Once the server drops my check on the table, I reach across to retrieve my license, tucking it back into my wallet. I pull out three ten-dollar bills, place them on the slip of paper, then get to my feet.
“Have a nice evening,” I tell Knox with a nod as I turn on my heel and walk out of the diner.
The dead won’t clean themselves.
Chapter 3
I
never did make it back to the warehouse last night. I went home with thoughts of Bodhi wreaking havoc on my mind. I’m not going to be able to forget about him. I need to know what his hands feel like on my skin.
I return to Jessa in the warehouse a few miles outside of town where I left her. I brought a large keyboard with me and a stand for it to sit on. It won’t be the same as her piano back at the school, but it will have to do. There is no way that I can get a real one out here on my own and I can’t exactly ask someone to help me with it either.
Also, I can’t wait to tell her about Bodhi. For one night, instead of the memories of the way she gracefully fingered the ivory keys, I could only think of the way Bodhi’s index finger scraped along his chin at the diner; the way his slender fingers drummed on the hard, wood surface of the table. He pulled me in, in a way no one has before.
“I brought you something,” I say as I enter the room.
Her body jumped at the sound of my voice.
I drop my messenger bag on the floor and set up the keyboard stand. I walk to where my chair is in the corner, grab it, and then place it in front of the stand. Then, I reach into my bag and pull out the two pairs of shackles I brought with me. They’re much longer than the kind they use on prisoners. I need her to have a little more room to move if I want her to be able to play for me. Before removing the ropes from her body, I place one end of the first pair of shackles around one of her wrists. The other end gets locked to the pipe in the ground.
I remove the rope from around her wrists and bring her arms slowly from above her head and lay them on her stomach. She cries out.
“Your arms are going to be sore for a little while from being in that position all night long.”
I start to massage them, but she slaps my hands away now that they’re free to move around a bit.
I grab one of her wrists and twist it painfully, nearly breaking it.
“I would hate to have to hurt you, especially because it will affect your ability to play your music, but I will if I need to.”
She stares up at me with an angry expression, breathing heavily. I smile sweetly back at her as I grab the other pair of shackles and place one end around her ankle. Wrapping the chain around my wrist, I untie the rope around her waist next; then, the one around her ankle. I help her off of the board and onto her feet. She sways unsteadily for a moment before I guide her to the chair to sit down. I have her lined up next to the pipes the board is strapped to, so I can attach the other end of her shackles to them.
“I have some more things in my car that I need to bring in here. I’ll be right back.” I take her hand and place a kiss to her palm before I go.
I return with the 76-key keyboard that I bought for her and a heavy duffle bag. I drop the bag to the floor with a loud thud and I can hear the weights clank against one another. Jessa’s terrified expression turns to me at the sound, but I reassure her she has nothing to worry about. Her eyes water as she looks at the floor beneath her.
I place the keyboard on the stand and tighten the bolts to it, locking it in place. Then, I unzip the bag and pull out the 50 lb. weighted ball and chain that I brought. I carry it over to her and fasten it to the shackles around her ankle.
There is no way she will be able to escape.
I take my tape recorder, a few protein bars and some water, sheet music and pre-sharpened pencils out of my bag. I put the sheet music and pencils on the stand and kneel beside her, placing the food on the floor at her feet.
“Okay, I need to go take care of some things, but I want you to have something to eat while I’m gone. Prepare a song for me to listen to for when I get back. I know this situation is a lot for you to take in, but you’re the best pianist I’ve ever heard. I know you have it in you. It doesn’t have to be very long, but I have to hear something new tonight.”
I reach for her chin and pull her face to me, placing a kiss on her cheek. I can taste the tears on her skin and they make my mouth water. Walking to the corner of the room, I place the tape recorder out of her reach and press record. There is a brand-new tape inside of it and it can hold 12 hours worth of recordings on it. More than enough time until I get back here.
“I am going to be recording you, so I will hear everything that goes on. I want to know that you put a lot of thought into what you’re going to play. When I listen to that tape, I better not be disappointed. Do you understand?” I say to her as I walk back to her chair.
She doesn’t respond.
“You’re a very smart girl. You understand,” I say as I pick up both of her hands. I kiss each finger once and place them on the keys in front of her.
“I can’t wait to hear what you come up with,” I say before walking out.
I went back to the diner that night hoping I would find him, but he never showed. I was disappointed and I regret that I took it out on Jessa when I got back to the warehouse. She really did try to write something beautiful, but I could tell her heart wasn’t in it. I brought her a thin padded mat to sleep on as well as a pillow and a blanket. I left it by the door where she could see it but not be able to reach it, so she would learn her lesson.
When I got to the warehouse this morning, she was sitting up, sleeping, with her back resting against the pipes. She had dirt all over her, as if she moved around on the ground the entire night trying to get comfortable.