Charming (Exiled Book 3) (2 page)

“How old are you really?”

“Twenty.”

“I’m going to lose interest in helping you really fast if you lie to me.”

Ana nodded. “Okay. I won’t. That’s the truth. I’m twenty. Really.”

“So, if your boyfriend stole money, why are they chasing
you
?”

“I told you he disappeared.” Rosie nodded. “They want to find him. They think I know where he is. If they catch me, they’ll try to make me tell what I know even though I don’t know anything. No idea where he went. No idea where the money is, but that wouldn’t stop them from trying to get information. And if they catch me, they’ll try
real
hard.”

Rosie’s brow knitted. “You mean torture?” Ana nodded. “Are you being serious?”

Ana nodded again, looking hopeless and miserable, and Rosie believed her.

“How much?” Rosie said.

“How much did he take?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know for sure, but I think it was over two hundred thousand.”

Rosie whistled then stared at Ana for a few seconds without saying anything. “What if I repay the money for you?”

Ana looked Rosie up and down. “You’d do that? Never mind. What I mean is,
could
you do that?”

“Yes. I’m good for it. So who do we see about settling the debt?”

Ana was shaking her head. “It’s not that simple. Not that getting a stranger to offer to pay that kind of money is simple. First you have to find a stranger who has that kind of green then you’d have to get them to agree to part with it. Seems unlikely at best. Although, if I’m not dreaming, that’s what’s happening here, which means it’s not
impossible
.”

“Let’s get back on point. Why is it not simple?”

“Because at this point it’s not just about the money anymore. It’s about disrespecting Ernesto. Somebody needs to be an example of what happens when you cross Ernesto. Since Joey is long gone, it looks like that would be me.”

“So you’re saying that, even if, um, Ernesto was paid in full, he would still want to hurt you.”

“Yeah. Hurt. Then kill.”

“I see.”

“Um-hum.” She nodded. “He’ll want to send a message loud and clear. What I really need is to disappear.”

Rosie grinned. “Just so happens I can help with that.”

“You can?”

“Yes. First I need to make you presentable and get you a trousseau.”

“What’s that?”

“Well, it doesn’t really apply in this case. It’s what they used to call a wardrobe for a woman starting a new life as a wife. In your case, we just drop the last three words.”

“You’re getting me clothes,” Ana said drily.

“Yes. You sit here and sip your latte. Give me your sizes. I’ll be back in an hour.”

“You’re not going to just leave me here.”

“Yes. Why?”

Ana looked around. “Well, snakes. Maybe bears.”

Rosie smiled. “I just put a protective barrier around this rock, but it works two ways. Nothing can get in. Nothing can get out. That means you can’t leave either.”

Ana reached out until she touched an invisible barrier. “How are you doing this? What are you?”

“Let’s not get bogged down in labels. I’ll be back in an hour.”

“What if you don’t come back?”

“That is impossible. I assure you.”

“You could get hurt. Or die. Like anybody else.”

Rosie just shook her head and smiled. “Nope.”

And with that she was gone leaving Ana looking around and wondering if she was better off than before she’d run into the pretty woman with Bloomingdales bags or if she was out of the frying pan into the fire.

Rosie went straight to Bloomingdales personal shopper department in customer service and hired the two women and one man who were available. She gave them Ana’s sizes, a verbal list, and told them they had to be back within the hour with everything packed into a new rolling suitcase with four smooth-as-glass wheels except for one complete outfit including underwear and shoes that should be in a separate bag. Just before they ran out the door, she said, “And if you have a pair of handcuffs, definitely include those.” All three personal shoppers stopped and gave a funny look, but no response. “Please.”

Rosie checked her watch, walked around the corner, disappeared into the passes and reappeared behind a large fiddle-leaf fig in the lobby of the Benjamin Hotel. The desk manager recognized her because she and Glen frequented the posh boutique hotel for after-theatre date nights.

“I need a suite right away. Do you have one?”

The clerk recognized her and smiled. “For you, Ms. Storm, of course. We have a suite facing Bryant Park.”

“Doesn’t matter this time. Whatever you have.”

“Very good.”

After retaking her card, Rosie rode the elevator to the fourth floor suite so that she’d know exactly where to go. She looked around the bathroom, decided it would do, and once again disappeared into the passes. Emerging in a drug store just across from Bloomingdales, she grabbed the first employee she saw. The same woman who had just yelped and dumped an armload of pink disposable razors when Rosie’s appearance had caught her off guard.

“I need hair cutting scissors.”

The woman, still grasping her chest while trying to slow her breathing, showed her what they had. Rosie was pretty sure ten bucks meant the shears couldn’t be any good, but hoped they’d do for one haircut. She was much more worried about the quality of the blades than her ability to cut hair. She’d never cut anyone’s hair, but demons are not known for self-doubt.

