"Yeah, and if they weren't treating us like lepers it might be nice," Jo said.
"They aren't treating us like lepers," Alex said with a laugh.
"Are you kidding me? Are we at the same party or are you just not paying attention?" Jo asked with amazement. "Alex, they come in, Sam and Mortimer greet and have a little huddle with them, and then they bring them over to us, and the men all-every last one-stare at us with this weird intense look for a minute, saying absolutely nothing. They then glance to Mortimer, shake their head, and move off. Some even just turn around and leave right away. The rest just stand around talking to each other and ignoring us," she pointed out, and then asked, "And you don't think this is strange?"
"Well, when you put it that way," Alex said wryly and shrugged. "It is kind of weird."
"Yes, it is," Jo said firmly. "And it isn't the only weird thing here. What about the security on this place? That's a bit over the top, don't you think?"
"Yeah, but Sam explained that Mortimer and the boys are having trouble with a stalker fan," Alex reminded her.
"Right," Jo snorted. "A stalker fan for a band who hasn't even agreed on a name yet."
"I thought they were going with Morty and the Muppets," Alex said with a frown.
"Alex," Jo said. "Even if they have a name now and a stalker from some Podunk little town they've played, where the heck did they get the money for this place and all its security? For God's sake, they're tricked out here like a third world dictator or big-wheel drug dealer. I doubt even the president of the U.S. or the prime minster here in Canada have twenty feet of barbed wire between them and the world."
Alex grinned and said, "I have a theory about that."
"Oh?" Jo asked. "And what is that?"
"That Mortimer isn't really in a band. That the story was all just some cover to hide the fact that he's really some big-deal rich guy. Like Gates maybe."
Jo raised her eyebrows. "Gates is a skinny old dude with glasses and graying hair. Mortimer is not Bill Gates."
"Well, his son or some other rich guy then," Alex said with exasperation. "The point is, he just pretended to be some poor schmuck in a band so that Sam wouldn't fall for his money rather than him."
"Right," Jo said doubtfully, although, really, it made more sense than that Mortimer, Decker, and Bricker were in some little band and having trouble with a stalker fan. She supposed Sam probably knew the truth of the situation by now, and would eventually clue them in. In the meantime, Sam and Mortimer had finished their little huddle and were now leading over the latest arrival at the party-late being the key word since it was late and the caterers and cleaners were moving through cleaning up around the guests. Turning, she handed Alex her drink. "Here. Hold this. I have to go to the bathroom."
Alex accepted the drink, but narrowed her eyes. "You'd best really have to go. You are not leaving me here to handle all these men by myself."
Jo gave a wry laugh. "As far as I can tell, there's nothing to handle, they're all more interested in each other than us. They're probably all g*y."
"You think?" Alex asked with wide-eyed alarm.
Jo merely rolled her eyes and slid quickly away before Sam, Mortimer, and Mr. Late-to-the-Party could reach them. She had to wonder about the question, though, as she moved through the milling men. They all looked kind of perfect. Not perfect as in model gorgeous. Despite Alex's words, there were some men there who were not picture-perfect pretty. Some were tall, others a little shorter, some white, some darker-skinned, one had a nose that was a little large, another had narrow eyes, and so on, but they were all perfect versions of themselves, with perfect complexions, healthy hair, and very healthy bodies. There wasn't a blemish to be seen, not a single split end on a single head, and not an ounce of fat. It was enough to make a gal feel a bit inferior. Most men she was acquainted with didn't know from a split end or good blemish creams and moisturizers... unless they were g*y.
Maybe she hadn't been far off the mark, Jo thought as she reached the door. A glance back as she stepped into the hall showed that Sam and Mortimer had reached Alex with the latest man, and he was doing that weird staring thing, peering intensely at Alex's forehead as if she had a huge zit growing in the center of it.
Shaking her head, Jo hurried up the hall. She bypassed the bathroom, however, heading for the kitchen instead. Much to her relief, the room was empty. Jo moved quickly through it to the dark and equally empty dining room and the sliding glass doors that waited there.
