A Demon in Stilettos (2 page)

Since that day, she kept the stone in her possession. During her last year in high school, she had the stone encased in a golden lace holder, later she turned that holder into a keychain.“It’s only a rock.”

Shela raised a finger. “But—a very important rock.” She held out her palm. “Let me see it.”

After passing her keychain to Shela, Coy shifted her weight and watched.Shela examined the trinket as if it were a diamond.

This woman is creepy. She must be some sort of witch or something? Talks weird. I’m getting a little bit nervous. I’d better leave.

Shela raised her eyes, catching Coy off guard. “Will you possess the
shoes
, or will the
shoes
possess you?”

Coy widened her eyes. “Excuse me? I didn’t quite understand.”

“I said, will you possess the shoes, or will the shoes possess you?”

Coy opened her palm to receive her keychain. “Neither. I think I’ll pass on the shoes.”

Shela held the shoes before Coy. “You seem like a level-headed person, and of course, the shoes are free. But…”

Pushing her arm through the loop of her handbag, Coy reached up and tugged her earlobe. “I don’t know.” She backed away. “They’re nice, but I think I have a pair at home just like them.”

The woman stretched her eyes to an abnormal size. “So, you do lie. These shoes are unlike any shoes you will ever own.
Once you wear them, your life will never be the same.”

“That’s what they say at Supreme Shoes Outlet.” Coy paced, anxious to leave Shela’s cryptic presence.

Holding the shoes, Shela pressed on. “I’m going to give you my card. You may have these shoes free of charge. If you decide you no longer wish them in your possession, they must be returned on the seventh day, of the seventh month, at precisely seven minutes afterseven, and seven seconds. Return them to this address.”

Coy reached for the card and grimaced. “So, you’re going to loan me some shoes, based on some mumbo jumbo date.”

With a haughty expression, Shela flared her nostrils. “So to speak.”

“If I decide I don’t want them, does it matter if they’re not perfect?”

“It doesn’t matter at all. Do you want these shoes, I say?”

Again, Coy nervously tugged her earlobe. “I love these shoes, but I can’t help but feel that something is wrong with them.”

“Then return them.”

“What happens if I decide to keep them? May I offer you a few dollars, then?”

Raising a long finger, she pointed directly in Coy’s face. “Before long, you’ll know if you want to own them.”

Shela paired the shoes, and gave them to Coy. Once they touched her hands, the sky darkened. In wonderment, Coy lifted her dark brown eyes.

Bluish gray clouds darted quickly across the troubled sky. Drawn to each other, clouds gathered in one enormous heap. In a haunting spectacle, lightening crawled across the sky. Thunder boomed loudly, sending the crowds scurrying for cover. Winds blew in powerful gusts, causing trinkets to take flight, and swirl violently on the winds.

Watching the sudden event, Coy held out her palm. She realized there was no rain. Holding the shoes near her breasts, she shielded her eyes with her forearm, as trash flew all around her. Finally, the wind subsided, leaving behind a horrible aftermath.

Strangely, the sun returned, beaming brightly. Once again, it was unbearably hot. Witnessing this oddity, Coy turned to confer with Shela. There was no one there. Coy searched all around the area, but Shela had disappeared from sight.

After helping the workers clean up the mess, Coy walked toward her car holding the shoes. Though valiant in her conquest, a feeling of disquiet hovered over her.
What’s with these shoes? Did they belong to a dead woman or something?
She walked swiftly toward the edge of the parking lot.
Besides, it’s already April—the seventh month is July. That’s not far off. Oh well, that’s enough time to search for another pair.

Chapter Two

When Coy arrived home, she laid her keys and the shoes on the kitchen table. Later, she would clean them up and put them to good use. She noticed something different about her keychain.
The stone is missing from the gold lace casing. How could anyone simply remove that stone? Even a jeweler would need jeweler’s tools. It’s virtually impossible?Could Shela have removed my stone? If so, why? It’s only a damned rock!

