Home V: Obsession -- 19
by Nan Smith
Previously:
"I thought you'd like to know, Kent," Velma Chow's voice said without preliminary, "Forensics picked a partial print off the blade of that knife that Lori helped find."
"Have they identified it?" he asked, resisting the temptation to hold his breath.
"I wouldn't be calling you otherwise," Velma's voice said dryly. "I don't make a point of informing the Press of every step in an investigation. I hope I don't need to tell you, this isn't for publication."
"Naturally. So they *have* identified it?"
"They did," Velma said. "I take it you know Superman dropped by to tell me about a certain sealed record?"
"Yes."
"The print matches," Velma said. "I'm tempted to haul Lori in as a material witness, just to protect her, but I have the feeling she'd be kind of unhappy with me if I did."
"I'll protect her, Lieutenant," Clark said, surprising himself at how Supermanish his voice sounded, even to him. "You can count on it."
"Yes, I suspect you will," Velma's voice said. "That's all I had to tell you, except there's been no sign of the chief suspect all day. She may suspect that we're onto her. If what we think is true, that won't stop her from going after your wife, though. Don't leave her alone."
"Not a chance," Clark said. "Thanks, Velma."
"You're welcome," she said, and signed off.
**********
And now, Part 19:
Twenty minutes later, they surrendered the Jeep to the valet parking of the Tower and took the transparent elevator up the outside of the building to the very top of the tower.
The Metropolis Star Tower was a marvel of human engineering. It soared four hundred stories tall, a huge spire of space-age crystal, many times stronger than steel. The central core of the crystal column was an impossibly thin cylinder of metal, reinforced by an anti-gravity field, backed up, in case of power failure, by a second and a third that were powered by their own independent generators. The Sky Lounge occupied the upper floor of the huge five-pointed star that capped the fairy-like column and from it, diners had a magnificent view of the harbor and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. The Bayview Skystream was a parade of brilliance in the air halfway across the harbor and the darkness concealed some of the less picturesque features of the area beneath them.
The hostess escorted them to their reserved table near the wall, and Clark made certain that Rob and Mariann were seated where they had a good view of the harbor. Rob took a seat where he could see the bay but by turning his head slightly he also had a good view of the room. Lori's father, it seemed, was taking the threat to his daughter seriously. Clark made sure Lori was comfortably placed and then took a chair with his back to the crystal wall. The restaurant's lighting was somewhat subdued but not so dim that it was at all difficult to see.
Soft music played in the background, and in the clear area in the center of the floor, couples danced.
"Your server will be here in a few minutes," the hostess told them, setting four white folders on the table. "Our wine list is quite extensive, and we have non-alcoholic beverages as well." She didn't by a word or a glance betray that she had noticed Lori's condition. "I hope you enjoy your experience at the Sky Lounge."
"Thank you," Clark said. The hostess departed and he picked up one of the folders, as did the others, and began to study the dishes offered.
There was a ripple of exclamations, and diners turned their heads, looking at something in the air beyond the tower. He turned to look in time to see Superwoman swoop leisurely by, ten feet away. She met his eyes for a fleeting second and he "heard" her mental voice. *How's it going, Dad?*
*We've had some progress,* he told her. *They found Marcella Evans' print on the knife.* He "showed" her an image of the woman as he had last seen her, and "heard" her mental acknowledgement.
*I'll pass the word,* his daughter said. *We'll take care of any emergencies tonight. You just keep Lori safe.*
*I intend to.* Clark surveyed the room again. Still no Marcella. Maybe, he thought, she had realized that the police were after her and was hiding out. It was possible, but he doubted it. One of the qualities -- or more accurately, failings -- of every criminal sociopath that he had ever met, was arrogance, the inner assumption of superiority. Although almost invariably intelligent, they tended to overestimate their own cleverness and underestimate everyone else's. Unless Marcella was somehow very different, she wasn't likely to give up her intentions.