After gathering up an armload of miscellaneous toiletries, she hurried to the cashier. Seeing that the line was long, she left cash on the desk in the manager’s office and appeared at Bloomingdales customer service department just as the personal shopping team arrived with one large hard side rolling suitcase and a shopping bag with one outfit including lingerie and shoes.

They looked flushed and flustered, but pleased that they’d succeeded in accomplishing the impossible.

“Your list is filled, madam,” said one of the women proudly.

“Including the handcuffs?” Their smiles fell. “No. Never mind. It’s not important. You did good. How much do I owe you?”

“Seven thousand four hundred thirty two dollars and sixty three cents.”

Rosie handed over her card without batting a well-turned eyelash.

When the shopper returned with receipt, Rosie said, “Thank you ladies and gentleman. You’ve done more of a good deed than you will ever know.”

With that she took the suitcase onto the elevator and rode up and down several times before finding a moment alone when she could disappear into the passes and reappear in the Benjamin Hotel suite.

She dropped off the goods and rushed to reassure Ana that she hadn’t been left alone.

“Oh my god!” Ana said. “I thought you’d left me out here in this nothingness and were never coming back!”

“Patience. I haven’t been gone
that
long. I’ve been making arrangements for you to disappear. Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be alright.”

“It is?” Ana sounded incredulous.

“Absolutely.”

“Hang onto me and don’t let go. Places to go, things to do.”

That time Ana took the ‘hang on’ part more seriously. Rosie took her directly to the hotel suite.

“What is this?”

“It’s a very nice hotel. My husband and I come here sometimes.”

“This is where you’re hiding me?”

“Don’t be silly. This wouldn’t be secure for long. This is just a stop to get you cleaned up and presentable.”

“Presentable?” Ana looked down at her clothes. “Am I going to meet the queen?”

“No. But you’re going to meet someone who will give you a place to stay and protect you as a favor to me. I don’t want you to look like a ragamuffin when we arrive. So you’re going to take a shower, wash your hair, I’m going to trim your split ends. You’re going to put on the new clothes I bought you. Then you’re going to vanish.”

Ana just blinked slowly. “Okay.”

Rosie knew the girl was putting a lot of trust in a stranger and she didn’t look like the kind of person who’d received a lot of spontaneous kindness in her life. She motioned toward the bathroom door while holding out two bags.

“This one is full of toiletries you might need. This one has a complete change of clothes and shoes. Call me when you’re clean and while your hair is still wet so I can trim the ends. Just put on one of the robes and sit on that bench in front of the mirror. Then after you’re dressed I’ll blow your hair dry.

“By the way, are you hungry? I can order something from room service.”

“Um, yeah. I could eat.”

“What would you like?”

“Are you mega rich or something?”

Rosie smirked. “Or something. Tell me what you want to eat.”

“I don’t know.” She looked uncertain. “Steak?”

“What else?”

“Salad? French fries.”

“Steak with French fries? I like that, too. What do you want to drink?”

“Ginger ale?”

“Okay. Go get clean. By the time we have your hair dry, the food should be here.”

Ana looked a little lost, a little confused, and a little distrustful, but she seemed to realize that Rosie was her best bet. So she dutifully shut the door of the bathroom, which was larger and more lavish than any she’d ever seen, and looked into the bag with the toiletries. The hotel provided soap, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Ana assumed that Rosie knew that, but had some reason for buying more. So she unwrapped the new purchases, turned on the hot water, and stripped out of her clothes, after she’d made sure the door was locked.

Twenty minutes later she felt squeaky clean and polished. She toweled off, shrugged on one of the white terry robes, which swallowed her, and opened the door.

“I’m, um, clean,” she said shyly.

Rosie looked up from her phone. “Oh good. Now let’s make you beautiful.”

“Good luck with that!” Ana thought that might be a goal too grand, but she sat on the bench as instructed and allowed Rosie to comb her hair out.

Rosie ended up taking about three inches off the ends, which left the girl’s hair at shoulder length. As she cut she asked, “So do you have family?”

“No,” Ana said. “Nobody.”

“How have you been getting by?”

“Oh. You know.”

Rosie took that to mean that the line of questioning was about to hit a wall. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but the people I’m taking you to… they mean a lot to me. I need to know that you won’t do anything to hurt them. In any way.”

Rosie looked at Ana’s reflection in the mirror. She had big whiskey colored eyes and dirty blond hair. The girl was undeniably attractive.

“Your basic needs will be met and you’ll be able to make what you want of your life. But I need your promise that you can be trusted.”

Ana opened her mouth, but didn’t say anything. She wasn’t entirely sure what was being asked of her. “You mean you want me to promise that I won’t steal from people? Or that I won’t kill them in their sleep?”

Rosie dropped her hands. “Kill them in their sleep? I find it beyond disturbing that you went there. Are you psycho?”

“No, I’m not. Are you?”

Rosie barked out a laugh. “Look. One of us is asking for help here and one of us is doing the helping. Yes. I mean don’t steal from my friends. And I also mean stow the attitude and try to appear grateful when people give you a hand.”