Death Glitch (2 page)

He met her eyes straight on, without looking away.

“
No, I guess not.” He gave her a sad smile. “You gonna cause trouble?”

“
Trouble is what I'm here to stop.”

“
Want your hand stamped?”

“
Heaven’s no.”

“
Good luck.” He stepped aside.

* * *

Amy Eisenhower wasn’t gay, not really. But she had to admit she enjoyed Alicia’s kisses, the feel of her lips on her own, the feel of her skin, the feel of her breasts. It was confusing and it sent her skin all a tingle. They’d only kissed once before, when they were naked in bed together at Tucker’s. She’d needed him to see, needed to get caught, because there was no way he’d let her go for any other reason. If it had been a man, Tucker would have had him killed and if she’d told him there was nobody else, that she just wasn’t in love with him, he’d never be satisfied, he’d never let her alone.

But a woman, especially a pretty one, that Tucker could forgive. It was the only way. All she’d needed was a pretty girl to help her out. But who would do that for her, take the risk? When she told her friend Alicia Devon she wanted to get caught in bed with a woman, so her boyfriend would let her go without a scene, Alicia got it straightaway, recognized the danger as soon as Amy told her Tucker’s name. But to her credit, she did it anyway.

Alicia was in her French Lit class and, like Amy, a junior at UNR. She paid her bills working as a stripper at the Men’s Club. She was beautiful, with the kind of looks men swooned over, fought over, killed for. She was also gay, which was why working at the Men’s Club bothered her not a bit.

They picked a night when Tucker was supposed to be in Seattle, but they knew he wouldn’t be, because earlier in the day Amy had gone by Tucker’s office to get a paper copied and she’d overheard Tucker’s receptionist telling someone on the phone that he was coming back tonight, instead of tomorrow.

She called Alicia and told her the news.

“
So tonight’s the big night?” she’d said.

“
Yeah, I suppose so.” Thinking back, Amy realized she’d been not only afraid, but unsure if Tucker would let her go, even if he believed she was gay. She needed insurance, so she’d gone back to the office and lucky for her, the receptionist had gone home. She’d used Tucker’s spare key, logged on to his computer, copied some files to a CD. She wasn’t sure what they were, but she had a pretty good idea Tucker wouldn’t want the IRS to see them. She hoped she’d never have to use them. Hoped she’d never have to tell Tucker she’d done it.

“
You sure you want to do this, girl?” Alicia said.

“
I’m sure.”

“
Are you alone?”

“
Yeah, till Tucker gets home.”

“
Then I’m on my way.”

Amy answered the door to see Alicia dressed in white, low top tennis shoes, Levi’s that looked painted on and on her head a straw cowboy hat. She wore a white blouse, open down the front, exposing her very tanned breasts.

“
Alicia!”

“
Like what you see?”

“
Come on, button that up.”

“
You’ll be seeing it all soon enough.”

“
It can wait, okay?”

“
Whatever you say.” Alicia buttoned up.

“
We have an hour or so, what do you say to a glass of wine?”

“
Love it,” Alicia said.

Nervous, Amy had gone to the refrigerator, got out a bottle of Chardonnay. She had trouble with the opener, her hands were shaking so much.

“
Let me do it.” Alicia took the corkscrew from her, opened the wine, poured them each a glass.

Amy took a sip, then another. Then she downed the glass and held it out for more.

“
Better slow down,” Alicia said.

“
One more won’t hurt. Besides, if I’m going to do this, I need the courage.”

“
Okay.” Alicia poured the glass.

“
Cheers.” Amy held her glass up, clinked with Alicia, took a sip, then gulped the wine down.

“
No more for you,” Alicia said.

“
I think you’re right.”

A half hour later and after a third glass of Chardonnay, which she almost had to fight Alicia for, they were in the bedroom and Amy was watching Alicia strip off her clothes. She did it slowly, like she knew a lover was watching.

“
Very seductive,” Amy said.

“
Sorry, it’s like a reflex. I wasn’t trying to get you excited or anything.”

“
Okay.” Embarrassed, Amy pulled off her tee shirt, unhooked her bra, kicked off her Nikes, then pulled off her Levi’s, which weren’t nearly as tight as Alicia’s, then her panties. Then she climbed into bed.

“
Coming in.” Alicia giggled as they heard the automatic garage door open.

“
He’s home.” Despite the wine, Amy was afraid. “How long do you think before he discovers us?”

“
Pretty quick,” Alicia said. “We left the wine and glasses on the coffee table. It’s not going to take him long, especially with me moaning like hell.”

“
What?”

Then Alicia pulled Amy into a deep kiss as she reached her hand down where it shouldn’t ought to go. Amy pulled the hand away, but she held the kiss as Alicia started twisting and moaning. Amy felt her friends breasts push against her own and despite herself, she found herself getting aroused.

But it didn’t last.

“
What the fuck!” Tucker shouted. “In my house. You do this in my house!”

Amy broke out of the kiss.

“
Tucker!” she said.

“
I’ll kill the son of a bitch!”

“
Yikes!” Alicia sat up. “We’re busted, girl,” she said and that stopped Tucker cold.

“
You’re a lesbian?” Only an instant ago he’d been filled with rage. Now he seemed perplexed.

“
Tucker,” Amy said. “I’m sorry, I love you, you know I do, but I’ve always been this way. I thought with you, I could change, but I don’t think I can.”

“
What are you saying?” Tucker squinted his ice blues, pierced her with a stare.

“
I’d never been with a man before you. I was hoping, because of the way I felt about you, that it would, well, you know?”

“
You thought I could make you straight?” The blood seemed to be fading from his face.

“
I don’t know. I thought maybe, but I guess even you can’t change me. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” At that point she thought she’d over played it, but then he smiled and she knew it was going to be okay.