Feeling betrayed, Coy reached inside her handbag and removed the card the woman had given her. The name on the card read,
Shela Neves.777 7
^th,
street, apartment 7A.What an odd address. How weird is that?
Coy put the card in the kitchen drawer.
I guess all the sevens are just a coincidence. Some people go out of their way to be peculiar.

Though her keepsake was missing, Coy was grateful to have her keys.After a few minutes, she forgot all about the stone and the stilettos. She cleaned her apartment, then placed the shoes in the bay window. On Sunday, she walked past the shoes, swearing that soon, she’d clean them up and make good use of them.

Although Coy had a restful weekend, she still overslept on Monday morning. Tossing her pajamas aside, she jumped in the shower, with her toothbrush shoved inside her cheek. When she finished her shower, Coy lotioned her skin while hopping on one foot, and wriggling into a fresh pair of undies. After slipping into her bra, she shook her D cups until they settled in place.

Coy grabbed her freshly laundered lab coat. Standing in her undies, she quickly ran an iron across the lab coat.Seeing her security badge on the dresser, Coy snatched it and tossed it in her purse. After shimmying into a simple blue dress, Coy grabbed her long curly hair, twisted it, and wound it behind her head. Looking at her watch, she slipped into her flats.

Though her brows were bushy, and her skin was bland, wearing make-up would only delay her. Dressing in seventeen minutes, she had beaten her previous score. Grabbing her geek glasses and purse, Coy rushed out the door.

* * * *

With no time for a proper breakfast Coy stopped at The Donut Palace on her way to work.Clutching a jelly donut in her fingers, she drove across town. A dollop of cherry filling threatened to ruin her freshly laundered lab coat. Coy shoved the last of the treat in her mouth, licked her fingers, then rushed toward the security gate. Unfortunately, the cross-bar jerked quickly across the hood of her car.

Dressed in his security guard’s uniform, Robert sucked his teeth, tossed his head to one side, folded his arms, and stepped from the booth. He glimpsed his watch, gave Coy the evil eye, then he waved her past. With his Barney Fife attitude, Robert took his job a little too seriously.

Eight years at the research center had taught Coy much about life. Her accuracy was critical to someone’s life. Distractions like Dr. Lincoln Johns were wrecking her spotless record. Parking her car, she realized Johns’ chemistry was definitely in sync with hers.

Erin, another lab tech, got out of her car. She stood beside Coy, then pulled on her lab coat. “Good morning, Coy. How was your weekend?” She yanked her blonde strands from beneath her collar. “Boring as usual?”

Scowling at Erin’s offbeat comment, Coy shielded her brown eyes from the morning sun. “You should do stand-up.” Waiting for Erin to fasten the buttons on her coat, Coy secured her glasses, and then hoisted her bag upon her shoulder. “Actually, I found a few good attic sales.” She grinned and nudged Erin. “Found a killer pair of stilettos.”

Meandering toward the modern brick building, Erin laughed out loud. “Stilettos! You in stilettos is like army boots on a butterfly.”

“Really.” Coy nodded sincerely.“I do wear stilettos. Actually, I own several pairs.”

“Speaking of army boots, did Hector call you? He said you were his next trophy. He’s going to nail you with his hot Hispanic body.”

“Hector. That horny gorilla!” Coy pulled the handle on the glass door, and held it open for her friend. “The only thing Hector wants is sex—sex on a taco, sex suspended from a rope, or sex on an ant mound. I don’t have time for his overworked imagination.” Coy scanned her badge, then stepped aside and waited for Erin to complete the process.

Suddenly, Erin raised her blue eyes to meet Coy’s. “Did you hear? Dr. Johns had a car wreck this weekend. Yeah. He’s driving a rental. Totally wiped out his ride.”

Coy shot Erin a terrified look. “Did he get hurt?”

“Not bad.” Looking up at Coy, Erin pressed the button on the elevator. “Just a flesh wound.”

Coy held her chest and blew out tension. “I’m glad he’s okay. What happened?”

“Yeah. A little boy riding a bike darted in front of him. The chain on the bike had broken, he totally lost control. When Johns jammed his brakes, some yahoo hit him from behind. Shh, here he comes now.” Erin painted a smile on her newly tanned face.

