Only Witness, The (6 page)

              “It was my choice to live here. It's not a hardship.” Vera had a sudden sharp mental image of her fist plowing into Gina's throat. It took effort to restrain herself and not act out the fantasy.

              “You went from a two bedroom townhouse to one room above a shop! How is that not a hardship? Look, I'm not saying this to hurt you. I want to help. Robert and I are well off, We can give you a loan with really low interest, so that you can get back on your feet. Or maybe you should just cut your losses and sell the shop. I mean you probably wouldn't get much for it as is, but if you were willing to give up the whole lot, Robert knows a developer who...”

              “Get out,” Vera snapped as another picture formed in her mind. A picture of Robert and Gina in their McMansion, with glasses of expensive wine, discussing her as if she were some sort of charity case to be pitied. “Get out before we don't have anything left to say to one another, ever.”

              “What the hell is wrong with you?” Gina tossed her hands up in the air. “I'm just trying to be a friend. You fucked up big time sleeping with Deacon Hawke. Do you want to be known as one of his Harlots? Is that your goal? Is that going to give you a boost in business? No, it's going to make people treat you like trash.”

              The fight was just going to go downhill, Vera knew that. She took a deep breath, tried to remind herself how much she and Gina had been through. They'd become friends in second grade. She was saved from replying as the bell over the front door of the shop chimed. Vera turned, smile planted firmly on her face. The smile wavered at the sight of the man standing in the door. “Hey Houdini,” she liked him, but wasn't glad to see him.

              His arrival was just fuel to Gina's fire. Sure enough, when Vera looked over at her she was horrified. Houdini didn't seem to notice Gina at all. “Hey,” he smiled at her; he really did have a great smile, “Deke told me to come by and pick up the chair he bought from you. I've got a truck outside.”

              “Unbelievable,” Gina made the word sound like a curse as she gathered up her bag, which perfectly matched her overpriced shoes. “You need to get a grip on reality, Vera. Get it soon.” She walked past Houdini and let out a huff of breath, as if his presence disgusted her.

              “Houdini, I'm so...”

              “Who pissed in her corn flakes?” He stopped her before she could finish, drew a tin of mints out of his pocket and offered it to her.

              Vera shook her head. “No thanks. And it's a long story with Gina. Don't take it personal, she's got a golden stick rammed up her ass.” The beginning of a migraine was spreading through her temples. It was the last thing that she needed, combined with the dull ache between her legs and tender backside. Sitting was uncomfortable and caused her to have flashbacks to the night before.

              “You want me to open a window or something? You look a little flushed. And don't worry about your friend and her attitude, I don't take that shit personal. I'd be crazy by now if I did.” Houdini looked around the shop.

              Every month he was the one Vera gave an envelope with cash in it; it was called a donation, but it wasn't. It entitled her to the protection of The Vikings, which meant that she never had to worry about robberies, shoplifters or anything else. Vera liked him, she liked him a lot. “I'm fine, Houdini. It was just a long night. Do you want some coffee?” she offered, her cheeks still flushed red.

              “Regular coffee?” Houdini eyed her warily, no doubt remembering when she'd served him pumpkin spice coffee during one of his visits.

              “Yes, regular coffee. Go on and grab a seat, I'll get you a cup.” Vera was at ease with him; he'd never given her any reason not to be. She was sure some people would be taken aback by the tattoos that covered his arms and most of his neck but she wasn't. “How's it going?”

              “Good, just been working. How about you?”

              “Can't complain,” Vera grabbed a mug and poured him some coffee, “cream and sugar?”

              “Just cream,” he replied. “Oh, before I forget, Deke wanted me to give you this. Said it's the money for the chair and for the other thing.”

              Vera exchanged the mug for the envelope he pulled out of his cut. She opened it and thumbed through the money. It was two thousand dollars, way more than what she'd quoted him for the chair. Her breakfast threatened a return trip, as for one horrific moment her mind screamed that the other thing Houdini mentioned was the time that she'd spent with Deacon the night before.

