Where There's Smoke (27 page)

He was right, and she felt his disappointment in her. She hurried over, knelt in front of him, and rested her head on his knees. “Forgive me,” she cried.

“Shh, hush, sweet child.” He patted her head. “How can I let them cast you into the fires when I love you so much?”

She raised her face, eyes swimming with tears. “You do?”

“I love all my children.”

“You’ll help me?”

“Just bring me LeAnn’s soul and all will be right.”

Chance went inside the bar when he first arrived but didn’t spot Destiny. The man he met at the rodeo, Charles Dickens, was sitting at a table with an odd-looking woman near the stage. He overheard the woman grumbling about everything from how the place stank, with which Chance agreed, to predicting that the night was going to hell in a handbag quicker than a speeding train filled with ex-cons.

The old cowboy seemed likable when he’d met him at the rodeo, but Chance didn’t want to get into a conversation with him right then, and definitely not with the woman. He was more concerned about why Destiny wasn’t there yet.

Chance stepped back outside. The fresh air was a vast improvement. The bar smelled like old booze, stale cigarette smoke, and unwashed bodies. A dark, dreary olive green color paint had been slapped on the walls. Nothing about the place tempted him to sit and enjoy a beer.

No one waited outside. There were a few cars driving down the road, people getting off work. Chance glanced at his watch. It was still early.

Maybe she was just running late.

Chance pushed on the door and went back inside. He hoped there was another entrance that he might have missed. His eyes adjusted to the dim light. The choking fog of stale cigarette smoke hovered above the twenty or so patrons who had decided to come out. But Destiny wasn’t there.

A heavyset man lumbered up the three steps to a stage that wasn’t much bigger than the bathroom in the apartment where Destiny was staying. A fat cigar protruded from one side of his mouth, the end glowing red when he puffed. His shirt might have been white at one time, but now it was a grease-splotched beige color.

The man stopped in front of a microphone perched on a rusted metal stand and hitched up his pants. “I’m the manager of this bar, so make sure you drink up. Can’t stay in business if you don’t. Besides, it’s the cheapest booze in town.”

“’Cause you water it down,” someone yelled.

The handful of people laughed while the owner glared at them.

“You can leave if you don’t like it,” he growled and people quieted down. When no one stood up to leave, the owner plastered a smirk on his face. “That’s what I thought.”

The door to the bar opened. Chance looked hopeful, but a man walked in, looked around, then waved at a woman before he joined her.

“I even have someone to sing for you,” the owner told the small crowd. “This here’s—” His eyes narrowed when he looked toward a dark corner. “What’s your name, girlie?”

“LeAnn West,” came her whispered reply.

Where was Destiny?

“Welcome LeAnn onto the stage.” He laughed. “She’s real pretty, and cheap.” He guffawed at his joke. “Free, actually.”

As soon as the owner lumbered down the steps, LeAnn made her way to the stage. She had a guitar strap slung over her shoulder and was holding the instrument so tight that Chance thought it would crack any second.

Chance almost didn’t recognize the girl he’d met at the rodeo. She was dressed to the nines in a black outfit with sequined lapels. A pink heart-shaped necklace captured the light and cast a rainbow of color around her. He’d bet his wings, if he had any, that Destiny was behind getting the outfit.

Not that it helped. LeAnn chewed her bottom lip as she searched the crowd. He knew she hunted for Destiny.

Oh, please, dear God, help me. I’m scared shitless. No, no, I didn’t mean to say that. I meant to say I’m just really scared.

Her desperate prayer drifted to him. Chance knew he had to help her. He closed his eyes, wanting to give her the courage she prayed for, but he felt the invisible wall that rose in front of him.

His shoulders slumped as he opened his eyes and saw her fear again. Sometimes it was like that. There were some people they weren’t meant to help and nothing they did could change the outcome. Some things were meant to be. It didn’t mean he had to like it, though.

“I was expecting my friend.” Her laugh cracked. “Something must’ve happened.”

“You gonna sing or talk?” the manager yelled out.

Charles half stood as he turned in his seat. “You shut your trap or I’ll be doing it for you.”

The manager snapped his mouth shut and went back to wiping off the bar with a dirty rag. “It’s my bar,” he groused, but not loud enough Charles would’ve heard him.

LeAnn gripped the guitar even tighter, then defiantly raised her chin and drew in a deep breath, but as soon as she did her nose wrinkled in distaste. Chance had to give her credit for the quick recovery as she started to talk again.

“This is a song I wrote for my brother.” She cleared her throat and began to strum the strings of the guitar.

Some of the people began to talk to each other. Laughter drifted from one of the tables. Chance wanted to yell at them to shut up, but he was afraid it would make LeAnn even more self-conscious.

“You were always the one I looked up to,” she sang.

Her voice was soft, barely heard above the patrons who were talking and laughing a little louder now.

“Walking side by side.”

Chance glared at the crowd as she continued to sing. They were rednecks who only cared if they had enough money to buy another beer.

A waitress waddled out with a longneck and slapped the bottle down on a scarred table. “Two-fifty.” She stuck a dirty fingernail between her two front teeth, brought out whatever had been left over from her last meal, and wiped it on her skirt.

“Two-fifty? Whatever happened to happy hour?”

“Do I look happy?” she sneered.

He thrust a five toward her. “I want all my change, too.”

“Cheap bastard,” she muttered as she left.

Charles started to stand again, but the woman with him patted his hand and pointed toward LeAnn. Smart woman. If Charles started a brawl, it would only make the night worse for LeAnn.

Chance turned his attention back to LeAnn who was looking less sure of herself, but she struggled onward.

“You were the one I admired.

