Disclaimer: Not mine, title nicked from Ultraviolet by the amazing McFly. And the name of her mother's clothing line, Mark, is what i'd choose if I ever designed a line of clothing! :P
A/N: You guys rock! Amazingly quick at reviewing, you are, inspires me like you wouldn't believe. Churned this out this morning but I'm off to study now! Hope you enjoy it, things are starting to get interesting, I think. ;)
Chapter 11: In Ultraviolet Light
I pulled my hand out of his immediately and moaned inwardly at the lack of contact. But it had to be done. I pulled my sleeve down again and shoved my hand behind me.
"It's nothing." I smiled at him casually before grabbing the sketchpad from him with my other hand but he lifted out of my reach, which was not exactly difficult. Even in heels, he was a good head taller than me.
"What happened?" He spoke slower this time, his eyes on me but I refused to look at him. Instead I moved my gaze to Nina. She was wringing her hands, her eyes terrified, and I felt sorry for her. She was afraid and to a startling degree. Things must really be rocky between the two of them. That would also explain the possessiveness with which she staked her claim earlier.
To be fair, if I was dating Jared, I probably would have felt every ounce as territorial as she did, but I hoped that I would have handled the situation more gracefully.
"Uh, it was when you were changing…" my voice trailed off as I shifted my gaze to him and he nodded for me to continue. I looked back at Nina and she looked desperate. I let out a breath, resigned to forever be a doormat amongst my peers.
"Pretty standard fare, really, I tripped, and Nina caught me. Thanks again." I shot her what I hoped was a grateful smile and her answering grin was so incredibly brilliant that I had to look away. I forgot how pretty Nina Russet could be when she smiled. Feeling inadequate and slightly ashamed of myself for lying to Jared, I nodded before pulling away from him to pick up my things.
"Are you sure?" He was looking at Nina, who was still looking at me, although her gratefulness had transcended into neutrality as soon as his gaze landed on her. Well played, Russet, well played.
"Yeah." I muttered, heaving a bag over my shoulder before tossing him a quick smile. "Completely."
He nodded, mollified and then moved to pick up the easel and I thanked him quickly. He took off the down the stairs, and left the two of us on the rooftop.
"We should get going-" I started just as Nina interjected.
"I can't believe you did-" We both stopped for a second before I nodded her on.
"Kim, I'm, well I guess what I'm trying to say is that-" But I silenced her with a nod and a small smile. This time it came out far more genuinely.
"It's okay. Really."
"No, wait, it's just that-"
"Nina, you don't have to explain. I'm fine." I tilted my head, towards the door.
"We should really get going." She nodded, looking faintly relieved. But then to my surprise, she reached over and lifted my bag over my shoulders before heading down. I looked after her in shock and she turned around at the door and met my gaze. I smiled hesitantly but she just shrugged her shoulders as if to say it was the least she could do.
And then she was gone, and I was left alone on the balcony. I took one final look, I wouldn't be back here for a while, I supposed, there really was no reason for it. The wind tugged at me, blowing furiously for a second before evening out. I peered up at the sky and was surprised at how much lower the sun was, it was already beginning to set. I briefly thought back to Detective Lucas's words.
"Just make sure you leave by sunset."
But I shrugged, how much different could the city be at night? Besides at the rate this was going, I'd be surprised if we left before tomorrow let alone sunset. Another draft caught my beret and tipped it off my head but I grabbed it before it went over. Peering down into the city, I saw the thousands of cars, their taillights twinkling even from up here. The buildings were alive with the warm glow of the sun and despite the mirrored finish on most of the windows that I could see into up here, I knew behind them there were people, even on a Saturday.
Down in the corridors and street corners, there were tourists and shoppers galore, their tiny heads little moving dots from up here. My parents could be down there, I thought to myself, somewhere. But there was no way I would see them from up here.
Where are you guys?
The wind howled but brought no respite. The answers weren't up here. They would be far below me, if anywhere. But for the moment it was nice to just breathe in the slightly chilled autumn air and taken in the metropolis below me.
I would find them. I would.
I bid the city adieu before turning wearily to head down to the elevator and to the safety of Frank's cab. I had a long afternoon in front of me; it was time to get cracking.
Nina and Jared had already settled themselves into the car and were discussing lunch options when I arrived. I smiled before passing up the door that Jared opened for me and motioned to the head of the limo.
"Frank?" I rapped on the window.
"Yes, Miss Kim?" I smiled at that, I'd begged him when I was younger to use that particular moniker.
"The guys want to grab some food but I was hoping you could drop me off at mom's store before?"
"Of course." He smiled before pausing for a second.
"Will you be joining them for lunch?"
"No, I wont." I gave him a tight-lipped smile before pausing, and handing over a crisp hundred.
"Take them wherever they want, lunch is on me." He understood, we had a system when we took people out to dinner in my family. We always slipped Frank the cash and he'd pay the maitre'd so that our guests never got the opportunity to pay. My father always said that their company was far more valuable than the check.
"Of course miss."
I slipped back into the limo and as soon as I closed the door, Frank pulled us away from the curb.
"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" This time it was Nina who surprised me and I smiled at her before shaking my head.
