Dead Breath. Melody Jade Allen

is my friend, I asked her to come here. I’m sorry I didn’t warn you.”

      “All right.” Brandon let go of Mireya hand. “I hope the Boss doesn’t know.”

      “Don’t worry.” The guy waved his hand.

      Brandon nodded satisfactorily and left them, heading for some distance.

      “Who are you?” Mireya finally asked. “How do you know me?”

      “Where is Leandra?” The Stranger asked in a low voice.

      “She was killed.” Mireya blurted out. “Now tell me, who are you?”

      “Come with me.”

      They entered a small room, where there were many monitors that shot every inch of the Hot Moon. The Stranger sat down in front of them and after taking a walkie-talkie, he said something to the unknown into it and offered Mireya to take a seat beside him; he leaned back.

      “You will keep silent, right?” Mireya said irritably. “Who are you?”

      “My name is Dennis.” He said. “Leandra showed me your photos together. You know, I liked you.” He grinned. “I even asked her when I could see you in the flesh, and she answered, “Only when I leave the world of the living.” I did not think she was speaking literally.”

      “Dennis, here is the detective who is investigating Leandra’s case, she is from Los Angeles. Leandra was killed there at the hotel.” Mireya told him everything that had happened.

      Dennis ran a hand over his chin. “I would not like to deal with the police.”

      Mireya rolled her eyes. “I already heard that from another guy… What are you guys doing in this city?”

      “Hey, take it easy!” Dennis giggled. “We don’t need to suspect us of… something bad, in the sense that our activities are like amateur espionage behind the Boss who only visits us just once every few weeks. Leandra worked with us, but her profile was tracking phones and bank cards, but more phones.”

      Mireya was animated. “Listen, if the phone has built-in anti-tracking system, are there ways to find it?”

      Dennis shrugged his shoulders. “If you really want to…”

      “Someone is calling me from her phone and…” Mireya stopped, but continued to tell Dennis about the calls on behalf of Leandra.

      “Well, if that’s the strange case…” Dennis took a deep breath. “I will try, but I’m sorry, I do not give any guarantees.”

      Mireya nodded. “But thank you for agreeing.”

      “So, are you going to tell your friend the cop?” Dennis smiled maliciously.

      “I must. But she doesn’t have power in Las Vegas, don’t worry – she will not arrest you.” Mireya winked and got up. “What about Tom Walt? Is he working here?”

      “No.” Dennis answered. “Tom is her ex-boyfriend.”

      ***

      “So he lied.” Adrianna said, moving the red car along Las Vegas streets.

      “Well, at least one of them did.” Mireya looked through the window at the copy of the Eiffel Tower.

      “But Mireya, I don’t like it.”

      “What?” Mireya looked at Adrianna.

      “Well, what are you doing? You’re talking to those who might have been involved in her death. This is my job.”

      “Sorry. I didn’t want to act behind you, but it happened. By the way, Dennis will call me. You will have the opportunity to talk to him.”

      “I will. But here is what about Tom… I got in touch with the local department. People named Tom Walt are only a 56-year-old man, 11th school student from England and the other one is African American. So he’s the one who lied to you.”

      “Damn…” Mireya rubbed her eyes, thinking what a mistake she had made. Although she didn’t understand the sequence of her actions – she had never been able to trust strangers, but with Tom and Dennis she was as open as possible. She didn’t want to think she was becoming vulnerable in some way because it was already such once… only once.

      It was almost three years ago, when she and Leandra were at college parties after the last exams. There was one guy named Aron, with whom they played that popular student game among their students “Drink or True” – two players drink spirits or speak the innermost truth of life, although some have come up with this “truth” on the go even not always successfully. It was just a game… But the rules were not a game. Aron handed Mireya a strong whiskey and sitting in front of an artificial fireplace, they started,

      “So… what’s your most stupid thing?” Aron asked with a sneer.

      Mireya whistled. “Where do I begin?” She laughed. “Although, perhaps it is worth highlighting one – I had a bet with Leandra and losing to her, I was forced to steal a police car.”

      “No!” Aron laughed, clapping his hands. “And you could?”

      Mireya nodded. “Damn yes! The stupidest thing is the criminal was in that car. Well, he was a thief who pawned stuff from the shopping centre, where Leandra and I used to go. I was given 60 days of public works for all of this and… Now, I am under strict control in that shopping centre. Even when I go to the dressing room, someone has to watch me.”

      “God…” Aron laughed again and took a few sips of his mojito.

      “Now it’s your turn!” Mireya snapped her fingers and slapped her leg. “What is your… the most frightening secret, Aron?”

      Aron paused for a few seconds. “I heard the words of a dead man.”

      “What?” Mireya raised her eyebrows. “Explain?”

      “It was during the winter holidays.” Aron looked at the fire. “My brother and I travelled to neighbouring states and eventually ended up in Colorado, there is an abandoned radio station. And we, of course, went there and to our surprise, the equipment was still working. So we went in there and started some radio wave… and then I heard it. It was Josh, my friend who died in a car accident.”

      “Did you hear him?”

      “I did. It was like in White Noise movie, but not so literally. I heard a whisper between pauses between this noise and silence.”

      “And what did he tell you?”

      Aron glared at the fire. “He said, “Stay away from Lene-Genie-Len”.” He drank his drink.

      Mireya was waiting for another explanation.

      Aron noticed her inquiring look. “Lene-Genie-Len was a girl I liked, she was from another college, and Josh introduced me to her. Her nickname was coined by the two of us and we swore to each other that it would only be between us. I did not tell anyone and I’m sure that he didn’t, too. Her name was Helene, Genie is from her image – she was like that Eastern girl from the cartoon and tried to please everyone like Genie from lamp, and her last name was Lenners. She seemed good, she was the best at school and in college after, but then, after Josh… It turned out that this girl was working with the drug dealers and their killer.” Aron shrugged his shoulders. “That’s the whole story.”

      Mireya was silent, looking at the fire being impressed. “Do you really believe that these were words from another world?”

      “I do believe. I have no doubt that they can contact us from there. And you must believe it, Mireya.”

      ***

      “Mireya, it’s none of your business!” Leandra screamed at her friend, chaotically collecting her clothes in a sky-blue suitcase.

      “And what the hell are you going to do? You don’t even know what you’re going for, damn, stop at least once!”

      Leandra stopped. “Everything I’m trying to do is not just for myself.”

      “Oh, it’s