The Kingdom Ch. 14

I turned back to face him. "She hates Annabelle just as much as I do," I replied defensively. "She would never work with her."

"Hmm. She could have fooled me when I saw the two of them in Annabelle's office the other day," Murphy replied. "The day that Annabelle recommended that I outbid you for Miss Huff at the auction."

I instantly felt the blood drain from my face. "What?" I asked.

"Oh, you didn't know that part?" Murphy laughed. "Yeah, the both of them seemed confident that you'd trade me the castle suite in exchange for Miss Huff. Seems they read you like a book."

"Bullshit," I said back at him, feeling my voice start to shake.

"Why would I lie to you?" Murphy asked, tilting his head.

"Maybe because you're an asshole who likes fucking with people?" I countered defiantly.

"Ah, that make sense," Murphy said sarcastically, nodding his head. "I'd purposely destroy my chances of procuring the coveted castle suite because I want to... fuck with you? An unremarkable, ignorant, scrawny little dimwit. Brilliant plan, I must say."

I glared at him, fuming at the rationality in his argument.

"No," he said shaking his head. "After everything I've been put through here, after all the money my business has lost in sales since I was incarcerated, I'm afraid I've had a change of heart. I think I'd much rather pass on the suite and keep Miss Huff for myself. I'm very much looking forward to interrogating her and learning everything that's in that pretty little head of hers."

Murphy looked up over my shoulder, almost as if living out a fantasy in his mind. "And I'm sure Sanura here would enjoy the company." I saw him tap the peddle with his foot, causing Tasha to let out another cock-muffled shriek.

Just then, the glass door behind me slid open and the security guard stormed in, looking furious.

"Time's up," he said forcefully. "You got way more than five minutes."

"Wait, please-" I protested. "I just need another few-"

"Not a chance," the guard said, surprising me by grabbing my arm tightly and yanking me toward the exit. "You're done here."

"Hey!" I objected, struggling to pull away from him. "Hey, what the hell?!"

He tightened his grip even harder and replied, "And you're lucky I don't toss you into the next cell for the bullshit you pulled in the lobby."

"What?!" I replied. "What bullshit?!"

He stopped and turned toward me with fire in his eyes. "I spoke with the health clinic. Seems they have no record whatsoever of a follow-up visit from your temp. Certainly not two. You made all that shit up."

"Oh..." I replied, blanking on a believable explanation to give him. Murphy's cackle broke the silence, prompting the guard to turn back away and pulled me out of the room behind him.

"So long, champ!" Murphy shouted through his laughter as I was dragged into the hallway. "Enjoy the suite!"

I didn't say anything as I was walked briskly down the long hallway. Once we reached the lobby, the guard threw away my arm forcefully and pointed toward the exit. "Next time I see you back here, I'm detaining you. Understood?" he asked.

"Eat dicks," I spat back childishly before quickly exiting the building.

It had stopped raining but it was still as chilly as it had been that morning. Once I turned onto Centre Street, out of the view of the kennel's glass doors, I rubbed my upper arm in the spot the guard had gripped me. Asshole. I walked carelessly through the puddles on the cobblestone streets as I recounting everything that I'd just heard. Thankfully, my headache had all but disappeared, but I now felt sick with indecision.

I hadn't expected such an explosive Q&A session with Murphy. His resentment towards Annabelle was understandable. She had tossed him into the kennel for something that he believed he didn't do. His animus towards Katie, on the other hand, caught me completely by surprise. And, quite frankly, it posed an entirely new set of problems. Before any of this had transpired, I had every intention of completing my trade with Murphy upon his release. The castle suite in exchange for Katie. Clean and simple. But now, Murphy was convinced that Katie helped orchestrate his demise. And as a result, he appeared highly motivated to make her pay for it...

For Katie's sake, this absolutely terrified me. As much as I wanted to protect her from the wrath of someone like Murphy, I honestly didn't know how I felt about his accusations against her. As with the warnings issued by Alpha, my guttural instinct was to trust Katie. That being said, I'd have been lying to say that Murphy's claims didn't concern me. According to Murphy, he had physically witnessed Katie colluding with Annabelle in her office. What was I supposed to do with that?! And to make matters murkier, I was still unable to answer the one question that could discount Murphy once and for all- What possible benefit was there for Murphy to lie?

