moment later.
“And?” Radax asked.
“Nope. No breach,” the second voice answered. “Someone must be just poking around from the outside.”
“Good. Let’s help Amira spruce this place up. Madame already went to get the second group of VIP clients. They’ll be here any minute.”
The sound of chairs being re-arranged around the bar jolted me with another shot of alarm through my system. Next, someone would certainly come behind the bar to wipe the counter top off or to get some clean glasses, maybe.
Scrambling for a more secure hiding spot, I padded around the stand with the water tank. There was just about enough of a gap between the floor and the stand for me to fit under. Getting down on my belly, I wiggled from the rug behind the bar onto the packed dirt under the water tank. Trying my darnedest not to sneeze in the dust, I fit my body between the tubes and hoses running from the bottom of the stand.
“Welcome to my special exhibit,” Madame’s pleasant voice greeted, followed by shuffling noises of people entering.
Another group of VIP clients.
How many did she have scheduled for today?
Listening to her speech about the Ocean Fae again, I wondered how did Zeph breathe under water? It would be impossible for anyone to hold their breath for that long, and I didn’t notice any tubes or masks inside the tank.
His fins appeared so incredibly realistic, as if they were a natural extension of Zeph’s body. Were they some ingenious mechanical invention? A sophisticated costume? Or a crazy surgical modification?
The last possibility made my stomach churn.
Watching the reflection of the green-and-blue glow from the water tank on the floor in front of my hiding place, I wished I could see his face. The heart-breaking sound of his singing floated through the room once again. The wordless pain and longing of the song filled my chest with sorrow and compassion.
If it hadn’t been for Radax and his buddy out there, I would have been on my way to get help for Zeph right this very moment. Instead, there I was, lying in dirt while he was being ogled and tortured up there.
Fleur must be losing her mind outside, looking for me.
The thought of her, brought my cell phone to mind. With Zeph’s magical voice filling the space, the risk of me being heard was less. Carefully, I slipped my hand to the phone in the back pocket of my shorts. Sliding it out, I quickly turned the ringer off, finding no messages from Fleur yet. Could she still be in the bathroom? Then I realized, I had absolutely no signal here.
Disheartened, I shoved the phone back in my pocket and remained still, listening to Madame’s voice spinning her tales.
Chapter 11
APPARENTLY, MADAME had two more groups of VIP clients scheduled for that evening. Unless she’d lied to me about the ten-thousand-dollar admission, which I didn’t see any reason for, she’d made a lot of money today. And if she’d had but half that many visitors for each day of CNE, she’d made a fortune during this fair.
Did I rush to assume that Zeph was forced into that tank? Considering the amount of money involved, he could be a business partner of Madame or her employee, performing to earn enough money to buy that place by the ocean he’d dreamed about.
How well did I know him, anyway? Compassion made me initially view him as a victim, but now I questioned that. He could very well be performing willingly.
Showing up with the police would be stupid in that case. If anything, I risked being charged with trespassing.
Another question roamed my mind while I lay there. Why would people pay this much money just to see an actor float in the tank, no matter how handsome or talented he was?
“To see the things not found on Earth.” Madame’s words came to mind.
For the words to make sense, though, I’d have to believe that Zeph indeed was not of this world.
My legs started to fall asleep, and my back ached after lying in pretty much the same position for nearly two hours. The dust and the smoke that slithered under the tank made me incredibly thirsty, too.
Finally, the last group of VIPs had departed. The sounds of clinking dishes then the sweeping of the broom told me someone must be cleaning the place.
More people entered.
“It was a good day, but I’m tired now,” Madame’s voice announced. “Amira, bring my dinner to my trailer once you’re done here. Then start packing