Freakshow (22 page)

“I know he fucks around, and I know he leaves a lot of girls in his wake, but I also know you’re different, and I don’t like different. Just leave him alone. You’re not one of us.”

“I’m different because he’s different,” I said, sticking my chin out stubbornly, “we’re different together. I think you know how much we already care for each other, and you’re feeling threatened by it. I know how much you need the money.”

“Who told you that?” Orion demanded.

“Cairo,” I said, “we talk about a lot of things. I know his fiancée is just a front for the money and I know he doesn’t love her. He doesn’t even know her.”

“You think you know what the fuck you’re talking about,” Orion spat, “but you know nothing, little girl. You watch your back or you’ll end up...” His voice trailed off but his eyes were flaming with fury and his body was almost vibrating with rage.

“End up? Like Cara? Like the other girls who disappeared? Are you threatening me? Did
you
have something to do with her death?”

Orion shut down before my eyes. He was the quintessential showman and could apparently force himself to change emotions at the drop of a hat. His face relaxed, he adjusted his long jacket and smiled. He said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, other girls. Now if you will excuse me, I have to meet with our lawyers and go protect my son. That’s what families do.”

Before I could reply, he was gone. I wanted to rage at somebody, get my fear and anger and frustration out before it went toxic and turned on myself, but there was nobody there.

I wasn’t alone for long. Alexi joined me in the RV’s living room within minutes of Orion leaving. I was killing time by watching trashy TV on the big screen and quickly shut it off when the door opened. I felt a little guilty, watching some vapid reality television when Cairo might be facing serious consequences.

If he did it. Did he do it? I still couldn’t decide what side of the fence I was on. As much as I was falling for him, I couldn’t ignore the fact that my friend disappeared, Cai left town, his phone mysteriously went missing and suddenly showed up on Cara’s beaten body.

“Have you heard anything?” I asked, hopeful for news.

“Nothing, sorry,” Alexi said and shook his head.

“What are you doing here?”

“I am in the same boat as you,” he said, “I don’t have proper paperwork.”

“What’s happening with Cairo?” I asked, desperate for information.

“Nothing that concerns you,” Alexi replied and sat in the chair next to the sofa. There wasn’t much space between us, but I suddenly became aware of a tension building. I’d always liked and trusted Alexi, had my trust been premature?

“Why not?” I asked, “I think I have just as much right to know his future as any of you. More even.”

“Why,” Alexi asked and chuckled, “because you fucked him? Because you think you can control him with your witchy powers?” He made a strange gesture in front of me, a complicated arrangement with his fingers.

I drew back, shocked at the words coming out of his mouth. He’d been nothing but kind to me previous to this.

“It’s not just that,” I replied in a cool, steady voice, “we’re friends. We’re fond of each other.”

“Listen,” Alexi said and leaned towards me. I could smell alcohol on his breath and noticed the very slight tremor in his hand. I wondered if he was drunk or just a little buzzed. “Orion and I have been friends ever since he hired me,” Alexi continued, “I know you think you understand what’s going on around here, but believe me, you don’t know shit. You don’t know about these wolves and how dangerous they can be.”

“I know more than you think. And I hardly think they’re wolves,” I said and reached for the remote. Even though Orion gave off that weird predatory feeling, I wasn’t going to sit around and listen to Alexi being a giant asshole, so I turned the television back on. I flipped it to a real estate channel, people were searching for an overpriced apartment in Paris and were complaining about the small bathroom and washing machine in the kitchen. “They always complain about that shit, hey?” I said and gestured towards the TV, hoping to break the tension.

“I like you,” he said as though he hadn’t heard me, “that’s why I’m telling you this. You should go back to Canada. Get a good job, be a good girl and get away from the Cirque as fast as you can. Once you find out what’s going on, you’ll never get out.”

“Are you warning me or threatening?” I asked. On screen the idiotic buyer was trying to decide if her shoe collection would fit in the small closet space. I hated her nasally voice, it grated on my nerves and reminded me of the life I’d left behind. I couldn’t go back now, back to dull office jobs and people like the shoe whore on TV judging me when they found out I was so different.

Alexi didn’t answer. He stared straight ahead, watching the TV, drinking from a small silver flask occasionally.

In spite of his drunken state and the obvious threats, I didn’t feel as though I were in immediate danger with him. It was better to hang out here than go and face the police and possibly be sent back to Canada. I wanted to stick around, to find out what happened with Cai and determine his place in all of this.

I needed to know if he were guilty before I let myself fall even farther in love with him.

I
waited with Alexi until Orion returned a short time later. Alexi tried a couple more attempts at conversation, letting me know how little I understood about the big, bad world of the Cirque, but I ignored him until he fell into contemplating the bottom of his drink and was silent.

I still liked him though, but not when he was drunk. That was often the case, even my own sister had been mildly tolerable while sober, but had become another person when she drank.

I had always been blamed for her drinking, but that was far behind me now.

Orion swept in with no warning, droplets of rain clung to his jacket and he drew a sweep of fresh smelling air behind him.

“What’s going on?” I asked and jumped up, “where’s Cairo?”

“He was taken downtown for questioning,” Orion said and hung up his hat, “I sent our lawyer along with him. The police reassured me they are simply ruling him out as a suspect at this point. The phone appears to be a terrible coincidence.”

“Do they need to talk to me at all?” I asked, “Cara was my roommate after all.”

“You barely knew her, what could you possibly have to add to this dialogue?” Orion asked. He wasn’t being mean, just plainly stating a fact.

I decided to head back to my trailer to decompress and go through the last couple days. My head felt stuffed full of information, and I felt as though there were answers there if only I could unravel it all.

