Anna and John entered the night club and walked downstairs trying to find a table in the crowded room. Finally John spotted one and grabbed Anna's hand to lead her over to it, pulling out her seat and waiting for her to sit before sitting himself. Anna looked around. It was a beautiful venue done in red and blacks. She knew there was some kind of performance tonight but frowned as she noticed there wasn't any stage. She turned to John.
"Where is the performance? I don't see a stage."
John looked around, "I'm not sure, probably something with smoke and mirrors."
Anna smiled, "Thank you for bringing me."
John smiled, "It's my pleasure. After all I'm in charge of cheering you up."
"Well it's working. This is all very exciting."
A waiter came to the table to take their order. Anna ordered a gin and tonic while John ordered a club soda with lime.
"You don't drink?"
John shook his head, "Not for a very long time, it has never done me any favors."
Anna wanted to ask more, but didn't feel comfortable asking so she instead changed the subject.
"Have you been here before?"
John shook his head, "No, but my best friend Robert has and claims they put on a wonderful show."
Suddenly the lights dimmed and voice came through the room, "Welcome to Club Red, where the audience puts on the show." Music began playing over the sound system.
Anna looked at John, who had a panicked look on his face, she leaned down to speak to him, "I take it you had no idea the audience was the show?"
John shook his head and spoke loudly to be heard over the music, "No and I will kill Rob for not telling me."
Anna smiled, "I don't know, it all sounds fun too me."
Suddenly the music stopped and a man appeared in the center of the room. He was holding two oranges. As he spoke, Anna realized the point of the game was to transfer the orange from person to person without using your hands. As he asked for volunteers, Anna turned to John.
"This sounds like fun; shall we give it a try?"
John looked hesitant, "I don't know, seems rather difficult doesn't it?"
Anna reached for his hand, pulling him up, "Not at all, now stop being a stick in the mud and let's try."
She led him to the center of the room where six other couples had gathered. Anna positioned herself behind John, chuckling as an older woman was placed in front of John. The woman was handed an orange and when the whistle blew she turned to John and Anna watched as the two of them wiggled around as John tried to capture the orange under his chin. It was the funniest thing Anna had ever seen, as John bent up and down, at one point his head was on the older woman's stomach who didn't seem to mind at all. Finally John worked the orange back up the woman's chest and captured the orange under his chin. He quickly turned to Anna, stumbling slightly against her. Anna laughed and attempted to reach for the orange. She quickly realized this wasn't as easy of a game as it looked and the height difference between the two of them made it even more difficult. John must have realized this as well, because he bent his body down to allow her more of a chance to grab the orange. She tried, but missed and the orange ended up trapped between their bodies. Anna looked up, realizing suddenly how close she was to his face. She gazed up into it, her eyes drawn to his. They were like prism of colors, greens and browns matched with gold and red. She glanced down at his lips, which were slightly parted and she found herself leaning in slightly, then the orange began to drop and she was brought back to reality. She bent her body to trap it on his chest and using her chest she worked it back up until it was near her face and she leaned in capturing it under her chin. She smiled up at him and turned to the next person in line, stopping when she realized it was one of the men from the church earlier. She tried to back up, but the man grabbed her.
"Tell me where it is?"
Anna frowned, trying to pull away. It was hard to hear anything over the sound of music and she turned to look for John, but his back was to her and he was chatting with the older woman. She turned back to look at the man.
"I don't know what you are talking about!"
The man squeezed her arm, causing her to wince, "Tell me where your husband hid it and you won't get hurt."
She pulled her arm away. "I told you I don't know what you are talking about, now let me go."
The man went to speak again, when he stopped suddenly looking over her shoulder. She frowned as he turned and quickly left the room. She turned to see John heading towards her.
"Is everything okay?"
Anna nodded, "Yes I'm fine, just a misunderstanding. I need to use the ladies room and then I think I would like to go home."
John frowned, "Already? Are you sure you are okay?"
Anna nodded, "Yes, I'm just more tired than I realized. Will you just give me a few moments to freshen up?" At John's nod, Anna turned and headed towards the ladies room.