My stomach felt sick. Glancing down at my phone, I groaned at the time that read 3:02. Part of my problem was undoubtedly my empty stomach! It never ceased to amazing me how easy it was to forget to eat in this place.

Having grown a bit sick of barbecue sandwiches from Sally's, I glanced around Centre Street, searching for another food option. To my immediate relief, I saw a taco truck about 100 yards away. I quickly jumped in line and, minutes later, scarfed down a giant burrito bowl like I hadn't eaten in a week.

As I ate, I pondered my next move. Despite Murphy's and Alpha's warnings, my impulse was to head straight back to the suite and let Katie know that I was okay. But deep down, I knew it was prudent for me to regroup before seeing her again. And the more I thought things through, the more I recognized how critical it was to have a plan...

Tossing my trash into the nearest can, I headed over to the Apothecary for some items. Since the layout was pretty much the same as it was during the regular season, it didn't take me long to locate what I needed. I quickly checked out with my purchases of a small bottle of Antiseptic skin cleanser, a pack of "fast-acting" Antihistamine tablets and a box of Band-Aids.

From there, I needed someplace private. After all, according to Alpha, there still may have been people watching me... Almost instantly, I realized where I needed to go. Moments later, I found myself back at the inn number 4, knocking on the door to Eric and June's room. Moments later, June opened the door, her eyes widening in genuine shock to see me.

"Jodie! Oh my god, you're okay!" June said frantically.

"Uh, yeah," I replied, caught off-guard. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Katie told me about the chaos at the market! Unreal! I can't believe that happened to you!" June explained.

"Oh, that. Yeah, that was definitely a shit show," I replied dismissively. "Wait, you met Katie?"

"Yeah, at the spa" June replied. "Don't worry- I didn't say anything about this morning. Just that Eric and I know you. She's fuckin' adorable by the way."

"Yeah," I said scratching the back of my head, awkwardly. June was certainly sweet, but she was practically the real-life version of sorority girl and I really didn't have the time or patience for small talk. "Hey, is Eric here?" I asked changing gears.

"Nah, he's out right now," she replied.

"Damn," I replied. "Do you know if he'll be back soon?"

"I don't. Sorry," she answered. "Is there anything I can help with?

"Actually... would you mind if I came in for a second?" I asked.

"Of course not! Come in!" June said, swinging the door all the way open. Once I was inside, she closed the door behind me. "What's going on?" she asked curiously.

"Um..." I replied, not quite knowing how much to share. "I actually just need to use your sink for a minute."

"Uh, sure!" June replied, clearly perplexed but willing to oblige.

Feeling the need to offer a brief explanation, I added, "I'm just really paranoid right now and need somewhere to do something without being seen."

"Oh, I totally get it," June said touching me supportively on the arm. "Living with captain paranoia has even made me start to look compulsively over my shoulder. Knock yourself out," she added, motioning toward the kitchenette countertop. "Actually, let me clear this off first." She walked quickly over to the counter and began shoving all the trash and wrappers off to the side. "Eric asked me to clean this while he was gone, but to tell the truth, I'm kind of excited to see what happens if I don't."

"Ah, I see," I replied, laughing courteously. Kinky people were so weird.

Once the clutter on the counter had been rearranged, June stepped back and said, "There you go!"

"Thanks," I replied, rooting through my bag for the required items. I quickly located the can of peaches, can-opener, the bottle of Antiseptic skin cleanser and laid them all on the counter.

June remained next to me, curiously peering over my shoulder.

"So, what're we doin'?" she asked as I removed the cap of the Antiseptic and hastily dumped the liquid down the drain.

"Um... I'm- it's kind of an experiment," I replied, trying to vaguely answer the question without sounding rude. I then used the can-opener to open the can of peaches. As I twisted the handle, I could feel my face growing flush with shame. I honestly couldn't believe I was doing this... Preparing to perform an induced allergy test on Katie was the last thing I expected to ever do. In fact, only few hours prior, I'd been utterly outraged at Alpha for even suggesting it!

"Coowel," June mused, naively.

