"You move quickly, Mr. Marian. From ogling to death threats in mere minutes."
"Beautiful women are always the most dangerous, but that doesn't mean they aren't worthy of a look."
"Don't you think these pleasantries are somewhat out of context?"
"Considering that I told you to tell me where you learned about your Innocence and not to whisper sweet nothings, yes, I do."
His knife had not moved from where it rested on her throat.
Suddenly Toma whispered urgently through the door.
"Sir Cross! Someone's coming down the hall. Hide."
And then he was gone, off to listen behind some door, Cross was sure. Toma's warning was replaced by the sound of footsteps and a devil-may-care voice humming the evening's aria. Then a knock.
Cross moved fast. He recognized that knock. It was the knock of the returning husband, coming back to his faithful wife. It was the knock of the lover returning to his beloved. In short, it was a knock he was accustomed to avoiding. Though the situation was somewhat different this time, he'd rather not have to explain the existence of demons and a top secret Catholic organization if he could at all avoid it. The switchblade was back in his pocket in an instant. Judgment reappeared at his hip a second later. He slipped behind the costume rack, leaving Maria standing alone in the middle the floor. She looked shocked for an instant, then returned to her vanity and took up her makeup brush once more. Her hands shook only slightly as she dipped into her powder. Cross hoped that she would have the sense not to mention him. From the looks of it, though, she was as intent on concealing his presence as he was, for which he was grateful, if puzzled. He wondered who this person might be to warrant such a response. Crouched behind the row of frothy gowns, he decided to risk being noticed for the clear view of the door his present position gave him. He didn't have time to move anyway.
There was a second knock.
"One moment," Maria called. She stood up to grab her dressing gown, wrapping it firmly around her person before heading towards the door. Cross smiled inwardly. Exactly why he never knocked.
"Come in."
The first thing Cross saw when the door opened was a black top hat. As the man bowed his way into the room, the hat was soon removed to reveal a head of black hair, long and slightly curled. The ringlets spilled over the collar of his immaculately tailored suit, framing his broad smile.
"My dear Maria! You were wonderful tonight! Simply suberb!"
Maria smiled at the man. He took a step in and the two met, clasping hands and exchanging a kiss.
Cross had no idea whether her apparent affection for this man was real or feigned, though he suspected the latter. Many women he knew would have burst into tears after being threatened by him, but this one was apparently quite skilled at controlling her emotions.
She spoke in a convincingly excited tone.
"Sherrill, darling, I've been expecting you! Where are we going tonight? What shall I wear?"
"Wherever you like and whatever you like, Maria. You know I find you ravishing regardless of vestments."
The knowing twinkle in his eye was matched by a pretty blush in her cheeks. More acting, Cross was certain. He'd caught her nearly nude and not elicited so much as a pale pink. But why was she so intent on pleasing this man?
"As your patron, might I suggest this?"
Sherrill pulled a string of pearls from his fob pocket, allowing the strand to drip from his fingers and catch the glow of the lamp.
Maria smiled
"Darling, you shouldn't have. My, but they are beautiful."
"Nothing to you, dear."
She turned her back to Sherrill and pulled her hair off her neck so that he could fasten the pearls. She faced him once more and lightly touched the strand in a very fetching manner. The two exchanged another glowing look before Maria shooed Sherrill out of the room to change. Cross felt almost privileged to be allowed to stay, and grinned at his good luck. As soon as her patron had left the room, she stripped back down to her corset and drawers. Facing her wardrobe, her back was to the rack of costumes where the exorcist hid. Cross took his chance.
He leaped up from his hiding place and was across the room in a heartbeat, his knife back out and back at her throat.
Maria made no noise, and simply sighed at Cross' intrusive behavior.
"Mr. Marian, this is not the time, nor the place for this conversation.
"One word of this," Cross began, "and I will kill you both. We'll continue our little chat later."
She rolled her eyes.
"Sherrill, darling!"
Cross swore under his breath. He threw himself towards the wall and flattened himself behind the door. Luckily the man opened the door a mere crack, and apparently missed the heavy breathing mere inches away.
"Which do you prefer, the black dress, or the purple one?" Maria asked.
"The black. Sets offs my hair better. Is that all dear? And please do hurry, or all the restaurants will be full up."
"In a moment, darling."
The door closed and Maria continued dressing. She had adjusted the black gown to her best advantage, then walked over to Cross as although he were a piece of furniture. She turned her back to him and held her hair off her neck in the same gesture she had made towards Sherrill a moment ago.
"Buttons, please," she whispered mockingly to the General. She was quite pleased that the man should play maidservant, if only for a moment.
"Anything for a lady," Cross replied, just as ironically, and began fastening the dress. He finished and bowed, and made to open the door for her. This time her hand was on his as they turned the knob. He winked as she left, but she simply looked straight ahead towards her waiting patron. She closed the door behind her.
Cross waited until the footsteps had faded before reemerging into the hallway.
"Toma!"
The finder emerged from the shadowy corner he had concealed himself in.
"Follow them. Find out where they're going and where he lives. I'm going to get her address from the director. I'll meet you tomorrow morning at your hotel."
The finder nodded, and ran off towards the hallway the couple had taken. Cross went a few doors down, and knocked at the next dressing room. A lovely young girl answered. The chorus, Cross thought, how perfect. One of them was sure to know where the diva lived, if only he could charm it out of them…
Author's Notes: Sorry it's a little shorter. I'm not exactly sure how to spell Sherrill's name, but I don't think there's an official version yet so I guess it's good enough. He recently showed up in the manga, for those of you who are a little behind or only watch the anime. Anyway, enjoy! Review!!