              Was this the biker equivalent of leaving a wad of cash on the nightstand? Her breathing quickened, anger flashed through her, but then her eyes fell on the pages she'd printed off of the computer earlier. It wasn't payment for sex, it was payment for the necklace that he wanted her to find for Adelaide. “Thanks,” she told Houdini as she stuck the envelope in the cash drawer.

              “That envelope was pretty thick. If you want I can run you to the bank to do your deposit.” It wasn't an out of the blue offer; he'd made it before, and several times around the holidays, when she pulled in more cash than usual, she'd taken him up on it. Today wouldn't be one of those days, though, because honestly, Vera didn't have time to leave and go to the bank.

              In fact she hadn't had time for breakfast and judgment with Gina, because she still didn't have the necklace and pendant that Deacon wanted, or even a lead on one that would fit the bill. “Thanks, but I've got a really full plate today; the deposit will just have to wait until tomorrow.”

              “I'll finish my coffee and get out of your hair,” he offered, “got to get back to work anyway. I've got to head out on a run.”

              “Doesn't it get boring to just drive from place to place?” Vera asked. She knew that it would drive her crazy, even if she blasted music the entire time. Driving was boring to her, especially on highways that started to look the same after a few miles.

              “Want to know my secret?” He sipped the coffee and met her eyes with a smile that she was sure effectively melted the panties off of women he wanted. Vera nodded; she wanted to know his secret. “Audiobooks,” he replied with a wink. “Now keep it to yourself. Wouldn't want to ruin my reputation.”

              “Really?” Vera remembered a box she'd gotten out of a storage auction in Arizona a few weeks before. “I might have something that interests you.”

              “I'm pretty sure you've got a lot that would interest me,” he spoke with a smile.

              Vera laughed. Houdini was a flirt; he flirted the way that other men breathed, and she never stopped him. There were times when his flirting was the closest thing to action that she got. “I'm still pining away for you, Houdini.”

              “We could always go out sometime,” he suggested. “Grab dinner, see a movie, whatever.” He let out a laugh a moment later. “Don't worry, Vera, I know that you'll never say yes.”

              “Maybe one day I'll surprise you.” But Vera knew that she wouldn't. As attractive as Houdini was, she'd never felt that pull towards him.

              “I doubt it,” he said seriously. “That's cool, though. I figure there's someone that you're really into.”

              “I'm not seeing anyone.” Vera felt her face growing hot. Great, she was probably the shade of tomato soup by now. “I'm just going to run and grab the thing I think you'll like, and then I can help you get the chair out to the truck.”

              “Vera, do you honestly think I can't carry a fucking chair on my own?”

              “Good point. I'll get the box and hold the door open for you. Does that sound better?” It had been her plan all along, but she'd needed something to distract him from asking anything more about her personal life. Implying that he needed help with the chair had done the trick. Sometimes men were just too easy.

              “Yeah, it does.” He drained the last of his coffee. “Is it okay if I grab another cup?”

              “Of course, help yourself. There's some extra food in a container from Rose's,” she named a very popular restaurant where there could be a waiting line for hours on a weekend morning. Even during the weekdays, it was always packed to the rafters, thanks to the attention it got on one of the food shows.

              “Sweet,” Houdini got up and moved over to the counter. “Tell me there are potato pancakes in here.”

              “There were,” Vera smiled sheepishly. “They're really good.”

              “Woman, you're breaking my heart here. They're my favorites. Oh well, guess I'll just...” he stopped speaking as the shop door open. “Holy FUCK!” He continued to stare in obvious disbelief at the door, as Piper walked in. “Get over here and give me a hug!”

              Vera watched him embrace the dark-haired woman, and it took only a moment to place her. Piper Douglas had been in her grade all their lives, but they'd never been friends. They hadn't been enemies, but there had never been anything to connect them. While Vera studied hard, Piper had always been more carefree and somehow managed to make better grades. She'd been crowned Prom Queen alongside her boyfriend, Finn Hawke.

