The Midnight Tour

“I’m glad. Can we get out of here?”

Laughing, Tuck crouched over the hatch and tested the padlock. “Well, this one’s okay,” she said.

“Do you always check the locks?”

“Every morning,” she said on her way back. “We don’t want any surprises, do we?”

“Seems like we get them whether we want them or not.”

“Some surprises are worse than others.”

As Dana watched, Tuck made her way over to the “old jailhouse door.” Never intended for jail use, however, it had been special-ordered by Janice to seal off the Beast House end of the tunnel leading westward to the Kutch house.

Through the bars of the door, Dana could see the opening of the tunnel. Light spilled in from the cellar, then faded to blackness.

Tuck stepped up to the door.

That’s where Warren got jumped.

Dana slipped a hand into the baggy front pocket of her uniform shorts and wrapped her fingers around the grips of her pistol.

How could they not tell Tuck about what happened to Warren?

My God, she comes in at night. Week in, week out.

Doesn’t know any better.

It’s all a lark for her,

I oughta tell her, myself.

“Locked up tight as a frog’s asshole,” Tuck said.

“Good. Let’s get out of here.”

Dana waved to the others, then veered off and headed for the snack stand.

Warren smiled at her through the order window. “Morning,” he said.

“Hi.”

She had a sudden urge to embrace him.

“Can I come in for a minute?” she asked.

“If you don’t mind everybody knowing.”

“I don’t mind. Do you?”

“Go to the back.”

Dana hurried around to the rear of the snack stand. There, Warren opened a door for her. She rushed up a couple of stairs and into the small enclosure. Warren shut the door and turned to her.

“Missed you,” he said, taking her into his arms.

“Me, too.”

They kissed gently. Dana pulled him hard against her. She could feel the moist heat of his mouth. She could feel his chest and belly. She could feel his breathing. She moaned with the feel of him.

After a few seconds, they ended the kiss and loosened their embrace.

“Have a good time after I dropped you off” Warren asked.

“Oh, I’ve had better—like back at your place. How about you?”

“Well, I got lonely and tried on your bra.”

Laughing softly, Dana said, “I tried on your underwear.”

“Oh, gross. Did you?”

“Maybe I’m wearing ‘em now.”

While one of his hands stayed in the middle of her back, the other glided down and felt her through the seat of her uniform shorts. “You’re not really, are you?”

“That’s for me to know...”

“And for me to find out?”

“But not now,” Dam said. “I’ve gotta go out and get to work.” She kissed him on the mouth, then eased away. “See you later.”

Opening the door for her, Warren asked, “Are you still planning to go on the tour tonight?”

“Afraid so.”

“I wish you’d change your mind about that.”

“Me, too,” Dana said, and hurried out.

Chapter Forty-eight

A TICKET TO DIE FOR

After breakfast, Owen walked to Beast House. The morning was fresh and sunny. He couldn’t really enjoy it, though. Nor could he look forward with much enthusiasm to the Midnight Tour.

John hung over his head.

He’ll kill me if I sell his ticket.

Probably won’t kill me, Owen thought, but he’ll sure as hell never forgive me. It’ll crush him. I can forget about ever seeing those pictures he took last night.

Oh, God, I’ve gotta see those! I’ve gotta have copies!

Do I? he asked himself. Even if the pictures turn out fine, they’ll never be as good as what I saw.

Walking along Front Street, he called an image into his mind of Dana standing by the jacuzzi and pulling off her huge white T-shirt. He saw her so clearly that he started to get hard.

The hell with John’s pictures, he thought. The hell with John. If he shows up, I’ll just smile and say, “Sorry, but you disappeared. I didn’t think you’d be back, so I took in your ticket for a refund.”

“YOU WHAT!!!”

Anyway, Owen told himself, maybe John won’t be back. Maybe something actually did happen to him.

He’s probably fine.

Sure.

“He won’t be so fine,” Owen muttered, “when he drags his fat, sorry ass back from wherever he’s been all night and finds out his little prank cheated him out of the Midnight Tour.”

Though feeling sick with tension—and probably lack of sleep—Owen grinned..

By the time John shows up, he thought, it’ll be a done deal.

If be shows up.

As Owen walked closer to the ticket booth, he saw that only eight or ten people were standing in line.

Won’t be much of a wait.

After I get my refund, he thought, maybe I should go back to the room and take a nap. A long nap. Maybe I can sleep all afternoon. Then I’ll be good and fresh for tonight.

As he walked closer to the ticket booth, he looked through its glass.

And saw Dana at work inside.

Oh, no!

Heat flashed through his body. He felt as if his skin might burst into flame. Sweat seemed to spill out of every pore.

He didn’t think Dana had seen him yet; she was talking to a customer.

Afraid that stopping might draw attention to himself, he slowed down, turned his head as if looking back for someone, then made a casual U-turn and started walking away.

At the first intersection, he turned to the right and stepped past the corner of a bakery.

Can’t see me now.

He stopped and took deep breaths, trying to calm down.

Now what? he wondered. I can’t ask for a refund, not with Dana working the booth. She knows all about me