Trying my best to ignore June's intrusiveness, I then took the peach can and carefully poured the juice into the small empty bottle. Once the bottle was filled to the top, I reapplied the screw-on cap.

"Alright," I said as I placed the small bottle back into my bag.

"Nice!" June said giddily, staring back up at me from the bottle as if she expected something more. "That's it?"

"That's it," I replied, giving an awkward smile. I could tell that she was confused as hell. "Um, where's your trashcan?" I asked grabbing the can of peaches off the countertop.

"Oh- actually, I'll take care of it," June said, snatching it from my hands and placing it back on the countertop.

I squinted at her skeptically. "You just want to make the counter dirtier for Eric don't you?" I asked, smiling.

June giggled. "Guilty," June said, giving a small curtsey.

This made me laugh out loud.

"Don't judge me!" June said through laughter. "Look- I'm a gigantic pain slut, but Eric's a friggin' softie! I mean, what's a girl gotta do to get spanked around here!" I howled with laughter, making her laugh harder as well. "I'm serious- I've tried everything!"

This girl was too much! The two of us belly-laughed for over a minute until June had to run into the bathroom to avoid "peeing herself". Finally settling down, I wiped the tears from my eyes and caught my breath. Still laughing, June exited the bathroom and rejoined me in the kitchenette.

"Oh gosh, I needed that," I said, shaking my head and smiling ear to ear. As pathetic as it sounded, I really need the laugh. This day had brought yet another steaming mountain of shit and June turned out to be just the break I needed before diving back in.

After a brief pause, June asked in a sober voice, "You gonna be alright?" She'd obviously read through my "tough girl" façade.

I hesitated before flashing a weak smile and nodding. "Yeah," I answered.

"Okay," June replied softly, stepping in for a hug. Oh, boy- I'd forgotten that June was a hugger.

"Us girls gotta stick together," she said squeezing me tight. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks, June," I replied, patting her awkwardly on the back. "I appreciate it."

After our long hug, I left the inn and decided to make my way back to the suite. I couldn't put off my return any longer. With my tools now in hand, the time had come to face Katie and get to the bottom of all this shit.

It had started raining again, prompting me to pick up the pace. Tote bag in hand, I marched confidently down Centre Street, hoping that my physical demeanor would help alleviate the uncertainty in my mind. My heart pounded heavily in my chest as I quickly prepared myself for what I needed to do. Reaching the castle steps, I jogged up and reached out to swipe my room key through the box next to the handle.

But right before my card made contact, a loud bang from behind me made me jump. I spun around in time to hear the sound of another bang followed by what sounded like the shattering glass and an ear-piercing alarm bell. Glancing around, I looked frantically for where the sound was coming from. Loud screams could suddenly be heard off one of the side alleys of Centre Street.

Dropping my bag, I suddenly found myself quickly descending the steps and running toward the ruckus. It was almost as if I'd completely forgotten my circumstances entirely and had temporarily reverted back to being Operations Manager at Notts' Faire, racing to manage a crisis.

As I got closer to the commotion, crowds of people could be seen fleeing Baker Lane onto Centre Street. As soon as I rounded the corner, I skidded to an abrupt stop, feeling my heart drop hard in my chest. The large glass window of the building known as the Trading Post had been shattered and a man wearing a security guard uniform laid bleeding in the middle of glass strewn sidewalk. A second security guard had a gun drawn and aimed down at the lying figure while a third guard was kneeling down by his head.

The sound of screams could still be heard from guests as they continued scattering from the scene. Some knocked into me as they past by, but I pressed cautiously forward, eager to get a closer look at the scene which had transpired.

Once I'd gotten close enough to see it all up-close, my knees suddenly felt shaky and my jaw dropped open in pure horror. The bleeding security guard lying on the ground was none other than Alpha.

His eyes were open, but he wasn't moving. The standing guard suddenly stowed his gun and began shouting into his walkie-talkie. The guard kneeling down had two fingers pressed against the side of Alpha's neck. My hands instinctively shot up to my mouth as I saw him look up to his partner and shake his head. His point was clear. Alpha was dead...

Just then, a loud chime blared from the street speakers, followed by an announcement.