Hearing male footsteps, both women turned. Sure enough, the topic of Coy’s discussion turned down their hallway. Each morning he walked past the elevators toward the cafeteria. With his lab coat wide open, Lincoln Johns shoved his hands deep inside his pockets. “Morning, ladies.”

Coy cringed, then accidently stepped into the good doctor’s path. “Oh my!”

He grabbed her by the waist and steadied her. “Whoa! You must have hit a slick spot on the floor. Better be careful—wouldn’t want to twist an ankle.”

Surprised, Coy’s widened gaze met the doctor’s dark brown eyes. She blushed, pushed her glasses up her nose, and then tugged shyly on her earlobe. “I’m so sorry.” Though feeling clumsy, Johns’ touch was worth her lost dignity.

Seeming concerned, Johns tightened his strong grip around her tiny waist. “Are you sure, you’re okay?”

“Thank you. I’m fine, now.” she said. The doctor slowly removed his hands.

“Watch that floor,” he warned, walking away.Before pulling on the cafeteria’s door, Johns turned to face Coy. He nodded, giving Coy one last glimpse of his tawny, well-defined face. Straight dark brows hovered over sensual, deep-set eyes. Although his upper lip was shapely and thin, his bottom lip was wide and succulent.

Coy’s heart was racing. Although she had been working at the center for eight years, Johns was only hired a year ago. Fortunately, his office was on her floor. Since then, she yearned for Johns touch. Unfortunately, their first touch came by accident. Even if he never spoke to her again, he’d made her day.

After the women stepped inside the elevator, Erin pushed the button to the 7
^th
floor. “Hardly in his league, Coy.” She shook her head. “That Lincoln will never park in your vacant garage.”

“I know.” She pushed her large glasses back upon her nose, then stuck her nail between her teeth. “But I can dream, right?”

When they reached their work area, Erin pushed the doors open, and then slung her purse into her locker. Securing her hair, she placed a sterile bouffant cap upon her head. “Really Coy. Sometimes, I wonder about you. I know you had the perfect childhood. Two supporting parents, and one sexy big brother, but…” Erin started toward the sink to wash her hands, “what part do you not understand? Perhaps, I can help.”

She held her hand under the antibacterial soap dispenser, then scowled. “No one wants you. You’re a lab rat, okay. To top it off, you’re clumsy, too. There’s nothing hard about what I’m saying. We’re like the snails in Johns’ fish tank. We eat his crap, find his jewels, then dispose of his waste. What part of
out of your league
do you
not
understand?”

“Look Erin.” Coy placed her soapy hands under the warm stream, then lowered her eyes to accommodate Erin’s short stature. “Each day you remind me of how unworthy I am as a human being. And you do this in the name of friendship. If I believed what people said about me, I’d blow my brains out. I know my self-esteem is low. But I intend to work on that. Lincoln has been here almost a year. As far as I know, no one has made a move on him, yet.”

“There might be a reason for that.” Erin stepped on the lever to the trash receptacle and the top popped open. She tossed her damp paper towel into the trash.“If you want Lincoln Johns, you’ve got to step up your game.”

Coy paused. “Step up my game?”

“Men like Johns love powerful, confident women.” Erin pointed to Coy’s drab clothing and dull hair style. “Look at yourself. Be honest. With your caterpillar eyebrows, and your unkempt lips—do you really fit that description?”

“No, but…” Her eyes followed Erin’s movements.

“Girlfriend. If Doctor Lincoln Johns looks at you twice, it’s probably because you’re standing in front of a gorgeous woman. Grow some confidence.”

Coy gave her a sidelong glance. “Confidence.”

“Yeah. Even with my bad acne, I have more confidence than you. You—on the other hand, have none. You’re socially inept. A lab rat—a geek—a brain with adolescent legs.”

“Enough,” Coy warned, reaching for a pair of latex gloves. “My personality is not on trial here.”

“Of course, you aren’t a bad person—just a little antisocial. Believe me, that’s not in your favor.”