The Opium Room (8 page)

Lea tried, but couldn’t find the words. Silence filled the line. And some crunching.

“You know what I just thought about?” Karrigan said. “If the women Fox took to bed still look at him that way, he must be an okay guy. I mean, they wouldn’t even smile at him if he’d been a complete asshole, right?”

Lea giggled. “You do have a point there, Karrigan.”

“Later,” Karrigan said, and the line went dead.

Lea had been pacing, holding the phone with one hand, the other hand stuffed in her pants pocket while she was talking to Karrigan. That’s when she’d felt the flash drive and remembered.

She powered on her laptop with the quickness. She had to pee really bad from drinking so much coffee at the diner; they left the carafe on the table for goodness sake. But the two–gig portal to her humility now took precedence.

She popped it in the slot, sat back in the hard wooden chair, held her bladder…and her breath.

CHAPTER SEVEN

—Fox

“No, Jill needs to recheck
her
math,” Fox shouted at Roman. “I’ve reviewed the reports more times than I can count and everything balances to the penny.” Fox massaged the back of his neck. He was barely awake. He’d slept maybe four hours last night; it was too early for this shit. Roman paced the marble floor of his too–large office. For the amount of work he did, he could have used a space the size of a public bathroom stall. “And would you be still already?”

“Fine,” Roman said. “But you need to check the reports again. Jill is a valuable asset to us. We need her.”

“Like a hole in the head. I still don’t understand why you can’t reschedule her week–long “stay” for another time when we’re not so busy. She has no business on the Kemp floor. Period.”

Roman sat in the chair behind his desk, lit a cigar, took a long drag. “I’m an old man. I’m getting tired. And all you want to do is give me a hard time.”

“Oh, don’t even… I’m not buying into that old–and–feeble guilt–trip bullshit. It’s not working anymore.”

“Foxworth, I’m being honest this time. Something is very wrong with me.”

“You got that right, although we might be talking about different things.” In fact, Roman’s steely eyes had lost some of their vigor. They were dull, glazed. And he looked somewhat thinner. But Roman was a chameleon, transforming day to day to manipulate, twist things in his favor. “Look, Roman, I know you have a personal interest in keeping Jill around. What is it? She blowing you?”

Roman responded with an evil laugh. “Keep on, son, and I’ll amend my will today, taking you out of it.”

“I don’t need your damn money.” Now Fox was seriously humoring Roman. He knew first–hand Roman was destitute. Fox was truly
his
lifeline—not the other way around. “I’ve invested my own.”

Roman took one last drag and snuffed out his cigar in the palm of his knife–wound inflicted hand. Fox had never asked where the scar came from. Roman had probably deserved it. “I know. You’re a bad ass, right? Well, you don’t intimidate me. I’m sick of not having a voice when it comes to my own damn business. I’m going to review the expense reports one more time. And when my figures balance again, I’ll sit Jill down and we’ll do a joint desk audit. I’ll point out to her exactly where
she
screwed up. After that, I’m done with her. Don’t ever mention her to me again. If you want to waste your money on her, be my guest. But she’s off my payroll. And if you don’t back off, you will be too.”

Roman’s chair squeaked as he leaned back. He crossed his hands over his torso, bore a hate–filled gaze into Fox’s soul. “You’re an ungrateful son of a bitch,” he said. “Just like your mother.”

Fox was unaffected by his intimidation tactic. He rose and put his hands on Roman’s desk. Leaned over and said in a carefully controlled tone, “Funny you should bring up my mother. I’ve never believed her death was an accident. I believe
you
had something to do with it.” He stared Roman down and paused a beat before continuing. “And I’m going to find out what it is.”

Roman said nothing.

Fox walked to the door, put his hand on the knob. “And you better pray to God that I don’t uncover the truth.” He slammed the door and the entire floor rumbled.

Fox was quite pleased with himself as he rode the private elevator down to start his day. He’d accomplished two of his long–term goals in just a few short minutes. Instead of gazing at the floor like he so often did when Roman attempted to break him down, he met Roman’s eyes. Managed to keep his breathing and heart rate steady. Finally manned up.

But more importantly, he let Roman know his suspicion regarding his mother’s death. He’d had fleeting thoughts of suspicion for years now, but had suppressed them. Never voiced them to anyone. Refused to believe they had any real substance.