She walked in and after making sure she was alone she pulled out her phone and dialed, "Inspector Barrow? This is Anna Smith. Something strange has happened." Anna finished relaying the message. She frowned as Barrow spoke.
"What do you mean you were worried about something like this? Shouldn't you have told me this information?"
She listened for a few more minutes, before nodding, "Fine, I will meet you tomorrow." She hung up the phone and turned to look in the mirror. She walked to the sink and turned on the water, bending down to scoop some up over here face. When she stood back up, she nearly screamed. There was a woman standing behind her. She quickly turned, her back pressed tightly against the sink as the woman moved closer.
"Where is it?"
Anna shook her head, trying to keep her voice steady. "I don't know what you are talking about."
The woman bent down so their faces were level, Anna tried not to flinch at the scent of tobacco on her breath. "You expect me to believe your husband didn't tell you where he hid it?"
Anna shook her head, "My husband didn't talk to me at all." She pushed forward knocking the lady off balance and rushed out of the bathroom, and straight into someone's arms. She yelled in fright and fought as the arms tightened.
"Anna! Anna? What's wrong?"
She calmed down as she looked up and recognized John's voice. He was frowning as he looked down at her. Anna took a deep breath.
"Can you please just take me home?"
Anna walked in to the boarding house ahead of John, giving a nod to Mr. Carson at the front desk. John hurried after her, stopping her at the lift before she could push the button.
"Anna, why won't you tell me what happened back there?"
Anna shook her head, "I don't even know what to tell you, because I don't understand it myself. Will you please see me to my room?"
John nodded, and pushed the button, it was only a few moments before it arrived on their floor. It was an old-fashioned lift and there was barely room for the two of them. They both squeezed in, facing each other.
Anna smiled up at him, "Cozy."
John sighed, "I want to know what's bothering you."
Anna shook her head and instead reached up and touched his hair, "You have wonderful hair, what shampoo do you use?"
John opened his mouth to answer, but stopped as the lift shuddered to rest; he pulled open the door and allowed Anna to exit first.
Anna turned to look at him, "Will you come in for some tea?"
John shook his head, "It's late and I'm tired, if you aren't going to tell me what is going on, I'm going home and going to bed."
Anna smiled up at him. "Do you know what's wrong with you?"
John shook his head, "No, what?"
Anna reached up and kissed him on the cheek, "Nothing."
She turned and opened her room, closing the door on an open mouthed John. She turned on the light and screamed. There was a man in her room; he glared at her, a look of wildness in his eyes. He started toward her.
"Where are you hiding it?"
Anna backed up towards the door, which quickly opened and Anna exclaimed in shock as John rushed by, throwing himself at the man. Anna watched in shock as the two fought, both going over her bed. The stranger quickly stood up and ran for the window, rushing through it. Anna quickly ran over to the bed, where John slowly sat up, shaking his head.
"Oh my god, John! Are you okay?"
John nodded, and slowly stood up. "I'm fine, where did he go?"
Anna pointed towards the window, "I think he went on the fire escape."
John walked over the bed and over to Anna, "Are you okay?"
She nodded and he quickly closed the door locking it, before walking over to the window, he turned to look at her. "Close and lock this behind me. Do not open the door to anyone but me. Do you understand?"
Anna nodded and watched as he exited the window.
John walked slowly along the ledge; it was narrow so he had to tread carefully. He resisted the urge to look down. He made his away across, going past various rooms, until he came to one with the window open. He could see three people arguing inside, he quickly jumped in the window stepping into the room. The three people stopped arguing and stared at him. The woman spoke up first.
"What are you doing here?"
John frowned, "Apparently cleaning up your damn messes! Can't you get anything right?"
The man John had fought with earlier spoke up, "Did you have to punch me so hard? And I thought you were supposed to be gone for a while?"
"I would have been if Laurel and Hardy here hadn't screwed up so much earlier tonight. What in the hell were you thinking coming to the club like that?"
The woman spoke up, bitterness laced in her voice. "How did you know we were there?"
I saw both you and Tony, Sarah. You weren't exactly stealth in your movements. Anna was understandably upset and wanted to come home, which is why you were surprised in her room Richard."
