Protecting You (The Boston irkpatricks #1) (3 page)

Chapter Five

Joella

The audacity of this guy. I don’t know who he thinks he is. This poor old woman has to deal with him every day. I feel so bad for her. He thinks he’s getting to me. I have news for him, he’s completely wrong.

We’re in the car driving downtown to the hair salon. The distance is very short, but we are leaving earlier since I have no clue what I want to have done.

“Brendan tells me you’re hiding out,” she says trying to make conversation.

“I guess you can say that,” I say, laughing, as I think of the homeless hooker comment. I have to think of something quick.

“I’m running from an abusive relationship and I need to start over. I asked Brendan if I could work for him and he agreed to help me.”

“Why didn’t he give you a job at the restaurant?”

“He said I would make quick money at the club.”

“Will you be okay doing that type of work?”

“It will be temporary. When I make enough money, I will move on and find something else.”

“At least you have a plan.”

Oh yeah, nice plan. Lady, you have no idea.

Hmm...Maybe I can get some information from Jocelyn on Brendan. She’s his assistant. You can’t get any closer than that.

“How long have you worked for Brendan?” I asked.

“It’s been ten years now.”

“Wow, that’s long. It seems like he respects you.”

She seems to be about the only person.

“Oh, very much so. He’s a great employer. He treats me very well. He’s a very nice man. His ex-wife tried to destroy him, but he got through it.”

I’m mentally making notes in my head. So, there’s an ex-wife… always trouble where they’re concerned.

“Wow, that’s a shame.”

“They divorced six years ago. She was his high school sweetheart,” she explained.

For some reason I just got this strange feeling in my stomach, like that comment bothered me.

“That’s
gotta be tough.”

“From what I hear, she was a pig and cheated on him all the time. She also tried to spend all of his money. When she saw him making a lot of money, she decided she wanted to marry him. He didn’t think anything of it and married her. He started noticing a lot of money missing and people started telling him stories about her. He decided to divorce her before it was too late.

“She sounds like a winner.”

“Yep and she’s a major bitch, too. She has since remarried a doctor and is living the high life. She comes around sometimes.”

Oh, the ex-wife is getting added to my suspect list just as well. I need to investigate her too. I also need to keep Jocelyn close by, she knows a lot.

“It’s nice that you stuck by him,” I say smiling at her.

“He went through a rough period, but he has a lot of family and friends that support him.”

“You’re a special lady, Jocelyn. I see why he likes you so much.”

“Thanks. We’re here. Have you decided what you want done yet? The only way to not recognize you, would be for you to dye your hair black.”

Oh dear God, that is so drastic. Can I still back out or am I in for the long haul. Can I
get fired if I back out? I need to go read my handbook. Ok, I need to just calm down. It has to be done. I need to just keep telling myself that. Maybe if I click my heels together three times, I’ll end up back in my apartment.

Jocelyn opened the door to the salon and held it open for me. I feel bad because she is treating me like I’m a helpless battered woman that she feels bad for. Damn Brendan.

She walks up to the reception area.

“Hi Maggie, we have an eleven with Franco, but we’re early. This is … Kate Carter and she’ll be getting the works,” she says
winking at me. “Put everything on Mr. Kirkpatrick’s Amex black card.”

“Thanks, Jocelyn,” Maggie said.
We sat down in the waiting area looking through hair books. I looked around and the place was magnificent. It was so modernized. There were so many amenities. It had a hair salon, makeup salon, tanning salon, massage parlor, waxing, a gym, swimming pool, jacuzzis, and a refreshment area. I could live here.

“Jocelyn, this place is amazing.”

“You can use whatever services you like. It’s on Mr. Kirkpatrick.”

“I would never take advantage of him like that. I just need to get my hair dyed.”

“Joella, he owns this place. He told me to make sure you get the most out of your visit.”

“That was very nice of him. I’ll have to thank him later.”

“You do that,” she said smiling.

If I didn’t know better, I would think that Jocelyn was trying to play matchmaker. Little does she know, I don’t mix business with
pleasure.

After a few minutes, a guy with slicked back black hair came out to greet us.

“Miss Carter, I’m Franco. It is a pleasure to meet you. Come to my chair.”

I literally just made the sign of the cross. Jocelyn patted my arm and mouthed to me that it would be okay.

“What can Mr. Franco do for you today, pretty lady?”

“I need to dye my hair black. I need a change.”

He looked at me with concern. “Are you sure? That’s a very big difference.”

“Yes. Just do it before I change my mind.”

“You have such long beautiful blonde hair.”

“Franco, please don’t make me feel guilty. Just do it.”

“Sure, sure. No problem.”

I was snapping on poor little Franco. I just needed for this day to go very quickly. So many thoughts were going through my mind as they worked on my hair.

The first thought was how much I missed my family. We didn’t always see eye to eye, but we were very close. I probably will not see them for the next couple months because of this case. They would just ask too many questions. I’m hoping to solve it sooner rather than later.

Then my thoughts went to Brendan. I know he’s a nice guy. I don’t really know him, but Jocelyn seems to think so. I doubt she would lie. She doesn’t look like she has a mean bone in her body. For some reason, I feel an attraction to him. I don’t know what it is. I need to fight it until I close this case and leave. Even if I did give in to an attraction to anyone, it is too soon. I’m not ready. My heart and mind can’t forget what happened. The pain goes away, but the memory lasts forever. It’s okay to flirt with someone, but I can’t get attached.

