Thanks Charmed Snow. I hope you still want to read it, although it took so much time.
Finally the next chapter is ready. It's a little bit different, even so I hope you'll like it.
40. Chapter
When Josh stopped the car, Amy already regretted deeply, that she had decided to go with him. She looked around sceptically and noticed that she didn't know this gloomy district. "Do your friends really have a party here?" She wondered and didn't want to go off the car.
"Yes, I know, it's not much to look at. But you'll see it's different inside." He explained confidently and got off the car.
Amy sighed and followed him, although she hated to do it. But Josh had already opened the door and greeted a woman standing at the entrance. Loud music sounded towards them, when they entered the club. A band was playing on the stage and Amy had to pull herself together not to put her hands over her ears, because of the noise. But probably nobody would have noticed it, because the room was full of smoke and fog patches.
"We are on stage here very often. But the Squarks perform today." Josh shouted and led her to a table, where a crowd was already standing. Josh introduced them to Amy, but after that, Amy couldn't remember one of them, because of the huge number of names and the noise.
She smiled friendly and wished, that she would be able to beam away from this place, like Cole and Prue could do. But nothing happened, Josh talked to his friends and Amy watched the other persons sceptically. The girls were wearing short skirts and tops and had crazy hairstyles and all of Josh's friends wore leather clothes and their skin was covered with tattoos. Amy was out of place and she felt terrible, even a hen party with Charlotte and Gillian was wonderful compared with this party here.
Suddenly a man shouted to her, if she wanted to drink anything. Amy gave him a horrified look, he wore a black leather vest and had a bristle haircut. Amy had got a funny feeling about him and she had no idea, what the guests were usually drinking here. She didn't want to make a fool of herself by ordering a coke. "Beer!" She let out even if she didn't want to drink a beer. The man nodded and disappeared among the crowd.
Amy looked at the stage again. It seemed as if the song was finally over, because the crowd started to roar. Josh applauded, too, while Amy was happy that it was quiet now. "Do you play the same kind of music?" She asked Josh with a sceptical look.
"Yes, but we aren't as hard as the Squarks." He said. "You'll have to come and see us next time."
"Mm." Was everything Amy could say, because she was absolutely sure, that she would never come back here.
"What?" Josh asked surprised. "You won't tell me, that you don't like it here, will you?"
Luckily Amy didn't have to answer, because the man from the bar was coming back with two bottles of beer in his hands.
"Thanks Zack." Josh said and looked at Amy smiling. "Zack is the owner of this club." He said and clinked their bottles. "Come on, let's drink a little bit and you'll feel better." He said confidently.
Zack looked at Amy thoughtfully. "You've never been in a club like this before, have you?" He wanted to know.
Amy drank a bit of her beer and shook her head. "No!" She explained and remembered in time, that the man was the owner of this club. "But it's very nice here." She let out.
Zack nodded, he understood. He turned to Josh angrily. "Hey, Josh. You are lucky enough to take out such a nice lady tonight and where do you go? In this joint. I can't believe it." He shook his head and walked back to the bar.
"Why?" Josh gave Amy an insecure look. He had never before invited a girl, who was usually moving in higher circles. He got nervous and took out a cigarette, when he remembered just in time, how they had met."Oh!" He let out in excuse and put the cigarette away. "You don't like smokers, do you?"
"It's okay, it doesn't make any difference here." Amy said and looked around. "But I thought, that it's not allowed."
One of Josh's friends leaned to her and shrugged his shoulders. "We don't care if it's prohibit to smoke, we do what we want to do." He explained firmly and gave Josh a put on his back. "Even Josh tempts fate and ignores the law."
"Very funny." Josh said and looked at Amy intently. "You don't feel very well here, do you?" He found out discontented.
"Well, I don't know anyone here." Amy explained in excuse.
"But everybody is very nice." He said and looked at his friend, Amy couldn't remember his name. He was looking older than Josh and he had dark hair and a thin under lip beard.
"That's true." He told Amy and looked her up and down, when one of the women from the other side called something to him. "One moment." He said and turned around.
"Rick and his groupies." Josh informed Amy with a weary smile.
"Oh." Amy gave Josh a surprised look. "Do you have any, too?"
"Oh, well, not really." Josh admitted and added. "Rick is the singer in our band, therefore he's always the focus of attention. But we were the best friends when we were at school and he's still my best friend."
Amy gave Josh a surprised look. "You were in the same class at school?" She asked and wondered, if Rick had to stay back in class more than once.
"Yes, I know." Josh said rather frustrated, while he took off his jacket. "But I tell you, when we'll be older, I'll look good for my age, while everybody will think that he's 10 years older than me."
"Of course!" Amy said while she was shocked to see Josh's upper arm. "You also have a tattoo." She let out.
"Year, it's cool, isn't it?" Josh asked proudly and showed her his upper arm.
