Culture Shock Part 15

"Okay, then I'd appreciate if you would change into something I consider appropriate."

"And what would that be, pray tell?" His head lolled to the side.

"For heaven's sake, Alex! I have a closet full of nice slacks, better jeans or even a dress. Anything besides what you're wearing."

Alex crossed his eyes and made a face.

"And stop doing that with my eyes. I don't want them to stay like that."

"That's an old wife's tale."

"Well stop it anyhow...and go change," she barked, pointing toward the bedroom.

He raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay you win. I'll be right back."

Cynthia's temples throbbed. If something didn't change soon, she believed a nervous breakdown loomed in her immediate future.

Chapter Sixteen.

Nerves churned Cynthia's stomach as she and Alex stood at the bottom of the airport escalator and waited for Kevin. Because of increased security, people were no longer allowed to wait at the actual gate. Cynthia scanned the sea of descending faces. Her emotions soared with excitement and dipped with fear.

She turned to Alex. "By the way, you look very nice. Those slacks have always been favorites of mine."

"Mine, too," he said without conviction.

Compared to how her insides felt, he acted far too relaxed. "Aren't you the least bit apprehensive about this? I feel like chewing on a fingernail, but yours are already gnawed down to the cuticle."

"Of course I'm nervous, but I'm not going to make myself sick over it." He stuck one of her long fingernails in her face. "Here! Chew on this if it will make you feel better."

His puns grew tiresome. "Honestly...." She caught sight of her brother and elbowed Alex in the side. "Oh, there he is. There he is!"

Alex craned his neck. "Where?"

"Brown s.h.i.+rt...just getting on the escalator." Her heart warmed at the sight of her brother. She reminded herself not to leap out and hug him even though that's what she wanted to do.

When Kevin got to the bottom level, Cynthia gave Alex a gentle shove. "Say something," she whispered.

He cast an annoyed glance in her direction, stepped forward and waved. "Kevin, here I am."

Kevin crossed the distance between them in two strides and swept Alex up into his arms. "Cyn! You look great!"

The look on Alex's...uh, her face, was priceless. Cynthia held back a giggle as he dangled helplessly in the air subjected to, and suffering from, Kevin's bear hug. She hoped Alex would remember to introduce her.

Kevin finally let go.

Alex stepped back and straightened his clothing. "I'm glad you're here. How was your trip?"

His words sounded forced and unnatural. Maybe Kevin wouldn't notice.

"The flight was fine. Not too many b.u.mps in the road. You really do look great, Sis. It's been too long."

"Sure has." Alex took a step backward, beyond Kevin's reach. "Time flies when you're having fun." He glanced at his watch. "We should probably head for the luggage carousel."

Cynthia discreetly elbowed him.

"Oh! I guess you just spun my manners right out of me. I forgot. This is my friend Alex, the one I told you about."

Kevin pumped Cynthia's hand vigorously. "Nice to meet you. Any friend of Cyn's is a friend of mine."

Cynthia wanted to be the one to jump into his arms and welcome him, instead she nodded. "Nice to meet you, too, Kevin. Your sister has told me a lot about you."

She geared herself for a snide remark from Alex...something like "more than I ever wanted to know," but breathed a sigh when for once, he held his tongue.

Too much time had pa.s.sed since she'd seen her brother. He looked wonderful, and happy as he focused on Alex. She couldn't help a brief flare of jealousy. For now she'd have to be content in her brother's presence.

Kevin took Alex's hand and smiled at Cynthia as they walked toward the luggage pickup area. "Well, I can just imagine the stories you've heard. My sister is quite the talker."

Cynthia hoped her brother didn't sense Alex's discomfort at holding hands with another man...the way he'd stiffened then wriggled his hand free and faked fluffing his hair. If she hadn't been so worried, perhaps she wouldn't have detected anything amiss.

"So, Kevin ... how's the weather...in... at home." Alex clasped his own hands together as they stood before the circling luggage.

She lowered her head to hide her grin. This was one grain of salt that evidently was harder to swallow than the rest.

