Like a Bird (18 page)

“You little shit,” Gareth growled. He lunged toward her and lifted her out of the chair by her hair. With his fist in an enraged grip, he pulled her all the way to her room. Sky quickly scrambled through the metal opening and sat panting in the middle of the cage, as far from his reach as possible. Gareth thrust his arm through the bars and tried to grab her, but she pushed back just out of his reach. He grabbed the bars with both hands and shook the cage violently. Sky held on and remained on the far side.

“I will leave you in here to rot,” Gareth said, his voice harsh and sinister.

Sky wanted to speak but no words would come.

As he stomped out of the room and slammed the door, Rose appeared in the hallway with a hand mirror. “This is the one I use,” she said and handed it to him.

“Thank you.” Gareth returned to his bathroom with the mirror in hand.

After examining the extent of the damage, Gareth went into his office and poured himself a shot of Scotch. He took a swig and called Denise.

“Morning, Gareth. What can I help you with today?”

Gareth paused and massaged his head in frustration.

“I need a haircut,” he said, “but I need someone who can fix a botched hack job. Oh, and maybe a wig.”

“It’s that bad is it? Why didn’t you ask me earlier before you tried to do it yourself? I know a woman who specializes in this sort of thing. She’s very discreet and understanding.”

“I didn’t cut it myself, Sky did.”

“Well, I don’t blame her; you were overdue for a trim.”

Gareth grumbled.

“Take it easy,” Denise said. “We’ll fix this. I’ll send you a few more of those shirts with hoods although they might be a bit warm in this weather. I can have the sleeves trimmed if you want. I’ll also send out a good hairdresser as soon as possible.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you want me to cancel your reservations?”

“Oh shit, I forgot about that. I don’t know. I’ll see how the haircut looks and decide then.”

“OK, that’s fine. I’ll be in touch. And for now, don’t worry too much about it. No one is going to see you anyway.”

Gareth tossed the phone onto his desk and took another swig of Scotch. At the window he breathed in the sight of a clear morning sky and tossed back the rest of his drink, which hit the back of his throat like a fireball. He changed into a pair of shorts and went to the gym to set himself up in front of his punching bag. The bag hung in front of him, patiently waiting for a good pounding as he wrapped his hands in tape.
 

Lying in the middle of her cage, Sky stared at the ceiling, picking at her cuticle until it bled. She watched the little red bead form and then sucked off the blood, the metallic taste sending a pulse of energy into her brain. She watched it bead up again and sat up before she dipped another finger into the growing inkwell. With her stump she scooped up the fur hide and exposed the metal floor of the cage. She painted a small, red heart on the floor and blew on it to try the blood. Sky admired her work until she noticed a rough etching below her heart. It was small and hard to read so she leaned in closer:
Jay was here.

Sky frowned. “Who the hell is Jay?” she wondered aloud. With a troubled look plastered on her face, she replaced the fur and fluffed up her pillow to lay down on her side, her eyes open wide.

Outside the door, Wisdom lay waiting with her nose pressed against the bottom of the door, Sky’s scent drifting through the narrow space underneath.

Chapter 15

Denise called Gareth that afternoon. “Hi, Gareth. I’ve found that hairdresser and booked an appointment for tomorrow morning. Will that work for you?”

“That was fast.”

“You seemed quite distraught, and I wanted to make sure we dealt with the issue as quickly as possible.”

“I did?”

Denise laughed. “The tension in your voice was quite evident, yes. You do sound more like your normal self now, though.”

“Mm, well I just hit the bag.”

“Ah, good! That’s what I was going to suggest anyway. Maybe a relaxing swim this afternoon as well?”

“Maybe.”

“Either way, you’ll be fine. Hair does grow back. Oh, I was also able to make reservations at Avenue Restaurant. They look forward to accommodating you, whatever you require.”

“Oh, yes . . . thank you,” he said, his voice wavering.

“Have a good afternoon.”

