Decadent Desire

“Yes, Doctor. This is Natalie Moore from Superior Staffing. You left a message with our service last night requesting a call.”

Julian immediately recognized the voice. “Natalie as in the Nat Pack?”

A short pause and then, “Do I know you?”

“Yes, you do. It’s Julian.”

“The Julian Drake I picked on all through grade school?”

“I think it lasted through junior high, and yes, it’s me.”

“No way! And you’re a doctor now? Not surprising, since you left all your classmates behind in the dust. You skipped, what, one or two years?”

“More like doubled up on some and tested out of others. They didn’t really skip me.”

“However it happened, you graduated at sixteen. You’d already been gone a couple months when I found out. I can’t believe you remember me.”

“Didn’t at first. Your married name threw me. But I’ll never forget that high-pitched voice.”

“And I’ll never forget you had no voice at all. Always so quiet. And I’m divorced, by the way. Would have reverted to Johnson, but I have a son. The boy genius Julian, a doctor. That fits you. Will you be working at the urgent-care center that just opened up?”

“I’m a psychologist, not a medical doctor. I’m opening a private practice.”

Another pause, this one a bit longer. “Come to give my dad some competition, huh? He’s the go-to shrink in this town. Has treated patients here for over thirty years. So good luck with that.”

“I have no desire to compete with Dr. Johnson or anyone else. Mental illnesses and behavioral disorders have steadily increased through the years that he’s practiced and are still on the rise, which means, unfortunately, there are likely to be enough clients for both of us.”

“That’s what a couple other doctors thought. One still has an office here, though I heard she teaches at a community college to supplement her income. Guess the one or two people who slipped past my father weren’t enough for her to pay the bills.”

“Thanks for the encouragement.”

“You’re welcome.”

Julian pondered Natalie’s words as he gazed out the window. It was a beautiful day. During the festivities in Louisiana, the mercury had climbed to ninety degrees and above. Too hot for Julian, even for July. Or any other month. He much preferred the seventies experienced during Northern California summers. The office’s location on the building’s fifteenth floor offered unobstructed views of the town’s tony square and the sprawling fields and ranches of Paradise Valley beyond it. His brother Warren owned one of those ranches. He thought how good a horse ride would feel but knew that with the work ahead of him, today wouldn’t be when he got to do it.

“Where’d you graduate and do your internship?”

“Graduated from Columbia.” Julian walked back to his desk and sat. “Interned in New York.”

“Impressive, Doctor. Why’d you decide to come back here?”

Julian looked at his watch. Time to focus on the matter at hand—hiring an assistant. If she was as nosy now as she had been in high school, the Natalie he remembered could keep him on the phone all afternoon.

“Probably the same reason you did, to do business in my hometown. Speaking of which, I assume your call is regarding the information I filled out online?”

“Yes, Superior Staffing is my company, and yes, PC is still a very small town.”

They shared a laugh. “Indeed. Will you be able to assist me, considering I’m viewed as your dad’s competition?”

“Ha! Dad has probably forgotten more than you’ll learn.”

“Ouch!”

“Just calling it like I see it. You’re no competition for him. As for an assistant, I do have a couple qualified recruits in mind who, based on what I know so far, would be good matches. At least from the online questionnaire that you filled out.”

“So how do we proceed? I’d like to get someone hired as quickly as possible.”

“Normally I’d set up the first appointment and send them over at your earliest convenience. But since it’s you, a friend I’ve known since grade school, I think a follow-up interview is in order, one done in person so I can be sure to select the most appropriate candidates for the position. What about dinner tomorrow night at Acquired Taste?”

“I’m busy most evenings. How about lunch, around noon?”

“Perfect. See you then.”

“And Natalie, no practical jokes, okay? The little kid is all grown up.”

“You sure have, and quite nicely. I pulled up your profile online.”

“Good. Then I’ll be easy to recognize. See you tomorrow.”

Julian dodged Natalie’s flirty comment. He remembered her popularity in high school and had known several of the guys she’d dated. Pretty girl. Funny, too. He wanted her assistance in finding a competent assistant, but nothing more.

* * *

“Another great show, Nicki!”

“Thanks, hon.” Nicki hugged Paige, her friend and cast mate. “Had to take it to the next level to shine beside you!”

“That’s right, girl! Razzle!”

