Melody Jade Allen - Dead Breath

“What kind of car was it?”

“It was the dark sedan.”

“Wow! You cut the list by a couple of million, but the list of suspects is still about a few hundred thousand and it’s only in Las Vegas.” Tom grinned.

“Thank you, I appreciate your support.” Mireya rolled her eyes.

“Come on, it must have been someone like us. Someone came there by night to hide and you didn’t let him in.”

“That sounds logical. But I’m not entirely sure.”

Tom shrugged his shoulders.

“By the way…” Mireya looked at him. “Is Tom Walt a fictitious name?”

“Only Walt is. My full name is Thomas. But call me Tom. Are you Mireya Jalinda Rothe?”

Mireya narrowed her eyes. “Yes. Did she say it?”

Tom chuckled. “Is it such a big secret?”

“No, it’s not. I just didn’t think Leandra talked so much about me behind my back. How long do we have to go to her last home?”

“It’s about a few hours.”

“Where have you been?”

Tom slightly reduced the speed of the car. “Sorry?”

“Well, you left our motel. Where did you go?”

“There is a gas station nearby, on the other side.” Tom tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “I just didn’t want to waste time when we go together.”

“Why does it seem to me that you are lying?”

“It’s because I am.” Tom smiled meaningfully and again exceeded speed.

Mireya felt drowsy, which was unusual for her after a recent awakening, but she tried to hold on. “Can we stop and buy coffee?”

Tom didn’t answer.

“What?” Mireya asked.

“You said there was a dark sedan?” He said.

Mireya held her breath for a moment. “Yes.”

“He is following us.”

The car filled with silence. Mireya’s could hear some creaking in her ears. “So, what’s the plan?”

“I don’t have one yet. I don’t want problems on the road. Sometimes the police patrol somewhere around here. Don’t take chances if you don’t mind.”

“But what if it’s a policeman?”

“No. That’s hardly.”

“Why not?”

“He would have already arrested you, Mireya. Now you’re a federal criminal.” Tom slowed down and turned off the high beam.

The car turned to the side of the road and began to slowly stop. The dark sedan stopped behind.

“And what the hell did you do?” Mireya said to Tom, sliding down and clinging more firmly to the seat.

“Everything’s under control.” Tom answered, looking in the rear-view mirror. “We can break away from it in the city, lost in the flow of cars, but if he needs to see us, he will find us again.”

“You don’t even know who he is and what he is capable of, but you are ready to go into battle? Come on!”

“I’m not going to fight without a weapon. And I’m saying literally.” Tom unbuttoned his black leather jacket and took out the gun from his inner pocket.

Mireya exhaled. “It is to use illegal weapons with impunity? And where does it come from?”

“I don’t give away my sources, Lady.” Tom winked.

Mireya turned, looking at the dark sedan. “Tom?” She straightened up.

The dark sedan extinguished the lights and slowly drove for the road. It stopped next to them, they saw the silhouette of a man – now, they were sure it was a male. But they could not see his face. After a few seconds the sedan switched on the lights again and moved along.

Mireya looked at him in bewilderment. “Is he crazy?”

Tom put the gun away. “If this is some kind of joker…”

“Yes, it’s pretty funny for such a joke like spying.”

Tom lowered the window and inhaled the night air. “So, do you think we’re dealing with a spy? Are there any suspects?”

Mireya smiled falsely. “If I had a list of suspects, you would be the first in it.”

“Ah, yeah?” Tom laughed and pressed the gas pedal. “That’s what happens – you save someone and that someone starts to suspect you. Nice!”

The car continued its way.

***

Las Vegas night was like a picture with advertising for travellers – millions of lights, neon, luxury cars, lots of entertainment and, of course, a lot of people, as they expected. Mireya and Tom stopped at the parking lot of the gaming house, where someone’s private party was taking place and nobody cares about all these cars that came and drove away every minute. They passed a little forward; Mireya noticed a multi-storey residential building between the hotel and the shopping centre.

“We are almost there.” Tom told her and with a sign to follow him, he headed for this house.

They entered its open door, the concierge at the entrance was dozing, being on his chair and seeing them he only nodded slightly and closed his eyes again. Mireya and Tom entered the elevator and got up to the 17th floor. The apartment number 121.

Tom stepped to the door and began to open it. Mireya’s cell rang again. “Give me a couple of minutes?”

Tom nodded.

Mireya walked away and accepted Leandra's next call.

“I insist that you visit my new house on wheels!” Leandra spoke this time against a background of many voices. Mireya recognized this day – they were in college and Leandra told her about the new purchase, her new home on wheels and how she was glad to finally leave the room in the hostel.

“And, by the way… I got a wooden box.” Leandra continued. “Well, you know, it’s a musical box, but it keeps a secret. And in addiction, it was done in a hand-made master from Arizona. You must see it, Mireya. Someday this day will come.”

The call was interrupted.

Mireya and Tom entered Leandra’s apartment, which until now was filled with the smell of her perfume. Mireya closed the curtains; Tom lit a few sconces that lit up the room. The apartment wasn’t big – just a living room, a small bedroom, a bathroom, and a cramped dressing room. She had a counter with books, between which there were frames with photos, and Mireya saw herself on one of them… this summer day, they were happily hugging each other against the background of new Leandra’s house on wheels. It was a happy summer.