"Mm." Amy said, rather unenthusiastic and asked politely. "And what is it?"
"A barbed wire ring." Josh explained and cast a satisfied look at his tattoo. "Everybody in music business has tattoos." He explained.
"Do you have more of it?" Amy wanted to know, prepared for everything.
"No, not yet." he explained meekly and added quickly. "I couldn't decide which tattoo would fit best, yet. But instead I've this." He said and raised his shirt to impress her.
Amy took great pleasure in watching his smooth and slim, but athletic body. And she was relieved, that she couldn't make out another tattoo. Josh grinned at Amy and took her hand to lead it to his chest, where a ring pierced his nipple.
Completely surprised Amy had to pull herself together so that she didn't pull back her hand. "Oh my God." She let out. "It hurt, didn't it?"
"Oh no, it was just a little prick." Josh explained and shrugged cooly.
"Who are you trying to kid?" Rick said and turned to them again. "He's always in a blue funk, if he just hears the word needle. Therefore he first wanted to try a transfer instead of a tattoo." He explained grinning.
Josh gave him a dark look. "It wasn't so bad." He said angrily.
"Pull the other one! I remember your piercing very well." He told Amy with relish. "He had to give himself Dutch courage. So he was nearly drunken, when he finally did it."
Amy smiled. "Well, I can understand him very well." She said and gave Josh a sympathetic look.
"Goddess Josh. I've always told you, that one day you'll find a girl, who likes such sensitive guys like you." Rick explained and gave him an encouraging path on his shoulder.
"Yes, thanks!" Josh said unhappily.
Rick looked at Amy again. "The little boy is full of complexes, because he's so naked." He told her, while Josh gave him a black look.
"Leave us alone, Rick, will you?" He snapped at him.
"Okay!" Rick raised his hands grinning and turned around again.
Josh tried to make the best of it and said in his defense. "It's not true. It's a hard decision to find the right tattoo, I mean it's for the rest of my life."
Amy smiled at him. "Well I like it better how it is." She explained.
Josh gave her a surprised look. "Really?"
Amy nodded and turned around quickly, when she noticed that she turned scarlet. She pretended to be interested in the empty stage, where a few people were standing around or dancing by the music, that filled the air. Amy started to smile, because suddenly everything wasn't as bad as she had thought before.
When they left the club in the early morning, Amy felt wonderful. Against all expectations Josh's friends turned out to be very nice and Any could talk to them unconstrained. She couldn't compare them with Charlotte and her friends. When she was together with them she always had to take care what she had to hide and what she could say. Within time Amy had fun, she danced with Josh, ate sticky chips, she laughed and enjoyed the night.
While Amy grinned happily, Josh tried to open the front passengers door of his rickety car. "It's stuck." He excused. "Wait one minute, I'll try it from the inside." He got in and pushed the door open. "I'm sure you are used to drive in much better cars." He said unhappily. "But when I'll be a rock star, I'll drive the best cars."
Amy got in and looked at him thoughtfully. "Money can't always make you happy." She explained.
Josh grinned. "Only rich people can say that." He told her.
"Yes, because only rich people can know it." Amy informed him.
"Well unfortunately I can't contradict." Josh said and looked at her thoughtfully. "So what, will you go home now?"
Amy shook her head. "No, I'm not in the mood to go home." She said smiling.
"That's good." Josh tried three times until he could start the car. "I know where we can go."
Soon later, they parked nearby the river. They got off the car and walked along the riverside promenade. Amy folded her arms and looked thoughtfully at the morning fog, which was still over the river.
"Are you cold?" Josh wanted to know and thought, if he should offer her his leather jacket.
Amy looked at him smiling. "No, it's okay." She said. "You don't wear very much under your jacket."
"But you could come closer." Josh suggested and stretched his arm out for her."
Amy looked at him thoughtfully, but finally she stepped to him, so that Josh could lay his arm around her. To her surprise it felt good to go beside him. They walked along the riverside silently.
"I've never been here before so early in the morning." Amy finally said.
"No?" Josh gave her a surprised look. "But I. I love it, when I'm nearly alone and can see the quiet misty river. When you don't hear anything else than your own footsteps and when finally the first steamboat drives off. It's a special atmosphere." He explained and turned to her. "Have you ever been at the French Market early in the morning?"
Amy shook her head. "No, I haven't."
"Okay, then let's go, you have to see it." He said with a satisfied smile on his face.
They strolled along the Moonwalk, passed the Cafe du Monde, until they reached the market. Even in the early morning many people bustled about. Vegetables, fruits and seafood were unloaded and sold to the first customers.
Amy watched the busy activity rather interested. "I didn't know, that so much people are up and about on Sunday morning." She let out in surprise.
