying really hard, but some days feel impossible. I love you, and I miss you so much. See you soon.”

Standing, I picked up the chip I’d left last time and rubbed my thumb over it before slipping it into my pocket. “I’m going to bring you the next chip. That’s a promise.”

Kissing my hand and laying it over Evie’s name, I walked away, feeling like I was once more leaving a piece of me behind. One day, it would get easier. It had to.

Greyson

As hard as I tried, I just couldn’t get into work tonight. Even though I was going through the motions and I was good at hiding it, my mind was stuck thinking about all the things in the box. Each item told me something about Alora, but they still couldn’t tell me where she was living. Everything from a lighter to an award for cross-country running was in the box, but the things that intrigued me the most were the intricately folded origami pieces. Each one was made from a piece of paper with Alora’s deepest fears and dreams written on it. Each one was hidden inside the beautiful artwork in plain sight. I currently had all thirty-two pieces sitting on a shelf in my room. I’d painstakingly unfolded each one and then put them back together. One thing was certain. She’d taken a turn off the path she was on when her sister died, and that detour landed her right in my crosshairs.

Grabbing the bottle of fireball whiskey and golden tequila, I spun them before filling up the two ordered shots and grabbed the money off the bar. I turned to tend to the next customer when I felt a pair of eyes on me. When I looked up, I expected it to be one of the patrons sitting at a table in the front. Instead, I was gripped by the sight of ocean-blue eyes and matching hair staring at me through the window.

Everything around us slowed down at the sight of my doll while every predatory instinct inside me roared to life. I wanted her, and just like a gazelle sensing danger, she turned and disappeared into the crowd.

“Lennox, I’ll be right back.”

“What?”

I didn’t bother to answer as I put a hand on the bar and leaped over it in a single move. I darted around the two new people who were just let inside and pushed open the door into the night. Taking off at a run, I raced down the sidewalk, weaving between pedestrians, trying to catch sight of the blue hair. Reaching the next intersection, I stopped and looked in all directions, but just like a ghost, she’d disappeared.

“Son of a bitch,” I growled, but part of me was excited that the chase wasn’t as easy as usual. Rubbing my bottom lip, I still had one chip to play, and I was going to look into the lead after work. I wandered back to the bar, but the excitement and adrenaline were still soaring through my body, making me antsy to finish my shift. There wasn’t even any of the normal thrill I got when one of the girls walked up with two candles and a necklace to buy.

Alora was proving to be quite elusive, but that was okay. It would make catching her that much more rewarding, and I would catch her.

“Now, where the hell are you going,” Lennox asked as I locked the front door and headed for the stairs.

“I’ll clean when I get back. I have something I need to take care of. Leave everything for me if you want.”

Lennox looked around and then back at me like I’d lost my mind. “Are you feeling well? Do you need me to take your temperature?”

“Fuck off,” I said, dashing up to the apartment to change out of my clothes that smelled like I’d bathed in alcohol all night. Grabbing my leather jacket with the hood, I ran down the stairs and got another What the fuck look from Lennox as I ran out the backdoor to my car.

Like someone was trying to help me find Alora after her ghosting appearance, I received a response to my post about which AA meeting the chip was from. Putting up a bullshit sob story about how it was my brother’s chip and wanting to let people know he passed away had worked. Everyone loved a good sob story…suckers.

I’d been to the rec center before when I was younger but hadn’t been back since high school. It was already twelve-thirty on a Thursday, so the likelihood that there was a meeting going on was slim to none. Still, I wanted to case the place, and if, by some dumb luck, Alora was hanging around the rec center, then all the better.

The lights were still on inside, and a few people were outside mingling when I pulled into the parking lot. My hope rose a little higher, so I drove around back and pulled into the furthest corner, right beside the dumpster, so you’d have to be right on top of the car to notice it.

Slipping out, I grabbed my tools and walked the perimeter. Peering into windows and checking locks as I went, I stopped when I came to a bathroom. I looked up at the open window and the noise of a urinal flushing. They didn’t have the same water flow as a toilet and gave off a distinctive sound. Fucking Perfect. Someone really loved me.

As soon as the thud of a door closing reached my ears, I grabbed the edges of the wall and hoisted myself up onto the ledge. It was still a jump to grab the bottom of the window, but I managed it with ease. Pulling myself up, I looked inside and found the bathroom empty. The aerial view allowed me to see into the three stalls as well as the rest of the room.

After pushing the window open, I gripped the sill and slowly brought my legs through as if I were performing in a Cirque du Soleil show. I dropped to the floor and smirked. Fuck this was fun. The back of the door showed a floor plan and the location of the emergency exits. Yanking the laminated sheet off the door, I studied it closely before slipping it into one of the inside pockets of my coat.

Sticking my head out, I peered in either direction. One way was lit while the other was dark, and that was the way I was going to go. It would take longer to get around, but I needed to know how many people were here and who they were before I made my next moves.

Racing along the hall made me feel like a villain in a movie, blending in with the darkness like it was part of me. The rooms were empty, and other than the glow of an exit sign, the upper floor seemed locked down. That left the front of the building. The closer I got, the louder the low-spoken words coming from an open door grew.

Leaning as close as I dared, I peered into the room and found my doll. She felt almost close enough to touch. Every muscle tightened, and a shudder ran down my spine as I watched her. She was dressed in black pants, sneakers that were in dire need of repair, and a black hoodie. Her blue hair was laying in long waves down her back as she sipped on water. Glancing around the room, it seemed like it was the end of the meeting, and people were standing around in small groups chatting, except Alora, who was staying to herself. She was staring down at her feet, and for whatever reason, I didn’t like her looking so lost.

“Hi there, what’s your name,” a guy asked as he walked up to Alora. She stiffened and my lip pulled up in a snarl as my hand reached back to touch the handle of my blade. “I’m Anthony,” he said, smiling, and I knew what he was thinking. Wrapping my hand around the hilt, I pulled the sharp knife free of its sheath.

Do it. Touch her, and you won’t make it home.

“I’m Alora,” she said, her voice still just as sweet as I remembered. Soft and feathery, it felt like she was trying to hypnotize me. Maybe she had a little witch in her, but whatever it was, I wanted her to scream my name.

“Look at that. We both have A names at an AA meeting. Go figure,” he said, and I rolled my eyes. Alora gave him a small smile, and my hand shook.

“Are you new,” Alora asked.