“Dazzle!” They high-fived. “If these previews are any indication, opening night is going to be huge.”

“Is Julian coming?”

“That’s the plan. What about Mike?”

“I don’t know. He’s always working.”

“Hmm, the detective sounds like someone else I know.”

The two laughed, locking arms as they walked down the dark and narrow backstage hallway to the exit just off Forty-Ninth Street. As usual, a group of theatergoers circled the exit, waiting for a chance to get a snapshot. Maybe even an autograph or a selfie. Most were there for Paige, the famous pop celebrity playing Rapunzel. But a lot of fans loved the best friend added in the modern retelling of the classic fairy tale and waited for Nicki, who played her. Though tired, Nicki obliged them. Countless times, she’d been that fan, waiting for her favorite star. Dying for an autograph. She’d dreamed of being that star since she was ten. And here she was.

Paige turned to her. “Hey, my car’s here. Want a ride?”

“Seriously? Of course!”

The driver stood next to the rear car door he’d just opened. “Good evening, ladies.” A nod and smile accompanied the formal greeting.

“Joe, this is Nicki. Nicki, Joe.”

“Hello, Joe.”

They slid into the back seat of a roomy town car. Nicki rubbed her hand across the soft leather seat. “Is this one of the perks of being the star?”

“Thanks to my agent. I wouldn’t have thought to request it on my own.”

Nicki settled against the seat and sighed. “Lifestyles of the rich and famous.”

Paige leaned forward toward a panel of buttons and raised the privacy partition.

“Ooh, fancy! Just like in the movies.”

“I thought you’d like it. But I put it up because you had something to tell me.”

The reminder sat Nicki straight up. “Oh my gosh, girl, you won’t believe it. And I’m telling you right now. This can’t be repeated. If I hear it back, I’ll know where to come.”

“Don’t you know you can trust me by now?”

Nicki did. The entertainment business was cutthroat. Jobs on Broadway were limited. Competition was fierce and few made friends, Nicki included. Paige had been the exception. The two had met while doing regional theater, ironically both having boy troubles at the time. They commiserated and eventually met each other’s boyfriends—Julian and Mike. Shortly after the play ended, Paige moved to New York. They’d been besties ever since.

“Remember a couple years ago when Julian and I broke up?”

“Like the for-real breakup, because you turned down his marriage proposal and broke the guy’s heart? Yep, I remember.”

“Dang, Paige, did you have to say it like that?”

“To clarify which off-and-on we were talking about? Yes, I did. Besides, isn’t that what happened?”

“Anyway...remember my rebound guy, the pro basketball player?” Nicki placed air quotes around his title.

“Told you that he played pro ball, left out that he hadn’t had a contract in years?”

“I still can’t believe I didn’t google his ass.”

Nicki paused and looked out the window. A mental replay of meeting Vince Edwards played in her mind.

Late-night party uptown. Private. Rooftop. Being beautiful seemed the price of admission. A stranger approached while she sipped a drink. Introduced himself as Vince Edwards, a pro basketball player. He’d sure looked the part. Tall, attractive. Muscles and dimples in all the right places, with enough raw manly swagger to bottle and sell. When they hugged she got goose bumps, but along with the excitement came a foreboding feeling. She ignored it and gave him her number.

A couple of weeks into the romantic whirlwind, behaviors began to surface that had reminded Nicki of her earlier apprehensiveness. The first was declaring his love for her a week after they met. The second was falling in love with her brownstone that—number three—he wanted to move into after the second week. Nicki saw more red flags after this request than those waved in Arrowhead Stadium at a Chiefs football game. But she’d continued to date him. Until the fourth reason—a woman named Brittany. The woman with whom he currently lived. The woman who’d threatened to kick him out for cheating, and not just with Nicki. In a calm, almost pleasant voice, the astute stranger had passed along a few pertinent details Vince had not shared. Multiple children. Gambling habit. No new sports contract or endorsement deals. Nicki thanked the woman and meant it. Got back with Julian a short time later, thankful she’d dodged a bullet.

“I thought you blocked his number.”

“I did. A call came up private. I answered it without a second thought.”

“What did he want?”

“Nothing much. Just wondered if I had twenty thousand dollars to loan him.”

Paige screeched. “WTF?”

“Oh, and he needs it by Friday. Can you believe it?”

