Mayhem Takes a Dare: The Second Marisa Adair Mystery Adventure (Marisa Adair Mysteries Book 2) by Jada Ryker Page B

had been carrying himself more confidently, walking straighter, and he had a new glint in his eye. She was also fairly sure his belly, while still large, had shrunk.
    Fred’s blue eyes, rounder than ever with shock, met hers.
    She found herself expecting him to do something.
    Fred must have felt it. In a single fluid motion, Fred rose from his chair and hefted the heavy suitcase from its place at his feet. In the suitcase was The Library.
    Marisa was fairly certain The Library defied several laws of physics. The battered case held all of the literature associated with the group. Addiction books, newcomer notebooks, and pamphlets were all neatly housed in The Library’s compartments. Marisa had seen the contents spread out on tables on several occasions. The stacks of books and papers were three times the size of the suitcase. Therefore, she was certain The Library had to be larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. She wondered if Fred stood inside the open case, would he be folded up neatly and completely in one of the compartments?
    As the half-naked man passed the half-way point of the circle, Fred cut directly across to intercept him.
    Through the holes in the ski mask, the intruder saw the older man headed for him. Breaking into an energetic sprint, he outran the lumbering Fred and his Library and sped out the open door.
    Increasing his pace, Fred followed him out into the hallway.
    Several people surged from their chairs to follow Fred.
    As everyone started talking at once, asking one another questions to which no one knew the answers, Marisa ran over to the small, high windows set in the concrete wall. She hopped up on a chair.
    Although it was nearly nine o’clock, it was still faintly light outside. She watched as the nearly naked man jumped into a car, revved the engine, and squealed out of the parking lot. Although it was too far for her to read the license plate, she was fairly certain it was a plain, Kentucky plate. It wasn’t one of those farm plates or specialized plates with pictures of deer or butterflies or children’s handprints.
    Through the window, Marisa could see Fred. He stood in the parking lot, The Library locked and loaded, shaking his fist at the disappearing car.
    “Wow, what a freak!” Cindy settled back into her chair.
    Jason, his earrings catching the light and his arms dark with intricate tattoos, raised one brow at the irony. “He should have sat down and joined us instead of running off. I’d hazard a guess he has an issue with exhibitionism.”
    Fred jogged back into the room. He plumped into his seat, panting and sweating. “God knows I’ve seen a lot of things in these meetings in the past twenty odd years. But I have never seen anything like that!”

CHAPTER SIX
     
     “Clay, how do you know Moira Peters?” Althea’s voice came out as a wheeze. After all that energetic dancing , she thought, it’s a wonder I can get out more than gasps.
    The loud beat of the music reached them out on the patio. Light from the huge dance hall spilled out, with the glittering diamonds of the spinning disco ball painting the dark shrubs and trees with a dizzying round of colorful lights.
    Althea practically reeled into the metal patio chair.
    His exertion level seemingly on a par with a leisurely stroll around a garden, Clay slid into the chair across the table from her. Even though it was dark, the umbrella was up.
    Althea glanced around the deserted outdoor sitting area. There were a few other people, disguised by the darkness, sitting at various tables. She could see the glow of a cigarette at one end, and hear the muted laughter at another. Just beyond the patio, she could see the parking lot. It was filled with empty buses and vans, which transported the folks of the area assisted living centers and the senior citizen’s center for a huge dance. A mixer it would have been called in the old days, she thought.
    Althea continued to wait. She knew Clay had heard her and would