Chapter 8 - V.I.P.
(...the Crowne Plaza ballroom...a few hours later...)
The various attendees file into the beautifully appointed room. A performing string quartet lends a touch of class. There is much chatter among the guests that are already inside.
At that moment, Landon and Sheila walk in, he in a tuxedo, her in a form-hugging green and black dress.
"Now this is swanky."
"Don't I know it? And, by the way, you look good enough to eat." He leans in close. "Make of that what you will."
"Oooh. I intend to." They both laugh. She looks around. "Hey, where's the corpse?"
"She was fixing her face", replied Sally, indignantly. Her figure looks nice in her purple dress, with her hair done up in a bun. A small purse brings the ensemble together.
"Sally. You look nice." Landon gazes at his former associate...a little too much for Sheila's liking. She elbows him in the gut.
"We ought to get going."
Sally trudges inside. Landon clears his throat.
"Gracefully."
She shoots him an annoyed smirk and strolls in like a debutante.
Sheila shakes her head. "Why won't you let me take care of this?"
"Because Denny's murder would be traced back to me. You are in my employ, remember?"
"But I can handle it. I'm much better than the Cryptkeeper, there."
"Why are you so down on older people? She's my age, you know?"
She sighs. "Let's just say I had a couple of bad experiences."
They start walking. "I see those pigment pills are working for you."
Sheila looks at her lightly tanned arm. "Yes, they are, but you didn't have to go to the trouble."
"Actually, I did. People would've asked too many questions if they saw you as you were. That, and the maker, DCA Pharmaceutical, they owed me a favor. By the way, are you really that pale...all over?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?", she responds, quite flirtatiously.
Just as they get lost in the crowd, Denny walks in, followed closely by Kim, Ron and Josh. All of them are dressed fancily.
"I still say he doesn't need us."
"Better safe than sorry, Kim." Josh looks around a bit for the dark-haired woman he saw earlier. Too bad that there are several dark-haired women in the crowd.
"Besides, how often do we get to attend something so fancy?"
Kim turns to Ron. "I don't know...twice a month!"
"So, what's one more time?"
(...the Mankey home...twenty minutes later...)
Tara and Lila sit on the living room couch, facing each other. They look to be in pretty good spirits.
"No way. You can take classes about movies in college?", Tara inquired.
"Not just take classes about movies, but make them as well."
"How did this happen?"
"Well, it kinda started when I was a sophomore in high school. I was pretty popular, on the cheer squad. It was around this time that I noticed that movies were getting to be...just so crappy." Lila shifts a little in her seat. "My friends didn't really notice or care. They weren't into movies. They would be all 'Lila, if movies are so lame, then why see them all the time?'. Why suffer through the same old trash when you can make your own films? Then I heard about the film program at Upperton University. You have to have a particular GPA to make it there. Let me tell you, I fought like hell to get in. I worked and studied and, like that, my 2.1 became a 2.9."
"You said you make movies. What kind?"
"Whatever strikes me as interesting: comedy, drama, experimental, you name it."
"That sounds like fun."
"Well, it's as much fun as it is work."
"But it's worth it in the end, right?"
"Is it ever."
(...across the street...)
Mason lets out an annoyed grunt as he sits in his car. He watches the Mankey house through binoculars.
"How the hell am I gonna get inside?"
He reaches over to a briefcase in the passenger seat and puts it in his lap.
The case is opened, revealing several small tools.
"I could use the lock picks or the mini-crowbar." He runs his hands about the mini devices. "But then, I've always wanted to use the glass cutter..."
(...the living room...)
Tara stands up and stretches her legs. "Do you mind if I crack a window? It's kind of hot in here."
"Go ahead."
She goes to a window and opens it.
(...across the street...)
This innocent action does not go unnoticed by the assassin. He looks down to his tools and, with a frown, closes the case.
"Maybe next time."
(...the living room...)
"So, tell me. You and my brother. How'd that happen?"
"Well, I was at the mall one Saturday. I'm usually there on Saturdays. I get out of Club Banana and I run into Josh. Like, literally, run into him. We get up and I'm like 'I'm sorry', and he's all 'That's okay'."
"He has that effect on girls." They both laugh.
"So, we get to talking about history class and these reports we have to do on historical figures. It was due that Tuesday. I told him about it and he decided to help me. He'd already finished his report last week. We went to the library. He was looking through some books and...I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I think he caught me looking, though."
"And how did the report go?"
"Got a B+. That's the best I've ever done in that class. I saw Josh later that day, and I was so grateful...I kissed him. In front of everyone. I got two days' detention, but it was worth it."
"Detention? For a kiss."
"There's a no PDA policy at the school, enforced by Mr..."
"Barkin. Ol' 'tough-but-fair' Barkin. He's still there?"
"Sure is."
"Back when I was at Middleton High, I was always giving him lip about something, you know, before my turnaround. At my graduation, he told me how proud he was of me and that this is why he's so hard on us. He's driven to see us succeed."
"Yeah."
"I just wish that...that Dad was there."
"Your dad?"
"Ritch Mankey. He worked at a construction site. The two of us were inseparable." Tara sees tears forming in Lila's eyes. "It was raining one night. He was driving home and..."
Tara reaches out her hand. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
"No." She puts up her hand. "It was really coming down. He couldn't see the semi heading toward him. He held on for as long as he could." Lila wipes tears from her eyes. "That was seven years ago. From that point, me and Mom were at each other's throats. We never meant the things we said to each other, and now...I'll never get to see her again." Lila wraps Tara in a hug, crying.
"I'm sorry."
