The morning after the night before ...

“Then come on tell me your role” Alex said keeping his eyes closed “or your part in the play” He said trying to prod her along. He was curious more than he cared to admit about her world and what she did. He wanted to be a part of it and even help her if he could.

“Then come on tell me your role ... or your part in the play”

She sighed.

"Alex, I only just got in ... I need to take a bath and I need to study ... at this rate I'll just spend hours talking to you and won't get my prep. done.
You don't want me to dry up before a whole hotel full of people do you?"

She asked him.

"I'll text you tomorrow when I get home and we can hook up after that, ok?"

“Fine fine” Alex said smiling “I’ll talk to you tomorrow then babe” He said getting off the couch and going into his room “I love you have a good night” he said blowing her a kiss over the phone and sitting in his bed.

“Fine fine ... I’ll talk to you tomorrow then babe. I love you have a good night.”

There was no point in commenting on the fact that he told her he loved her again. Instead she too wished him a good night and hung up the phone with a sigh.

Time was flying and she knew that she had to get herself sorted. She poured herself a glass of wine as the bath ran and slipped into the heated water, soothing her body and lingering for a short while before washing her hair and then heading back to the lounge wrapped in a robe to study her papers...

It was getting late by the time she felt that she had thoroughly absorbed the detail she needed. Not for the first time she wished that she had eaten with Alex, but she headed to the kitchen and decided to make do with toast. With short hesitation, she took out her phone and texted him:

Melissa Melrose alive and well. All set for tomorrow. Good luck with your meeting. Shanna x

He was lying in bed contemplating his life when her words filled the screen. He smiled and shot her a short text back telling her good luck and asking her to text him tomorrow when it was done. So he could come see her Afterwards he flicked off the light bathing his room in darkness and leaving him alone to his thoughts. Sleep came to him eventually but it was difficult and fleeting. He was nervous keyed up and excited and when his alarm finally went off in the morning he happily shut it off.

“Good morning good luck with dying” He texted her before he went and had a quick breakfast. He put his phone on the counter and turned preparing for his own role. It was funny in a way that they were both technically preparing for roles to play today. Of course every day was a role for Alex when he wasn’t with her. He supposed he should be glad he still got to be Alex Stone and not some boring name the department made up for him. Of course that was a small comfort in the grand scheme of things.

He pulled on his faded jeans and his plain white t-shirt before pulling on the motorcycle cut that marked him as a prospect. His gun was next and he slid it into the waistband of his jeans before grabbing his motorcycle helmet and club jacket. He walked outside and paused slipping on his aviators and thinking about her one last time before he hoped on his black motorcycle. He shrugged on the duffel bag containing his change of clothes (coming up to her in his undercover outfit didn’t seem like a good idea) before gunning the engine and wondering what she was doing.

“Good morning good luck with dying”

The text came through as she was waiting for her car. She was unrecognisable from the girl who had awoken in his bed the day before. Her hair was sleek and shiny, styled to hang in a sleek chignon. She was fully made up with scarlet lipstick and nails and dressed in figure hugging scarlet dress with a plunging neckline. red heels and bag along with a faux fur coat completed her ensemble. She wondered what Alex would make of her character and was looking forward to playing 'super-bitch' for once. Taking her phone she did her best attempt at taking a 'selfie' and sent it to his phone. And then her car arrived and she had to switch it off.

From now until her demise around half one she had was Melissa, no longer was it a case of facts memorised, this was her life ... her loves, her hates and there would be no opportunity to slip out of character...

A few hours later

Alex pulled to a stop at the restaurant and came in quickly heading to the bathroom. He entered and put his duffel bag down locking the door before starting to undress. He took his gang clothes off and his new official gang cut and put it all away before dropping his gun in beside it. His meeting went well and now he was a full member of the gang and in the thick of it. The police chief would be happy during the briefing next week but right now he just wanted to go see Shanna. Under cover work always made him feel dirty no matter what it was. He needed to see her and get back to real life.