In front of Cynthia's apartment, Alex fumbled with the keys. Kevin's shocked reaction when the taxi stopped in front of The Cairns would have been apparent to a blind man. How did one explain the exterior deterioration and neglect?

He cleared his throat. "Please excuse the appearance of the building. It's very old, and I believe soon to become a historical landmark." A little lie wouldn't hurt. "I'm only here because rent elsewhere is so very expensive."

"It's not bad once you get used to the smells," Cynthia added, recalling her first visit.

Kevin took a deep breath. "Then it's not just me?"

"No, it's the building. Musty and old," Alex a.s.sured.

"Whew, I planned on heading for the shower right away," Kevin quipped.

Alex opened the door and motioned for Kevin to enter. "It smells a little better in here. You remember what a neat nick I am?" He flashed an impish smile at Cynthia.

Kevin chuckled. "That's why I was so surprised when we pulled up out front. The Cyn I know wouldn't consider a place like this...no offense."

"None taken," Alex a.s.sured. Under the circ.u.mstances, he felt certain Cynthia wished she hadn't even considered moving here.

He inched the curtain from the corner of his apartment window as the blonde and two men climbed out of the cab. He'd been peering through the spotted gla.s.s for hours, waiting for her and her boyfriend, or whatever he was, to return. Now the wh.o.r.e had lured another man into her trap. Anger fired his blood. Wasn't one man enough? Perhaps she enjoyed a threesome now and then. Some s.l.u.ts did, why not her? Despite his hatred for womankind, his groin reacted to the sensual idea.

If everything went according to plan, he'd stop her from toying with the hearts of men and show her who really had control. Maybe, just maybe, before he rid the world of her, he'd claim a little enjoyment for himself. He licked his lips in antic.i.p.ation of her tightness and his struggle to claim her. Yep, he'd show her who was boss before he disposed of her.

The three sat having coffee. Alex had remembered to steer Kevin from the man-eating cus.h.i.+on, and now the two of them sat side-by-side on the sofa. Alex had tried to take a seat in the chair, but Cynthia scooted in beneath him, saying, "You should sit next to your brother."

Killing her for taking pleasure in his discomfort had crossed his mind, but he sat on the divan.

He grimaced when Kevin touched his knee. "So, Cyn, tell me about your new job."

Alex took a deep breath. "Ah ... it's a job all right. Not much to tell. Just numbers, numbers, numbers all day long. Alex is the one with the exciting job. Tell him about it, Alex."

Cynthia smiled. Alex had managed a nice pa.s.s off. "Well, it's pretty tense right now. We're working on a serial murder/kidnap case."

Kevin leaned forward. "Really? I'll bet it's the one I saw on the tube."

"Most likely. Too bad we can't seem to get any leads on the pup."

"You mean perp, don't you?" Alex piped up then turned to Kevin. "He's been teaching me how to speak police talk and he can't even remember."

"Did I say pup?" Cynthia chuckled. "Just a slip of the tongue. Anyhow, the perpetrator hasn't left any helpful clues and we're stumped. So far, we've got three dead and one still missing. But thankfully, there haven't been any further reports of missing women in the past day or so."

Kevin put his cup on the coffee table. "Wow, sounds like a TV police show. I wish I did something interesting for a living besides working for the Ord Utility District."

"Oh, I'm sure you have some interesting things to tell about your job, too," Cynthia responded to her brother.

"Oh, sure. Working with water and electricity can be a jolting experience," Kevin quipped, but his gaze turned serious. "Sis, I'm not so sure I like you living in such a dangerous place."

"Oh don't worry about me." She flipped a dismissing wave. "With Alex so close, I'm perfectly safe." She tried not to roll her eyes. Kevin had no idea how really close she was to Alex.

Alex gazed across at her and nodded in Kevin's direction. He was trying to tell her something, but what?

She cleared her throat. "Well, Kevin, tell us more about your job."

Alex looked at Kevin and smiled. "Yes, Alex doesn't even know the kinds of things you do."

Kevin leaned back and rested his arm behind Alex's head. "I handle problems with water, garbage and electricity. There really isn't much to tell. Ord isn't a very big town. If something goes wrong, I fix it."