"Well, if you have a restaurant, you'll have to buy fresh fish even on Sundays." Josh explained. "I've also delivered vegetables for greengrocers in the past. I had to get up so early, it was hell."
Amy gave Josh an excusing look. "I'm so sorry, that you've lost your job." She said.
Josh shrugged his shoulders. "It's okay." He said. "As this guy, this friend of yours, has already said, the prisoners, who obviously weren't prisoners, are gone now, therefore it was the much better way to stop working." He said composed. "And I'm sure nobody noticed that I was involved in this mess, so perhaps they won't fire me."
Amy gave him a surprised look. "Would you go on working for them?" She asked.
"Of course. If the business, which organized the transports, still exists. Why not? I mean, they had nothing to do with all this." Josh said.
"Well, I don't know." Amy said sceptically and frowned. His friends had told her, that Josh started panicking by the slightest violation of the law. "I've heard that you don't like to find yourself up against criminals."
Josh sighed. "Hey, it paid off, the salary was great and I didn't have to get up too early. The job had advantages." He justified himself and looked around. "But come on, let's change the subject. Are you hungry?"
Amy looked around thoughtfully, the smell of fish in the early morning wasn't very good for her stomach. "Well unfortunately I don't like fish for breakfast." She said with an excusing smile.
"No problem." Josh looked around. "What about fruit?" He asked and led her to the stands with fresh fruits.
Amy was relieved to get away from the fishmarket and decided for some juicy peaches. The saleswoman packed them into a paper bag, while Josh searched for some money in his pockets. Thoughtfully Amy watched him, she didn't feel good, that he had to pay for her, but she knew exactly, that the offer to pay the fruits, would be an offense for him. And at least she came to the conclusion, that he could afford to buy a few peaches. The saleswoman took the crumpled notes and gave Amy the bag with a friendly smile on her lips.
Satisfied Josh led back Amy to the promenade and they sat down on a bench at the riverside. "Of course I could also have invited you in a cafe." Josh said firmly. "But this is something else, isn't it?"
Amy nodded and took a peach. "Yes, you're right." She said resolutely and grinned. "And besides I'm too critical, when I visit a cafe."
Josh leaned forward and looked at her asking. "Yes? Why? You don't seem very demanding to me."
Amy tried her peach and leaned forward quickly, too, so that the juice didn't drip onto her trousers. Thoughtfully she looked at the river. "Well," She finally admitted. "I always think, that I'm able to do it much better at home."
"You are able to cook?" Josh wondered.
Amy nodded. "Yes, I know you'll think that it's boring, but I like it." She explained firmly.
"No, no, it's great. At home we only put instand meals into the microwave." Josh explained and added grinning. "And I thought, that you would have an employee for the household."
"Why do I have to explain it to you again and again? I'm not rich, just my stepfather has money." Amy said angrily and bit off her peach. While the juice was running along her fingers, she explained. "We didn't have any money, before my mother married him."
"And your father?" Josh wanted to know.
Amy shrugged her shoulders and said briefly. "I've no idea, I don't know him."
Josh nodded. "Yes, probably it's better if you don't know him." He said in a bitter voice. "I'd wish, I would never have known my father."
Amy gave him a sceptical look, but she didn't go on asking. She could understand him too well, if he didn't want to talk about it. They ate their fruits silently.
"My hands are sticky." Amy broke the silence after a while and looked around. "If I could wash them in the river?"
"Well I know something else." Josh said. He smiled and took her hand to raise it to his lips slowly. While he took one of her fingers into his mouth, he watched Amy the whole time attentively.
Amy looked at him hesitatingly and finally she murmured. "I fear, that doesn't work."
Josh still held her hand and looked at her thoughtfully. "But I like it." He said in a low voice. "Your fingers are as sweet as you."
Amy gave an embarrassed smile and looked down. "You don't know me very well." She said evasive.
"I can see it, just when I look into your green cat's eyes." Josh said smiling and lifted her chin a little bit to look her deep into the eyes. "And I'd like to know you much better." He said resolutely and leaned forward.
Amy gave him a sceptical look and as a precaution she leaned back a little. "How do you mean?"
Josh grinned. "Quite harmless." He explained and kissed her softly on her lips. "I'd like to see you again."
"Oh, I... I..." Amy looked into his dark eyes, which were completely different to Adam's. He made her nervous, because not only his eyes were different, he was different and that was rather exciting. "Why not." She explained smiling.
Josh leaned forward and Amy let him kiss her again. His lips tasted of peach and although he had told her, that he didn't have any groupies, she noticed immediately that he knew exactly what he did. It was so easy to drift, nevertheless Amy freed herself carefully after a while.
"What's wrong?" Josh wondered.
"It's just, ... well..." Amy looked down insecure. She didn't know him very well and she didn't know, what he wanted of her.
