Strange Neighbors (29 page)
Authors: Ashlyn Chase
"Breathe slowly. You're hyperventilating."
Merry blinked and exhaled, then purposely slowed her breathing. Her vision cleared. "I'm okay. Thanks."
"Think nothing of it." He stood and watched her while she shakily struggled to her feet.
"So, do you think Jason would do that? Hurt someone, I mean?"
He shrugged. "What do you care? I thought she tried to hurt you."
"Not physically. No eye pecking. Nobody deserves that. Besides, I feel kind of sorry for her."
Nathan made a noise that sounded like pshah. "The paparazzi? They deserve whatever they get."
"She's a human being, or was once. I think she lost a big piece of her humanity. The part that cares about other people's feelings."
"And some people have more than their share of humanity and care too much. You, for instance."
"Me? I don't care too much. I care just right."
Loud cursing outside signaled someone's approach. Merry opened the front door and Jason hurried inside, buck naked, dragging Lila with him.
"Jesus! Look at you."
Nathan sighed. Sounding bored, he asked, "Where'd you leave my clothes?"
"Marlboro Street. About two blocks down. I'll go back and get them later."
"No need. I feel like taking a walk. I'll just go get my keys." Nathan disappeared into his apartment, but left the door ajar.
Lila grinned. "Oh, so you share clothes as well as a bed?" Then she turned her evil smile toward Merry. "I'll bet you didn't know your boyfriend had a boyfriend."
"He doesn't," she said, and crossed her arms.
"Oh yeah?" Lila laughed. "When I get through with him, you're the only one who'll believe that."
Nathan reemerged shrugging into his black jacket. "Look, lady, I don't know what your damage is, but this guy doesn't deserve whatever crap you're dishing out."
"Defending your lover, are you?"
"Blow it out your blowhole, lady," he said calmly and pushed past her to leave.
"Hey, see if you can find her camera while you're out there," Jason called after him. "She threw it in some bushes."
Merry worried her upper lip. "Jason, what are we going to do with her?"
"We?" he asked. "She's my problem."
"Well, yes, but she seems intent on destroying my reputation too. Unless you don't think a nurse's reputation counts."
"Of course it does." He looked pensive. "Can you get my key so we can take her up to my place? It would be harder for her to escape through a window from the fourth floor. Besides…" He looked down at himself. "I need some clothes—again."
***
Once in Jason's apartment, an uncomfortable silence passed between Merry and Lila while he dressed hurriedly. When he reemerged from his bedroom, Lila was sitting in his comfy chair. Merry stood in front of her with her arms crossed.
"Can I have something to drink, please? Something strong?" Lila asked with surprising politeness.
Jason frowned. "First of all, get out of my chair. You can sit on the couch."
While she moved, he looked to Merry. "What's your opinion on giving her alcohol?"
Merry sighed. "Well, we don't want her to go into withdrawal. If it's been a few hours since her last drink, she might. Who knows how long she was lurking outside the building."
Jason sat in his chair and nodded.
"Hey, you sound as if you think I'm an alcoholic."
"Aren't you?" Merry asked. "Your bartender friend seemed to think so."
"Kevin? He'd never say that. Besides, he's not my friend anymore."
Casually, Merry said, "Really? Then I guess you don't need a drink and can do without one now."
"Damn straight. I can take it or leave it. I—I'd just prefer to take it."
"Prefer to or need to?" Merry asked. "I need to know how to keep you safe."
"Don't you dare diagnose me!"
Merry shrugged. "Fine. No drinks then. Why don't you tell us why you're doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"Trying to ruin my reputation," Jason said. "And possibly my relationship with my future fiancée." He frowned and waited.
She smirked. "Future fiancée, huh?"
Merry sat on the arm of his chair. "No matter what you print, I'm not going to believe it, by the way."
Lila shrugged. "Whatever. I report what I see, and I've seen some weird shit around here. Why wouldn't I report it? Give me one good reason."
"Because it's destructive."
"Hmm… Nope. That's not enough. Perhaps I should have said, give me seventy-five thousand good reasons."
Merry leaned forward. "Was that a bribe? Why, you brain-damaged, parasitic…"
Jason put his hand on Merry's arm. "Stop. I'll pay it." She sat up straight. "You're kidding!"
Jason held Lila's gaze. "The money comes with certain conditions, though."
"I'm interested. Keep talking."
"The story dies right here. The pictures are destroyed. And you never come near this building or the people who live here again."
Merry interjected. "And you go to rehab."
"Whoa!" Lila stood and clenched her fists. "I told you, I don't have a drinking problem."
"Thou doth protest too much."
Lila started toward Merry. Jason jumped up and stood in front of her. "You touch her and not only will the offer be rescinded, but I'll sue you and your paper for libel, defamation of character, and attempted bribery."
Lila stopped in her tracks.
Ah ha. We know what to use for leverage. Jason wanted to avoid the stress and publicity of a trial at all costs, but she didn't know that.
"I'll lose my job."
"Maybe you need a new line of work, anyway. Look, Merry's idea was a good one. I'll pay for a full treatment program. If you sign out early or against medical advice, the money stays in my bank account, and I'll sue the paper for millions."
"What makes you think you'll win?"
"I have an excellent lawyer. He's never lost a case." That wasn't necessarily true either, but it sounded good. He must have convinced her, because she remained quiet and appeared to be thinking it over.
"Look. Lila," Merry's voice softened. "I know of a couple of excellent thirty-day programs. I've recommended them to a couple of people I know and they were damn glad they participated. Each got more than they expected—not just a chance to sober up. It improved their whole lives."
After a long hesitation, she asked, "How will I know I'll get paid after the thirty days?"