"No, I've got to drop by mother's boutique. I have to…" Here I paused, what would take enough time?
"I have to file some paper work for her that needs to be sent in." I let out an inner sigh of relief; that came out fairly believably.
"Is your mom going to be around?" Jared queried and to my surprise his face looked excited.
"Why?" I asked carefully.
"Paul told me she's a MI-." He deadpanned, but Nina shoved a hand over his mouth before he could finish. She shook her head at me apologetically but I just chuckled.
"I don't know about that but no she won't." I wrung my hands in my lap. It hurt to say that. No matter how casual the context. I wished more than anything that she would be.
"Too bad." He whistled before grinning at me.
He seemed pleased at my reaction and I felt a little buttery at it too, it felt so wonderful to laugh and joke with friends.
Or acquaintances. I supposed.
We pulled up at the curb outside.
"Frank will take you where ever you like, the man's like a human GPS so you don't have to know where anything is, just give him a name."
I smiled at Jared who looked impossibly excited at the thought of food, you'd think he never ate the way he was reacting.
I waved a quick goodbye before stepping out of the limo and turning to the store. I had just pulled out my keys to go in the front when a hand tapped me on the shoulder.
"Hey, thought we should exchange numbers, you know just incase you need us to pick you up."
I smiled at him, conveniently omitting the fact that I had Frank's on speed dial so it really wasn't necessary.
"Sure." I told him my number before asking him to call my cell and that I'd save it. I pushed the door open just as I finished reciting the numbers and took a step in when he stopped me again.
"You sure you don't want us to stay?" He asked, peering into the darkness of the shop before me. I was touched by his concern but shook my head and smiled at him.
I flicked on the auxiliary lights and the store dazzled, the gleaming white walls juxtaposed against the stark midnight blue mannequins. They were dressed in my mother's finest. I stepped forward onto the floor.
I turned back to look at him. He seemed impressed with the display and less concerned now that the room was lit up so well. He disappeared out the doorway for a second before reappearing suddenly.
"Your mother owns Mark?" He asked.
"You've heard of it?" He chuckled at that before nodding.
"My mom's crazy about this place, she's waiting until she can save up to buy that dress in the back." He pointed to a deep violet number and I smiled at him.
"I designed that one." He looked at me, shaking his head in amusement or perhaps it was amazement, I couldn't tell.
"You're kind of insane you know that?" I paused for a second before smiling.
"Thanks, I think?"
"It was a complement, trust me." His voice deepened just then, husky and perfect and I nodded.
"Well, thanks then." I turned away from him, trying to hide the ecstatic grin that was threatening to take over my face.
A faint blemish on the floor a feet away caught my attention and I sucked in a breath. It couldn't be blood.
I hardened my nerves before turning back to Jared.
"I'll make sure your mom gets it then." I smiled at him. "Slip me her size at school."
But he shook his head.
"I couldn't, but trust me, she'll enjoy it more if she can pay for it herself." He divulged, his voice dropping comically to a whisper. I wasn't sure if I believed him but I didn't push it. But I did give him a quick nudge.
"Your lady awaits." I intoned jovially, and gestured to Nina who was looking out the window at us.
He bowed his head slightly at that and then backed out gracefully before offering a final salute at the door. I shot him a smile and a quick wave before he was gone out the door.
Turning back to the smudge, I peered closer and to my relief it wasn't a smudge at all. It was a piece of cloth, but that was odd, my mother was insanely meticulous about her floor space. I'd spent enough time cleaning up for her to know that.
"Curious." I muttered, under my breath.
The cloth was bold and red and there was only one item in the store that would match it, which was to my left. There was a small chunk ripped from the shoulder of the dress, as if it had caught on something as someone passed by. But how did it get to the floor almost three feet away?
I positioned myself at the mannequin but her shoulder was too high for me to reach. I was just under 5' 3" in my heels today, and my mother was only 5' 4" on a good day. Heels included. So the shoulders would be out of reach for her too, unless it fell and she caught it, and then settled it. But she would never have left a tarnished dress on the floor.
So what had happened?
I moved closer. What if someone was carrying her over their shoulder? Then if she reached out to grab at something she could have easily ripped the shoulder and tossed away the chunk. I pulled on latex gloves before lifting the shoulder of the mannequin's dress carefully, revealing the plastic skin beneath.
In the bright lights of the store, there were scratches on the surface.
But they were clean, no blood, no skin, nothing. I took a breath.
Moving over to the counter, I marked the dust on the surface. It had been almost a week since my mother had been here last, but in the light, half of the counter was visibly less dusty.
Why would someone wipe half a counter?
The answer was startlingly simple: if they spilled something.
My heart pounded in my chest. Suddenly I had no desire to be here anymore. I didn't want to know what they wiped away, I didn't care, I just wanted to leave. But as I turned away from it, I looked back that the bright sunlight streaming in through the open door.
Two tourists walked by, chattering happily and I took strength from them. I was safe. No one could harm me here; it was broad daylight for crying out loud.
I pulled out a UV light from my pack and powered it on.
Please don't let it be blood. Please don't let it be blood. I chanted over and over as I angled the light over the counter.
But it was.