“
I don’t know what to say. I think I’m flattered.” His icy eyes lost their hostility. “I’ve never been with a virgin before. And I never would’ve dreamed one would actually want me to be the one.”

“
Technically, I wasn’t a virgin, I’ve been with women.”

“
That doesn’t count.”

“
Girl come back to me.” Alicia gently shook her. “Where were you?”

“
Thinking about you and me and the other day.”

“
Got away by the hair of our chinny chin chins I think.”

“
Yeah.” Amy looked around the ballroom, took in the costumed partygoers. She and Alicia were wearing matching outfits, Alicia’s black, Amy’s white. French knickers, which hid hardly anything at all, and skimpy bras, which revealed everything. She needed to be seen with Alicia, needed others to verify her lifestyle, needed it to get back to Tucker.

“
Let’s dance.” Alicia pulled Amy out of her chair, led her to the dance floor as someone took their picture. It seemed cameras were flashing all over the place. Plus, the radio station was going to have pictures of the ball up on their website. Only a few short days ago, if someone had told her she’d be online with hardly any clothes on, she never would have believed it.

* * *

Tonight, Lila Booth was a vampire, clothed in black, complete with cloak. She’d painted her face white, was wearing her signature blood red lipstick, had darkened her blonde eyebrows black and painted eight blood red teardrops under her dark eyes, four under each eye, signifying the seven men she’d killed. The eighth teardrop was for Amy Eisenhower, who would be her first female victim.

Lila was going to do her in a crowded room and she was going to walk away. By the time anybody figured out the girl was dead, she’d be in her car, heading home. Lila smiled, turned into the Silver Legacy’s parking garage and to her delight and surprise, she saw the shiny yellow 1966 Volkswagen Beetle Tucker had given the sweet young thing. The car was a classic, which looked and ran like it did the day it had come off the showroom floor all those years ago. Tucker only gave the best.

“
Well, well, well,” she said aloud. She parked, opened her glove box and took out a Trackstick GPS tracking device. On her way out of the garage, she stopped by Amy Eisenhower’s car and stuck the Trackstick to the inside front bumper of the vintage Volkswagen.

Lila never missed, but there was always a first time and just in case this was it, she wanted to know where her quarry fled to, should she get away.

She’d arrived late to the ball, wanting Amy to arrive before her, give the girl a chance to have a few drinks, get loose, get sloppy, let down her guard, if she had it up. But there were more people here than she’d counted on, hundreds, maybe a thousand. She thought she’d spot her the second she came through the doors, but there were so many people and they were still coming. Plus, the damned photographer was grouping people by the door, taking photos and blocking her view.

It was beginning to look hopeless. Not only had she misjudged the amount of people present, she’d also failed to consider the fact that Amy might be masked. She could walk right up to her and not know her.

Then she saw the bitch on the dance floor. The little slut was wearing hardly any clothes at all. And she was with another girl dressed the same, only in black. They were dancing close, smiling. Lila started for them when the song ended. People were coming her way. She backed out of their way, watched the two girls as they made their way to a table.

Someone in a Santa suit came up to them. He had a camera. They got up, kissed as he took their picture. They were wanton. She would do them both the next time they stepped onto the dance floor.

Another song, the DJ didn’t give them long. A pounding beat, too loud for Lila. The lesbian bitches got up arm in arm and headed for the dance floor. Lila followed, a Walther P22 with a Finnish SAK silencer on it in her hand, hidden by her cloak. With the music blaring the way it was, nobody would hear the pistol go off.

“
Gun!” someone shouted. “Lila Booth is here and she has a gun!” The voice boomed through the loud speakers and it was shouting her name. She turned toward the stage, saw the DJ. There was a girl up there. A dancer. She had hardly any clothes on. And there was an old woman screaming into the mic. “Amy, she’s here to kill you. Get out of here, now!”

Amy Eisenhower and her friend turned away from the hag, bolted for the exit and before Lila could follow, dozens joined them, then more.

The DJ tried to get his mic back, but the old crone had it in a dragon’s grip.

“
I know you’re here, Lila, and I’m coming for you.”

“
Not tonight, old woman,” Lila muttered. She was furious. She’d get Amy another day. Amy didn’t have the disc anymore anyway, so in reality Lila could take her time with the little lesbian. But the old crone up on that stage, she was going to die tonight.

“
I thought things were okay with Tucker Wayne?” Alicia said as they made their way through the casino. She didn’t seem nearly as frightened as Amy, but then Tucker hadn’t sent someone to the party to kill her.

They’d bolted for the door as soon as she’d understood Nana’s warning and Amy wanted to run like hell, get far away, but Alicia held fast to her hand, keeping their pace quick, but not looking as if they were in a panic, which was pretty smart, because the way they were dressed was drawing enough attention. The last thing they needed was for some of these gamblers to think they were in some kind of trouble.

“
So did I.” Amy was confused. They’d parked in a parking garage on Sierra Street, and entered the casino from there. Then up an escalator, where they passed the casino shops that were over the street, then down an escalator into the dome, then down another escalator into the foyer, then the ballroom.

They went up the first escalator, were in the dome now, but she was all turned around. Where was the other escalator?

“
This way.” Alicia pulled her toward the doors to the street and then they were outside in the night. “Which way is the car?”

“
I don’t know.” Amy was in full blown panic mode now.

* * *

“
Give me that! What are you trying to do, cause a panic?” The DJ wrestled the mic from Izzy, who looked out over the crowd. Did Amy get out? Where was Lila?

She couldn’t make them out, couldn’t tell who was who, so when she saw the DJ pick up the mic and start to say something, she’d acted without thinking. She’d charged the stage, grabbed the mic and shouted her warning.

“
Sorry,” she told the DJ as a pair of security guards approached the stage.