Regenerate

Chapter 18

I buy the wig, even though Derek says it won't do any good. I try following Mantis's notes, try to figure out the pattern as to where this guy has been. But it doesn't do me any good. The murder locations all seem totally random to me.

Even still, I go out to the bars. It's a million times better than sitting around in my apartment and waiting. I need to be doing something.

And of course, Derek insists on tagging along with me. Which I'd actually probably kind of really enjoy if I weren't so worried about him.

No matter how many times I remind him that he never actually met the serial killer and doesn't know what he's dealing with, I can't convince him to stay behind. Not that I can blame him. I'm sure he gets as restless as I do.

Once again I find myself watching the boring club scene, when somebody taps me on the shoulder. I whirl around. I've been extra on edge lately.

But it's just Derek. "You want to hit the dance floor with me?"

"I'm working," I say. "And you're supposed to be being discreet, trailing me from a distance. And I don't dance."

He grins. "Wow, that's a lot of excuses."

"That's a no."

Derek puts on a fake pouty face. "Come on. Are you afraid to have a little fun?"

I put my hands on my hips. "I am not afraid to have fun, thank you very much."

"Come on," Derek says, taking my hand. "You are killing me in that dress. You've got to come dance with me."

I glance down at the lacey red dress I'm wearing. I hadn't thought it was anything special. "Fine."

Derek pulls me out onto the dance floor. For as much time as I've spent in bars and clubs over the past several months, I haven't spent any time dancing. Never saw much point in it.

Derek is totally into it, feeling the music and moving with it. And I’m sort of standing there like a board.

“Loosen up,” Derek says.

The girl next to me looks like she knows what she's doing, so I watch her for a second. Then I try to do what she does. Derek smiles at me encouragingly, and I start to relax.

By the time the next song comes on, I'm actually having fun. Derek is laughing, and I decide that I like the way he laughs. It's very, I don't know. Genuine I guess.

We dance for several more songs before Derek says that he should stop to get a drink. So we go over to the bar and get some water.

"We're not doing much of a job of staying on the look out," I say.

"But we're having fun," Derek says. "Or at least I am."

"I'm having fun," I assure him.

Derek takes a long drink. "I think you were lying when you said you don't dance. You were amazing out there."

"You don't have to say that just to be nice," I say.

"I'm not. You were killing it. Pretty sure every guy in the room was staring at you."

I roll my eyes. "Great. That's exactly what I wanted. And I wasn't kidding when I said that I don't dance."

"Well you were dancing great tonight."

"I'm a fast learner," I say. Then I change the subject. "Let's get out of here early. We're running blind anyway. I don't think we're going to find anything."

"Sure," Derek says. We finish our drinks. Then Derek leads me out of the club with a hand around my waist. We take the bus back to my apartment. As always, Derek walks me to me door.