When they were finished, I was standing there looking in the mirror.

“Katie, what do you think?” Franco asked.

“Wow, it looks amazing. I look completely different. I could actually fit in with my Italian family now,” I joked.

“You’re beautiful, Katie.”

Okay, he was starting to freak me out with all this Katie talk. I felt like a new person. Maybe this change had an opposite effect inside of me. Instead of hiding, maybe I’m actually coming alive.

Jocelyn walked in to the backroom where I was looking into the mirror. She stood behind me.

“You look gorgeous. What’s the matter?”

“Oh nothing. Just taking it in. I’ll be okay.”

“He will like it,” Jocelyn said, throwing me through a loop.

I finally catch on to what she’s talking about.

“Brendan?”

“Yes.”

“Jocelyn, no, I wasn’t thinking about that. It was something else. I don’t care if he likes it or not.”

“I saw how he looked at you.”

“I think you were imagining things. Come on, I need to get waxed all over and go purchase some strings to wear.

***

I start to have a panic attack as we pull up to a store the size of a box. I guess it was that small since the clothes didn’t require much space.

I’m starting to feel like Jocelyn’s my pimp. Just kidding. She has been really great and supportive throughout all of this.

She’s holding up a piece of something that looks like it would fit my five-year old niece. It was a pink neon bra and panty set. She chose a pair of high, and I mean high stilettos. I was afraid to look at them let alone walk in them.

“Is there an alternative, Joc?”

She laughed at me. “You can wear flats.”

“Oh, just give me the damn heels.”

The old lady that runs the place came running over to assist.

“The dressing room is over here.” She brought me over. It was one of those old fashioned dressing rooms with a curtain as a door. These old ladies must have a kinky past. If I told this story to someone they would never believe me.

I pull the curtain closed and it doesn’t even shut all the way. You can still see through the crack. I’m a paranoid mess. I take off my clothes and I’m looking around for cameras. I keep thinking I’m going to be watching myself on You Tube in a few weeks.

I put the string bikini on. I mean that’s basically what it is. I put the heels on. I’m going to fall, I just know it. They are both screaming for me to come out on the other end. I feel so embarrassed. As I walk out of the dressing room, my shoe gets caught on the curtain because it was oversized and dragging on the floor. I practically almost fall on the ground. I obtain my balance. I walk out and Jocelyn is on her gigantic
iPad. I didn’t even know they made them that large. I hear her telling the person she was speaking to that I was coming out now.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Oh, I’m face-timing with Brendan.”

What?! What the fuck? I’m naked here, people.

“You Facetime?”

“Well, he was bored and wanted to know what we were doing?”

“Tell him to go to work.”

“He wants to talk to you,” she said, handing me the
iPad or frigging laptop, whatever you want to call it.

I have practically no clothes on and I have to talk to this pervert. Not happening. I quickly hand it back to Jocelyn.

“Um, I can’t talk to him right now.”

She looks confused. I tell her to put him on hold. She walks over to me and whispers, “What’s wrong?”

“I want to surprise him with my hair change,” I lie.

“Oh right. Good idea.” She walks back to the
ipad. “Brendan, you can’t talk to her because she wants you to be surprised with her new look.”

So much for lying. Now, he thinks I want him to see my hair. His head is going to be huge right now. God, I just had my head in the gutter.

She finally hangs up with him.

“You look beautiful. The guys are going to be going nuts when they see you up there on stage. You’ll make that money in no time.”

I feel like a prostitute. Wait until I get Watson for this. He’s going to pay for this moment.

“I picked out several more outfits for you. They should get you through a month or so. If something doesn’t fit, we can bring it back.”

I’m never stepping foot in this place again. Once is enough for me. I put my clothes back on and we brought all the items to the front counter. The bill came out to $5000.00. I need to know for what. I thought I was in a thrift store, not a specialty store.

“I can put some stuff back,” I offer.

Jocelyn refused and said Brendan insisted.

I’m sure he did, Jocelyn, you have no idea what level his perversion goes to.

After we put the bags in the car, I told her I needed to go to the pharmacy across the street to pick something up for the dancing class.

I came out with a brown bag. She looked at me like I was nuts.

“I can’t tell you what’s in the bag because you will think I’m insane.”

“Honey, I don’t want to know.”

We both busted out laughing.

***

The lady at the pole-dancing class was a high energized lunatic. She had crazy frizzy hair with a leopard print leotard on. I wanted to piss myself laughing, but I held it in.

The studio was dingy looking. I felt like I was in the movie
Saturday Night Fever
.

Jocelyn told her I needed stripper training.

“She came to the right place. Go change into your outfit you will be wearing.”

There were poles scattered all over. Some women were getting lessons in different sections of the studio. I, unfortunately, had cat lady as a teacher. I feel like we should be dancing to
Eye of the Tiger!

I exited the back room in a black g-string and pink stilettos, opposite the outfit I tried on in the shop. I look over and Jocelyn has her head down trying not to laugh because she has no idea what I’m about to do. I have the brown bag in my hand.

“I’m sorry, what’s your name again?” I ask.

“It’s Sashay, honey.”

She’s really proud of that name, isn’t she?

“Sashay, I hope you don’t mind, but there are probably seven types of STD’s on this pole alone, so I brought Clorox wipes with me.”

Considering the look on her face, she didn’t look too happy with me.