              Sometimes Vera forgot about Finn. Not that he'd been a forgettable man; it was more that she forgot about him dying. When she remembered she felt sad, and that must have shown on her face as Piper finished embracing Houdini and looked over at her, because the woman's smile turned to a frown, a hard look in her eyes.

              “Hi, welcome to New to You.” Vera kept a smile on her face. “It's nice to see you, Piper.”

              “Heard that you can help me find something here for Adelaide's birthday,” she replied.  “Unless I'm interrupting something.”

              “I'm just here getting a chair for Deke and mooching some coffee and breakfast, and I was jut about to leave. Got a run.”  Houdini replied quickly.

              “Deke doesn't like to be kept waiting,” Piper reminded him.

              “Which is why I'm taking this breakfast to go. Thanks Vera,” he turned and grabbed the box off of the counter. “Wanna show me the chair?”

              Honestly, Vera wouldn't have complained if Houdini hung out for a while. There was something hostile in Piper's expression. They'd never been friends, but they certainly hadn't been enemies. The vibe made no sense, no sense at all, but Vera was well aware it wasn't her mind playing tricks on her. She stalled for as long as she could, but it only took a few minutes to show Houdini the chair and get him out the door, and then she was alone with Piper. “So, a present for Adelaide? Do you have anything in mind?”

              Piper didn't respond; Vera felt like a bug underneath a microscope, or perhaps under a magnifying glass held by a curious child with a cruel streak. Finally after several moments passed, she spoke. “Deke said that you're helping him with his present. I wouldn't want to pick the same thing.”

              “Well, his gift isn't here in the store yet, so I don't think we're in danger of that.” Vera chose her words carefully; he'd made it really clear that he wanted it to be kept a secret, and she didn't want to piss him off. There was no doubt in her mind that the orgasm he'd had last night wouldn’t be enough to save her from his anger if she gave away the secret.

              “He spend a lot of time here in the store?” Piper questioned.

              There was something more than idle curiosity in the woman's expression. Vera realized that the conversation was delving into an area she wasn't comfortable with. “No, not at all. He's been here once when he picked out the chair. Speaking of furniture, I got this really great vanity in. It's actually still in the stockroom. I haven't put it out on the floor, but I think Adelaide would really like it. There's a matching jewelry chest too, really great. Both pieces are antique and in fantastic condition.”

              “Alright, let me see them.”

              “If you'll come with me,” Vera was used to dealing with customers, but none of them were nearly as quiet as Piper. In fact, the woman was staring at her with such interest that she wondered if she had something stuck to her face. The storage room was pretty well organized; the more anal retentive aspects of Vera's personality wouldn't allow it to be anything but. It took her only a few seconds of looking around to find the vanity and chest.

              Piper looked it over, nodded her head after a moment. “I'll take it. Do you deliver? Wait, obviously you don't because Houdini had to pick up Deke's chair.”

“I don't, but if you don't have access to a truck or car I can...”

              “I'll take it now, it should fit in my truck.” Piper turned her attention to Vera. “How much?”

              “Five hundred for the set,” Vera replied, “I'll throw in a lovely antique brush set, it's really pretty and made from pure silver.” She didn't understand why Piper let out a snort of laughter.

              “Thanks but I'll pass on the brush set. I'll give you three hundred for the set.”

              “I can go down to four hundred fifty but not three hundred,” Vera replied. People did enjoy trying to bargain her down, and she enjoyed letting them, but she'd paid three hundred for the set. Just about the only rule she had about pricing was that she needed to make something on each item.

              “Three fifty then,” Piper crossed her arms over her chest, “I'd hate to have to tell Deke that he was wrong about your little shop being the perfect place to find a present for Adelaide.”

              “Four hundred, anything less isn't going to happen.” Vera had been intimidated by Piper in high school; she'd have backed down to her over anything, but that was years ago. She wasn't a geeky kid with glasses anymore. She'd lose the sale altogether, risk Piper complaining to Deke about her, before she took anything less.

              “Fine,” Piper reached into her pocket and pulled out a roll of bills. She counted off the amount in twenty dollar bills and placed them in Vera's hand.