Unstable at Midnight

Chapter One

"We can live without our friends, but not without our neighbors."- Thomas Fuller

***********

She couldn't quite place that scent.

Warm, like nutmeg or spice, yet more exotic.

The delicious scent reminded her of when she and her late husband had vacationed in Egypt.

"That's it! Aragon oil!" Celia Cartermine thought to herself as she glanced up at the young man waiting patiently on her to unlock the apartment.

He was well dressed in an expensive looking dark blue suit, with short cut black hair and dark brown eyes. The way he carried himself seemed very businesslike.

Celia pushed open the door to reveal a nice sized living area/entryway.

She let the young man inside and smiled as he made his way around the room. Definitely a traveler, Celia thought as she watched her newest tenant study his surroundings.

"What did you say you do?" She asked curiously.

The man turned to face her, and she realized that his dark eyes were dulled with fatigue and there were stress lines around them and across his forehead.

"I'm a Journalist." He said quickly, like he was trying to avoid a long conversation.

Celia made a mental note to look up his name.

"If you need anything at all, just come down," She said, before leaving him to unpack his two duffle bags.

*********

Once she was gone, Grant went through the living room to check for bugs.

It wasn't necessary, but it was a habit he could not break. After he had made his way through the living area, he did the same with the kitchen.

When he was finished with his work, Grant leaned against the kitchen counter and allowed himself half a smile and calming breath.

He liked the apartment, and he felt good about the location.

Not a lot of noise generated up from the street, and as Grant peered out of the small window above the sink, he saw that his balcony was facing away from the street and sidewalk.

He strode through the sliding glass doors that were situated at the end of the counter and stepped into the sunlight.

Grant was pleased to see a metal table and couple of chairs under a white umbrella in the corner.

Ivy was vining its way up the side of the worn brick exterior, and vibrant spring flowers were planted in pots that were scattered around the balcony.

He recognized them instantly; Tulips.

When he was in Turkey, Grant had met a conservationist, working to save the country's botanical treasures from extinction.

The man had lectured him on Turkey's botanical history, and Grant had found it intriguing.

The conservationist had been killed the next week in a car crash that was never truly classified as an accident.

Grant was about to turn and go back inside, when he heard someone coming up the stairs that were connected to his balcony and that led to the apartment above his own.

All of his trained instincts told him to be ready for an attack.

But he calmed himself as a woman ambled up the stairs and turned to go up the next flight, she didn't seem to notice Grant standing next to his door.

She was struggling to carry a bag full of groceries.

Grant sighed, he had to work on the whole attack reflex if he was going to live in the same building as normal people.

"Can I help you with that ma'am?" He asked.

The woman looked at him, startled, then smiled gratefully.

"Oh, thanks, I didn't notice you there," She said apologetically. Grant slowly strode over and took the heavy bag from her.

"I was just delivering this to my friend's apartment," The woman said, starting up the stairs, and beckoning for him to follow.

He sat the bag down in front of the glass door that was identical to his own as she asked, then looked up and realized why the woman had so much trouble carrying the bag; she was pregnant.

"You must be the new neighbor," She said, extending her hand for him to shake. "I'm Jenna-Leigh Tyler, I live on the other side of the building."

Grant shook her hand and noted the deep laugh lines around her eyes. "Grant Whelan, nice to meet you."

Jenna-Leigh smiled. "Are you by chance related to Penelope Whelan?"

"She just happens to be my older sister."

"Really," Jenna-Leigh continued to smile. "She's my favorite author, I've read ever one of her books!"

Grant laughed, he preferred anything to his sister's romance novels, but he was pleased to hear that his new neighbor enjoyed her writing.

"She'll be overly enthusiastic when I tell her, and I'll have to introduce you two when she comes for a visit," He said, returning her smile.

"Oh, that would be wonderful! Wait till my husband hears about this," Jenna-Leigh exclaimed, her face lighting up.

"Speaking of which," She looked down at her wristwatch, "I had better get back to fix some dinner for him and my daughter."

She wiggled her fingers at him. "It was so nice to meet you, I hope that we see each other frequently, I think you'll enjoy it here!" She said cheerfully, and turned to go back down the stairs.

"Wait, why don't you just go through my apartment, it will probably be easier than walking down those stairs again," Grant suggested, nodding towards the open glass door.

"Don't worry about it, I still need to run some errands!" Jenna-Leigh, waved away his gesture, "I just figured that dropping off my friend's dinner now would be easier than later with more stuff to carry!"

"Is your friend sick or something?"

"No, but I know that if I don't bring her groceries today she is going to forget to go shopping tomorrow and then starve to death because she coops herself up in front of her computer writing about corrupt politics and who-knows-what!"

Jenna-Leigh rolled her eyes.

"Your friend reminds me of myself at times." Grant nodded in understanding, remembering the times in college his best friend would have to force feed him after he forgot to eat while writing papers the night before a big test.

"That's what happens when you have known the person for nearly all of your lifetime!" Laughing, Jenna-Leigh waved a final good-bye and Grant turned to go back inside his new abode.

But before he could get through the door, he stopped and gazed up at the balcony above him, and wondered who lived up there.