First 5 Pages: DEATH OF A SHOWGIRL / Psychological Thriller

[hannah_geiser]

Chapter 1

Galen

Tailing the car wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped. 

A smarter man might have written the whole thing off after having their bumper clipped by an SUV. I didn’t think it would be so difficult to stay close to Elise on the highway, but I’d almost crashed twice chasing her taillights through the dense heart of downtown Austin. Difficult as it was, I had to keep my wits about me. She would kill me if she realized I was following her. 

I focused on her car’s rearview window, straining to see beyond the tinted glass. Was she alone? I hoped beyond hope that she was, but it was impossible to tell even after forty-five minutes on the road. Sweat beaded at my collar as I imagined her husband’s hand resting on her thigh. I tried to shake the thought, but it nagged at me like a persistent, unreachable itch. That was the curse of our relationship. No matter how much Elise loved me, Alex would always come first.

A Tesla swerved in front of me out of nowhere, and I lay on the horn without thinking, then cursing myself under my breath. So much for trying to be discreet. I ducked down as far as I could without losing sight of the road, though the logical part of my brain knew my slip-up wouldn’t be enough to draw Elise’s attention. Honking in traffic was hardly cause for alarm. Another part of me wondered if she could sense my presence, the invisible thread of our bond tugging with every inch of distance between us.

I was so distracted by the thought I almost missed her car turning off the road. The Sterling Theater appeared in my periphery as I flew around the corner, narrowly making the turn without slamming into the curb. By some miracle, neither Elise nor her chauffeur noticed me driving like a madman behind them. Luck had been on my side so far, but I didn’t want to push it. Riding their bumper would look too suspicious now that we were off the highway. I jerked the wheel, veering into the maze of parked cars while Elise’s black Escalade continued toward the main entrance.

The lot was surprisingly full for a Thursday night. It took five precious minutes to find a spot and throw my car into park. When I looked up again, Elise’s vehicle was still idling at the building’s entrance. Nothing happened until an usher appeared at the driver’s-side window a minute later. I wondered if the old man had gotten lost and was asking for directions. 

It made more sense than Elise enjoying an evening at the theatre. She hated going out in public, especially after the scandal. Even in disguise, she’d end up being chased down for photos or autographs. She used to enjoy the attention, but now, people often recognized her for all the wrong reasons. What could she be thinking? She’d be sure to attract loads of attention in that little red dress she was wearing, too. 

The memory of the dress sent a stab of jealousy through me. It was a gift from Alex. Elise always insisted she hated it, yet she’d practically paraded it in front of me when she set off on her mysterious errand earlier.

“I have personal business tonight, Galen, but I’ll make it up to you,” was all she’d said on her way out the door. 

That was when I decided to tail her. I wouldn’t be able to sleep, or eat, or even breathe unless I knew where she was going in that dress—and who she was wearing it for. 
I glimpsed Elise’s favorite tennis bracelet as she passed the usher a folded bill through the window. He nodded and pocketed the money, motioning for the car to pull around back. That meant she was here to stay.

I’d only wanted to see where Elise was headed, but the destination raised more questions than answers. I hadn’t risked life and limb to go home empty-handed. Besides, I’d already come all this way. It wouldn’t hurt anyone if I stayed a little while longer. 

A wave of hot summer air engulfed me as I stepped out into the night, the Sterling Theater towering over me. The old building stood out against the skyscrapers of the city, a nostalgic sentinel of a bygone era. I had guessed Elise had come for a fancy gala or an opera, so the words BURLESQUE SHOW TONIGHT in bold letters across the vintage marquee almost sent me tumbling to the concrete. 

My knowledge of burlesque was limited, but I associated it with skeevy bars and bachelor parties, not historic theaters. Elise was a tasteful woman. What personal business could she possibly have at a show like this?  

