Nocturnal Obsession

An hour before Sabrina was scheduled to pick Teresa up, she sat across from her friend Mya inside an ice cream shop. Mya had been a good friend of Sabrina’s for almost as long as she had lived in Phoenix. They were the same age, though Mya was straight. It didn’t matter, though, for she wasn’t the least bit homophobic. Despite Mya’s accepting nature, she was rather old-fashioned and wanted very much to get married and have a family. However, most of the men she’d met so far preferred her to be a little more with the times and have a full-time career along with the marriage instead of the rugrats. For now, having a career was her only option. She worked for a prestigious law firm investigating accident victims and their injuries, sorting through the legitimate claims and those of the bullshit ones. Mya was almost as tall as Sabrina and had piercing dark eyes. She was part Mexican, part Navajo, and had long, straight black hair that fell below her waist. For a while, the two sat sipping their ice cream shakes. Mya felt bad for her depressed friend, who was usually a very vibrant, outgoing person. “You’re going to make it through this, you know,” Mya said with encouragement. Sabrina nodded. “My advice is to move right in on her and waste no time getting what you want. From everything you’ve told me, she’s so damn obsessed with you that she ought to be really easy to manipulate. It may kill you to do so, but I’d be willing to bet that if you came out and told her you were glad Carly was gone and wished you knew who was responsible so you could make them the center of your universe, she’d jump at the opportunity to fess up to you.” “Think so?” asked Sabrina, staring blankly at her shake. “I think there’d be a good chance. You’ll never know till you try.” “That’s true,” agreed Sabrina. She picked Teresa up with a new plan in mind, the wire secured under her loose-fitting T-shirt. “Hi there!” said a bright, cheery Teresa as she hopped into the car. “Hi yourself,” said Sabrina, smiling to hide her distaste in Teresa’s too-short shorts and metallic silver halter that seemed more like a fancy bra than anything else. It was skimpy enough for one to floss their teeth with it. Her flaming red hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, bouncing like a yo-yo with her movements. “Where to?” asked Teresa. “Thought we’d go straight to my house if that’s okay.” “That’d be just fine. I remembered to bring my suit this time.” Teresa gazed lustfully at Sabrina’s profile. It made Sabrina uncomfortable. She felt like she was being undressed and devoured by the girl’s hungry emerald eyes. Once at Sabrina’s place, the two headed out back. This time, Sabrina kept her distance and sat in a lounge chair on the patio. “You’re not coming in with me?” “Nah, not this time,” said Sabrina. “Oh, too bad,” said Teresa with a pouty expression. “What’s the point of having a pool if you never use it?” “I use it enough.” “Think I should swim naked like last time or wear the suit I have on underneath my clothes?” Sabrina chose her words carefully. “Perhaps you’d be better off wearing your suit. You just never know if the meter reader might pop in or something,” she added with a tight smile. “Okay,” said Teresa, voice dripping with disappointment. However, once Sabrina saw the skimpy g-string bikini Teresa had stripped down to, she realized it wouldn’t have made much difference if she had gone swimming naked. In this suit, Teresa was so close to doing just that anyway. “Like my suit?” Teresa asked. Sabrina forced a smile. “It’s as lovely as the girl who’s wearing it.” After showing off for a while—doing laps up and down the length of the pool as well as some intricate dives that even Sabrina had to admit were well done—Teresa climbed out of the water and towel-dried herself off. Once dried, she wrapped and tied the towel around her waist. “Ready to head inside?” Sabrina asked, rising to her feet. Teresa nodded, then headed in ahead of Sabrina after she gestured for her to go first. Teresa stood in Sabrina’s kitchen. “Would you like a nice cold soda?” asked Sabrina. “Sure. That’d be nice.” “All I have is diet.” “That’s fine.” Sabrina handed her the can. “Thanks.” “Let’s go sit in the living room. I have something I want to talk to you about.” “Okay,” said Teresa, unsure of what was to come. Actually, she had hoped that by now they’d have found their way into the bedroom—minus the picture of Sabrina with Carly that sat by the bed. “Have a seat,” said Sabrina. Teresa took a seat on the couch next to Sabrina. She knew she should feel weird being in the very room where someone had been killed, but she didn’t. She was just curious about what Sabrina had to say. “What’s up?” she asked. “Well,” said Sabrina hesitantly, staring down at her clasped hands in her lap. “This isn’t very easy for me.” She looked back up at Teresa. “What’s not very easy for you?” “To make such a horrible confession.” She looked back down toward her lap. “I’ve been wanting so badly to get this off my chest ever since Carly’s death, but I just haven’t had the guts to share my feelings with anyone. Not even my own best friend and certainly not with anyone in my family.” “Sabrina, what are you talking about?” “Well…” “It’s okay,” Teresa insisted. “I’m here for you. You can talk to me. I’m a great listener.” “Well, alright, but you promise you won’t hate me for it?” Sabrina asked, trying to effect a smile of genuine pleasure at being able to make her confession. Teresa nodded. “I won’t hate you. I could never hate you.” She scooted closer and gently massaged Sabrina’s shoulders. Sabrina did her best not to