Night Vision (17 page)

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Authors: Ellen Hart

BOOK: Night Vision
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It was a man. She didn't recognize the voice. “Who's calling, please?”
“This is Noel Dearborn over at the Allen Grimby. I'm the intern assisting Cordelia Thorn. I'm sorry if I'm catching you at a bad time.”
“No, that's okay,” said Joanna.
“The reason I'm calling is we got a call from
Milwaukee Magazine.
It's the big glossy monthly that does features on what's new around the city and the region. I'm told they don't usually do stories on events as far away as the Twin Cities, but since you're such a big name, they want to interview you. I'm kind of new around here, so I wasn't sure how to handle it. Cordelia isn't around and nobody else seemed to know what to do, so I took a chance and called. Hope you don't mind. I didn't give out your number because I didn't think you'd want someone calling out of the blue.”
“Thanks,” said Joanna. “You're right.”
“So I took the guy's number, said I'd pass it on to you. If you're interested—and I hope you are—he'd like you to call him back today. It's getting kind of late, so do you think …” He paused, allowing Joanna to make the decision.
“Sure. What's the number?” She wrote it on the inside of a
Country Living
magazine.
“Thanks, Ms. Kasimir. I'm looking forward to meeting you next Monday. I'm a huge fan.”
“What's your name again?”
“Noel Dearborn.”
“I'll call right away. What's the man's name?”
“Victor Allen. He's the features editor.”
“Okay. I'm on it.”
After saying good-bye, she turned to Nolan. “Everything's fine. Just some publicity stuff I need to deal with.”
“Okay,” said Nolan. “You take care, then. Call if you have any problems.”
After he was gone, Joanna leaned back against the couch cushions. She felt a little better knowing that Nolan was on the case. At least something was being done.
“Boy,” said Faye, returning from the kitchen with a fresh cup of coffee for Joanna. “That was an earful I never expected. That's why you look so worried all the time. God, if there's anything I can do—”
“Have dinner with me,” said Joanna. “We'll order something from the Greek restaurant downstairs.”
“Or I could go get us burgers, or Chinese. Or we've got some great Vietnamese restaurants in town.”
“Whatever you want,” said Joanna, pressing in Victor Allen's number. She waited through three rings before the phone was picked up.
“Hello?” came a deep voice.
“Mr. Allen?”
There was a long pause. Then, “Joanna, how nice to hear from you again.”
She froze. “Gordon?”
“Welcome to the Midwest. Hope you're enjoying your stay.” His tone was calm. Mocking. Just the way she remembered.
“You stay the hell away from me!”
“What a way to talk. I tried to get you to clean up your language, Jo. Remember? I guess you never learn.”
“If you come near me—”
“What? What are you gonna do? I'm the one who should be angry, Jo. That's why I called. In case you're as brainless as you used to be, let me spell it out for you. Call off the goons.”
“Not until you leave me alone!”
He chuckled. “Paranoid as usual. Nothing ever changes. Listen, babe. I'm only going to say this once. If you want to live to see your next birthday, back the hell off. Otherwise, well, I can't be responsible for what happens to you in the big city, can I? Do you know what they call Minneapolis these days?” He voice lowered. “
Murderapolis.
Funny, huh? Well, maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Bye, babe. See you around.”
“Joanna, what's wrong?” asked Faye, sitting down next to her.
With all her might, Joanna hurled the phone across the room. It hit the side of a bronze duck sculpture and burst into pieces.
Exactly the way her life just had.
H
illary stepped off the elevator on the fourth floor of the Allen Grimby Repertory Theater and approached the reception area with a bright, sunny smile on her face.
“Hey, Hillary,” called a male voice.
“Noel.” The smile ratcheted up a couple of notches. “I was in the neighborhood. Thought I'd stop by.”
Noel was interning at the AGRT through next spring. He was a theater major at the U of M and was lucky enough to land the nine-month job. It didn't pay much, but that didn't matter to Noel. He was the live-in-a-garret-and-exist-on-ramen-noodles type. He was also the one who'd given Hillary the information on when and where Joanna's plane would land. No small leak. Noel was manipulatable. Just the kind of guy Hillary liked.
She sauntered up to his desk and leaned over him, plucking a wrapped peppermint from a clear glass bowl. She was wearing black jeans and a black leather blazer over a red tank top, one that showed an extra inch or two—or three—of cleavage.
