Inconstant Moon - Default Font Edition (43 page)

Lucky Mouse.

Barbie sighs, then turns back to her book.

No one is eating outside today because it's cold. Kate is trying to find them a table while Nick gets their lunch. She's thinking they'd be better off to go home to eat as she cruises through the caf. There is an occasional empty seat but no place to squeeze two. This is nuts.

A flash of movement and she looks over and sees Adam waving at her. Oh look, he's at a corner table with his friend Dave and — joy oh joy — empty seats.

Great! Kate grins and gives him a thumbs up and looks back to see where Nick is at. Perfect. He's heading her way with a couple of bowls of soup balanced on a tray. And coffee. Nick knows she needs her caffeine fix. He's even stopped lecturing her about it. She beckons him to follow and she pushes on to Adam's table.

“Thanks Adam, you're a lifesaver.” Kate pulls out a chair.

Adam smiles shyly. “I am happy to help the computer club hostess.”

“Well, you sure did, big time.” She grins. “I was thinking we were gonna have to take our lunch home. I sure don't plan on having lunch in Nick's lab. Ever.”

Adam laughs while Dave raises his eyebrows.

“My husband's a med student,” Kate says while stacking abandoned dishes on her side of the table onto an empty tray.

Dave gets it. “I see your point.”

Nick arrives with his full tray and Kate asks, “You guys met?” as she carries the tray of debris to a clearing station.

Adam nods. “Hi Nick.”

Nick sets the tray down, and tells them “Thanks. I wasn't looking forward to lunch in the lab.”

“Yeah, Kate said.”

Nick comes around the table beside Dave, extending a hand. “Nick Stone, med school.”

Shaking hands, “Dave LeBlanc, engineering.”

Nick grins, distributing the tray contents. “This your first year?” Nick asks as Kate returns.

“Yes. It's much more intense than high school was.”

Nick laughs as Kate crumbles the sealed package of crackers into dust then sprinkles it into her tomato soup.

“You know, your accent sounds just like my friend Krys. Whereabouts are you from, Dave?” Kate asks.

Dave says, “I'm from Walkerton. But I don't have an accent.”

Kate laughs. “Sure you do. I guess it's not the same, then, because she's from a place called Paisley.”

“That would have put us in the same school. Paisley doesn't have a high school; they get bussed to Walkerton.” Dave says. Then he frowns. “I have an accent?”

“Just a little one.” Kate smiles back. “You mean I was right? Awesome.”

“What do you know,” grins Nick. “Henry Higgins.”

“I had no idea Christine ended up at Christie.”

“Not Christine, Krystal. In computer science.”

Dave nods. “It was a small school, Kate, and everybody knows everybody. We didn't have a Krystal, but there was Computer Chris. It would have to be Christine. Must be she's reinvented herself.” Dave shrugs. “I guess I would too if I were her.”

Kate walks into the computer lab, settling into her usual spot between Oscar and Maggie. As she fires up her machine, Kate leans over to Maggie, “I just had the strangest lunch.” Kate says, quietly.

“Wait a minute. Isn't this is lunch with Nick day? I don't wanna hear anything kinky.”

Kate rolls her eyes. “The caf was a zoo so it was lunch with a whole herd.”

Maggie grins. “That's why we went downtown. Much more civilized.”

“You may be better at planning than I am, Maggie, but I'm still better at digging up dirt.”

“Ooooh,” grins Maggie, “Sounds like I missed something good. What's the scoop?”

Just then Jake and Krystal come in and Kate freezes. Maggie says, “What?” Following Kate's line of sight she realizes the subject of the gossip has just entered.

Jake? She can't mean he's the rapist? Hard to believe. No way. Impossible.

It's got to be something else. Something with Krystal. How did Kate find out about Krystal? If anybody in CSIS had any brains, they'd be recruiting Kate. Begging her to sign on 'cause that girl would make an awesome spy.

Better keep it under wraps, it isn't something Krystal needs spread around. Maggie taps her keyboard and Kate nods an acknowledgement. They can discuss it in a private IM chat.