I came up with a game plan as I approached the ticket booth. Elise would more than likely watch the show from a private box, so sitting on one of the upper levels gave me the best chance of seeing her. “One balcony seat, please,” I said to the woman behind the counter. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, sir,” she replied. “We just sold out for the night.”

My heart sank. There must be a way inside. I was in too deep to stop. 

“Is the owner holding any seats tonight? I have business to discuss with him later, but I thought I’d drop in to see the show first.”

She shook her head. “He’s not expecting any guests that I know of.”

I flashed my most charming smile. “It was a last-minute arrangement. He mentioned I should ask for one of his personal holds in case the show sold out, but I wanted to do my part, support the arts and all that.”

Her eyebrow shot up. “What’s his name, then?” 

Damn it. She got me there. 

I didn’t want to flex my connections, but I was out of options. The woman eyed me as I slid my business card under the glass divider. “I’m here on behalf of Elise Darrow. She’s inside the theater right now, scoping it out as a potential venue for an event. As you can see, I’m her personal assistant. I would be the person in charge of making the arrangements.”

She held the card up to the light like she was checking for a counterfeit bill. “Elise Darrow is here? Right now?”

The tremor of excitement in her voice filled me with hope. I guessed she was in her mid-twenties, just old enough to have grown up with Elise’s first album. Based on her reaction, I would bet she knew her music well. 

“Yes, your usher escorted her vehicle back a few minutes ago,” I said, repressing a satisfied smirk.

She flew out of her seat and disappeared through a small door, presumably to confirm my story. I hoped she wouldn’t be long. The show started in five minutes. There was no time for delays if I hoped to find Elise before the lights went down.

The woman still seemed suspicious when she returned. “You were right about her being here, but if you’re her assistant, why sit separately?”

Her vigilance astounded me. Getting into this theater was proving more difficult than infiltrating the White House. She cared far more than any other worker in her position would. The gears in my head turned as I searched for a solution. Maybe there was a way to use her work ethic to my advantage.  

“Look, it’s been a long day,” I said, coming up with my sob story on the fly. “It was my screwup for not getting tickets earlier, and I’m going to get chewed out if I don’t get inside. Elise has me running around ten hours a day, and it just slipped through the cracks. Can’t you help me out?” 

Her eyes narrowed as she studied me. Did she have some kind of superhuman ability to detect lies? I dared not even breathe while I waited for her answer. To my surprise, her scrutinizing gaze softened. 

“I was an assistant once. The guy wasn’t a celebrity or anything, just some accounting executive. Even that was pretty tough,” she sighed, tapping a few buttons on her tablet. “I don’t normally do this, but we set a few seats aside for guests of the staff. I’ll give you mine.”

I almost crumpled with relief. “You’re a lifesaver. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Do me a favor and plan ahead next time.” She winked, handing me a slip of paper. “Seat 24A, mezzanine. Enjoy the show.”

With my ticket in hand, I hurried to the main entrance. An archway covered in gold and silver mosaic tiles marked the threshold to the foyer, reminding me of teeth in an upside-down grin. Every inch of the space was lavishly adorned. On a different night, I might have lingered to appreciate the gilded accents on the doors or the intricate murals of bathing nymphs along the walls, but I needed to find Elise as soon as possible.

The main auditorium revealed itself like a jewel as I climbed the staircase. A grand chandelier hung from the domed ceiling, its web of crystals casting prisms of color onto the dark wood floors. The stage itself stretched out before hundreds of crimson-lined seats, framed by thick velvet curtains and an elaborate proscenium arch.

I scanned the crowd of hundreds around me, searching for the only one who mattered. I glimpsed Elise just as the lights dimmed. As I’d hoped, the mezzanine was the perfect vantage point to see right into her private box. She sat with her legs crossed, her hands resting in her lap. The only thing sitting on the chair beside her was her purse. No husband in sight. 

At first, the thought filled me with glee. She wasn’t on a date. That meant, in a way, tonight was still our night. At the very least, it wasn’t his.