22. A Token from a Distraction
Once again, drapes being pulled wide and cutlery jostling plates brought Lucia to wakefulness. But this time, it wasn't Morpheus's arms she was pulled from, but rather, a new and improved Fantasy Illumi. Yes, she had said she was giving him up, but he, apparently, had other ideas. And she really couldn't complain. As she smiled and languorously stretched, sitting up, she thought this day had better be pretty darn good to make up for that interruption.
It was looking up already, as the departure of the maid through the door signaled the arrival of a figure at her balcony window. 'Bluebird, bluebird, through my window', she hummed. Except he wasn't really a bluebird, more of a blackbird actually, especially dressed, as he was, almost entirely in dark gray. As he came into her room the sun shone in the highlights of his hair, but as glorious a sight as that was, Lucia couldn't help but notice that it also glinted off small round metal balls scattered across his vest. To an ordinary observer they might appear as an unusual decoration or embellishment, but having actually held one, after seeing it used in action, she immediately recognized them for what they were. She shuddered involuntarily. He had come in his professional attire.
"Good Morning, Illumi. Have you had breakfast yet?" Not that she wasn't glad to see him, but she hoped he'd tell her why he was here.
"Um, yeah."
Very forthcoming. Oh well, she wasn't going to be able to figure it out without coffee anyway. "Well I haven't, so if you'll excuse me…Oh!" Now she knew why he had come. When she picked up her coffee cup, there, on the now uncovered front page of Saturday's newspaper, Elizabeth Groesbeck's round face, swollen even more from crying, and the headline: "Senator Groesbeck Found Dead in his Sleep", and below in smaller print: "Autopsy Pending". She shot him a pointed look, but he looked taken aback at that.
"I guess we were together most of last night." She was now pacing back and forth, nibbling on some toast. "And if it had been those 'pin things' of yours, the cause of death would be pretty obvious." She stopped in front of him, holding the toast's crust in front like a pointer. "But the fact that you're here means it couldn't have been a natural death!" she crowed triumphantly.
"Maybe I wanted to see you."
She ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck. They made quite the picture, standing together in the flood of morning sunlight, both tall and slender, he with his raven hair and dark red and charcoal clothes and she with dark gold hair and pure white linen nightdress: a demon prince with an angel inamorata, Pluto and Persephone.
"You won't be seeing me for the next couple of days. I wanted you to know that I'm still on the job."
Her face fell. "Oh."
She moved to turn away, but he stopped her by putting his hands on her waist. "Seeing you might be a distraction."
At that she smiled and laughed at him. "Why Illumi Zaoldyeck, aren't you the sweet talker. That sounds almost like a compliment. I'm going to give you a locket with my picture and have it engraved: From Lucia, your Distraction."
He wasn't smiling. She had to remind herself how seriously he took his work, and after all, right now his job was to protect her. "I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't tease." But it was so easy and fun, she thought. "Groesbeck's murder, you were expecting it?" Silence. "It fits in with my theory, so it probably fits with yours as well."
"Um."
"Well, if this is goodbye before you go off to defend me, I should give you some token, right?" She scanned her room. She didn't have much in the way of scarves or ribbons. Wait a minute. She ran to her dresser and opened the top drawer. Reaching way to the back, she pulled out a dark pink ribbon, a centimeter wide and about thirty in length. "My mother used to tie my hair back with this. Or so I've been told; I don't really remember. I was two when she died."
"I know."
She started at that, but then realized that, of course, he would have researched her past. "I think it'll do just fine." She walked back to him and lifted his left arm tying it around his wrist. He regarded it noncommittally, but she thought it didn't clash too much with the carmine red sleeves of his clothes.
"You still won't tell me who you suspect." Silence. "If I tell you who I do, will you tell me if it's the same?" Still nothing. "Have you ever heard the expression, 'Two heads are better than one'?"
"I think that might adversely affect your balance."
Lucia laughed, and Illumi almost smiled. "OK. OK. But don't expect me to stop trying. Those who know me know I never give up until I get what I want." She continued more seriously, "Please be careful. And come back to me."
"I'm always careful."
And? And? But if he was going to add anything she'd never know, because at that moment the maid tapped on the door and stuck her head into the room, inquiring if it was all right for the exchange to start putting calls through to her now. She'd turned her head at the sound, and when Lucia looked back the slight movement of the sheer panels by her balcony window was the only indication of his passing. And that could have been mistaken for the wind.
Katrina was on the phone. The Opposition party was still asking for Lucia to work the elections in those key districts. She decided to accept the job. She figured they were owed a break after the hits they'd taken. And she knew she could work the sympathy angle to her advantage. The Press Conference was scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. That should be easier, now that it was old news, she reasoned, replaced by Groesbeck. And her father was due back tomorrow evening. Karl was coming back the day before the Minister, and wanted to see her tonight. Fine, Lucia thought, because she wanted to clear a few things up with him. Everything was coming together now.
She was almost certain now she knew who was behind this. And it meant her life wasn't in any real danger.