But he’d finally allowed himself to start remembering that night. And the details were clearer with each passing day.

CHAPTER EIGHT

—Lea

In the conference room the next morning, a speaker from a web hosting company was doing a marketing promotion, but Lea wasn’t paying attention. She had too much on her mind. This whole convention fiasco had gone out the window the moment she’d heard the name Foxworth Kemp.

Lea didn’t feel too guilty for not listening; this wasn’t like one of her college courses where the teacher would loud you out for not paying attention. She’d voluntarily paid and signed up, more as a getaway than a learning experience. So it was her prerogative to tune everything out.

When Brandon cheated, Lea didn’t think she could ever hurt more. Then she got a text this morning from Kate. She kept him as a friend on Facebook because Lea had asked her to. She wanted to know the scoop on him and his new girlfriend. She guessed she was hoping they’d break up. Not so much because she wanted Brandon back, but she didn’t want him to have a happy ending with the woman he’d left her for. Kate said his Facebook status had recently changed to
engaged
. She’d clicked on his profile, and there was a picture of him holding his slut girlfriend in his lap, and she was showing her blinged–out left hand to the camera.

So what did Lea do? She called up Kate and asked her for the password to her account, so she could log on and look at the picture. Big mistake. Lea blew up the picture to one hundred fifty percent and sat there staring, comparing herself to Brandon’s girlfriend. Lea’s eyes were blue; hers were too, only brighter. Lea was fair–skinned; she was tan (probably fake). Lea’s hair was somewhere between dark blonde and mousy brown; hers was white–blonde—obviously a dye job because Lea noticed she had dark roots.

Brandon was holding her with a death grip whereas Lea practically had to beg him for affection. She realized now that they had been co–existing. But she loved him so deeply, she didn’t see it then.

Brandon wasn’t in love her. Their families were friends, and they’d pushed Lea and Brandon together since they were kids. Lea didn’t believe it was ever what Brandon really wanted. He was with her to keep the peace. How did she know that? She saw a different person in the picture. His eyes were sparkling. He was smiling, showing his teeth. He never showed his teeth in a photo with her. It was always a close–lipped, tight smile, even in their wedding photograph.

It made the sheer horror of the footage she saw on the flash drive drop down a notch. It was dark, so she couldn’t see much, but the audio was clear. She could not believe what a hussy she’d been in Fox’s room. The things she’d said. The sounds she’d made. She’d never heard herself say those things before. Sex with Brandon was always over before she could get that turned on. But what did Fox think of her? And now it was a fact the he’d touched her sasquatch legs and other areas too. She still didn’t know how she was so out of it. She hoped Fox didn’t have anything to do with it because she really like him.

For her first real date with Fox on Friday, she had to find a way to enhance her boring appearance. God, she was nervous about that. She had an idea that Karrigan could help. She
was
his sister; she should know what he liked.

Lea was bored to death. The group conversation had veered off course to bacteria in fresh water causing an outbreak of flesh–eating disease and Lea considered that her sign. She packed up her bags and quietly exited through the back door of the meeting room.

Back in her hotel room, she considered calling Karrigan right then. It was only three, and she’d told her she would call around six. Then she told herself,
screw it
, and pulled her spiral memo book from her purse. She flipped through pages looking for Karrigan’s number when she came across a scribbled message.

Your ex was a damn fool — Fox

Lea caught her breath, clutched the notebook against her chest, and fell back on the bed. She was utterly surprised, as she had not seen what he was writing last night. And what he’d written meant more to her than anything else he could possibly say. It’s like he’d known in advance the words that would heal her heart.

She wanted to make this date with him unforgettable. Even more so now. She couldn’t type Karrigan’s digits in her cell phone fast enough.

“Yo?” Karrigan answered after the fifth ring.

“It’s Lea. I know I’m calling earlier than I said I would, but is there any way we can meet up now?”

“Hmm, I’m toward the end of my shift at the front desk. I could ask Fox if I can get off a little early. He won’t mind filling in.”

“No, Karrigan, don’t—”

She’d already set the phone down.

Oh my God! She’s gonna blow my cover.

“I have to go, bro. Watch the front counter for me, will ya’?” Karrigan said to Fox and Lea clearly heard.

