Free Dark Perception: The Corde Noire Series by Alexandrea Weis Page A

for me,” she gushed.
    Phil leaned against the doorframe.
“Mr. Cole will be pleased.” He gestured to an intercom system by
the entrance. “Let me show you how to use this.” Phil strutted over
to the intercom speaker with a row of colored buttons below it.
“You press the blue button to call me or the other security guard
on duty at the desk. The green button goes to Marv … in case you
need something fixed. If he doesn’t answer, there’s a voice mail
system that takes messages.” He pointed to a red button. “This is
for emergencies. It rolls over to 911. You’ll find another panel
just like this one in your bedroom. Mr. Cole likes his tenants to
feel safe.”
    Melinda noticed another button on the
panel. “What about that one? The yellow one?”
    Phil nonchalantly tossed his head to
the side. “It isn’t hooked up to anything. It’s just an extra
button. Came with the system.” He then nodded to the furniture in
the living room. “You got any idea of what you want to
keep?”
    “ I’ll be keeping
everything,” she gleefully proclaimed. “I just need a few boxes
from the truck with my clothes, my keyboard, and some personal
items. The rest they can put into storage.”
    Phil winced. “Keyboard? Are you a
musician?”
    “ I’ve only played in some
of the local hotels, but I studied music in college and hope one
day to make a career in the music industry here.”
    “ Just don’t play that
keyboard of yours too loud. Mr. Cole likes quiet.”
    Melinda gazed about the apartment.
“Oh, I didn’t realize. Maybe I should—”
    “ I’m sorry.” Phil uttered a
heartfelt sigh. “I didn’t mean to jump on you, but you may want to
remember who your neighbor is. When I moved in here, I used to play
my stereo kind of loud until Mr. Cole mentioned it one day in
passing. Now I use headphones, because I really like my
job.”
    “ How long have you worked
for Mr. Cole?”
    “ About a year. I used to be
Mr. Cole’s trainer, and then he asked me if I was interested in
taking over security for his building. His former head of security
relocated to Florida.”
    Melinda noted the man’s enormous
biceps. “So I guess that was a promotion for you.”
    Phil nodded and smiled. He had a warm
smile that didn’t seem to fit his menacing features. “I was
desperate to get away from the gym where I worked.” Phil took a
step into the living room. “It was this exclusive exercise club in
Place de St. Charles. You know the kind … all the women who went
there were looking for rich husbands.”
    The mention of women aroused Melinda’s
interest. “Is that why Mr. Cole went there? For the
women?”
    Phil shook his head. “Nah, he likes a
certain kind of woman.”
    “ What kind of woman?” she
probed, anxious to know more.
    Phil cast his eyes to the living room
floor, appearing tentative. “Ah, the kind who doesn’t …” He lowered
his clipboard. “There are rumors around the building that Mr. Cole
is into … a different lifestyle.” He dropped his voice. “You know,
the kind where he’s in control. What do they call that?”
    “ Bossy?” Melinda
offered.
    Phil chuckled. “Bossy, I like that.
Anyway, his kind of woman can’t be found at a fitness
club.”
    His kind of woman? What
does that mean?
    Melinda made a mental note to stay on
Phil’s good side, in case she ever needed information about
Nathan.
    “ Sounds like you know Mr.
Cole pretty well.”
    Phil shrugged. “I just see all the
comings and goings in this building. Who people are with is
something I have to know as part of my job. But Mr. Cole doesn’t
like people knowing too much about his relationships. He’s always
discreet. Always.” Phil glanced around her apartment. “Well, if
you’re keeping everything in here, you’d better come and tell the
movers what you need off the truck. Then they can take your stuff
to Mr. Cole’s storage facility north of the lake.”
    “ Why does he have a storage
facility all the way over