shudder at the disgust and discomfort she felt. “I’m flattered that you trust me enough to confide in me,” Teresa continued, “and that you feel so comfortable with me as opposed to anyone else.” Sabrina forced a smile, then put on her serious look once again. “Before Carly’s murder, I was seriously contemplating hiring someone I trusted to kill her for me.” “What!” Teresa cried in shock. “You’re kidding?” Sabrina shook her head. “Nope.” Teresa pulled back and gazed at Sabrina intently. She appeared genuinely truthful about her confession. “Please don’t tell anyone, Teresa.” “Oh, no,” Teresa assured her with a smile. “No, I won’t. I’d never do or say anything that might get you in trouble or make you look bad.” “We just weren’t getting along, and I knew I couldn’t just dump her to be with you.” “Really?” “Really. There’d have been no way. She’d only have made our lives miserable. She just wouldn’t go away. I tried, though, I really did. I actually made several attempts to lose her, but she just wouldn’t go. She stuck to me like glue. I honestly came to believe the only way I’d ever be free of her would be if she were dead.” Teresa continued to gaze at Sabrina. “Then someone came along and did the deed for me. How I wish I could thank them personally for doing me the favor,” Sabrina said with feigned gratefulness. “They have set me free, Teresa, totally and completely free.” Teresa wasn’t sure what to believe. While Sabrina seemed honest, she could also be trying to trap her. Not knowing what to say, she chose silence, pondering the situation. She wanted to blurt out that she’d been the one to kill Carly and claim the credit if it would make Sabrina admire her all the more. But she didn’t. “You sure you don’t hate me?” Sabrina asked, unsure of Teresa’s silence. “Oh no, not at all. I’m just shocked. Who were you going to have do the job?” “I was going to ask either you or my best friend for ten grand.” “Ten grand? But where would you get ten grand?” “Selling my car.” “Then how would you get around?” “I’d just have to bus it for a while, but that would’ve been the least of my worries.” Teresa thought some more. Sabrina glanced at Teresa and studied her face. She looked like she wanted to tell her something, but was afraid. Sabrina felt more certain than ever that Teresa had something to do with Carly’s murder. “What are you thinking, honey?” Sabrina asked. “Had the same thoughts yourself about someone you were once with?” Teresa shrugged. “It’s okay, we all have them,” Sabrina coaxed. “Well, I guess I sort of can relate to you. I wanted her gone, too.” “You did?” Teresa nodded. Sabrina’s heartbeat sped up. “I don’t mean to sound selfish. I know you still loved her and all.” “Oh, it’s quite all right.” Teresa sat rigidly, shoulders hunched, hands in her lap. Maybe this wasn’t a trap, she thought. Maybe Sabrina was as real as she appeared. “Teresa?” Sabrina turned to her. “Mmm-hmm.” “The police think the killer lived in your area. Did you hear anything about it? Because if you know who the killer is, I’d like to meet them.” “Why?” asked Teresa. “Because I’d like to offer them a little money and warn them to lay low—or better yet, get out of town so the cops don’t get them.” “I’d let it rest, Sabrina. Paying the killer would only make you look guilty.” “That’s true. I suppose it would,” said Sabrina, growing more frustrated. What would it take to get the girl to spill her guts onto the tape recording in the garage next door? The two sat silently for a few moments, each lost in her own thoughts. It was Teresa who finally broke the silence. “What if you could pay the killer back some other way?” Rekindled with hope, Sabrina’s heartbeat quickened. “Pay them how?” “With love instead of money?” “With love?” “Love, commitment, security, honesty, togetherness, trust, sharing. You know, all the things that go into a solid relationship?” Sabrina tried to keep her breathing steady. It took everything she had to muster her brightest smile. “Why yes, I do know, but I don’t quite see the point you’re trying to make. Exactly what are you saying?” Teresa stared Sabrina in the eye. “I think you do know, Sabrina. I knew you weren’t happy with Carly and that you’d be much happier with me. I knew I was the one for you and that you were the one for me.” She inched closer to Sabrina, too close for her to avoid feeling the wire under her shirt. “Make love to me, Sabrina,” Teresa said dreamily. “Next time, Teresa, I promise. For now…” Sabrina felt faint and overheated. “For now, I’d just like to relax after making my confession. It takes a lot out of a person, you know?” Teresa nodded. “Next time?” “Yes.” “Promise?” “Promise,” said Sabrina, thinking of a way to steer Teresa back to the subject of Carly’s murder without sounding pushy. Teresa ran the back of her hand gently along Sabrina’s cheek. “You’re sweating.” “Oh, that’s because I’m so high on emotion right now,” Sabrina said with a sparkling smile. “I am so, so flattered. I never thought one could feel so touched.” “By what?” “Oh, come on, Teresa. To have someone kill for you? To have someone as beautiful as you love me enough to kill for me? That’s quite an honor if I do say so myself.” Teresa looked back up at Sabrina. “Sabrina, I didn’t say I killed her.” Sabrina’s heart dropped. “But I thought you did it out of love for me. I thought somehow you sensed I needed your help in breaking free of Carly. I mean, you saw how often she’d pester me at work when I’d be trying to talk with you.” “That’s true,” said Teresa, nervously twirling a piece of her long hair in her hand. The doorbell rang. Damn! thought Sabrina as she stood to answer it.