"I realize they aren't sensitive to the temperature," Mariann said, "but seeing her in that thin outfit makes *me* feel cold." She was still following Superwoman's path through the air until she vanished into the snowy night.
"I know," Lori said. "According to what I've been told, the supermen feel the temperature, but it doesn't affect them. It would be a nice talent to have."
"It certainly would," Mariann agreed. "Especially when the temperature in Los Angeles gets into the nineties." She folded her menu and laid it on the linen tablecloth. "Have you ever met Superwoman? I mean, living here in Metropolis, and being reporters, surely you've met the superheroes at some time. But then," she added, "Superman is a friend of yours, isn't he? I remember when he came to congratulate you on your graduation, and again when he came to help after the break-in at the Christmas party."
"Actually, yes," Lori said. "We've met them now and then in the course of our jobs, and of course we've gotten quotes from all of them at one time or another."
"There are six in Metropolis now, aren't there," Mariann said. "I read the press release when Typhoon moved his base of operations from San Francisco to Metropolis. Was there ever any explanation for that?"
"Not that I know of," Clark said.
"It's odd," she pursued. "Metropolis is the only city that has more than one or two of them living there. Of course, it's the largest city in North America, so maybe that's part of the reason, and it's the city the first Superman settled in. I suppose it has some sort of tradition for them."
"Maybe," Lori agreed.
A tall, slender man in the uniform of a waiter approached their table. The Sky Lounge was one of those establishments that actually still hired men and women to serve its clients instead of relying on automated help. He smiled cordially at them, inclining his head in the direction Superwoman had gone. "We frequently see one or more of the super heroes during an evening," he said. "It's always an impressive sight. So," he added, "have you decided?"
"I have," Lori said.
Rob and Mariann nodded, and the man produced a hand-computer. "Very well, would you like to order drinks first?"
**********
While they waited for the arrival of their appetizers, Clark rose to his feet and bowed slightly to Lori. "Would you like to dance, honey?"
"That would be nice," she said, getting to her feet. Clark led her out onto the dance floor and Mariann watched for a minute as her daughter and son-in-law began to dance. She sighed faintly.
"What is it?" Rob asked. He had been looking around the restaurant, and Mariann thought that for some reason he wasn't enjoying the evening as much as he should be.
"Lori and Clark," she said. "He really loves her, doesn't he?"
"Yes," Rob said. "And she loves him. I think they're as perfect together as any couple could be."
"I was wrong to try to stop her from marrying him," Mariann said. "I was so afraid that she and Marcy wouldn't be as fortunate as I was -- that they'd find themselves married to someone who wouldn't treat them well."
Her husband's face was a study in surprise, and she felt a stab of guilt. "I *was* fortunate, Robby. I couldn't have found a better man to marry. I guess I haven't always been as good a wife as I could be, but I've always known that you were a good man. I'm only sorry I never told you that before."
"I've never complained, Mariann," he said quietly. "I married the woman I loved, so I got the better of the bargain."
"What do you mean?"
He smiled sadly. "I wanted you to marry me, even though I knew you didn't love me," he said. "I settled for being your best friend, but I wish it had been better for you."
"Oh, Robby!" She blinked back tears. If she started to cry now, her makeup would be irreparably damaged, and Clark and Lori would want to know what was the matter. "I *do* love you! I might not have in the beginning, but that was a long time ago! I was young and stupid and didn't realize what I had," she continued, reaching out to lay her hand on top of his. "Somewhere along the line, I changed my mind. I was just too embarrassed to say so."
He curled his fingers around hers, and she was surprised to see him blinking rapidly. "I never thought I'd hear you say that," he said. He glanced around. "It's too bad we're in public."
She found herself giggling like a girl. "Robby! Behave yourself!"
He got to his feet. "Would you like to dance, honey?"
She nodded. "That would be wonderful."