Gareth hung up and left his office. At the end of the hallway he saw Wisdom keeping watch in front of Sky’s bedroom door. She lifted her head and looked up at him with pleading eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said. “It’s her own bloody fault.” He turned and went down the stairs.

- -

Kitty clipped down the sidewalk, glancing at every doorway and trying not to look lost. She slipped into a store archway to check the address Angelo had given her. While she was on the sidelines she touched up her lip gloss and smoothed a few stray hairs.

“You look flawless, my angel,” remarked a man in an elegant navy suit as he passed in front of her.

Kitty looked up at the tanned gentleman with a bold silk tie.

“Angelo,” he said and held out his hand to her. Kitty gave him a shy look and tossed her mirror in her bag before she offered her hand. He took it gently and kissed the top, staring intently into her eyes. “Are you going my way?” he asked in a smooth voice with a playful smile. Angelo offered her his arm and she accepted the chivalrous gesture.

They walked slowly together to the hidden entrance of the restaurant he had selected. There was a small plaque, on the stone near the door, bearing the name of the place. If she hadn’t run into her Dream Date, Kitty surely would have missed it. At the end of the small, modern foyer was an elevator. Kitty had inner reservations about it all but outwardly she walked into the small chamber like a proper lady. On the top floor a man in a suit greeted Angelo like a friend and showed the pair to a table with a beautiful view of the city and a nearby park.

“I can see why you like this place,” Kitty said.

“I reserve this table for people I want to impress,” Angelo said as he sat down across from her. He nodded to the server and the man promptly came by with a bottle.

“Is bubbly all right with you?” Angelo asked.

Kitty nodded. With drink in hand she looked over the menu.

“I recommend the foie gras,” Angelo said, without picking up his menu. “And for you, maybe the glazed salmon.”

Kitty had her eye on the tortellini in four cheese sauce, but she closed her menu and went with her date’s recommendation.

“So, do you go by Kat or do I need to call you Katherine?” Angelo asked.

“Neither. Everyone calls me Kitty.”

Angelo laughed. “Ah, that suits you. I would be happy to call you Kitty from now on.”

He raised his glass and Kitty picked up her own. They clinked their thin glasses together.

“What do you do, Kitty?” he asked.

She spun her head from the window and looked straight into the stranger’s eyes.

“I’m starting my own line of retro-inspired bathing suits. I’m working on the designs now while I look for a manufacturer for the samples. I just love the look of vintage suits, but I want to add some sexy, contemporary elements. It’s so hard to find a good bathing suit, just ask any woman! I don’t have any actual designs completed yet. Right now I’m trying to figure out how much things cost and the fabrics and where to have the patterns made. I have my sketchbook right here.”

The words tumbled out of Kitty’s mouth and then she began to rummage through her purse. She opened her book to a spread of pencil sketches. Angelo sat quietly with one eyebrow raised.

“You see, I like this high-waisted bottom but it looks too dowdy on its own so I’ve added some cutouts to the side, and I think if it came in several solid colors it would . . .”

“I see you really like bathing suits,” Angelo interrupted. “That is good, I like bathing suits, too.”

“You do?”

Angelo laughed. “Of course! All men like to see women wearing as little as possible.”

“Oh, right, yes!” Kitty said and giggled. The bubbles had started to affect her, and she began to ease into the hard yet fashionable chair.

After lunch, Angelo and Kitty walked out of the restaurant and straight into a waiting car. Kitty was too tipsy to protest but managed to playfully ask where they were going. Angelo stroked her cheek.

“Don’t worry, little angel. You are going to like this place. It will be the perfect spot to photograph your bathing suit designs when they are ready,” Angelo assured her.

“Oh. Is there a pool?” Kitty asked.

“A very sexy pool.”

The trip was short and the car stopped outside a new luxury tower. When Kitty saw the men in uniforms and hats tending to the guests at the front door her shoulders relaxed.