“How’d he figure you had that kind of money?”

“I guess because I’m on a Broadway stage.”

“Even so, why’d he think you’d loan it to him?”

“That’s where it really gets crazy. He’s taking credit for the show I did in Atlanta shortly after we broke up. Says he pulled the strings that got me the job.”

“Ooh, right! And he showed up backstage claiming y’all were a couple. Wasn’t the director his sister or something?”

“Cousin, and it turned out only a distant one at that. He had nothing to do with me getting that job. I auditioned like everyone else. What a liar.”

“You guys didn’t even date that long. What was it, a month?”

“Barely.”

“Jeez. So what did you say when he asked you?”

“What do you think I said? No! Then he had the nerve to ask me out!”

“What was your answer?” Paige asked, laughing.

“Hell no!”

Nicki tried not to laugh but was soon cracking up. Paige always made her feel better.

“Do you think he’ll call again?”

“With the size of his ego? I don’t doubt it.”

They reached Paige’s apartment building in trendy SoHo. The driver dropped Paige off, headed toward the Brooklyn Bridge and twenty minutes later was at Nicki’s place, a three-story brownstone that had been converted into two apartments. Hers was the larger one and occupied the two upper floors. It was spacious and airy, with tall ceilings and big windows to let in lots of natural light. Her respite from the grind of the theater district, where she practically lived six days a week.

“Bye, Joe.” She blew a kiss to the driver, then opened the gate and hurried up the steps to the second-floor entrance. Within seconds she’d kicked off her shoes and walked to the kitchen in search of something sparkling with a kick. She wasn’t much of a drinker, but a wine spritzer after two shows helped her wind down.

“Nothing,” she mumbled, looking in the fridge. “Great.”

Bypassing the heels she’d just kicked off, Nicki grabbed a pair of sandals from the hallway shoe rack and headed to the corner store that, luckily for her, stayed open until eleven. After picking out her favorite chardonnay and a liter of sparkling water, she headed back home. The street was sparsely populated and quiet, typical for this time on a Wednesday night. As she neared her walk-up, two men got out of a car parked in front. Ever the New Yorker, she was on instant alert but didn’t pick up any negative vibes. They talked casually, even laughed as the driver tapped the key fob to lock the car. Nicki relaxed, stepped to the right to walk by them. The driver, to his left. She looked up, expecting a come-on. The man was not laughing. At all.

She took a step in the other direction. The passenger had come from the other side of the car and stood in front of her.

A frustrated sigh gave her the chance to quickly scan the areas behind and beside her. Suddenly the streets were empty. Not another person in sight. Why didn’t I buy groceries on Monday, instead of spending the day on Long Island catching up with friends? Instead of fifteen dollars and some change, her desire for a sparkling libation could cost a lot more. Her brownstone was only two doors down. If she could just get around them...

Summoning her Brooklyn-born-and-bred attitude, she raised to her full height of five foot eight and looked the man standing in front of her directly in the eye. At the same time, she positioned her house key between her index and middle fingers, ready to puncture a cheek or gouge out an eye.

“Let me by.”

“Nicki Long, right?”

Caught entirely off guard, she couldn’t hide her surprise. “Who are you?”

“Friends of Vince. Come to get the money you owe him.”

Seriously? Vince’s ego was bigger than she realized. But if he thought this Brooklyn babe could be intimated, he had another thought coming.

“You have the wrong Nicki. I don’t owe Vince a thing.” She took a step to go around the guy talking, the one on the right. He stepped, too, in front of her.

“Move,” she commanded, now truly more annoyed than angry. “Vince has obviously lied to you, just like he did to me. I hope the promise of money wasn’t one of them.”

The tall, lanky driver studied his nails, wearing dark shades at almost midnight. “Vince did promise us money, as a matter of fact. From the money you owe him. So now instead of one problem—” he looked at his partner “—you have three.”

“Look, I don’t owe Vince. And I don’t even know you, let alone owe you. You’ve got the wrong woman.” Nicki pushed past him. A steely hand clamped onto her arm. Stopped her in her tracks. She whirled around.

“Let go of me.” The driver increased the pressure. It hurt like heck. Her heart thudded erratically. But Nicki forced her features to remain relaxed. She pointedly looked at his hand on her arm and then into his eyes. “I said let. Me. Go.”

