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A footstep out of rhythm.
That’s what caught Vivian’s attention as she and her husband, George, strolled down Hollywood Boulevard. She stopped dead in her tracks and glanced behind them. Crowds of people flooded the sidewalk, talking, laughing, and enjoying the unseasonably warm temperatures, and the streets were congested with traffic. Yet, the flat-footed thud of that single footstep had crawled up Vivian’s spine.
“Is something wrong, darling?” George asked.
She turned to him. “I just caught a chill.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Better?”
Vivian smiled, and they continued walking. “David called a few minutes before you got home today. I asked him about the house for sale in Glendale, and it’s still available. It might be small, George, but I loved the kitchen and thought it was perfect for us.”
“I was hoping we’d find something larger, but if you have your heart set on it, I’ll talk to Dave about it in the morning and make an offer.”
“That’s wonderful. I can’t wait to have a home of our own in a nice, quiet neighborhood. The first thing I’m going to do is plant a flower garden out front.”
“How is the new assistant working out at your fashion boutique?” George asked. “You haven’t mentioned her lately.”
“Nora? I’d be lost without her. At first, I worried she was too young and inexperienced, but she’s a quick learner, and the customers adore her. I do, too. We’ve been experimenting with bolder colors and fashion designs that appeal to the younger crowd, and already, it’s boosting business.”
“I’m glad you found someone to replace your sister. You were working too many hours.”
As they walked by the shoe store, Vivian pulled away from George and hurried over to the display window to read the sign. “Rats! They’re sold out of the silver Ghillie lace sandals I’ve been eyeing, the ones I showed to you last evening. I was waiting for them to go on sale.”
“You have plenty of shoes, darling. Our closet is overflowing with them.”
“No, it’s not. You’re exaggerating. Besides, I save a lot of money making my own clothes. I’m entitled to a little indulgence.” But she saw the smile on George’s face, and her blue eyes lit up excitedly, thinking he’d purchased the shoes for her as an anniversary gift. She rushed to his side and took his arm again. “I’m looking forward to Saturday night even more now. Can you believe we’ve been married for an entire year already? Carole and Clark want to celebrate with us. They’re going to meet us at Perino’s Restaurant for dinner.”
George stopped walking. “Don’t you have an important fashion show at the Biltmore Hotel this weekend?”
“Yes, but it’s only from ten o’clock to four on both days. I’m free on Saturday night. What’s wrong, George?”
“Well, now I feel terrible. I thought you were busy all weekend, so I agreed to travel to our new bank facility in Sacramento to train the manager there. I’m leaving Friday morning and won’t be back until Sunday afternoon. If I could get out of it, I would, but all the travel and hotel arrangements have been made. The bank also provided me with a sizeable bonus for the trip. I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we celebrate at Perino’s on Thursday night instead? I’m sure Carole and Clark won’t mind changing the date.”
Vivian fell silent, unable to hide her disappointment.
George leaned over and kissed her. “I’m sorry for the mix-up, sweetheart. I promise to make it up to you. Let me grab a pack of cigarettes at the drugstore, and we’ll go back to our apartment. I’ll open a bottle of your favorite wine, and we can start celebrating our anniversary tonight. How does that sound?”
“That would be nice.” She forced a smile, and he left her side.
As Vivian stood there waiting for him, she glanced up. Far above the bright neon store signs and streetlights lining both sides of the road, the full moon had turned a deep shade of burnt orange and glowed like a gem against the dark sky. Gazing at it, she recalled all the crazy ancient myths she’d heard about the Blood Moon, everything from it causing blindness to signifying the end of the world. She wondered how something so dazzling could gain such a bad reputation.
Vivian’s entire body jerked with the sound of a single gunshot. She swung around and through the store window, she saw a man dressed in black pointing a gun at George. Before she could react, he pulled the trigger. She screamed George’s name, but the shock of it kept her frozen in the spot until the gunman burst out the door and fled down the sidewalk.
Vivian ran into the drugstore and caught herself at the doorway. The bloody scene sickened her, but she fell to her knees beside George, lying on the floor. Quickly, she pulled her sweater off her shoulders, rolled it up into a ball, and pressed it over the bullet wound in his chest, trying to stop the bleeding. All the while, she was crying and calling his name over and over again.
Even after the police arrived, she refused to leave George’s side, but an officer finally spoke to her softly, wrapped a comforting arm around her, and escorted her outside.
And that damn orange moon grabbed her attention again.