“Can I go back to my trailer? Is it safe?” I asked.

“Yes, please do,” Orion replied and removed his jacket, gave it a stiff shake and hung it near the door. He gestured towards Alexi who was now slumped in the chair, possibly sleeping or passed out. “What’s with him?” he asked.

“I think he’s a little tipsy,” I replied and tried to move around him to leave. The RV, in spite of the slide out and luxury, was still a little uncomfortable once you were in a room with a man who terrified and intrigued you.

“Did he tell you anything?”

“Nothing of importance.”

“What did he say?”

“Just shit about me not knowing a thing, how I should stay away from Cairo, how you’re a bunch of wolves...stuff he’s heard from you I’m sure.”

“Nothing about the murder?” Orion persisted and narrowed his eyes. He glanced over my shoulder at the sleeping Alexi and something tweaked in the back of my head.

“Does he know something?” I asked. “Could he help Cairo?”

“I don’t think so,” Orion said, but the look in his eyes said otherwise. I shivered and wondered if he would let his own son go to jail to cover up his involvement in something like murder.

I didn’t think Orion would think twice to save his own ass, he would watch Cairo go down in flames if it meant staying out of trouble.

“If you know something, please tell the police,” I pleaded, “Cai might be in deep shit here, Orion, as his father you should stand up for him.”

Orion grabbed my arm and hissed in my face, “I will protect what’s mine. I don’t need some second rate performer telling me how to manage my business. Stay out of this, or I’ll have you shipped home faster than you can scream my son’s name. Do you understand?”

I was aware that I had pushed him too far, yet again. I was aware that his fingers were digging into my flesh, but thankfully I couldn’t feel it. I was also aware that nobody knew where I was, and if Orion was involved in Cara’s murder, I should probably back down and get the hell out of there before I ended up beaten and dead with my throat ripped open.

“I do understand,” I said through gritted teeth. “Let go of me.”

He remained in that position, poised as if to strike, then relaxed his grip and fixed a greasy smile on his face. “I’m sorry, my dear,” he said in an even tone, “I tend to be very protective of my family. You of all people should know that by now.”

“It’s all good,” I said and rubbed my arm, not in response to any pain, but as if to wipe him off of me. I could still feel him on my skin, smell his breath in my face, see that mad look in his eyes.

“I would offer to walk you back to your trailer,” he said, his face now a mask of congenial formality, “but I must admit that I am exhausted. Please see yourself out. And there will be no rehearsal later on.”

With that he turned and disappeared into a back room. The RV shuddered as I slammed the door and headed back to my own little spot in the big, chaotic mess of the Cirque.

I didn’t know how I managed to get through the rest of the day, pacing and checking my phone, nibbling some dry toast around dinner when my stomach protested, and finally falling asleep at some point in the evening after hearing nothing. I felt sick with worry and fear that Cairo was wrapped up in something so big I couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

I had to trust him though, I needed to trust him. I was falling for him, so what choice did I have in the matter?

*****

C
lose to midnight, Rose gently shook me awake. I had been deep in sleep, beyond dreaming and beyond awareness of my surroundings. It took me a few moments to realize what was happening.

“Liv, he’s back,” Rose whispered, “he’s in his RV if you need to go see him.”

“Cairo?” I asked, clearing the fog from my brain. When Rose nodded, I bolted straight up. “I need to go see him.”

“I think Orion is with him, I saw them going in together when I went for a walk,” Rose said.

“What were you doing out this late?” I asked.

She blushed and looked away. “I was on a date,” she told me in a quiet voice.

“Good for you!” I exclaimed and stood up. “Don’t feel guilty, I know I do all the time but I realized that life’s too short, so enjoy it. Cara would have wanted you to.”

“Thanks,” she replied, “It’s surreal going out and enjoying myself right after seeing that today. But I really like this guy.” She smiled and I pulled on loose yoga pants and a hoodie over my pajamas.

“Don’t wait up,” I grinned at her, she laughed and went down the hall to her bedroom.

I raced through the Cirque, I couldn’t wait to see Cai and find out what the hell was going on. I’d spent some time thinking about things, and realized he had been set up. I didn’t know who had done it, but I knew it in my bones that Cairo wasn’t guilty.

I reached his general area and stood next to another performer’s RV in the better end of the camp, where the higher paid, big acts had their luxury RVs. Cairo’s was in the final spot on the last row, backed up against a storage area. I stood in the shadows and waited.

Sure enough, Rose had been right. The lights were on inside and I could see the silhouettes of two men talking. I got a little closer, stayed in the shadows and listened. I could hear the sounds of arguing, Cairo and Orion’s voices in a heated argument.

After a few moments, the door whipped open and Orion stomped down, his face twisted in rage and his body stiff with anger. He strode across the small clearing and passed just a few feet from me.

I tensed up and relaxed as he passed, he came to a sudden halt and lifted his head up. I froze in place, stopped breathing and tried to melt into the shadows behind me.

Orion moved his face slowly, and he appeared to be sniffing the air. I exhaled quietly and waited, praying that he wouldn’t see me there.

After what felt like hours, he straightened his back, smoothed his jacket and continued to walk off into the night.

I looked around and stepped out to cross the fifteen feet or so to Cairo’s place. Halfway there, I was blindsided by a running figure that knocked me to the ground and dragged me to a small clearing near the place I’d just hidden.

I tried to cry out, to kick and scream, but a gloved hand was pressed over my mouth and my arms were pinned so my kicks were useless.

A harsh voice whispered in my ear, “You’ve been warned, you’re not one of us. Stay the fuck away from him and stop snooping around!” Fists began to pummel me, over and over until I lost sense of time and place.