“So, I think…” Tom said, “…you need to search her bedroom – I don’t want to touch her underwear, so I’ll take the living room. And by the way, I’ll give you the honour of looking her dressing room.”

“Thank you, I’m flattered.” Mireya said with sarcasm in her voice. “We will search the rooms together. That will be faster. And we will be at each other’s sight.”

“Do you think I can hide something for myself?”

Mireya shrugged her shoulders.

“All right, Lady.” Tom spread his hands. “If you wish so…”

They began to examine every inch of the living room; Mireya found several albums with photos, empty diary, and laptop with only a few films, music, and minor notes. Her gaze fell on a book called Midnight Wind, which was so beloved by Mireya and she gave it to Leandra for Christmas. Mireya smiled inside and went to the counter with the books she pulled a hand to her gift. Taking it into her hands, she flipped through several pages; Leandra used their general photograph as a bookmark and highlighted some quotations with a transparent marker. She was going to put the book on its place, but noticed what she had heard a few minutes ago – the music box. It was the box that Leandra showed in her new house on wheels. Mireya took it in hand. An ordinary box with girlish attributes inside – a mini hair brush, hair clip, hygienic lipstick… Leandra insisted that this box keeps a much bigger secret than it shows. Mireya forgot about these words long time ago, but someone reminded her… Obviously it was not in vain.

“I will take it.” Mireya said and put the box back in her backpack.

“Okay.” Tom agreed. “Will we continue?”

Follow-up minutes, after almost an hour and a half their search didn’t any another results – everything was just the stuff of a classical resident of Las Vegas. Nothing superfluous, mystical and mysterious.

“Are we done?” Tom asked, coming to the door.

Mireya looked around for the last time. “Yes, completely.” They left Leandra’s apartment, taking with them the first answers…

In the morning at the Los Angeles police station, Adrianna studied Leandra’s biography comparing it to the biography of Mireya; it seemed to her these two girls were like two opposite shores of different oceans, but still they were really friends. Good friends.

“Hale?” Captain Locke walked past her. “Go to my office right now.”

When Adrianna entered Locke’s office, he went down into his seat and looked at her as if expecting some explanation. Adrianna was silent, waiting for questions or answers.

“I have to get you away from Leandra Ray’s case.” The Captain said.

“What…?” Adrianna stepped toward him. “Why? What did I do wrong?”

“People above me talked about it. They learned about your friendship with Mireya Rothe who is currently on the wanted list.”

“Do they consider me an unreliable worker?”

“They gave me to understand that. They suspect you may have an unofficial connection with her and you can deliberately hide her current location and moreover, they assume that you could help her escape. After all, you violated the protocol, leaving the suspect alone with herself.”

Adrianna nodded. “Yes, I admit my mistake. But Sir, I want to prove her innocence, but I would never insist on her being released from responsibility.”

“That’s much the better for you.” The Captain got up. “They don’t insist on your removal yet, but trust me it’s only a matter of time.”

“I understand. But can I continue for now? Do we have something new?”

“Yes, and you will not like it.” The Captain took the document from his desk and handed it to the detective. “Look at it. This is an extract of Leandra’s e-mail. She corresponded with someone with a non-tracked email, and it was a person with MJR initials – Mireya Jalinda Rothe.”

Adrianna grinned. “This is only speculation! Even the judge would not accept it! And you know, I had a friend named Michael Jerry Rogers. Maybe it’s his fault, eh?” Adrianna felt her blood getting hot.

“Adrianna, calm down.” The Captain raised his hand. “I want to clarify – it’s all really conjectures, but if it was Rothe, we will prove it.”

“How?”

“According to information from the messages – read this dialogue that you see before you.”

Adrianna looked down at the document in her hands,

Leandra: “You know, I like living in that house on wheels. Sorry you’ve been there only a few times.”

M: Well, my room in the hostel was not bad either.”

Leandra: “By the way, how is our mutual friend?”

M: “We will not talk about it. I’m going to attend a lecture about psychology in Seattle. August 26th. Will you make me a company?”

Leandra: “Only if I’m not the third extra.”

M: “Of course you are not! (smiley) You are the only one!”

Leandra: “You’re cute! Okay, I have to go. I’ll see you at the party tonight. Do not forget about the bikini! (winking smiley)”

Adrianna looked at the Captain. “Have you checked everything?”

The Captain crossed his arms. “Yes, Adrianna, we checked it out, comparing the time of correspondence between events in the life of the victim. It was a couple of days before Leandra Ray moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. There are general photos in her social network. She and Mireya Rothe were at the party of their common friend Tim Murray. A party with a bikini. The house on wheels, owned by Ray and Mireya Rothe, of course, visited it. And by the way, judging by another correspondence from Facebook, Mireya flew to Seattle on August 26 for a lecture on psychology and returned the next day, there’s even a picture of how Leandra meets her at the airport. Then… a few months later all the messages became hostile.”