Page 52 of Kidnapped in Dark Waters
Arriving at the café, she pulled into one of the few empty spaces in the lot. It looked like it was going to be a very busy dinner time. But that was good. She needed to stay busy.
Once again, she grabbed her knife as she exited the car and hurried toward the back door. She was a few minutes early for her shift, so she sank down at the table in the break room and just breathed.
It wasn’t long before she was joined by a few more waitresses and then it was time to go to work. Thankfully, the dinner shift was much different than the morning and afternoon shifts since her regulars rarely showed up for dinner.
Knowing she wouldn’t have to put up with the awkwardness that still marked her encounters with the three regulars caused her to relax and just enjoy doing her job.
Couples and families usually filled the café in the evenings. She always enjoyed interacting with the children who came with their parents. Their orders usually consisted of one of three things…grilled cheese, chicken nuggets or a hot dog with ice cream for dessert.
“Hi, sweetie.” Nola greeted her from her seat at a four-top table. She was with two other women who smiled and nodded at her.
“How are you all doing this evening?” Dominique asked.
“We’re all well, but what’s wrong with you, honey?” Nola asked.
“What do you mean?” Dominique asked.
“The normal sparkle isn’t in your eyes and that means something is troubling you.” Nola looked at her intently. “Dominique, I’ve known you since you were a baby and I could always tell when something was wrong by looking at your eyes.”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Dominique replied with a small laugh.
“It’s definitely something,” Nola pressed.
“I’m just very disappointed by the murder investigation,” she finally said.
“Who would have thought that Pierre was innocent,” one of the other women said.
“I still don’t know if I believe it or not,” Nola said. “I never liked that man. He and your mom were so different and they should have never been together. All they ever did was fight with each other.”
“So, what can I get for you ladies this evening?” Dominique asked, needing to get things moving so she could attend to her other tables.
They placed their orders and then Dominique left their table. That was what she and Luke would be like if they ever tried to be together, she told herself. The two of them were so different and they would probably fight all the time. It definitely wasn’t a match made in Heaven.
She stayed busy for the rest of her shift and then at eight o’clock she went back into the break room to grab her purse and head home.
Once again, she pulled her knife from her purse as she stepped out of the back door of the café. The skies overhead were angry looking and there were no signs of the stars or the moon.
There was nobody around so she had nothing to worry about. She’d had to park her car by the dumpster and she now hurried on her way to it.
She’d heard of people dumpster diving into the café’s trash bin, but she’d never seen anyone actually doing that. She would like to think that in the small town of Dark Waters, nobody was hungry enough to have to seek their next meal out of the dumpster.
The only sound came from the voices that spilled out of the kitchen where the back door was open and an occasional rumble of thunder in the distance. She definitely wanted to get home before the storm was upon her.
She’d nearly reached the driver door when he appeared. Clad in dark clothes and wearing a ski mask and gloves, the man seemed to materialize out of the dark shadows.
He rushed toward her, barely giving her time to process what was happening. With her heart beating frantically, she tightened her grip on her knife.
She slashed out at him with the knife and at the same time, he lunged forward and hit her upper arm with a hypodermic needle. Whatever was in it burned as it entered her. She flailed her arm out once again as she tried to stab him, but he’d stepped back from her and was too far away for her to strike.
Danger! Danger! Get in your car and get away, a voice screamed inside her head.Run back to the kitchen. For God’s sake, do something and do it now.
Her arms and legs felt strange, as if they were all wrapped up in cotton and wouldn’t work. Her brain became too slow to process everything as she became disoriented. What was happening to her?
She knew she had to do something, but the knife slipped from her hand and clattered to the pavement. She tried to scream, but only a soft mewl escaped her.
Dizziness whirled in her head as the dark edges of unconsciousness reached out to take her. She fell into strong arms and had one last rational thought. She was in deep trouble. That was her final thought before the darkness took over and she knew no more.
LUKE ONCE AGAINjoined Daniel and Clay in the murder room as they shared and discussed what they had learned the day before with their interviews.
