The Things We Bury - Part 1: In Anticipation of the End of the World [Completed]

Chapter 10: Rough Waters (Parts 2 & 3 of 9)

Dressing up in a costume was idiotic.  Even as a child, the thought of begging for candy was ridiculous.  Here her mom was giving the stuff away to other kids and sending her out to get more from the neighbors.  It would have been smarter to stay home and keep what they had.  Her mom told her they did it because it was fun.  Barbara had no idea what she was talking about.

Halloween still held a faint repulsion for her.  It was a gaudy, superstitious ritual with children dressing like fools and adults acting like children.  But here she was at the Copperhead Club standing in the dark zone between the bar and the dance floor.  The bass beat of poorly remixed pop songs filled the air like artillery.  She sipped at her drink, a double Jim Beam on ice.  She wore her black dress and a black conical hat.  A carnival mask covered the top half of her face.

"Of all the witches here."  A man dressed as the Lone Ranger broke through the crowd and leaned toward her ear.  "You are by far the sexiest."

"You recognized me."  She unconsciously adjusted her hat.  She didn't feel as in disguise as she did a moment before.

"Even blind, I would find you."

"Stop it with the corny lines."  Barbara sounded exasperated but stretched up and planting a long moist kiss on Delgado's waiting mouth.

Perhaps Halloween wasn't so bad.  They could stand in this public space, surrounded by people, and kiss.  There was no need to hide from the watchful eyes of the Agency.  Tonight they weren't Dr. Gracie and Major Delgado.  They were only two people in love, out having a good time.

Delgado would have never suggested this rendezvous if he knew about Haddad.  He would have felt it was wrong to go out and enjoy themselves so soon after what had happened.  It was the only reason she was okay with keeping him in the dark about the killing. 

No one in security had noticed that the poor fool had gone down to the Music Box and never came back up.  She didn't know how Wiley had pulled it off, but he must have done some fancy work on the electronic logs and possibly even paid-off or threatened some of Delgado's staff to keep it quiet.  She hated that they were making a fool out of the Major and desperately wanted to tell him.  But it was better this way.

She ran her hand down his back and tasted and his breath as he slowly drew away.

"Shall we dance?"  He held out his hand to her.

She looked to the dance floor and watched as the young crowd jumped and gyrated like they were possessed by dark forces—very stupid dark forces.

"I don't think so."

"Come on, we don't have to do it their way."  He grabbed her hand and tugged her out onto the floor.  She was reluctant but found herself yielding to him.  "Here, put this hand here and that hand there.  It will be just like prom."

Barbara didn't say anything.  She swayed with him for a few steps before leaning her whole body against his and slow danced like an awkward teenager.

Prom.  Another thing her mom thought was fun and forced her to do.

A cringe tightened her shoulders as she thought of the dress.  Hideous emerald green with a puffy tulle skirt, she had felt like a St. Patrick's Day float.  It was far worse than any of the Halloween costumes she'd been given to wear over the years.

It was much more enjoyable being in the club with Delgado than the high school gym with Robbie Dixon.  Half a dance with him was all she could stomach.

She should suggest they go somewhere to talk.  Ever since getting back from Denver, Barbara had been working on figuring out who at SBI Pharmaceuticals had been in touch with Tray and canceled the clinical trial on his sister.  They were a mammoth organization with offices and centers in thirty-eight states and sixteen countries.  She focused her efforts on Phoenix.  So far all she had been able to learn was from the internet and was completely useless.