“Fine,” Fox said, “but you owe me one—more like a hundred and one. Listen, where are you going? We need to talk about the crowd you’re hanging with. I think you’re asking for trouble.”

“Me… trouble?” Karrigan joked. “Relax, bro. It’s girl stuff.”

“Ah, jeez,” Fox huffed. “Get out of here then.”

“You’re the best. Mwah,” Karrigan said.

She must have thrown her phone in her purse and forgotten all about Lea, because Lea heard heels clanking step after step.

Lea waited. They hadn’t discussed where they’d meet.

After a minute, Lea heard the disarm chirp of a car alarm, and a door slammed. “Okay,” Karrigan finally said. “Where you want me to pick you up?”

“For a second there, I thought you forgot about me.”

Lea heard a horn blow, followed by “Mother
fucker
!”

“Everything all right?” Lea asked.

“Yeah, I almost backed into a car. Whew, that was a close one. I’m turning out of the parking lot. Where am I headed?”

“Well, I’m staying at the Sedgewick, but I can just meet you somewhere.”

“I’ll come and get you. It’d be easier because we have more than one stop to make. See you in a minute.”

Lea had just enough time to get in a safety prayer before Karrigan rang her back. “I’m downstairs. Red BMW right outside the door.”

“Be right there.”

Lea grabbed her purse and ran downstairs. Karrigan had parked in front of the hotel entrance. Lea opened the passenger’s side door and sat, carefully. The new–looking car from the outside had a whole other thing going on inside. The floorboard was strewn with soda cans and fast food wrappers. Smelled like Taco Bell.

Lea plugged in her seatbelt and braced herself. When the car didn’t move she looked at Karrigan who was studying her intently. “What?”

“I’m trying to figure out what we need to do first.” She chewed the side of her mouth as she surveyed Lea. “Hair and makeup.”

Lea’s brows bunched together. “Hair and makeup?”

“We could do makeup first, then hair,” Karrigan said.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I just wanted you to help me pick out an outfit.”

“Honey,” Karrigan said, “we need to spruce up this whole package to make you Fox–worthy. Get it… Foxworth.” She laughed at her own joke, and Lea couldn’t help but laugh with her. Karrigan’s laugh was infectious, much like her carefree nature.

“Karri,” Lea said, “if that’s what you think I need to do, I say, let’s go for it.”

“Good girl.” Karrigan put the car in drive and took off.

The ride along I–20 with Karrigan was just as Lea had expected it would be: crazy, life–threatening, and more illegal maneuvering than lawful. It’d taken twenty minutes to get to the mall and when Karrigan put the car in park, Lea let out the lungful of air she’d been holding in. She got out and contemplated kissing the ground.

Instead, she just smiled and said to Karrigan, “I’m your clay. Mold me.”

“Yes!” Karrigan did a fist pump. “This is going to be so much fun!” She grabbed Lea’s hand and led the way through the parking lot.

The first store they went to was Sephora. Right past the entrance was a huge display of fragrances. Karrigan leaned in and sniffed Lea. You smell pepperminty. What is that?”

“Essential oils. I don’t like something that smells real strong, so I just take the easy route and make my own.”

Karrigan raised one eyebrow. “You do what? Big no–no. We need to get you smelling better than minty. You want to smell… seductive.” She grasped Lea around the wrist and sprayed it with a tester. “Wait a minute, then sniff.”

Lea took a whiff and almost fell over. “Whoa. That is way too strong.”

Karrigan sniffed Lea’s wrist. “Sorry, you’re my clay.
I’m
doing the molding.” She tossed a bottle of the perfume into her plastic shopping tray. “Now, let’s move on to makeup.”

She steadied Lea’s face in between her hands. “You have pretty eyes.”

“Thanks, so do you.” Dark, mysterious ones, just like her older brother.

“Curly eyelashes,” Karrigan continued. “But why don’t you wear mascara?”

“I do wear mascara. Clear. Black tends to run.” More like
she
tends to rub her eyes when she’s awake all hours of the day and night.

“That just won’t do.” Karrigan held a package in front of her and read aloud. “Fourteen times more volume, seventy percent more lash lift, big, bold brush, in blackest black. Lea. Lea. Lea.” She tossed that in, too.