Tony spoke up, "Did she tell you where the money is?"
John shook his head, "No, but I think she trusts me, so it's only a matter of time. Does anyone have the room next to her?" When Sarah nodded, he reached out his hand, "Okay give me your key and get a different room. I can keep an eye on her this way"
He walked toward the door, turning to look at them one more time, "From now on, leave the investigating to me. I will find out where she has hidden the money."
Richard spoke up, "How do we know you won't keep all the money for yourself? You just showed up to this party, why should we trust you?"
John looked at him, "I want the same thing as you, my fair share of the money, and you'll just have to trust me when I say I won't double cross you. Just give me time to get the information." With that he turned and walked out of the room.
Anna paced around her room; she had straightened up the room twice and was now anxiously waiting for John to return. She stopped walking and looked up when someone knocked on the door. She quickly walked over to it.
"Who is it?"
"It's me John."
Anna quickly opened the door and John walked in. Before she could really think about it, she threw her arms around him, hugging him close. He hesitated for a moment before hugging her back, but only for a moment before pulling away.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, did you find the man?"
John shook his head, "No, he was long gone. Now I think it's time you told me what is going on."
Anna looked at him before nodding, "You're right, but I am afraid I don't know much." She sat down on the bed, indicating that John should sit next to her. She turned to look at him and told him everything she knew. When she was finished she was surprised to see she was crying. John reached into his pocket and pulled out a neatly folded handkerchief and handed to her. She quickly dried her eyes and looked at him.
"So that is the entire story."
"You really don't know where the money is?"
Anna shook her head, "Inspector Barrow says he was afraid of this; that Jackson was probably hiding something, but the truth is Jackson and I barely talked at home and when we did we were fighting. He would never have confided in me. And now these people are chasing me and they will probably kill me when they realize I don't have a clue about where the money is." She began to cry again.
John hesitated a moment before pulling her into his arms. He held her for a few moments before speaking. "Well we will just have to find where the money is ourselves and I will protect you, Anna. I promise."
Anna looked up at him, gazing into his eyes, her head began leaning towards his, she parted her lips in anticipation of meeting his, she felt the whisper of them on hers but the ringing of her room phone surprised her and she jumped away from him. She flushed red with embarrassment and briefly looked at him before answering her phone.
"Hello?"
"Anna Smith?"
She frowned, "Yes."
"Is he in the room with you?"
"What? Who?"
"John Bates."
"Yes, who is this?"
"This is the man who was in your room earlier, listen to me, don't trust him. He is after the money the same as us."
Anna frowned, quickly hanging up the phone and looking at John. John looked at her smiling.
"Who was on the phone?"
Anna shook her head, her mind racing in a million different directions. She needed time to think.
"It was as wrong number. I'm really tired; I think I'm going to turn in."
John nodded and stood up, "That's a good idea." He held up a room key, "I took the adjoining room next to yours. If you need anything just knock." He walked over to her and kissed her on the top of the head before leaving the room.
Anna watched as the door closed behind her. She sat down on her bed, putting her head in her hands. She didn't know who to trust anymore. She stood up and walked over the the door that connected her room with John's. She could hear him moving around in there. The door was an old fashioned one with a key hole so Anna bet down, to look into it. The view was limited and small but she could see John removing his jacket. She gasped at what she saw. He had a gun holstered to his side. Anna quickly backed up. Why would he have a gun?
Anna retrieved her cell phone and dialed Inspector Barrow. "It's Anna Smith again, I need to meet with you now. Something has happened." She hung up and reached for her jacket and purse, quickly leaving her room. She pushed the button for the lift and quickly stepped in when it opened, the door was just closing when she glimpsed John's room door open.
John had been listening to Anna's movements and frowned when he heard the door next door open and quietly close. He cursed and reached for his jacket, quickly exiting his room. He noticed the lift heading down and despite his knee headed for the stairs. Thankfully it was only a few levels and he rushed out of the door stairwell and out the front door. He noticed a taxi speeding off and quickly hailed another. He jumped in and ordered the driver to follow the one that had just left. If he had looked behind him he would have seen Anna crouching down waiting for him to drive off, before hailing a cab of her own.