He pulled on a pair of nice jeans and a white button down t-shirt before tossing the bag over his shoulders and walking out. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number feeling it ring as he straddled his Harley and waited to talk to her.

The hotel was busy when she arrived. The guests had checked in early and were milling around attempting to spot the 'characters' and to find the key conversations to eavesdrop on. The rest of the ensemble had arrived as planned. Shanna had studied the running order so that she could move seemingly randomly from room to room and ensure that she interacted with the rest of the cast bringing drama and conflict wherever she went so that almost every character could have a valid motive for murdering her.

Of course she did not acknowledge the amateur sleuth amongst whom they played out the events, though she knew that if addressed directly then she had to respond as Melissa would. Her arrival sparked a husband-wife argument, she spurned a past lover she had gotten bored with, reissued a blackmail threat to a business tycoon, pursued her lover of choice, had a 'cat fight' with an old enemy and managed to generally stir things up with the rest of the ensemble.

At 1 o'clock the final cast member arrived. Melissa's 'husband'. A dramatic twist staged in the dining room with as many guests and whole cast assembled as possible. Hugh, a great bear of a man made for an intimidating character, their heated exchange culminating in a physical exchange, Melissa's reason for leaving him and denying his existence ... It also provided a perfect plot element which took her out of the public eye, the whole cast breaking up to react and discuss the morning's events surrounding Melissa. It was during this half hour that she was to be murdered, poisoned conveniently out of sight ...

Just before 2 pm the new character, the detective arrived and assembled all 'guests' together in the conference room to collect witness statements and evidence giving Shanna the perfect opportunity to be smuggled out.

Only once in the taxi and clear of the hotel did Shanna pull out her phone and spot a missed call. Alex ... She returned the call and waited for him to answer.

"Hi ... just left the hotel ... I was poisoned ... sleuths are going crazy as I speak ... "

She told him with a chuckle.

“It’s the crime of the century” Alex dead panned chuckling and straddling his motorcycle “I saw your picture and I don’t think words can describe how sexy you looked” He said being entirely honest “Its probably better I wasn’t at the party because I don’t think I could have helped my self around you” he said smiling “My meeting is done and I’m in your area do you want me to meet you back at home? I have some thing I want to show you” He said smiling.

“It’s the crime of the century”

She laughed with him.

"I saw your picture and I don’t think words can describe how sexy you looked. Its probably better I wasn’t at the party because I don’t think I could have helped my self around you”

She smiled at the compliment.

"Ah you like your ladies sleek and made up do you?"

She concluded.

“My meeting is done and I’m in your area do you want me to meet you back at home? I have some thing I want to show you”

As ever she was curious as to what he had in mind.

"I'm heading back now. I'll text you the address. You can come straight round ... if you feel safe enough to be around 'Melissa' until I get changed that is ... "

“I think me and Mellissa will hit it off” Alex said smiling a little “I will just be my usual charming self” He said before shutting his phone and starting his motorcycle. It took him about a minute to get to the address and he pulled up a few seconds after she got in the house. He grabbed his bag and walked up knocking on the door and waiting for her to answer.

She managed to get inside and up to her flat. Her coat and bag were carefully discarded, but she had no time to do anything else before Alex arrived.

"I'll be right down ... "

Instead of just buzzing him in, she went back down the stairs to open the door herself.

"Hey... "

She greeted him.

"My place is more modest than yours ... just a small place on the second floor, come in ... "

She invited...

“Wow you looked even better In real life” Alex said grabbing the small of her back and kissing her cheek softly “I’m impressed baby” he said winking at her before following her up. He opened the door for her and stepped in murmuring some thing nice about the place as he closed the door. He carefully put his back out of sight and then turned smiling at her and taking her hand. “So what’s the deal with the pretty lady?” He asked kissing her hand as if he was about to dance with her.

“Wow you looked even better In real life ... I’m impressed baby”

She smiled as he kissed her cheek.