A small sigh of relief slipped from her lips when she managed to step outside without being discovered or stopped. Jo eased the door closed behind her and then paused to glance around. She and Alex had arrived earlier in the evening when it had still been light out. The yard had been large and peaceful then; a beautifully manicured lawn surrounded by trees softly swaying in a light breeze. But spooky seemed more fitting now, Jo thought with a grimace. The bucolic scene from day became a mass of unrecognizable shapes in the darkness, and all of it was rustling in the gentle night breeze. It was enough to make her glance warily around and consider heading back inside, but she didn't. Instead, Jo took a breath and started out. She wanted a little walk and fresh air before returning inside to suffer more of the weird encounters that made up this party. She'd really like to cut out and head to her apartment to relax and put her feet up, but she'd ridden here with Alex, and they were supposed to spend the night. Now Jo wished she'd driven herself. If she tried to retire early, Sam would no doubt be all over her, asking what was wrong and why she wasn't still at the party. Jo didn't want to hurt her older sister's feelings by telling her this was the lamest party she'd ever attended.
Heck, working at the bar most nights was more entertaining than this party, Jo thought wryly. The only people here who had really talked to her and Alex were Sam and Mortimer, and his supposed bandmates Bricker and Decker, as well as Decker's girlfriend, Dani, and her little sister, Stephanie. They were all nice enough, but Decker, Dani, and Stephanie had disappeared directly after greeting them, which had left Jo, Alex, and Sam as the only attendees who were female. That fact, added to the fact that every single one of the males in attendance had avoided them after their brief weird behavior on being introduced... Well, it had all put her on edge. Some fresh air and quiet was what she needed, and if she was going to be walking at night, this was the place to do it. Spooky or not, with all the security, she was definitely safer here than anywhere else, Jo thought as she started out across the lawn.
She'd taken only a few steps when it occurred to her that Bricker was working the gate tonight. He'd said he'd volunteered for the job since he already knew her and Alex. Jo had found that comment a bit bewildering. Sam had said the party was to introduce them to Mortimer's friends, and it was true they'd already met Bricker, but still...
Maybe she'd walk down to the guard station at the front gate and see if Bricker was bored or wanted any thing, she thought, turning her feet toward the end of the house. Jo liked Bricker. Not in a kiss-me-you-fool type way. He was cute, but it was obvious there was no real spark between them. He was more like the jokester younger brother of a friend-easygoing, fun to be around, but not boyfriend material. That was all right, though. Jo wasn't looking for a boyfriend. Heck, she didn't have time for one. Between working full-time at the bar and the full load of marine biology courses she was taking at the university, there was little time for friends, let alone a love life.
Maybe Bricker could tell her what the deal was with the guys inside, Jo thought as she turned the corner of the house. He'd know if they were g*y or not.
Jo had barely started along the side of the house toward the front yard when movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned, a gasp of surprise slipping from her lips as she saw the fair-haired man charging out of the darkness, but it became a cry of pain when he crashed into her, body slamming her back against the side of the house. Her head hit the brick wall hard enough that stars exploded behind her eyes, and the agony shooting through her left her gasping for breath.
The man was saying something. Jo could hear the rumble of his voice, and smell his vile breath, but his words weren't making it to her stunned brain, and then he was suddenly gone.
Without his body pinning her to the wall, Jo immediately crumpled to the ground, groaning as her knee landed on something terribly hard that sent more pain shooting through her. It took Jo a moment to even care about where her attacker had gone, but then the pain slowly began to recede and she became aware of the sounds of grunts and curses nearby. Forcing her eyes open, she lifted her head and spotted the two men grappling several feet away.
Jo didn't recognize either of them from the party and was pretty sure she would have had she met them. The blond who had attacked her had a feral look about his face, and his hair was long and lank. As for his clothes, they were dark but sloppy, with various stains on them that could have been dried blood. The other man had dark hair that was not long like the fair-haired man's, but not exactly short either. He also wore faded, but clean jeans and a dark T-shirt.