Jake sets down Krystal's laptop across the aisle in her usual spot beside Adam's place. Maggie wonders where Adam is. It isn't like him to miss class. This'd be his second time. What's going on with that guy?

Krystal smiles brightly, “Thanks Jake.”

Jake says, “No problem,” with nonchalance belied by the tell tale grin spreading from ear to ear as he leaves the room.

Maggie sets up the chatroom while Kate settles in, firing off invites to Oscar and Kate to participate just as the professor makes her appearance. Krystal has been plugging in her laptop but looks up as Gates announces the class can use the time to do project work or meet with her for individual consultations.

As Gates settles in at her desk, Krystal roots through her bag and pulls our a tattered paper notebook and heads over to join the line that's already forming She perches on an empty desk to reread some notes while she waits.

Maggie
whazzup k8?

Kate
You'll never believe it. I had lunch with Adam + his pal Dave.

Oscar
Right, Adam brought him along the other night.

Kate
Dave has a weird story to tell. He grew up in a small town, everybody knows everybody, and kids from the nearby towns are bused to Walkerton for high school.

Maggie
I hv work 2 do K8. This going somewhere?

Kate
Big time. Seems a redhead named Chris from small town Paisley told friends she was dying so they'd tell the guy she was hot for.

Maggie and Oscar exchange glances, then they all look over at Krystal talking to Professor Gates.

Oscar
So he'd pity her and give her a tumble?

Maggie
There's never been any question that the blonde is out of a bottle. Thought it was a fashion statement, not a disguise.

Oscar
Jake argued with Jose whether it was real blonde.

Maggie
Poor Jake.

Oscar
What happened? She get the guy?

Kate
Sort of worked, somebody told the guy, but instead of dating her he went to pray with her mom, and the mom set him straight.

Maggie
Holy shit that's . . . just . . .

Kate
Sick?

Oscar
Stupid, really. Y try it on again? Didn't work the first time.

Maggie
Different time, different place.

Kate
Nick says this is way beyond a prank. Only a sociopath would try to pull a scam like this. Twice.

Maggie
So Oscar told you?

Oscar
Guilty

Maggie
Just can't keep a secret, can you Oz.

Kate
Just as well. Y do u think Adam decided to cut.

Maggie
Maybe this Dave guy is just trying to do her dirt?

Kate
Can't see any reason he'd have to lie.

Maggie
Cold chills. I think I believe it. Need 2 hear it from her tho.

Kate
I wanna confront her. This is my last class today

Oscar
Can't believe I fell for it.

Maggie
It's funny, we weren't really friends until she was dying.

Oscar
I rather doubt we were ever really friends at all.

Kate
You guys believe it's all been a lie? even without talking to her?

Maggie
Yeah, I do.

Oscar
How could you lie about something like this? Inconceivable.

Maggie
I couldn't. You'd pretty much have to be a pathological liar to pull it off.

Kate
Word Nick used was sociopath.

Maggie
it's not something that a friend would do, that's for damn sure.

Kate
She mustn't think very highly of us.

Oscar
I've helped her with a bloody lot of school work.

Kate
Me too.

Maggie
I guess between us we're probably getting her pretty good marks.

Kate
And poor Jake . . . it's not just the mooning over her, he's been like her servant, you know . . . She's coming back. What now?

Maggie
Shh then. Talk to her after class. I'm sure as shit am not leaving this room until I know for sure. And she isn't either.

Oscar
Sounds like a plan. Back to work kiddies.

Krystal resumes her seat and finishes setting up her work area. She glances at her friends, but they are all pretty wrapped up in what they're doing.

Although quite close to the roadway, the traffic noise is almost nonexistent due to the thick stand of trees. The path meanders through the woods, interspersed every so often with concrete stanchions bearing street lights. Even with cast off leaves providing a colourful carpet there's still more than enough evergreen stuff to muffle sound. Except for the occasional crunching as people hurry along the path.

At least the stump is still here.

Oh look, all the cigarette butts have been cleaned up. Very thoughtful of the police. Still, given a choice. he'd be anywhere but here. But there really isn't a choice.

