Old brownstone stairways were steep and narrow, and following Ruby’s lead, Doreen plastered herself against the wall. As the person passed, Doreen gave them a cursory glance, which promptly turned into an overt, wide-eyed gawk. Androgynous and stunning, the woman’s raven hair was styled in a spiky pixie cut. The ebony strands perfectly accented her warm beige skin, and lashes, dark and thick, framed her eyes. Her leather duster ended below her knees, and since she’d yet to fasten it, Doreen could see she was wearing a fitted suit and a shimmering blouse, all of which were almost as black as the woman’s hair.

“I thought you were hungry.”

Jolted out of her ogling, Doreen saw Ruby was now at the top of the second flight, and she trotted to catch up as fast as she could. “Why didn’t you tell me Trinity lived here?”

Ruby got the connection and giggled. “That’s not her name. Now, come on, or the ice cream’s going to melt.”

“Okay, but whatever her name is, please tell me you’ve had a piece of that because she definitely looks like she bats for your team,” Doreen said, keeping up with Ruby as she headed for the last flight. “Oh, wait. Is she the one you were telling me about? The one that works nights and won’t give you the time of day?”

“Yep, that’s the one,” Ruby said before she began the climb.

“Shit, when you said she worked nights, I pictured a high-priced hooker. She ain’t no hooker, that’s for sure.”

“I have no idea what she is, other than rude. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to make small talk, and she basically blows me off.”

Doreen looked over the railing, covertly watching as the woman descended the steps. “Maybe she’s a mortician. She is all dressed in black.”

Ruby chuckled under her breath. “Maybe she’s Johnny Cash reincarnated.”

“Nah, she’s not that butch, and she was wearing wingtips, not cowboy boots.” Doreen was about to follow Ruby up the stairs when a smile spread its way across her face. “Hey Ruby, I got it. Maybe she’s a vampire.”

Three steps from the fourth floor, Ruby abruptly stopped and spun around. “Will you please keep your voice down,” she said in a rushed whisper. “She’s going to hear you.”

Doreen peeked over the railing again and saw the woman opening the door of the building to leave. “Relax,” she said, looking back at Ruby. “She’s all the way downstairs. She didn’t hear a thing.”

***

A knowing grin graced Bennett Archer’s face as she closed the door behind her, and descending the front stoop, she raised her eyes to the evening sky. The sun had set two hours earlier, and while the moon wasn’t full, the streetlamps provided more than enough light. Bennett had made sure of that.