“Help yourself,” said Noel, speaking directly to her breasts.
“Thanks. What time are you done here?”
“I guess I could leave anytime. It's Friday. Everybody else is gone.”
“What are we waiting for?”
“You're in a good mood. What you got in mind?”
Hillary sat down on the edge of the desk, fiddling with Noel's ugly polyester tie. “A drink, maybe?”
“Really?” His eyes finally found hers. “How come I rate?”
“I missed you.”
“You did?”
“Sure.” She undid the top button of his shirt. “Come on. TGIF, right?”
“What about Cody?”
“What about him?”
“Aren't you two, like, a couple?”
“We date. It's not a serious thing.”
“Well, great then. Let me just turn off some lights.” He pushed his chair back, ready to get up, but Hillary still held on to his tie. “You gonna let me go?” he asked.
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
With a boy-did-I-hit-the-freakin'-jackpot look in his eyes, he pulled her down onto his lap. “My boss has a great couch in her office.”
“That right?”
“We could get the drink later.”
With a giggle, she brushed a strand of his lanky brown hair away from his forehead. “You're taking this a little fast, don't you think?”
His hand slipped under her jacket. “You tell me.”
She closed her eyes, moaning softly. In his ear, she said, “Would you do me one little favor?”
“Anything,” he whispered.
“I need Joanna Kasimir's cell phone number.”
His hand stopped stroking her breast. Leaning back, he said, “Why?”
“So I can call her about the interview.”
“She agreed to one?”
“In principle, yeah. I talked to her at the airport. We really hit it off. She understood totally that this could be my big break. But I'm afraid if I don't follow up on it right away, she may forget about it. She's got a lot on her mind, you know.”
He eyed her skeptically.
“Do you have it? The number?”
“Yes.”
“She wouldn't mind. I guarantee it. It's all in a good cause.”
“I could lose my job if—”
She pressed a finger to his lips. Removing his glasses, she let her hand drift downward. “You won't lose anything, Noel. I promise.”
“But—”
She could tell his resolve was weakening. “They could use ancient Chinese water torture on me. I'd never tell where I got it. And I'd be so grateful.”
“How grateful?” he whispered, closing his eyes.
They never made it to the couch.
A
n old guy in a beat-up Chevy van rescued Jane and Cordelia as they walked along the highway back to Eagle Ridge. Climbing into the backseat with Mouse, Jane asked if there was a rental car company anywhere close. He drove them straight to Avis. As luck would have it, the only car in the lot that wasn't already spoken for was a Lincoln Town Car, so they rode back to the Twin Cities in a living room with wheels while Cordelia played with the GPS. All the way home, Jane thanked Jesus, the Goddess, Allah, the cosmos, her lucky stars, and anything or anyone else she could think of for saving Mouse's life. The fact that it was actually Luberman she had to thank ate at her until her insides felt raw.
After dropping off Cordelia and Mouse at the loft, Jane returned the rental car, then took a taxi back to the parking lot behind the Linden Building and hopped in her Mini. She wanted to run over to the club and call Nolan, but halfway there, she changed her mind. She had something more important to do. On the drive back from Eagle Ridge, one name kept hammering at her: Brandy Becker. Until Luberman's newest girlfriend was made to listen to the truth, to fully appreciate the danger she was in, she was completely at his mercy.
Jane had no desire to drive another hundred and sixty miles, but she couldn't live with herself if anything happened to Brandy.
 
The streets of Eagle Ridge were quiet and dark as Jane rolled back into town three hours later. She'd used her cell phone to call the restaurant and find out Brandy's work schedule. Luckily, she was working the late shift tonight, so Jane wouldn't have to try to find her house.
Stopping first at a filling station to get the directions to Reindeer Lake, she finally pulled into the nearly empty IHOP parking lot shortly after one. When she entered the brightly lit restaurant, she saw two women standing behind the counter talking. One was in her early twenties, short and dark haired. The other looked as if she was in her early forties. It struck Jane that if the older woman was indeed Brandy, she and Joanna could have been sisters.
As Jane sat down, the dark-haired waitress came over to take her order. Jane had stopped for a quick burger on the way, so she wasn't hungry. She ordered coffee, then asked the waitress to tell Brandy that she'd like to talk to her.
