The Devil's Dwelling (18 page)

“It’ll be nice to take a breather from this crazy life. I’ll meet you at your place at 12:30 tomorrow.  I need to get my clothes ready to go and call Mona and let her in on my adventure.”

“I’d rather you didn’t mention to Mona or anyone about the art show. The trip to and from Little Rock can be dangerous. We will have six Hummers transporting the artwork. You and I will travel in the Viper.”

Bailey was pacing the floor in need of relieving himself. “I’ll just tell Mona we are going out of town for pleasure. Right now I have to take Bailey out to hike and poop before dark.”

I took the leash from the hook and hooked up Bailey. “You wanna come?”

“No, I better get back to the office. I’ve got some last minute things to go over with the surveillance crew.”

“You take your Glock with you to the park.”  Hayden kissed my forehead and patted me on the rear. “You take care of yourself. We’ll get this matter taken care of when we get back.”

Bailey and I jogged to the park. I unhooked Bailey and let him run in the park. I didn’t see any guys around leaving me feeling pretty safe. A vehicle drove up and I looked over my shoulder. It was the Jeep. Sheesh, I wonder why he’s here?  There were a few dogs in the park. Bailey was having a good time chasing and cornering them. They would yelp and he would wiggle his tail and all was fine. I’m beginning to think his a tease.

A voice from my back startled me. “Bailey likes to intimidate the little dogs and then run away.”

Shit it was the big woman Bailey took down a few weeks ago.

“Yeah, he loves to play. But his a good guard dog. If anyone tries to get too close to me he comes between us and usually growls.” I stepped back from the woman.

“Do you enjoy coming to the park?”  Her eyes were on Bailey as she spoke to me.

“I like to jog but I don’t care about taking Bailey to the park to hike and poop.” I knew the minute I said I like to jog I was in trouble.

“I like to jog too. Maybe we could jog together.”

“You jog?” This woman does not jog. She would have a coronary. I thought to myself.

“I know I’m pretty big to be jogging but it would do me good to get some exercise.”  She stretched her arms behind her back and shook them out.

“We’ll see but I’m pretty busy.”

“Bailey get over here.”  Bailey came running and jumped on ‘the woman’ knocking her on her butt. Jumped on and slobbering all over her face.

“Get the damn dog off me.” She jumped up and wiped her face with the back of her hand.

“I told you if anyone comes too close to me he gets in between.”

“Bailey!” I grabbed his collar and pulled him off. Hooked him up and we were on our way home.

I called Mona and told her I was taking a couple days off to be with Hayden. “He thinks I need to get away.” 

“You take a couple days off too.  You’ve been going since you started with the company.” I suggested.

“Don’t worry about me you have a good time.”

Can you drop over and take Bailey out for his hike and poop?  His dog food is on the counter and the water bowl is usually about empty.”

“I’ll take care of Bailey.”

“I’ll only be gone one night. I’ll be back day after tomorrow in the afternoon.  I’ll call when  I get home.  And I’ll have my cell phone if you need me.”

“You go girl and have a good time.”

I hung up the phone and scurried around the house going through my closet trying to decide what to wear. 

TWENTY-TWO

I pulled off the road and stopped in front of the steel gate, pushed my fob button Hayden had given me, the highly secured steel door rolled up. I drove through and behind me the door rolled down, latched and locked. The drive sloped down taking me to the basement parking facility for Hayden employees. I got out of the Blazer with my Coach overnighter and my bag. I walked toward the elevator, pushed the button and the door opened. The elevator was filled with a dozen men dressed in black. Black jeans, tight tee shirts with ‘Hayden Store All’ across the back. Some were wearing jackets with the same logo on the back. Each jacket sported the man’s name.  A gun was resting on each mans side. I stepped back while they filed out. A row of black Hummers were parked face out along the side wall.  They teamed up two to a Hummer. I tried not to be too nosey.  I stepped in the cold steel elevator and pushed the button for the main floor.  The door opened and Larry was setting at his desk watching a dozen monitors.

Not knowing where I should be. I walked over to Larry,  plopped my bags on the counter overlooking Larry‘s space.

“Good afternoon Larry. Is Hayden around?”

“Good morning Tiffany. Hayden is in his office finalizing the transport of the artwork.”

“I’ll just have a seat over here.” I pointed to the black leather sofa along the wall.  I picked up a magazine. Sports illustrated and flipped through the pages. After about five minutes Hayden walked from his office looking quite dapper in his black jeans, black button down shirt with Hayden Store All on the pocket and black boots. I fit in well with my jeans, black slip over top and black boots.

Hayden tossed me a cap with his logo on the front. “We’re going to put the top down on the Viper. You’ll need the cap.”

I took a look at the cap, found a hair tie at the bottom of my bag and pulled my hair up in a ponytail, slipped the cap on and pulled the pony tail through the open slot in the back. Little good it did to blow my hair straight this morning.  With the top down it will be kinky curly by the time we reach Little Rock. Hayden picked up my Coach overnighter and dropped his shoulder to the side. What do you have in this?” He laughed. He took my hand lifting me from the sofa. “Let’s go Babe.”

We stepped out the door.  The Black Viper and six black Hummer’s were lined up along the sidewalk with the Viper in lead.  Hayden opened the Viper door helping me in. Walked around to the driver’s side and slid in the leather seat. He took a pair of sunglasses from the glove box and fashioned them on his face. An earpiece was clipped to his ear. He pushed a button on the earpiece. “Everyone ready?”