"Not really my usual style, but not bad for a corpse..."

She told him as they went up the stairs and into her compact apartment.

“So what’s the deal with the pretty lady?”

She smiled as he took her hand.

"The deal?"

She echoed, not sure what he meant.

"... me or Melissa...?"

“Well your both pretty ladies” Alex said smiling and touching their foreheads together “but I was curious about Melissa” He said looking at her and her outfit “tell me about the party”

“Well your both pretty ladies ... but I was curious about Melissa”

He definitely seemed interested in her 'work'. Her friends usually thought she was silly just 'play acting' and just smiled indulgently whenever she tried to tell them about her interests.

“tell me about the party”

He invited.

"Where to start?"

She sank onto the sofa her hand moving absent mindedly to rub at her left shoulder.

"She's not a very nice woman ... bit of a man eater actually ... "

She grinned.

"Busy morning, splitting up a married couple, ditching a lover I'd gotten bored of, pursuing a new beau ... and then to top it all my husband turns up and we have the mother of all fights - with maximum witnesses of course ... "

She quipped.

"Mind you ... I'll have to tell Hugh to rein it in a bit ... I'm sure I'll have bruises tomorrow ... "

“A man eater huh?” Alex quipped even as he looked her over for bruises in concern. He didn’t like the thought of her getting hurt but then again he was over protective in general. He liked taking care of her and keeping her safe and the thought of her having bruises bothered him more than he would have thought.

“Then I guess it was a good thing Alex Stone wasn’t at the party huh” Alex said winking at her “I am not sure I would have been able to resist her charm or the temptation to woo her” He said leaning in and kissing her cheek before leaning back “I defiantly know con man Alex wouldnt have been able to help himself” he admitted enjoying him self “He is a bit of a woman eater”

“A man eater huh? Then I guess it was a good thing Alex Stone wasn’t at the party huh ... I am not sure I would have been able to resist her charm or the temptation to woo her”

She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"That would have ruined the plot."

She told him.

“I defiantly know con man Alex wouldnt have been able to help himself ... He is a bit of a woman eater”

She chuckled.

"I see, so you'd play con-man opposite my femme fatale ...?"

She queried.

"That could be an interesting combination ... "

She relaxed on her sofa beside him.

"You'd have been a ... distraction ... for her, but she moves on quickly ... needs to keep herself amused ... "

“That’s the trick then” Alex said already flashing back to the party thinking about his entrance and his clothing his imagination already jumping two three steps ahead “the trick is to be the most interesting person in the room” He murmured thinking about it “maybe he knows her knows her type he already wants her and the party is his chance to do so he dresses to the nines planning out his attack carefully hands brushing making it seem like an act of fate all pushing towards her being conned by him or maybe at some point the con stops and even he doesn’t know if its real or a act any more”

“That’s the trick then ... the trick is to be the most interesting person in the room”

He concluded.

“... maybe he knows her knows her type he already wants her and the party is his chance to do so he dresses to the nines planning out his attack carefully hands brushing making it seem like an act of fate all pushing towards her being conned by him or maybe at some point the con stops and even he doesn’t know if its real or a act any more”

She seemed to consider his words and then repeated;

" ... planning out his attack carefully ... making it seem like an act of fate ... so she's conned by him and he doesn't know what is real anymore...?
That could be us ...? "

She looked at him as the question hung in the air between them.

"But I didn't meet con man Alex ... did I?"

For the first time she realised that she could only rely on her instincts and would never truly know what had transpired and how she had ended up in his bed ... and this conman persona seemed to be coming really naturally which planted the tiniest seed of doubt in her mind ...

“No” Alex said looking at her in surprise as if he couldn’t believe she would think that. His eyes widened as he realized what he sounded like and shook his head rapidly “I’m sorry” he said rubbing the back of his neck “I’m imaginative by nature when you started talking about the party I thought about who I would be and got carried away I’m to honest and open to ever actually be a con man” he admitted smiling and looking into her eyes “also the story would have ended with our characters falling in love and becoming an infamous duo together like bonnie and clyde I’m a romantic remember? I don’t do any thing other than happy endings” He said giving a small sly smile.