Rob led her onto the floor and they began to dance. She had forgotten what a good dancer her husband was. They had wasted so much time, she thought, but not any more. Robby had given her so much and she hadn't treated him nearly as well as she should have -- not that he seemed to care. It was going to be different from now on, though. Never mind what her father had been. Robby had shown her over the years of their marriage that men were not all like that. She had been terribly slow to learn, and had tested him over and over. He had never once been anything but a good and loyal husband. He had never mistreated her, even when they fought, although he hadn't hesitated to tell her when he thought she was wrong, and seeing Clark and Lori together the way she had this week brought home to her that her daughter was in some ways wiser than she had been. Maybe it would be difficult to change, but she would make an effort from now on to show Robby what he meant to her. She owed him that, at the very least.
The music ended and Robby led her back to the table. Clark and Lori arrived a few seconds later, just as the server with the drinks and appetizers appeared.
Mariann glanced at Lori's coconut-crusted shrimp with coconut and pineapple dip and smiled at the way her daughter's eyes lit up at the sight. Clark glanced casually around the restaurant and then turned back to her. "Would you like to sample my shrimp cocktail, honey?"
"Oh Clark, I don't want to take your food."
He dipped an enormous shrimp in the cocktail sauce and held it out to her. "Open your mouth."
Lori hesitated and obeyed. Clark put the shrimp into her mouth and Lori bit down, closing her eyes as she savored it. "That's good," she mumbled around the food.
Clark smiled at her, then glanced around the room again. He'd been doing that all evening, Mariann thought.
Lori took the shrimp from Clark and finished it off. "Would you like a bite of mine?"
Clark winked. "I thought you'd never ask." He glanced casually around again before he took one of the coconut shrimp and dipped it into its sauce.
Mariann looked around the room, but everything seemed normal. Still, given their profession, there might very well be something going on that they didn't want to mention.
Motion beyond the clear wall of the lounge caught her gaze, and she watched in amazement as the scarlet-clad form of Typhoon swooped by. The young super-hero couldn't be over nineteen, she thought. He glanced at the guests of the Sky Lounge and waved casually before disappearing into the darkness.
Lori was eating her appetizer and Clark had begun to work his way through his shrimp cocktail. Mariann glanced at Rob. "Two of them in one evening," she remarked.
"I guess this is our lucky day," Rob said.
Mariann had begun to eat her stuffed mushrooms, but she surreptitiously watched her son-in-law as he surveyed the room again. Clark was definitely looking for something, she thought.
They had barely finished the appetizers when their server arrived again, floating a cart bearing soup, salad and bread in front of him. Efficiently, he removed the plates that had held the appetizers and substituted the next course.
The next super-hero to pass the window was Tan-El. The server had just cleared the soup and salad and served the main course when Mariann saw the motion beyond the wall and heard the chorus of ooh's and ahh's. Tan-El cruised by at eye-level, and he also waved casually to the diners of the restaurant as he passed. Mariann watched him as he zoomed away, but she was thinking hard. Was it only an interesting coincidence that each of the heroes' closest approach to the restaurant was directly opposite their table? Or did the supermen have some other reason for their quick observation of the Sky Lounge as they went past? Could it have anything to do with the reason that Clark was watching the room as closely as he seemed to be? It seemed a silly idea, but ...
Between the music, the spectacular view and the dancing, as well as the puzzle presented by her son-in-law's behavior, the evening went by far more quickly than Mariann expected. Clark danced with Lori and then took a turn with her while Rob partnered his daughter as they waited for the dessert to arrive. He was an excellent dancer, Mariann thought. In fact, Clark seemed to be extra-ordinarily talented in many ways that she hadn't expected. He was intelligent, cultured, entertaining and amazingly well educated, and conversed with her on a variety of subjects until Rob and Lori cut in. At last the music stopped to a patter of applause from the spectators, and they returned to their table in time for their dessert.
A short time later, they had finished and Clark signed the computer pad held out to him. Lori glanced at her husband and rose to her feet. "I'm going to freshen up a little before we go," she said.