“Hey, neighbor!”

Nicki’s body almost sagged in relief. Miss Frances was an elaborative gossip and a constant snoop, but at this very moment Nicki could have kissed her on the mouth.

“Good evening!” She pushed past the men and walked toward the gate where Miss Frances stood wearing a flowered robe and a sleeping cap over pink foam rollers, her squinted eyes trained on the men now walking toward the car.

“We’ll be at the show,” the driver said, fake friendly. “Rapunzel,” he added, making sure she knew he knew which one.

“We’ll be sure to look for you.” Nicki turned and watched the passenger taunt her as he opened his car door. “Break a leg.”

A shiver ran down Nicki’s spine. She turned away. Miss Frances continued to stare at the car as it started up and eased away from the curb.

“QZZ, zero, zero, zero, four.”

“Ma’am?”

“The license plate number. Hurry up and write it down.”

Nicki repeated the number, impressed that her neighbor had thought to get it. “I’ll remember it. Thank you so much, Miss Frances. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come out when you did.”

“I saw you trying to get past them. When the second one came over and blocked the walk, I figured it was trouble.” Miss Frances turned keen eyes on Nicki. “You don’t know those men?”

Nicki shook her head. “No.”

“They obviously know you, came right to your doorstep. What did they want?”

“They had me confused with somebody else.”

“How could that be when they’re coming to your show?” Miss Frances’s gaze was unflinching. Clearly she was unconvinced.

Nicki was equally convinced that what the two men wanted from her was not only something she wouldn’t give, but also something her nosy, overly talkative neighbor didn’t need to know.

“Thanks again for coming out to check on me. You more than likely prevented a crime.”

“Watching out for each other is what neighbors do.”

Nicki gave Miss Frances a quick hug and headed toward her gate.

“Watch yourself,” Miss Frances yelled behind her. “Remember, those men said they’d see you tomorrow.”

Nicki gave a final wave as she hurried up the steps and into her apartment. There was no need for Miss Frances’s reminder. What the men had said—and even more so how they’d said it—was something that Nicki knew she’d never forget.

Once inside she opened the wine, poured a liberal amount into a goblet and took a long drink. She added some sparkling water and climbed the stairs to her bedroom. With each step her heart slowed and her hands shook less. The past several minutes replayed like a video in her mind. Even as it happened, it had felt like a movie. As if it were someone else. After recording the license number on a pad by her bed, she dialed Vince’s number. It went to voice mail.

“If what happened tonight happens again, I’m going to the police. I will not be harassed, and I certainly will not be threatened by the likes of you or those fools you sent over tonight. Their actions were recorded. So is this phone call. Leave me alone, Vince Edwards. Goodbye.”

She hung up, exhausted. Massaged her tense neck and shoulders. Despite the bravado in her message to Vince, the sinister-looking bullies had left Nicki shaken. She wondered if by chance the store’s surveillance camera had picked up those guys accosting her tonight. She made a mental note to check with the owner tomorrow. For now, she wanted to go to sleep and escape a nightmare named Vince.

Chapter 3

She’d planned to tell no one what happened last night. Especially Paige, because Nicki knew she would worry. But a few days later, while Nicki waited with Paige for the pop star’s car to arrive, the words tumbled out.

“If my neighbor hadn’t come out when she did,” she finished, “I don’t know what might have happened. A part of me wants to believe this was just a scare tactic to see if I could be frightened into sending the cash.”

Paige’s look was doubtful. “And the other part?”

“Really wishes those store cameras could have captured their images so that I’d have concrete evidence of how they harassed me.”

“But their car was on the tape?” Nicki nodded. “Then take that along with a statement from your neighbor and file a police report. You can’t ignore this, Nicki, or wish it away. I hope that night was the end of it, but if not, you’ll want to have everything that happened documented. Do you still have the messages Vince left on your phone?”

“I think so.”

“You need to keep all of that, and if he ever calls again, record it. And you need to tell Julian.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because the more people who are aware of what’s happening, the better any future case might be. And because he’s the man who loves you.”

Joe waved as he pulled the car to the curb.

Nicki waved back and turned to walk away.

Paige called after her, “Where are you going? Joe will take you home.”

“And get used to such lavish star treatment? I’m fine on the subway.”

