The Midnight Tour

“No, no. I’ll manage. It’ll be all right.”

“Sure,” Dana said. She gave his leg a squeeze, then let go and stood up. “I’m booking. Want to come with me?” Not waiting for an answer, she took his hand and pulled.

Warren rose out of his seat and hurried along behind Dana to the end of the row.

She shoved open the door and towed him into the lobby.

“You can let go, now. I’ll be fine.”

She didn’t let go.

“You don’t want to miss the movie,” he said.

“I’ve seen it plenty of times.” She pushed open the glass door and towed Warren outside. After a few more strides, she turned around and took him into her arms. He was panting for air. His whole body seemed to be trembling. She hugged him tightly.

Soon, his breathing relaxed and his tremors faded.

Dana eased her hold on him. She gently caressed his back and brushed her lips against his cheek. “Feeling better?” she whispered.

“Feel like a jerk,” he muttered.

“Nah.”

“Can’t even watch a damn movie...”

“I don’t care about the movie. I just care about you.”

Then she kissed him on the mouth, moaning, rubbing herself against him, sliding a hand down and squeezing his rump.

She felt Warren’s hands on her buttocks.

Against her thigh, she felt his rising hardness.

And she realized they were standing beneath the brightly lighted marquee of The Haunted Palace, in plain view of anyone who might wander by on the sidewalk or drive past them on Front Street.

“Maybe we should go someplace,” she said.

“What’ve you got in your pocket?”

“What?”

“‘That hard thing,” Warren said.

“Oh, that. It’s my rod.”

“Your what?”

“Reach in.”

Frowning slightly, Warren slipped a hand down the deep front pocket of her shorts. The pistol swayed, bumping against her thigh. “It’s a gun!”

“Eve loaned it to me.”

Saying Eve’s name, Dana felt a surge of worry.

Where is she?

If she doesn’t show up for the tour, Dana thought, we’d better go looking for her.

She suddenly became aware of Warren’s hand, still down there with the pistol, rubbing her thigh through the thin fabric of her pocket lining.

She met his eyes.

He smiled. “You aren’t really wearing my skivvies, are you?”

“What do you think?”

“Uh...Doesn’t feel like you’re wearing anything under there.”

“Bingo.”

“Oh, man.”

“So. Where would you like to go?”

“Maybe we can find a Bingo game.”

Dana laughed.

Warren removed his hand from her pocket, took a deep breath, and sighed. “What about...should we go back into the theater? It’ll at least be warm.”

“No,” she said, and kissed him on the mouth.

“You could go back in without me,” Warren suggested. “I’ll head on back to Beast House and help the gals with cleanup.”

“No,” Dana said, and kissed him on the mouth again. “They’d be disappointed. They wanted us to have a nice, romantic time at the movie.”

“I don’t think that’s in the cards.”

“No, it’s not.” She kissed him on the mouth again. “Not at the movie, anyway.” Letting go of Darren’s rump, she raised her arm and over his shoulder glanced at her wristwatch. “We’ve got an hour and a half before the tour starts. Let’s try to use it wisely.”

Warren laughed, his body shaking against her. “I thought you were worn out from last night.”

“Not that worn out. Let’s figure out where to go.”

“There’s my place,” Warren said.

“What’s that, about a ten minute walk from here?”

“About.”

“We’d be killing twenty minutes just going back and forth.”

“There’s the snack stand.” He shook his head. “Only thing is, we’d probably run into Windy and Rhonda.”

“Let’s not.”

“I know! The museum!”

“The Beast House museum?”

“Sure.”

Dana could see it from where she stood—on the other side of Front Street and half a block to the north. The neon sign above its door flashed BEAST HOUSE MUSEUM & SOUVENIRS in swirling red letters that appeared to be dripping blood. Perched above the words was the blue neon outline of a seven foot tall, prowling beast.

A much smaller sign, also blue neon, lit up the middle of the display window. It read CLOSED.

“We can be there in a couple of minutes,” Warren said.

“Can we get in?” Dana asked.

“Sure. I’ve got keys to everything.” He pulled her by the hand.

They rushed over to the curb. There was no traffic in sight, so they ran across the street.

As they hurried up the sidewalk, Dana asked, “Will you be all right in there?”

“Sure.”

“Are you sure? I mean, if the movie got to you like that...I’d think the museum might be even worse.”

“It doesn’t bother me.”

“Have you been in it lately?”

“Does last week count?”

Dana nodded.

“Janice normally runs the place, you know. When she’s there, I drop in two, three times a week. And I have no troubles.”

“Might be a little different at this hour of the night.”

“Might be. Thanks for mentioning it.”

“You’re welcome.”

Approaching the door, Warren dug a key case out of his pocket. “When I get it unlocked, I’ll have to make a run for the alarm.”

“It won’t go off, will it?”

“Not if I get there in time. But don’t worry. It’s no big deal. I just won’t be able to dally in the doorway.”

“You don’t want me to clutch you to my bosom in a feverish embrace?”