With hero worship in my eyes.”

Someone dropped a quarter in the jukebox. Chance tensed as a record dropped into place. He couldn’t take his eyes off the needle as it made its way across to the turnstile, then dropped in place. His gaze jerked back to LeAnn as a fast beat country song began to play.

A woman jumped up from her chair and began to dance in front of the stage. “Sorry, darlin’, but this is real music! Yee-haw!”

The color drained from LeAnn’s face. Her gaze flitted around the room and her bottom lip trembled. She hugged her guitar close to her chest and fled the stage. Her thoughts hit him hard and fast.

“Not good enough! Stupid, stupid, stupid! You’ll never be anything, will never amount to anything!”

Chance reached a hand toward her as she ran past, but just as quickly he brought it back. She didn’t even see him and it wouldn’t have done any good if she had. It wasn’t her time. Not right now.

“You stupid broad!” The woman with Charles stood up, marched over to the dancing woman, reared back her fist and knocked the fool out of her. The dazed woman found herself sitting on her ass in the middle of the dirty dance floor.

“That’s my Beulah,” Charles sang out. “Darlin’, you’re the woman I’ve been waiting for all my life.” He grabbed her in a bear hug and planted a wet one on her lips. When he let her go, she quickly stepped back.

“Charles Dickens, we’re in a public place.” She smoothed her hands over her very proper, dark green dress. Anyone might think she was offended, but Chance saw the pleased look on her face before she quickly pulled on an affronted mask.

“That’s exactly why I did it,” Charles countered. “I want the world to know you’re my gal.”

Chance scanned the bar one more time. He still didn’t have his answers. Where was Destiny?

***

When LeAnn ran out of the bar, the heat of the day slapped her in the face. Why did she even try? The bar was filthy and stank. It was a dump. A short burst of laughter erupted from her. If that was the best she could do, giving up might not be a bad idea.

She hurried to the street where her car was parked curbside. Tears blurred her vision. She jerked the strap off her shoulder, holding the guitar by the neck. For a moment, she pictured slamming the instrument against the sidewalk, but something stopped her at the last moment.

Her brother Ernie had given her the guitar. He’d been her best friend, bigger than life itself. As she unlocked the car door and climbed inside, she let the memories flood her mind.

Ernie grinning and patting her on the head when he gave her the instrument. “Someday you’ll be a famous singer. You’ve already got talent.”

He believed in her and taught her to play the instrument. Maybe he was only teasing, but she didn’t think so at the time. She reached across to the passenger seat and stroked her hand over the smooth surface of the guitar. “Why couldn’t I die with them?”

A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, then another. She’d had everything. A mom and dad who loved her and her big brother. The tears came faster. She didn’t try to stop them, only wiped the back of her hand across her face.

Her chest began to ache and she could barely draw in a breath. “Oh God, why didn’t you let me die, too?” Maybe there wasn’t a God. You lived, then you died. That was it. Nothing else.

No, she wouldn’t think like that. There had to be something more. They had to be waiting for her somewhere. She couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing them again. She hugged her middle.

The pain drove deep inside her heart. Oh damn, she’d lost so much. She wanted to curl up and die. Let the world go on without her. There was nothing left. She had no one. Destiny didn’t care enough to show up.

A sudden thought chilled LeAnn to the bone. What if Destiny was in an accident? Oh damn, how selfish could one person be? Here she was feeling sorry for herself and Destiny could be in a hospital somewhere dying. Some friend she was. She was more worried that she bombed tonight. Who cared about her old singing career anyway?

LeAnn started the car and pulled away from the curb. Where should she start looking? The hospitals? Her stomach churned.
Please,
God, I know you didn’t hear me tonight when I prayed for courage, and maybe some of my prayers have been all about me, but for just this one prayer, please keep Destiny from harm. Watch over her, Lord.

LeAnn only hoped God would hear this prayer.

“The door was unlocked,” Chance said as he came into the living room. “Are you okay?”

Destiny looked up from where she was curled on the sofa. How could one man be so breathtakingly handsome? But then he wasn’t just a man, was he?

And the door wasn’t unlocked.

But then Chance was an angel. He could probably go anywhere he wanted. She uncurled her legs, but didn’t bother getting up. “Have you been worried about me?”

His forehead furrowed. “You missed LeAnn’s performance.”

A niggle of guilt weaved through her. She had forgotten LeAnn was singing tonight. There was only one thought going through her mind: Chance betrayed her. Now the only way to redeem herself would be if she took the soul of the only person who had ever befriended her.

He started toward her, but she held up her hand. “You don’t love me, do you?” she asked. She could see his hesitation as if he carefully chose his words.

“I care deeply for you.”

“But you can’t let yourself fall in love with me.”

He expelled a deep breath. “No, I can’t.”

Her gaze raked over him. “You don’t fuck like an angel.” She laughed. “But you are a damn good lay.”

“How did you find out?”

“Vetis told me,” she absently replied.

He stiffened and some of the color left his face. “Vetis?” he asked, as if he might have heard wrong.

“Yes, Vetis. The demon who bought my soul, but you knew all that, didn’t you?”

He shook his head. “No, I didn’t know which demon it was.”

“What difference does it make?” she spat. “You lied to me.” She came to her feet. “Everything about you is a lie.”

“What about you?” he fired back. “You don’t know this demon. He’s powerful and he’s mean. Everything about him is a lie!”

“And you’re not! I was ready to spend an eternity with you.” She drew in a deep breath, reining in her anger as she looked at the man she had loved, damn it, still loved. “We could be together. It’s not too late.” Damn, she hated how she sounded, the begging note that had crept into her voice.