"Hey everyone," Skylar looked around the room. The people inside all looked like rascals. She only recognised the man whose face Riley had carved up in the alley, with a knife. He looked scarier. No one answered her greeting, most were busy on their phones, and the rest just looked at the around the house. The paintings made the place look more of a shrine and less of a house.
"I thought this was a house warming party?" Skylar asked the host as he walked by. "Oh it is, it just hasn't started yet," Alan answered as shared chewing gum for everyone. Skylar nodded and took out her phone. She turned opened the sound recorder app on her phone, while pretending to do something else. She wanted Alan to think she was still that young, stupid Skylar who didn't understand how crime worked. This was a typical crime setting, the best place to gather some information that could send Alan to prison.
Skylar pretended to check out the paintings around the room while she was recording and eavesdropping on conversations. One conversation made her pause though. It was between Alan and that big, scary guy from the alley.
"Look at how she's staring at those pictures– like a fool," The big guy said "Do you think she'll be able to do the job,"
"Trust me when I say this. She may be foolish, but she's an expert in that area,"
'What job, and expert in where'
Skylar remembered Tayo's advice not to come here. Maybe she would have just taken it, but no, she needed to gather dirt on Alan, and this was the best path to take.
If worse turns to worst, she can fight her way to survival, and out of here. Besides Tayo's flat was just separated by a wall which she was sure wasn't soundproof. She could scream. Tayo could fight, she think. He had an athletic build, and he was a Nigerian –good with mouth and hands– he could help her when she needed it. They were friends now.
---
After hours and hours of waiting, the music class was over. Riley searched for Melanie among the kids as they came out from the main auditorium to meet their parents.
"Excuse me," Riley called out to the music instructor who was packing her things.
"Yes, how can I help you," She said with an obvious look of disdain.
"Where's Melanie?"
The music instructor's face turned serious. She obviously knew the condition her life would be in if Melanie went missing, from her class to be exact. "I thought she was with you," The instructor finally answered.
"With me?" Riley's voice went up a notch.
Riley took a deep breath to swallow in the panic that was already building within her, then she turned to the bodyguard nearest to her "Tell others, stand at the exits. No one leaves until the young miss is found,"
The parents at the gate who weren't allowed to leave the premises started complaining. "Nobody panic, a kid is missing and she must be found before anyone leaves," The instructor tried to calm everyone down with a shaky voice
The complaints grew louder. "What does that have to do with us?" A woman had dared to ask. "Listen ma'am, I advise you to keep your mouth shut if you don't want your child to be in the same situation as the missing girl," One of the bodyguards retorted.
"Are you threatening me?" The woman retorted.
"This is getting us nowhere, let's go around the compound and search for the girl," A man spoke up. His kid had been asking him "Daddy, can we go home? The men in black are making me scared"
The parents were divided into two. Some supporting the woman –that they had nothing to do with the child's disappearance– while others supported the man.
"Stop!" A kid's voice rang out in the midst of the arguing adults. She was the daughter of the man who had spoken earlier. "I know where Miss Melanie is," Everyone paused to hear what the girl was saying.
"Ricky locked her in the shed at the back,"
"He what!" It was the instructor's voice that rang out first. Riley zoned out of the conversation as she remembered that Melanie was claustrophobic. And someone had the guts to lock her in the shed. That was just pure evil.
"Maid, wait!" The instructor called as Riley ran towards the back. Riley didn't stop until she got towards the shed. She quickly unlocked it and hugged a crying Melanie.
"Oh my God, look at you. You're safe now,"
It took a while before Melanie calmed down, and by the time it happened, all the parents had gathered there to witness what was happening. Melanie freed herself from Riley's embrace and wiped her tears. "I'm fine," She muttered when Riley wanted to hug her again. She didn't want anybody to witness her being weak, especially that Rick. Where was he?
Melanie scanned the crowd and spotted him, and before anyone could predict what would happen next, she lunged at him, throwing childish blows. Rick's mother screamed and tried the separate the two. The other parents joined, but before they could lay a hand on Melanie, the body guards stood before them.
"So you're just going to let her beat up my son?"
"He started it. Let the children settle their differences," Riley said "If you were a better mother, I'm sure your son wouldn't act this way"
"Why you little…"
"Stop it!" Another woman spoke, standing before the two who were at loggerheads. "Stop all this. The girl has been found, let us go!"
"Let's go," Melanie said to Riley in a low voice.
As they moved away, everyone got a clearer view of a well-beaten Rick. His eyes were swollen, and he had bruises on his hands and legs. Apparently, Melanie was skilled at fighting children her age, she never lost a fight.
Some parents gathered around Rick and offered words of consolation to his mother, while cursing Melanie. "That girl is a monster!"
"She's a bully, how could she do this to a kid!"
"Who even taught her how to fight like this,"
"I'm sure she must have bad parents"
Melanie heard their words and spoke to John, the driver, once they got into the car. "Get the footage from today's activities. Identify the individuals who insulted me in those videos and get me their names,"
"Yes young miss," John responded. She was just as bossy as her father.
"Mel..Young Miss" Riley corrected herself as she saw Melanie in a bad mood.
"Melanie is fine," Melanie murmured.
"Melanie, how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. You don't need to treat me like I'm disabled. Oh, and not a word of this to my father. Both of you,"
"Yes ma'am," It was only John that responded.
---
At Alan's house, music had started playing, and nibbles were made available for everyone. Skylar refused to eat whatever was offered to her, knowing Alan, he could drug anything she eats.
"You're not hungry?" A guy asked her.
"Mmmh something like that," Skylar responded, looking at the mouth watering deserts.
"Suit yourself, but you're missing out. The chocolate is divine,"
Skylar smiled in response and walked away. Alan hit his spoon on his cup, signalling it was time for a toast. Everyone gathered around the table and took their cups which were already filled with wine.
"I would like to make a toast," He started, his eyes scanning the small group of people before him, and finally resting on Skylar. "Not only to the acquiring of a house, but to the newest member of our group. Here's to Skylar," He raised his cup in the air and drank.
Shock was evident in Skylar's eyes, but she smiled anyway, and clicked her glasses with the others. Her eyes met Alan's, and he winked. The audacity of that guy.
Yes, she had made a very foolish decision coming here, but being part of their hooligan squad, that was a cup of stupidity overflowing. She needed to get out of here, and fast. She had already gotten enough evidence.
"Hey newbie, where are you going?" A man walked up to her when he saw her casually making her way towards the exit.
"I feel so cramped up here, I want to get some fresh air," Skylar said exactly as she felt.
"You haven't drank your drink?" He pointed out. He didn't have a neutral expression now, there was a hint of a frown.
"It's fine actually, I don't really like drinking and the atmosphere is making me feel...compressed. You see, I'm kind of claustrophobic," Some of the others were heading in her direction including Alan. She needed to leave fast.
"Now, if you're done asking me poke-nosing questions, please excuse me," She calmly shoved the man out of the way.
"Don't let her leave!" Came Alan's voice in a distance.