House of Skin

THE LADY IN BLACK

Two days after Lisa had her run-in with William Zero, a visitor paid her a call at her hotel. She was a thin, dark beauty dressed in a black leather skirt and jacket. Her name was Cherry Hill.

Cherry had decided it was time they meet face to face again and talk. As she saw it, things were reaching critical mass, and it was in Lisa’s best interest to back off while there was still time. She planned only to convince her of this in the politest manner possible. And if the good doctor wouldn’t listen to reason, there were always alternate methods.

The desk clerk smiled at Cherry as she came in. He was a younger man, probably in his twenties, she thought, and as such, putty in her hands. As she made her way to the desk, she could feel his eyes running up and down her legs. She could sense his hunger and it was very much to her advantage.

“Good evening, miss,” he said. “May I help you with something?”

“I hope so. Is Dr. Lochmere in?”

“Yes, I believe so. But she left strict orders not to be disturbed.”

Cherry smiled. “Did she now?”

“Yes… well… she…”

Cherry was leaning over the desk now, giving him a good view of her cleavage. Her breasts weren’t large, but ample and firm. The clerk couldn’t help himself. He was no longer looking in her eyes. Cherry’s lacquered nails were drumming on the registration book.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“Richard.” His voice was barely audible.

“Richard,” she said, rolling it off her tongue. “Dr. Lochmere left orders not to be disturbed, you say?”

“Well… actually it was Mr. Fenn who did and he’s, you know, a cop and all.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, homicide.”

“Nasty business. You couldn’t just bend the rules a bit and tell her Cherry Hill is here, could you? We’re old friends. She’d want to see me.”

“No… no, I could get in trouble.”

Cherry licked her lips. “Is this Mr. Fenn with her now?”

“No, not right now,” Richard told her. “But he’s in and out all the time. I’m sure he’ll be back before long… and if I was to disturb her… you know how cops get… he’d probably get me fired.”

Cherry put her hand on his. He started slightly. “I wouldn’t want that to happen. Does she spend a lot of time with Fenn?”

“Yeah… I only work nights, but he’s up there a lot. They came in pretty late last night. Well after midnight. God knows what they’re up to, a cop and a psychiatrist.”

Cherry was stroking his middle finger now. “I think I know what they’re doing,” she said in a husky voice. “Probably fucking.”

Richard was trembling now.

“I don’t suppose there’s any way I could convince you, so I won’t try…”

“Well…”

“You just tell Dr. Lochmere that Cherry was here. Not the cop, only Lochmere, you understand?”

“Yes.”

“And maybe I’ll stop by tomorrow night and see if I can make you break some rules.”

Cherry ran fingers over his lips and left. She felt, rather than saw, him slump down in his chair. It would’ve been easy enough to seduce Richard and get up to Lisa’s room, but there was time. Tomorrow night, if she indeed came back, he’d be begging to give her a key. Men were like that.

Cherry winked at the doorman on her way out and disappeared into the night.