Josh gave a knowing nod. "I understand, you don't have to tell me." He explained and ran his hand through her hair. "There was such an idiot, who hurt you and now you want to be carefully."
Amy looked up in surprise. "How do you know?" She wondered.
Josh shrugged his shoulders. "It's always the same, isn't it?" He wanted to know. "There are enough disgusting bastards on his world, who like to hurt someone."
Amy shook her head softly. "No, actually he was different ... he was ... too good. He decided for church." She explained.
Josh leaned back and looked at her asking. "Church?"
Amy nodded. "Year, he preferred to become a priest."
"Oh my God, what an idiot!" Josh explained and gave an unbelieving laugh. "You're joking, that can't be true. He's got a screw loose."
Amy grinned unhappily. "Yes, Cole told me the same."
"Oh this guy you live with." Josh said sceptically and when Amy nodded, he looked at her asking. "Who is it and why do you live there?"
"I ... well, he was my lawyer." Amy explained and added quickly. "I know, that you can't stand lawyers, but he really helped me."
"Oh, I see! But why? Did you really have any problems with the police?" Josh wondered, he couldn't imagine that someone like Amy could be in trouble with the law. "Have you been on a demo against ecocide or something like that?" He wanted to know grinning.
"No, well..." Amy looked at the ground. "I was charged with murder. But it was a mistake." The words came gushing out. "They said that I had killed my friend, this priest." She said and cast a quick look at Josh looking at her with his mouth wide open. "But it wasn't me, honestly!" She added quickly.
"I knew it. I've seen your face before." Josh let out in a low voice. "Oh my God, you are Amy Carey."
Amy nodded and looked at him asking. "Yes, what's so bad about it?"
Josh didn't answer. "Therefore you've even been in jail." He thought horrified and jumped up. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously and decided. "I .. I think we should better go. We have to go a few minutes to the car."
"What?" Amy frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Josh said calming and forced a smile. "I just think it's time to go. I have to look for a new job and generally..."
"On a Sunday?" Amy asked sarcastically and stood up deeply disappointed. "But I understand. Fine, no problem. I'll better go." She said and rushed to the street. She wanted to get away from him as fast as possible.
"Stop! Wait!" Josh shouted and ran after her. "I can take you home." He agreed to.
Amy looked at the street and didn't turn around. She had enjoyed this night and then he had destroyed everything. "That's not necessary." She said. "I can take a taxi, finally I'm rich." She looked at the cafe, where some taxis were waiting for costumers.
A taxi driver noticed her immediately and came closer. "Do you need a taxi, madam?" He wanted to know hopefully, when he arrived beside them.
Amy nodded. "Yes, thanks!" she said, she was relieved and got in quickly.
"Okay, well. Bye" Josh shrugged his shoulders. He didn't await until the taxi was gone, but turned around and walked back to the river.
Amy was depressed, she looked after him and told the taxi driver the address of Cole's house. She wanted to be alone, she didn't want to talk to anybody. The driver nodded, obviously he understood, because he was silent and drove along the quiet streets. Amy couldn't understand, why Josh had acted this way. Why did he mind, that she had been charged with murder? Okay, everybody could read about it in the papers, but she wasn't guilty.
Or did Josh think, rich people just had to engage an influential lawyer to get free? What an idiot, okay she had needed a list to get free, but she hadn't murdered Adam, nothing else cared. And besides Josh couldn't know, anything about it. How could he dare to judge her? He wasn't the virtuousness in person, either. At least not at first sight.
When the taxi stopped in front of the house, Amy paid the driver and got off. She was still rather frustrated. Lost in thoughts she walked to the door and searched in her handbag for her keys. Where were they? Where did they hide? She stopped in front of the door and rummaged in her bag, she had to find the keys, her bag wasn't so big, but obviously they were gone.
Angrily Amy spilled everything onto the ground, when she suddenly heard a noise from the other side of the door. She stepped aside in alert and looked carefully inside the hall. There was something strange, she held her hand over her eyes to look clearer, but she couldn't make out anything. Perhaps she was wrong, she thought sighing and walked back to the entrance.
She listend intently at the door, but she couldn't hear any noise. Probably she was just imagining the noise, she tried to calm herself down. The last day and the sleepless night had been really taken it out of her. Thoughtfully she looked at her things lying on the ground and found her keys without any problems. She picked it up and walked to the door. She listened intently again, but she couldn't hear anything, carefully she opened the door and entered the hall.
The first thing she noticed was Zadie's bowl with oil. It was lying on the ground, while the wick was still burning. Surprised, Amy kneeled down and picked ist up carefully. Somebody must have knocked it down, she wondered shocked. Probably she didn't just imagine the noise. Prepared for everything Amy stood up and turned around cautiously.
At first she could just make out a shadow, but then she saw her worst nightmare. The figure without a heart was standing at the end of the hall, Adam's murderer!