Hayden started the Viper and the rumble vibrated through my body. He dropped it in gear and slowly emerged onto the street.  The Hummer’s were following closely. We merged onto the interstate, Hayden dropped the Viper in a lower gear, and stomped on the accelerator.  The G-force set me back in my seat. I felt like my skin was stretched across my face. Not bad I thought, instant facelift. Hayden slowed down waiting for the convoy of Hummer’s.

I looked over at Hayden. His face looked like it had been chiseled by a sculpture. Handsome is the only word to describe him. Hayden is a man dedicating his life to his business. He doesn’t allow anyone to get too close. 

I’ve known Hayden since high school. He lived in the corner house down the street from my folks which is now a rental, with people moving in and out every few months. His parents died in a head-on collision when Hayden was attending college across the country.  Hayden graduated with a degree in business and marketing and moved back to Conway to take over his dad’s storage business.

Hayden placed his hand on my knee and slowly moved up toward my ‘Twinkie’.  I smiled at him and laid my head on his shoulder. We didn’t do much talking since the noise from the wind hindered hearing each other.

The convoy pulled into Little Rock and stopped in front of a large old historical  building with concrete steps leading up to the front entry doors. A pair of large lions carved from granite were on situated on each side of the of the doorway.

Hayden stopped the Viper and made a phone call. “We will be right there.” I heard him say.  He drove to the rear of the building.  A security guard was at the gate. He looked over Hayden’s credentials and opened the gate.  We entered the parking garage with the six Hummer’s following.  The security guard closed and locked the gate behind us.

The security guard unlocked the combination door and we entered the building. He escorted us to an office.  Hayden’s men stayed with the Hummer’s and I waited in the foyer while  Hayden took care of business behind the closed office door.

The caretaker of the building showed Hayden where to hang the paintings.   A half dozen guards emerged from the building to assist and escort Hayden’s men to unload the paintings.

One by one the paintings were unloaded and put on a dolly with four wheels and rolled into the gallery.  Half of Hayden’s men stayed with the vehicles and the other half escorted the paintings to the gallery.  The caretaker signed off on Hayden’s form after he inspected the paintings.

Two hours after our initial arrival Hayden announced to the crew. You are free for the night. I’ve made reservations for you across the street at the Little Rock Hilton.  Your reservations for dinner are at 6 pm.  He looked at his watch. Looks like you have time to check in, get out of your uniforms and make it to dinner. 

The Hummer’s were left behind the locked gate.  The guard opened the gate for Hayden to take the Viper out of the locked area. 

Hayden took the road leading us into the country. He turned off the main road onto a winding road climbing a mountain and came upon a quaint Bed and Breakfast called The Garden of Love nestled among tall pine trees on top a mountain.  The view was spectacular over looking a beautiful valley.

Myrtle and Henry greeted us at the front door.

“Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Hayden welcome to our Garden of Love. We hope you find your stay comfortable.”

“Good evening. I’m sure we will.”  Hayden politely said as we shook hands with our hosts.

“Dinner will be served at seven this evening. A list of the times we serve our meals is on the chalk board on the front porch. Feel free to wonder through the house and gardens. You will be staying in the Princess room.”  The line rolled out her lips as if she had said it a thousand times.

Henry followed Hayden to the Viper to fetch our bags.  Hayden and I followed Henry upstairs to our room. He put the bags on the table in the closet and excused himself.

I stood amazed and turned in circles. The beds headboard was a crown painted in shimmering gold. The comforter was made of burgundy satin with a dozen of pillows in burgundy with braided and fringed gold trimmings. The burgundy satin drapes were hung from ceiling to the floor and pulled back with gold braids with long tassel’s.  The floor was a soft sculptured pink plush carpet. A chandelier hung from the middle of the room. I couldn’t keep from gazing at everything. Paintings of a Royal family were hung on the walls.  I’m sure the paintings are not of royalty but they certainly make a statement.

“Hayden this is beautiful. Why?”

He took me in his arms. “I wanted to show you how I feel about you. In my eyes you are a princess.”

“And you are a prince.”

“We need to dress for dinner.”

“I didn’t bring my princess dress to wear for dinner. I didn‘t realize we would be going to a fancy dinner.”

“Look in the closet there might be a princess dress in there.”  Hayden said smiling.

I opened the closet and there hanging was the most beautiful princess style soft blue dress with shoes to match.  A dark blue suit also hung in the closet.

“Hayden, you are a romantic.  I’m seeing the softer side of you.  And I like it.”

“The dress how…”

“You ask too many questions. Things just happen when you are a princess.” Hayden winked at me. “Okay, Olga and Lee shopped for me and shipped the dress and suit here. Olga checked your size one time when she washed your clothes.”

I held the dress in close and danced around the room with fairy tale dreams dancing in my head.

The bathroom was made for a princess.  Chandelier’s hung over the two porcelain sinks. The counter top was made of marble and the faucets were gold. Probably not real gold but I could  pretend.  I was living the dream of being a princess, why not dream big?

We walked downstairs at precisely seven o’clock. The aroma of dinner filled the house.

Guests were getting settled in at the table.  Hayden pulled my chair back and I as graceful as I could seated myself.  I put the napkin on my lap and waited for the next clue. A tall slender man in a black suit poured the wine. Henry made a toast to all their guests. “A toast to your stay. May you feel the love radiating in our home.“ We clinked glasses and drank up. The tall slender man passed around a silver tray of appetizers. A lovely lady in a pink dress with a white apron served each a bowl of soup and followed up with a five course dinner.