Paige waved off the comment and walked toward her. “Marry Julian and you’ll have your own driver.” She lowered her voice. “I know your real reason for preferring the train. To get off the subject of telling Julian what’s going on. This business with Vince is out of control. He needs to know about it.”

“I’ll think about it.” Nicki started walking again. Tossed a parting line over her shoulder. “See you mañana.”

She headed to the downtown trains, jumping on the Brooklyn-bound number three. Passing a couple empty seats as the car swayed and wove its way through the underground tunnels, she placed a shoulder against a pole with the practiced ease of a native New Yorker, checking emails and reading texts. One was from Julian. He’d wished her merde, a dancer’s good luck, as he did most nights. Made her think of Paige and the proposal that had happened months before Julian began his internship.

It had been lovely. Lit up on the marquee in the heart of Times Square. He’d gone to one knee, pulled out a telltale blue box and everything. A crowd had gathered, oohed and ahhed. He’d looked so hopeful. But she couldn’t say yes. She’d smiled and hugged him excitedly, making the crowd think she accepted so he wouldn’t be embarrassed. But later on she broke the truth. New York was her soul, Broadway her goal. That’s when he decided they needed a break.

And then Vince happened. She’d heard there’d been no shortage of women vying to claim the spot as Julian’s girlfriend that she’d vacated. A couple of them she knew. Word was he hadn’t dated, had focused on work. Once they got back together, she found out why and felt even worse about her rebound fling. Her rejection had hurt him as deeply as he loved her, a love so strong that when she reached out to him several months later, he took her back, no problem.

The train reached her stop. It was late. Only one other person got off with her. She walked to the stairs and climbed up them, trying to ignore the fearful thought that the duo she’d started calling Bert and Ernie might be waiting for her. Time for a diversion. It was either that or a panic attack. Pulling out her phone, she called Julian. Contrary to Paige’s advice, she would not tell him about what was going on. Julian didn’t know about that ill-fated tryst. She intended to keep it that way.

“Hey, babe. Thanks for the encouraging text. Didn’t read it until after, but the show was—” Nicki drew in a sharp breath as she watched a dark-colored sedan race toward her. Instinct took over. She ran against the light, chancing a look back as she crossed the street. Caught the first two letters on the license plate as the car zoomed through the intersection and continued on its way. Not after her. Just in a hurry. She remembered the license number Miss Frances had given her. The one she’d just seen wasn’t it.

She eased out of the storefront entryway, feeling silly. Paranoid much? She felt someone’s gaze and looked up to see an old man watching her intently. Could only imagine how she must have looked, running when no one was chasing her. Hiding from someone that he couldn’t see. She looked down and realized the call to Julian was still live. God, no. Had she made a sound? Nicki quickly pushed the end button, praying that somehow in the frenzy a message that would sound weird at best, maybe even frightening, wouldn’t go through. Minutes later a text came through. Her prayer had not been answered.

Babe, what’s going on? Where are you?

She continued the short distance to her house, formulating an answer on the way. Just inside her home, she dropped her bag and texted back.

Sorry about that. Just wanted to beat the light, that’s all.

Nicki continued up the stairs to her bedroom, hoping the casual answer would suffice. After several minutes had passed, she thought it had. She took a shower, washed her hair and slipped into a pair of comfy cotton pj’s. Grabbing her phone, she continued downstairs for a cup of chamomile. Julian had called. Left a message and a text. Not only did he not buy her lie, he told her he’d see her on opening night, in person, to find out the truth. Damn, damn, damn!

* * *

One week after that text exchange and ten minutes before curtain, the Drake entourage entered the theater and were ushered to the third row in the orchestra’s center section. They’d flown in for opening night on a company plane. A limo service met them at the private airstrip, with premium champagne and appetizers for the thirty-minute ride into the theater district. The men debonair, the women beautiful, they commanded the attention of the entire audience. Julian took the center seat. To his right was his oldest brother, Ike Jr., with his wife, Quinn. No question whose decision it was to accept his invitation. Ike, ten years older than his pretty wife, detested hip-hop or any similar sounding music. Or he had, until Quinn came into the picture. Of all Julian’s brothers, Ike’s temperament most closely matched his own. That the conservative executive who almost slept in a business suit tonight sported a matching shirt and slacks set from their fashion designer brother-in-law Ace Montgomery’s collection was proof of how Quinn had relaxed him.