At the mention of electricity, Alex stomped three times on the floor. "Darn foot. Went to sleep on me. Feels like an electric shock. Anything shocking happened in your job lately, Kevin."

Cynthia got it! Her brother worked with electricity. How had she not made the connection before? She sat straight in her chair. "Yes, Kevin, what kind of uh ... things happen with electricity. Surely, you must get some pretty weird calls sometimes, huh?"

Kevin scratched his head. "Nothing that comes to mind. Most of my calls are just fixing breakers, reading meters, lighting pilots. I changed a light bulb for ol' Miz Smalley once." He chuckled.

Cynthia leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. "Ever heard of a ... a personality transference?"

"A what?" Kevin questioned.

From the surprise in his voice, he'd never heard of one and certainly wasn't going to believe one happened. Still, he might if have some answers if prompted. "So, let's just say someone calls you and says they've had a terrible shock ... electric, I mean, and now they see things from someone else's perspective."

"I'd refer them to the local head doctor." He c.o.c.ked his head, his brow rose. "What in the world prompted that kind of question?"

"Oh, never mind. I was just pulling your leg. Say, I'll bet you're getting hungry.

The "what if" theory hadn*t worked, but she expected the answer she got. Kevin wasn't going to be of any help...no one was. She was going to be stuck in Alex's body forever and there was nothing she could do about it. Manly men didn't cry, the dam holding back all her unshed tears was about to break. She managed to push her aside her female emotions and smile. "How about we all go out for a bite to eat."

During dinner, Kevin again brought up how Cynthia came to live in such an unusual place. Her heart thudded with fear that Alex couldn't field the question. She wasn't going to give him a chance. "Well, like your sister told you, we both agree we're at The Cairns because the rent is so expensive everywhere else. The closer you get to the city, the more you pay. I don't know about you, Cynthia..." she glanced at Alex, "but, I didn't realize what a rat-trap it was until I actually moved in. It's funny how you sometimes miss what's right under your nose."

Alex nodded. "That's exactly right. Sometimes even people aren't even-"

"Oh, Cynthia, speaking of people," She kicked him under the table. "I ran into your friend, Thomas Carpenter, in the alley. He said to tell you h.e.l.lo."

Chapter Seventeen.

When her brother took a bathroom break, Cynthia leaned toward Alex. "I'm so tired I feel sick to my stomach. I can't keep my eyes open much longer, so I'm going to leave," she whispered. "Besides, I don't want Kevin to think ...well...."

"Think what?" Alex whispered back.

"Think we're more than just friends." The last words tumbled out of her mouth.

Alex widened his eyes at her. "Well, I sort of thought we are. Am I wrong?"

She sighed. "I'm not sure what we are to our own selves, let alone each other...we were starting...." Her gaze s.h.i.+fted upward. "Oh, Kevin. I was just telling Cynthia how tired I am."

d.a.m.n! Alex really wanted to hear what she had to say in response to his admission.

Cynthia stood and stretched. "I'm gonna head home and hit the sheets." She turned to her brother. "After your trip you must be exhausted, too." She thrust out a hand at him. "It was very nice meeting you."

"You, too, Alex!" Kevin grasped the offered hand. "Will I be seeing you before I leave?"

"Sure! I'll make a point of stopping by." She wanted to hug him and tell him how very much she loved him, but she had a role to play.

She bid the two good night and left Alex to entertain her brother. She wasn't anxious to leave the two of them alone, but she honestly was too exhausted and depressed to make small talk. Her brother had always fixed her boo boos and if she stayed, she was bound to blurt out the truth. Besides, it was inevitable that she leave eventually, after all, she was a friend and neighbor. Did an hour or two really make a difference?

The remaining time at the restaurant had pa.s.sed without a hitch, but now back at the apartment, anxiety zipped through Alex like lightning. Cynthia hadn't appeared concerned with him being alone with her brother, but what if Kevin eventually asked something Alex couldn't answer? He considered das.h.i.+ng off to bed to keep the conversation to a minimum, and decided on that as a plan of action. First, he had to find where Cynthia kept the spare bedding.