Clark nodded and stood up. "I'll walk over with you," he said. He paused. "Um ... Mariann, would you go with her? I'd rather she didn't go in there alone, and since I can't --"
"Certainly." Mariann picked up her handbag. "Is there any special reason?"
"Lori's had a couple of threats lately," Clark said. "We get them now and then, and nothing usually happens, but I don't like to take chances."
So that was the explanation for his unusual watchfulness. The four of them walked over toward the opaque central core of the Tower where the restrooms were located and Mariann followed her daughter in, aware that Clark and Rob had paused just outside the door. Well, he might not be able to go into the Ladies' room with her, but he was as close as he could get without violating that particular prohibition. The slight frown on his features gave Mariann the haunting feeling that she was missing something, but whatever it was escaped her.
There were two other women standing at the washbasins, one of them brushing her hair and the other applying lipstick. Mariann waited patiently for her daughter, at the same time checking her makeup in the mirror. The two women exited after a moment, and at last Lori emerged and went to the washbasin.
Behind her, she heard the door to one of the cubicles open, but paid no attention. A voice said, "Well, at last. Do you know how hard it is to get you alone? Nearly, anyway."
Mariann turned and stared in disbelief.
The woman was about her own height with dark hair and sapphire blue eyes. She wore the outfit of one of the employees of the Sky Lounge, but in her hand she clutched what must be a stunner, and it was pointed directly at Lori.
Lori had turned and was looking at the woman without a trace of fear in her expression.
"Hello, Marcella," she said. "I've been expecting you."
Marcella, or whoever she was, stared at her, a bright pink spot on each cheek. "You've given me a lot of trouble, Lyons."
"I imagine so." Lori looked straight back at her. "You know Lieutenant Chow is onto you, don't you? They know it was you in the parking tier last night. They found the knife -- with your fingerprint on it. *Clark* has been watching for you all evening. He's outside right now. You'll never get away."
"Shut up." Marcella raised the stunner. Mariann lunged for her.
Marcella spun, and Mariann heard the reverberating hum that she had always been told was the sound made by a stunner. It wasn't anything like she had imagined, but she could have sworn she felt only the faintest of tingles. It was hard to tell, however, because the blast of wind that filled the room nearly deafened her, and she could have sworn that phantom hands lifted her lightly and spun her around. Then she was leaning back against one of the sinks, and Superman in full regalia was restraining Marcella with one hand, and the stunner lay on the floor.
Rob was standing in the doorway, and behind him Mariann saw the colorful figures of all five of the remaining superheroes that made Metropolis their home. Superwoman gently pushed Rob forward and entered the room with the springy stride that Mariann had seen on the vidscreen, and the others followed. Rob came quickly to her and put his arms around her. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Mariann said. "This woman --"
Superman looked at Lori, and seemed to be satisfied that she was unhurt. He spoke to the other superheroes. "Would one of you bring Lieutenant Chow?"
"I will," Blue Lightning said, and literally vanished almost instantaneously. In the distance, Mariann heard a faint sonic boom. Several employees of the Star Lounge were peering in the doorway when she looked up, but no one spoke. There was a slight commotion behind them, and Blue Lightning's voice said, "Let us through, please."
The crowd parted with haste, and Blue Lightning entered, clearing the way for the same thin, sour-looking detective that Mariann had seen at the Christmas party, as well as a uniformed officer. Lieutenant Chow glanced quickly at Lori. "Are you all right, Lyons?"
"I'm fine," Lori said. "Superman and my mother caught her for you, Lieutenant."
"So I see." She glanced at Superman and the corners of her lips twitched in the faintest of smiles. "Thank you, Superman; and you, Ms. Lyons." She glanced at the remaining super-heroes as the police officer produced a pair of handcuffs and proceeded to handcuff Marcella. "Quite a family gathering, I see. Well, since you're here, why don't you make yourselves useful? As soon as Officer Mendez reads Ms. Evans her rights, we could all stand some transportation to the station. We don't want to disrupt the Sky Lounge anymore than we need to tonight."
**********
tbc