Brandy walked over a few seconds later, a wary look on her face. “Do I know you?” she asked.
“No,” said Jane. She nodded to the chair across from her. “Would you mind sitting down? This won't take long.”
“I'm not supposed to,” said Brandy. “The night manager doesn't allow it.” She glanced back toward the kitchen. “'Course, he's back there playing cards with the dishwasher.”
Jane smiled. “Just for a minute. Please.”
“What's this about?”
Jane lowered her voice so that the other two customers in the restaurant couldn't hear. “Gordon Luberman.”
Her eyes flickered. “What about him?”
“Look,” said Jane. “You can stand if you want to, but this would be easier if you sat down.”
Reluctantly, she pulled out a chair.
“I understand you're dating him.”
“Yeah? So?”
“There are some things you need to know about Gordon. This may be hard for you to listen to, but hear me out, okay? I've driven all the way from the Twin Cities to talk to you.”
Brandy seemed uncomfortable, but she shrugged. “Okay.” “Gordon was arrested for stalking a woman in the early nineties. He served eight years in prison in California. Do you know who Joanna Kasimir is?”
“Sure. Doesn't everyone?”
“She was the one he stalked. It got so bad that Joanna considered suicide. She couldn't even leave her home without fearing for her life. He made threats, threats she knew he would act on sooner or later. Unfortunately, it didn't end with his prison term. After he got out, he dated other women. Two of them are now dead.”
Brandy gave a short gasp, pressed a hand to her mouth.
“He has a pattern. Things seem to go along okay until the woman wants out of the relationship. At that point, Gordon plies her with flowers, poems, swears his undying devotion. If she still won't take him back, the threats begin. Has he ever sent you tea roses, Brandy?”
Her big, serious eyes grew even more wary. “Yeah. Red ones. When we first met.”
“Have you ever tried to break it off with him?”
“No,” she whispered.
She seemed like such a sweet woman, the kind who would be totally unprepared to deal with someone like Gordon Luberman. “That's probably good. The police are doing everything they can to put him back in jail, but it's going to take time. Has he ever mentioned Joanna Kasimir to you?”
“No, but he was looking at a newspaper article about her a few days ago, got real agitated. It was right here in the restaurant. He left without even eating his dinner. But then, the next time I saw him, he never mentioned it.”
“And you didn't ask him anything?”
“No. It felt too much like prying.”
Jane slipped a business card out and wrote her cell phone number
on the back. “My name's Jane Lawless. I own a couple of restaurants in the Twin Cities. I'm also a friend of Joanna's. We believe that he's stalking her again.”
Brandy looked down at the card. “I just … I mean, this is so sudden, so out of the blue. I have to tell you I have a hard time believing what you're saying. Sure, he's not perfect, but … murder?”
Jane leaned back as the young waitress set coffee in front of her. As she walked off, Jane said, “I understand. From what I'm told, Gordon can be very charming. But you've got to believe me. As long as he's in your life, you're in danger.”
Brandy seemed flustered. “If that's true, what am I supposed to do? If I break it off, you tell me that he'll come after me.”
“Don't break it off,” said Jane. “I know this is hard. Do you have someone you could go stay with for a while? Someone Gordon doesn't know about.”
“Not really. There's my son, but Gordon knows where he lives. And what about my job? I have to support myself. I can't just take off. Besides, how do I know that what you're telling me is even true?”
“You don't have to trust me,” said Jane. “Call the sheriff's office. They'll verify everything I've said.”
She looked at the business card again, then put it in her pocket.
Jane watched her closely. “You're scared of him, aren't you.”
Brandy slowly shifted her eyes to Jane's face. “A little.”
“Call me. If you need a place to stay in Minneapolis, I'll find you one. Just say the word. Do you have a car?”
“Yeah, but I don't drive.”
“I'll come pick you up. Or I'll send someone. Day or night. Okay?”
“You think the police will find the evidence to arrest him soon?”
“I hope so.”
“You think I'm okay for now?”
“As long as you don't try to break off the relationship, yes. But if you're going to try to wait it out, don't make him mad. And get out if you think something's not right. Even if he doesn't do anything threatening, trust your instincts.”
“Okay.”
“We can leave right now if you want. Stop by your house and pick up some clothes.”