(...the Crowne Plaza ballroom...twenty minutes later...)
Denny sits at his table looking quite bored. His eyes go across the room to a similarly disinterested woman in a purple dress. He gets up from his seat.
Sally takes a sip of water from the glass next to her.
"Hello."
Sally looks up at the man. She looks surprised.
"You look like you're having fun."
"That's me; Miss Fun."
"These things are so dull. If it wasn't for the shrimp puffs, I wouldn't be here."
"If not for me, you wouldn't be here", Sally muttered under her breath.
"What?"
"Nothing."
A hand reaches out to her. "Would you like to dance?"
"Sure, I guess."
Denny pulls her out of her seat. The two of them hit the dance floor. The quartet plays a new melody; a slower one.
The two of them glide across the floor.
From a far-off table, Kim and Ron look at the couple.
"Looks like someone is having a good time."
"Yeah. You know, Denny was right about these shrimp puffs. They're delicious."
"I hope no one tries anything on him. The two of them look so nice."
Landon and Sheila look on from another table.
She snorts. "Does she have to be so clingy?"
"Sometimes, that's the only way."
"You don't think she'll rat us out, do you?"
"And put four lives in danger? I think not."
Denny looks at his dance partner. "You know, if I was a few years older..."
"Hey, I'm not that old."
"I'm just saying that...maybe something could happen."
Sally appears to be thinking about something.
"Say, you wanna get out of here?"
Denny nods. "All right."
The two of them trot off through the crowd and out the door.
They zoom right by Josh, who walks in. He goes to his table. "Did I miss anything?"
"Denny met someone. I think we should follow them."
"I don't know, KP. I mean, wouldn't it be awkward to run in on them, you know...?"
"Ron!"
"I figure that might be the next logical step."
Kim shakes her head as the three of them head for the door.
(...room 921...moments later...)
Sally walks inside. "Wow, this room looks nice."
"Well, I borrowed the key from a couple sitting at a nearby table, just in case."
"Why, Mr. Denny, are you suggesting that this meeting is becoming something more than it should be?"
"One of the reasons I became a politician, one that I don't tell people about much, was to meet women. Hey, it's why guys do anything."
"Well, I have something to confess, Mr. Denny."
"What's that?"
"My interest in you is strictly professional."
"How do you mean? You're not an...experienced woman, are you?"
"Not even close, though I am gonna need you to get into bed."
(...moments later...)
Sally looks in the bathroom mirror. In the background, she sees Denny on the bed, laying motionless.
She grabs her purse from the counter and walks out.
(...the hallway of the ninth floor...minutes later...)
Sally casually walks out of the room. She stops suddenly at the sight of a young man in a suit...
"Josh!"
The look of shock registering on the woman face is magnified in the eyes of her son.
"Mom?", he whispers.
He runs into her arms and wraps her in a big hug. She can't help but let loose a few tears.
"Are you all right? What are you doing here?", she asks.
"I think it'd be a good idea to ask you the same question."
"Well, I..."
"I think I heard someone around this corner."
Josh is distracted by Kim's announcement. She and Ron see him. "Josh, who were you talking to?"
He looks to find that Sally is long gone. He shrugs his shoulders. "No one."
The three teens take off down the hall.
Sally hears someone coming. She looks at the door next to her. It reads '903'.
She heads down the hall before reaching '909'. She opens her purse and fishes for her room key. The plastic strip is placed in the electronic latch, unlocking the door. Sally quickly ducks inside.
(...room 909...)
Sally walks into her suite. She looks around. The sound of the door closing gets her attention. She whips her head around.
Sheila is at the door, a smile on her face. Her hand closes the door.
"Landon made me promise not to harm a hair on Denny's head."
She raises her right hand. A snap of the fingers illuminates the palm in glowing green flame. Sally's eyes widen at the 'show'.
"But, thankfully..."
Her fingers snap on the left hand, producing the same result.
"...he didn't say anything about you."
The young woman lunges at Sally, who turns around and dodges the assault. With a handspring, Sheila lands on the bed.
A couple of bounces and Sheila is, once again, on the carpeted floor. Sally takes a fighting stance.
Sheila makes another run, fists blazing. She swipes Sally across the back. The brunette cries out.
The dark-haired woman crouches down and sweeps Sally's legs. The Cutter hits the floor.
Sheila stands over her. "Oh, I hope I didn't hurt you too much, Grandma." Sally rolls onto her back, provoking more groans. She walks in front of her. "I never really took the time to notice. How does that ground feel?"
Sally narrows her eyes and extends her leg, sending her foot into Sheila's shin. The younger woman yells and falls forward, joining her 'comrade' on the floor.
"You tell me."
Before Sheila can do anything, Sally crouches back and jumps to her feet. Sheila reaches her leg out to try and trip the older woman, but Sally grabs her foot and twists it. Sheila starts to scream. The noise ends as Sally kicks her in the mouth.
"Don't mess with a desperate woman." Sally runs to the door and opens it a crack. The coast looks to be clear, so she runs out.
(...the hallway of the ninth floor...moments later...)
With a ding, the elevator opens. Landon steps out of the car. He makes his way down the hall. He is about to turn a corner when he sees a young man with spiked hair. Landon stares a bit. Then it hits him. 'Local young artist dazzles art show crowd.'
Landon hides behind the corner. Josh continues through the corridor. As he reaches the corner, Landon swings his fist, knocking out the young artist.
The former agent drags Josh's body to a door marked 'stairs'. If Landon had been paying closer attention, he would've noticed the trail of blood being left by Josh's nose.