Jason crossed his arms. "I'll leave a check made out to you in a sealed envelope with the hospital administrator. The instructions will be written on the outside of the envelope. He'll only give it to you upon completion of the entire program. Otherwise, it comes back to me."
She narrowed her eyes. "What's the catch?"
"Only that I take you to the facility myself," he said. "And I need to see that you're admitted before I leave. You can watch me put the check in the envelope and hand the envelope to the administrator."
"Maybe he's a friend of yours and will tear up the check as soon as I turn my back."
"You can ask him or her if we're friends. Since I play baseball and don't know anyone in that business, I'm certain it won't be a problem."
Merry strolled over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. When she didn't shrug it off, she said, "You're being given a very generous offer. If you're smart, you'll take it and when you get the money, disappear to some beautiful location and get a new job."
Lila exhaled and lowered her shoulders.
She's going to go for it! "Oh, one more thing…" Jason said.
"What now?"
"If you ever try to extract any more money from me,
you'll go to jail. I have my phone set to record all calls just in case you or anyone else of like mind manages to get the number. And if you ever write to me…"
She shook her head. "I won't do that. I'm not stupid."
"Good. Then we understand each other."
She nodded. "Can I go home now? I'll have to pack."
Merry held up one hand. "Not so fast. You could break your word and run the story. We're about the same size. I have clothes you can borrow."
"And what am I going to do in the meantime? Sit here until tomorrow when the admissions department opens and the hospital administrator shows up?"
"That sounds like the best option," Jason said. "I'll make the arrangements tonight."
"And I'll wait up with you," Merry said.
Concerned for Merry, Jason shook his head. "You need your rest. Don't you have to work tomorrow?"
"Yeah, but I don't trust her. She might knot together all your sheets and tablecloths and lower herself to the ground. Somebody has to baby-sit."
Lila put her head in her hands. "I need a drink. And maybe several more between now and tomorrow."
Merry nodded. "I figured you might."
"Pick your poison," Jason said, and strode to his bar.
"Lots of rum and a tiny bit of coke."
"Hey…" Merry brightened. "I know just the person to watch her. He stays up all night anyway."
"Who?" Jason asked.
"Sly."
"Do you know where to find him?"
Merry shifted her weight from side to side and avoided eye contact. "I think so."
"Fine. Can you do me a favor, though?"
"Anything."
"Stop at the third floor on your way down and tell the girls that if they can't guarantee their pet never leaves the apartment, I'd like them to find a new home on a nice farm for their owl."
"Already did."
***
Merry tiptoed down to the basement. She hoped that the frigid night air had kept Sly inside. Did vampires feel extremes of temperature? Weren't they already cold dead?
"Sly?" she whispered.
No answer came. She was about to call his name louder when she rotated around and came face to face with him. Instinctively, she recoiled and sucked in a deep breath.
"Don't be afraid, Merry."
"Sorry. You just surprised me."
"I tend to do that to people. You were looking for me?"
"Yeah. I was wondering if I could ask you to do me a favor? A big favor."
"Depends. If it's to eat garlic bagels with you during the day, I can't."
She chuckled. "No, it's nothing like that. I just need you to watch someone for me tonight. She's up in Jason's penthouse and until we can get her to rehab in the morning…"
"Ah, the nasty reporter," he guessed.
"How did you know?"
"We've met. It's hard to miss the alcohol on her breath."
"That's right. You told her my name was Allison.
Well, she knows better now, and she's threatening to ruin Jason's and my reputations."
"I don't particularly care what she does to him, but if she's out to embarrass or humiliate you in any way, I can take care of that—permanently."
"Oh, Christ, no! I don't want you to do anything but prevent her from sneaking out of Jason's apartment during the night. I'd stay up with her myself, but I have to work tomorrow. Working as a nurse on only a couple of hours sleep is a dangerous idea."
He nodded and leaned against the support column. "Did I ever tell you I'm proud of you?"
Surprised, a grin crept across her face. "I don't know, but it feels good to hear it."
"I'll need to get back down here before sunrise. Does your boyfriend know where I sleep during the day?"
"I don't think so."
"Does he know what I am?"
"No. And I'd have no idea how to tell him…" She shrugged.
"Good. Please keep it that way."
"I will."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"All right, then. Shall we go?" He gestured toward the cellar door.
She hugged him without even thinking about it. He held her awkwardly at first, then embraced her in earnest and patted her back.
Just as she suspected… He was freezing cold.
"You'll be nice to Jason, won't you? He's very important to me."
Sly rolled his eyes. "I suppose I'll have to be." She shot him a warning look.
***
Sly had never seen the penthouse and looked forward to checking out the celebrity's digs. Since he and Merry stopped at her apartment to pack some clothes for Lila, the reporter was good and inebriated by the time they finally arrived. He barely had a chance to glance across the marble floor and high ceilings before she staggered over to him.
"Ish thish my babyshitter?"
She reeked of rum. Being sensitive to odors anyway, the smell overwhelmed him and he held her at arm's length.
"Hey, I know you. You're the neighbor." She swayed slightly as she pointed to him. "You told me a fib. You shed Merry's name was Allishon."
"Sit down and be quiet," Sly said. "You're already getting on my nerves."
"You're a shitty babyshitter."
Jason strolled over to him and offered his hand. Sly didn't dare shake it or he'd discover how cold he was. But at the same time, he didn't dare not to. He promised Merry he'd "be nice" to him and she was watching closely.
At last he took the proffered hand and shook it, apologizing at the same time. "Sorry about my cold hands. I was outside."
Jason snatched his hand back. "Jeez, it must be freezing out there. What were you doing outside?"
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