"Gentlemen and ladies, we apologize for the inconvenience, but due to hazardous conditions, all guests must return to their rooms immediately. I repeat, all guests must return to their rooms immediately. We will notify you when it is safe to leave. We thank you and offer our deepest apologies for your inconvenience."

The announcement was ended by another loud chime. For several moments, I stood frozen in shock, staring in horror at the sight of Alpha's lifeless body. The rain was pouring down now and a trail of bloody water weaved across the cobblestone street and into the sewer grate. I was too overwhelmed to react. Too shocked to cry. All I could do was stand there silently and watch.

Alpha was dead... This meant that all the hundreds of women he spoke of protecting were also as good as dead. The suitcase no longer seemed relevant. Alpha was the last remaining operative on his team. Without him, his mission had officially failed...

Suddenly, I heard my name shouted from my right. Or rather, Jodie's name was shouted from my right. Snapping out of my catatonic state, I turned my head to see Katie running toward me.

"Jodie!" she said as she collided into me in a full embrace. "Oh my god, are you okay?!" she asked loudly in a trembling voice. I opened my mouth to respond, but the guard holding the walkie-talkie interrupted, suddenly shouting over at us.

"You need to leave!" the guard said forcefully. "Now! Return to your rooms until further notice!"

"Come on," Katie said, grabbing my hand and pulling me away. Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion. Over the many years of working at the Renn Faire, I'd experienced quite a lot of crises. But homicide definitely wasn't one of them. This was completely new and terrifying territory for me...

As Katie led me by the hand back to the suite, the chimes and announcement blared once again over the speaker system, causing me to wince from the deafening volume. By the time the announcement finished, we'd made our way back up the castle stairs. Katie quickly unlocked the door, grabbed my tote bag off the stoop, and pulled me side.

Drenched from the rain, we both let out a collective sigh of relief as the door closed behind us. Even though the suite was warm, I couldn't stop my teeth from jittering together.

"I've been so worried about you! Are you okay?" Katie asked, taking my face in her hands. Still in shock, I opened my mouth to respond, but couldn't seem to find the words. "You're freezing," Katie added. "Come over here by the fire."

Katie pulled me by the hand once more and positioned me in front of the fireplace. Kneeling down, she flicked the switch at its base, triggering the gas flames to ignite.

"I'm gonna go get some towels," she added, squeezing my hand before disappearing.

"Okay," I responded too late in barely a whisper. I had never had a nervous breakdown before, but if I had to guess, this was probably the closest I'd ever come to one. So much was happening at once. So much uncertainty. So much danger. My brain felt like it had officially reached its capacity and might just crash if I tried to process any more.

Moments later, Katie returned carrying a stack of towels. She quickly draped several around my shoulders and rubbed my upper arms. "There we go," she said softly. "Go ahead and sit down," she added, motioning over to the black leather armchair beside the fireplace.

"Thanks," I whispered, taking her suggestion to sit down.

She knelt down in front of me and placed her hands on my needs. "I'm so sorry, Jodie," she said. "I should have never tried to return those outfits. Especially without telling you."

"It's okay," I replied dismissively.

"It's not okay. I single-handedly caused this entire mess," Katie argued, shaking her head.

"You were just trying to do the right thing. It's who you are," I replied disingenuously, secretly hoping that the compliment might prompt her to come clean with any other sins that she may or may not be responsible for.

"I didn't want anything to blow back on you," she continued. "I'm not sure if you know, but this is a probationary collar," she said, pointing at the red collar around her neck. "This means that it has a listening device. If anyone overheard our conversation from last night about you accidentally taking the outfits from the market... I just wanted to be able to say that it's been returned and no harm was done."

"I don't blame you," I replied, adding, "It's really nice to have someone looking out for me." I was really doing my best to pull a subtle guilt trip. If Katie was guilty of what Alpha and Murphy claimed she was, there's no way she wasn't squirming inside with shame.

"So, what happened?" Katie asked. "How long were you there before... you know, you passed out?"

"Um... I don't really remember much," I lied. I hesitated, not knowing where or how to begin. The sight of Katie's listening collar was more distracting now than it had ever been.

"I was strapped to the podium thing for about 45 minutes or so. Then, blank," I said, hoping that she wouldn't press for more details.