“This … this is just too crazy,” she said, shaking her head, looking dazed.
“I know it may seem that way. But it's the truth.”
“I need some time to process this.”
“Just be sure to keep the card. Call me if you need
anything.
”
“Why are you doing this? I mean, you don't even know me.”
“Honestly, it would kill me to see Gordon hurt another innocent woman. I care what happens to you, Brandy. And I'm not alone.”
She nodded with a shy smile. As she got up and walked back to the counter, Jane dropped some cash on the table and left.
Outside, it hit her how exhausted she was. There were a lot of motels in town. Maybe she should find one and spend the night. She opened her car door from several feet away, but before she could get in, she felt a hand grab her arm. When she turned, she saw that it was Luberman.
“What are you doing talking to Brandy?” he demanded.
She panicked, tried to pull her arm away, but he slapped her hard across the face, then slammed her into the side of her car. Furious blood pumped into her veins. “Get the hell away from me!”
He pinned her to the car with the force of his body, pressed a hand over her mouth. “Not until you listen.”
She struggled to breathe.
“I don't know what you think you're doing, but if I catch you or that fat friend of yours around here again, I'm gonna do more than burn up your goddamn car. I should have let that dog of yours fry. Nobody messes with me. You hear me?”
She tried to nod.
He removed his hand, eased up a little with the pressure, and brought his mouth close to hers. “I live a quiet life. I'm a model citizen, a guy who doesn't deserve to be treated like a criminal.”
“Right,” she said with a ragged breath.
He pressed himself against her again. This time, she could feel him getting hard. “You bitch. What did you tell her?”
“Nothing.”
“If I find out you're lying, you're dead, you hear me? You think as soon as I let you go that you'll be safe because I don't know who you are? Think again, babe. I've got your license number. I'll know everything about you, including your cunt size, in a matter of hours. Think about that before you decide to come back here again.” He backed away from her, walked over to his truck. Before he got in, he turned and said, “I'm a peaceful man. I could've killed you if I'd wanted to. Ponder that on your way home.” He sat in his truck and waited for her to go.
It took many hours before the balloon in Jane's chest deflated.
 
Brandy spent the next couple of hours in a fog of doubt. She had no idea if she should believe this stranger or not. Come morning, she'd be able to call the sheriff's office, but until then she felt like the earth had disappeared beneath her feet. How could she have been that wrong about Gordon? She was so upset that she finally asked to get off early. Her manager huffed around a while, acted like the request was this huge horrible deal, but he finally let her go. She spent a few minutes in the back room putting on her coat and changing her shoes. When she stepped out into the chilly night air, she saw Gordon's truck. It was parked across the lot, but the engine was idling, so she knew he was inside. Sometimes he gave her a lift home, but he hadn't said anything about it tonight. If there'd been any way for her to slip past without him seeing her, she would have taken it, but it was impossible.
Stepping up to the driver's side window, she tapped lightly.
The window rolled down. “Get in,” said Gordon.
“Have you been out here waiting for me all this time?” She tried to sound normal, but her voice sounded a little funny. He always told her he could see into her soul. If that was true, he knew she was lying. Tears welled in her eyes. This was too hard. She should have gone with that woman when she'd had the chance. But how could she just pick up and leave? It was all just insane. In the space of a few short minutes, her entire world had come unglued.
“Did you hear me?” said Gordon. “Let's go.”
She was scared to get in and scared not to. “Sure. I just didn't expect you to be here.”
Once she'd climbed up into the cab, he backed out of the lot and drove toward her house. “Why'd you leave early?”
“They didn't need me,” she lied. “Slow night.”
He adjusted the heat, played with the volume on the CD he was listening to—a Randy Travis song. “Anything interesting happen?”
“No, not really.”
“I saw you talking to a woman. She gave you something. What was it?”
“A woman?”
He pressed the accelerator to the floor, throwing her back against the seat.
“Gordon, stop!” She closed her eyes. “Please!”
“Why are you lying to me? What did she tell you?”
She started to cry.
He eased up on the accelerator. Her house was only two blocks away when he turned the truck onto a road that led to the lake. “Let's start over. This time you tell me the truth. What did that woman tell you?”
“That you'd been in prison.”
“Did she say why?”
“She called it stalking.”

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