The Red House

Chapter 30

With smooth voice and heart in song, Matthew sang his last song for the night. It was nearing midnight and his shift was almost over. He ran his hands down the mic stand to add drama and emotion to his John Meyer song. And finally, the song was done. The costumers gave their applause and light praise to him before he left the stage.

He jumped off the stage with a proud smile. He went for the top of the piano and took his tips for the night. They would always be full by the end of the night. After so, he went over to Rachel at the counter and told her that he was done for the night.
"Great job tonight, Matt." She commended.
"Thanks, Rach." He pocketed his tips.
"Are you off for the night? I heard some of the waiters were going to the pub a few blocks down for a few drinks." She offered.
He shook his head politely. "Nah, staying up and drinking's no good for your voice. I mean, I want your payment to stay the same." He joked.
Rachel laughed. She was about to say something in return but was interrupted by a man in a suit.
"Thanks for the great night, Rachel." The dark haired man said.
He looked old enough to have grandchildren at the age of 1-3. He looked kind with his latino looks and smile.
"Always a pleasure, Atty. Heart." Rachel curtsied, shaking the man's hand.
Matthew's heart dropped at the sound of the man's name. "Heart" it echoed through his head. Could that be Feather's father?
"Please, Rach, I told you, call me Rick." He offered. "Atty. Heart is just too formal. And don't even try Ricardo."
Ricardo Heart... that was the name of Feather's father.
He watched as the man went out of the restaurant, still stunned from the find.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Rach." He said on auto.
When she looked up to reply, Matthew had already ran out the door.

Matthew pushed past the cold night of New York, running after the man in the long dark coat. It was Feather's father. He was one step closer to having her free.
"Mr. Heart!" he called, running faster after the man. "Mr. Heart!"
He finally stopped his tracks and looked to Matthew, seeing what the boy had to say.
"Mr. Heart." Matthew called the last time, approaching the man.
"Yes?" he questioned.
Though out of breath, Matthew pushed to talk. "I'm sorry. I'm Matthew Walker." he held out his hand to shake, Rick took it.
"Ah, yes." He said, "you're that singer at Bleecker."
Matthew nodded. "I'm sorry to intrude, but would you happen to have a daughter named Feather?"
Through the moon's light, Matthew saw the darkness fall on his face.

"She's dead." He said.

He shook his head. "No, no she's not. She's just missing. But she's not dead."
"Young man, I've been looking for my daughter for years now. With the state she was in when she ran away, I-" he couldn't finish his sentence. "Anyway, who are you to talk to me about my children? Feather's dead and I've moved on. Goodnight."
"But she's not dead!" he justified, as the man slowly walked away. "I know where she is!" he yelled after her.
It caught the man's attention.
He turned back to Matthew, intrigued. "Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm a... friend of Feather's, sir. I've been seeing her for quite sometime; a long time. Long enough to fall in love with her." He admitted. "Anyway, I know where she is and she wants to go home."
"Well, why doesn't she?" he asked, still refusing to believe the stranger's story.
"Because she can't." he admitted. "She wants to, but she can't. She's trapped. She needs your help."
Rick licked his lips and stared far. "If you're my daughter's lover, as you claim to be, why don't you help her out yourself?"

Matthew sighed. "This is all the help I can give, sir-finding you. The rest I can't. Because only YOU can get her out of there. Only YOU can save her. It has to be YOU."

--

Adrian couldn't hold in his feelings anymore. He's wasted all his time watching Feather through his camera's but it wasn't good enough. He had to have her. Feather was meat and he was a very, very hungry lion. The thought of her naked voluptuous body under his, claimed as his, would already cause him so much lust. He couldn't get over it. Sex with Patricia and his other sluts wasn't much to him knowing Feather still wasn't his. He had to have her. He wants her... now.