“No ... I’m sorry ... I’m imaginative by nature when you started talking about the party I thought about who I would be and got carried away I’m to honest and open to ever actually be a con man” he admitted smiling and looking into her eyes “also the story would have ended with our characters falling in love and becoming an infamous duo together like bonnie and clyde I’m a romantic remember? I don’t do any thing other than happy endings”

No matter what she didn't know about him she DID know that he was a romantic and she had to smile at his 'happy ending's comment.

"Yes ... I know that ... I guess it's just 'cos I've never been out of it like that before ... someone must have spiked my drink or something ... I wasn't even massively hung over the next day ... "

She told him worriedly. She was indeed lucky that he had been there.

" ... and you are a writer ... so romantic stories come with the territory ... just as long as you remember that I'm real ... "

She told him seriously then relaxing into a smile.

"... aside from my many personas ... though something tells me that you wouldn't mind trying to keep up with them all Alex...?"

She eased closer to him turning her body so that she straddled his lap and sat facing him, the red skirt of her dress hiking up to mid-thigh as she put her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

"So who do you want to play with first... me ... or Melissa...?"

“Maybe” Alex said frowning at the thought of her getting spiked and shaking his head. If he hadn’t been there……

He didn’t want to think about that

“I noticed that” Alex said leaning up to kiss her lips gently as she straddled him “I’m just glad you were safe even if you hadn’t been with me I still would have protected you I knew the minute I saw you I had to help you” He said kissing her hand and then her knuckles gently.

“But lets not talk about that” Alex murmured looking into her eyes and cupping her face “I know your real more real then I could have ever imagined and your many personas only make me want to explore you more and more” He whispered huskily his eyes shinning with lust.

“I want to play with both” Alex admitted smiling “but I think Mellissa can go first if your interested?” He said giving her a sly wink.

“I noticed that ... I’m just glad you were safe even if you hadn’t been with me I still would have protected you I knew the minute I saw you I had to help you”

Whatever she knew or did not know for sure as she looked into his eyes, she knew Alex was speaking the truth.

"I know you would ... and I'm grateful ... truly... "

She smiled as he pressed kisses to her hand touched by his tenderness.

“But lets not talk about that ... I know your real more real then I could have ever imagined and your many personas only make me want to explore you more and more”

She gave a low chuckle, the look in his eyes thrilling her.

“I want to play with both ... but I think Mellissa can go first if your interested?”

She chuckled, loving his imagination and playfulness.

"Definitely, but didn't we have plans?"

She kissed him deeply.

"Then again ... we could stay in and play ... you could play with Melissa and then I can cook for us and you can have me ... ?"

She offered.

"Unless ... "

She hesitated as she considered whether to put the idea out there.

"... if you wanted to play and go out ... I guess you could meet up with Melissa and see if you can be her 'most exciting thing in the room'...?"

She was torn ... part of her craved the privacy of her place to get reacquainted with Alex, part of her found the idea of going out to a bar or restaurant 'in character' and letting Alex 'pick her up' more than exciting ...

“We did have plans” Alex murmured chuckling looking at her with playful eyes “I was going to take you to a favorite spot of mine” He admitted holding her hips lightly as he talked his eyes looking at hers.

“But your idea sounds so much better” Alex admitted smiling “If your comfortable doing it with me and your interested I think the going out idea might be fun” He said speaking hesitantly and trying to be careful.

“How about we make it a game” Alex said smiling and gently kissing her “lets go out and see if I can be your most interesting thing in the room if I manage to woo Mellissa and pick her up we come back continue to have some fun and afterwards I will cook for you and spend the rest of the night showing my Shanna just how much she is the most interesting thing in the world ot me” He countered giving her a deep kiss.