Resting his elbows on his knees, deep in the forest shadow, he takes a drag on the joint he lit just a moment ago. He hears giggling and tenses but it's a false alarm. Just a bunch of girls. He doesn't want them. He only needs one. Just one.

The one that's got him by the balls and won't let go. He draws on the joint, sucking the smoke deep into his lungs and letting it out slow, watching expelled smoke drift upward through the trees. Not too much foot traffic. It's getting too cold. He rocks a little, rubs his arms. She should be along momentarily.

After all, it's skive Thursday. Barbie always did cut the last class so she could get her salon hit. A girl needs to get her nails done.

He is breathing heavily now, the corners of his mouth twitching as he waits. The spliff is done. He carefully stubs it out on an empty matchbook, then places it in an envelope in his inside breast pocket.

Looking down, he sees they haven't just swept, they've scraped off a layer of dirt from around the tree stump. He scuffs the bits of ash into the dirt. No DNA from ash. He smiles, tucking his hands into his armpits.

Footsteps. Glancing at his watch he knows it could be her. No talking. It isn't like she has friends. An entourage maybe. Fans. High heels clattering. Good. He stands up. He can see her beautiful golden hair, floating in a cloud. Never dressed warmly enough for the weather. She goes around the curve of the path and he steps forward to follow her.

He's ready. He knows it's now or never. Increasing his speed, he closes the gap between them. He can tell just when she hears him, she tenses up a walks faster. He smiles. How fast can you go in those stupid shoes?

As he continues to close the gap he watches the way the heels make her butt move. Sensual.

Maybe that's all it was. Shoes.

Suddenly she stops, and whirls around to face him, Her hand is extended toward him, arm straight. What has she got pointed at him . . . oh, mace. Time to play. He stops. Draws back, raises his hands in mock surrender.

“Hey, it's just me,” he says. She lowers her hand, looking over at him.

Barbie shakes her head at her foolishness when she recognizes him. She smiles an automatic greeting. Good. She feels foolish. Guilty. Use it.

“Where are you going?” asks Barbie.

“I'm just starting a part time job. Um, could I . . . ? ” He wiggles his hands above his head, reminding her she has the drop on him.

“Oh sorry, Jose.” Barbie grins. “Sorry, you gave me a scare.” She stuffs the mace tube in her pocket.

He shakes his head. “That's okay. I gotta hurry if I'm gonna make the bus.” He fingers the scarf in his pocket as he starts to pass her, but she reaches up and touches him.

“I can give you a ride.”

He stops and turns to face her. “Okay.” He can feel his heart pounding. He looks down at her. She's smiling up at him, lips parted. She's so beautiful he can hardly breathe. He places his hands on her shoulders and bends down and kisses her. She responds with a passion that overwhelms him and for one brief shining moment it is enough.

The kiss deepens and she closes her eyes and pushes in closer, rubbing her body against his, hard, like an animal in heat. He's tempted. Last week it would have been everything.

Not anymore. His hands slide across her shoulders and encircle her neck. Her eyes fly open when he starts to squeeze.

He can see the fear in her eyes . . . she has learned enough anatomy to know that this pressure will at the least render her unconscious.

He feels the power as he continues the kiss, but now it's lost all pretense; it's an honest straightforward violation as his lips block her mouth from screaming and his tongue retracts from the attack launched by her teeth.

Still, he maintains the pressure, keeping her mouth sealed. He notices that her hands have been scrabbling at him. The impacts of her ineffectual fists are muffled by the thickness of his coat. She tries to kick him, twist, pull away but he can see that she knows she's losing it here . . . she is not getting enough air . . . her resistance is waning, her strength trickling away.

He feels triumphant as her ungloved hands flutter up toward him in supplication. He's starting to smile when the fluttering hands transform into talons and rake the sides of his face. The sting is sharp, he can feel wetness on his cheek. Grimly he tightens his grip ignoring the pain and she slumps. Finally. He opens his hands allowing her to slip through his fingers, and fall into a rag doll sprawl in the mud.