Angelo took her to an upper-level suite and held the door for her as she stepped into the wide foyer with rustic wood floors. The walls were a glossy white, the furniture bold but simple. The living room opened to a gleaming kitchen that probably hadn’t seen more use than the making of a few espressos. Angelo checked his phone, giving Kitty plenty of time to take in as much of the decor as possible.

Despite the bright, open layout she began to feel a bit nauseous. How could a five-star restaurant give her food poisoning? The floor seemed to shift beneath her feet and she wobbled in her heels. She managed to slip out of one shoe before the room became a blur and she reached for the ground.

- -

The hairdresser blew in on a windy midmorning. Rose was about to fetch Gareth when he appeared at the top of the staircase with a hood obscuring his face. He paused to analyze the tall woman with a stocky frame wearing a neat knee-length skirt that showed off her strong calves. She had long hair dyed a vibrant auburn. When she looked up at him, her misplaced features disarmed him and he lowered his hood as he descended the stairs.

“Hi,” the hairdresser said, with a warm smile. “You must be Gareth. I’m Dawn.” She delivered a firm handshake.

Gareth smiled lightly and nodded. Rose directed everyone to the sunlit living room where she had set up a chair and small table as a makeshift salon.

“Will this be all right?” Rose asked.

“This is perfect. I don’t need much,” Dawn replied.

“If you require anything at all just let me know. What can I get you to drink or eat?”

“Just water is fine. Thank you.” Dawn unpacked her bag and placed her tools on the table. She directed Gareth to sit in the chair then stood in front of him and examined his hair with her wayward eyes. Gareth wasn’t clear what direction she was looking in. Her face looked like Picasso might have created it, yet she seemed completely oblivious to her features.

“Before we begin with the cut we should probably get to know each other a little better so I can ensure we give you the right style for your needs,” Dawn smiled.

Gareth only raised his eyebrow.

“I used to be a chemist. I had a brain tumor and the surgeons had to go in through my face to remove it, that’s why I look like this. My vision and smell were affected, so I couldn’t work as a chemist any longer. I started cutting hair instead. I specialize in helping people with disabilities or disfigurations.”

Gareth straightened up in the chair and cleared his throat but said nothing.

“I’ll probably do most of the talking, but I would like to know what you want in a haircut. Do you know what you’re looking for?”

Gareth opened his mouth to speak.

“Do you prefer to have your hair cover your scars?” Dawn asked as she gently touched Gareth’s hair. “Mm, you have some scarring on your scalp as well, so I’ll design something that falls to the left to even things out. Did you cut your hair yourself?” she frowned briefly then responded to Gareth’s prolonged silence with a grin.

“That’s OK. That’s how I learned to cut hair. I was my own laboratory.” Dawn reached for a comb and a spray bottle filled with water. “I’ll get this all evened out for you and add some layers to keep it light. You’re lucky, you have nice thick hair.”

When Gareth’s hair was damp, Dawn began rapidly snipping and swiping at his hair with the comb. Her friendly face became intensely focused as chunks of dark hair flew and landed in a ring around Gareth’s chair. She stood back to size up her work and dove back into snipping. Gareth looked at the hair on the floor and fretted he was going to have a crew cut by the time she was through.

Dawn finished the final comb out, and with hairdryer in hand she began styling his hair, running it through her fingers as she worked.

“Do you normally style your hair or you are you more of a low maintenance kinda guy?”

Gareth offered her a crooked smile.

“I’m going to just leave it simple, no product. Do you want to see how it looks or just feel it?” she asked.

He pondered his options and finally spoke. “I’d like to see it.”

Dawn handed him a hand mirror.

Gareth glanced at his reflection then blinked the image away as he handed the mirror back. “It’s very . . . light,” he said.

“Is there anything you want me to change?” she asked.

Gareth shook his head and felt his hair swing lightly as he moved. “No.”

“That’s great to hear. It should be very easy to maintain, just part it on an angle here from right front to back left and you’re done.”

Gareth nodded and his lips pulled up in genuine delight.

Dawn returned the favor with a wide grin, the corners of her eyes creasing.

“I’m just going to clean up here and then I’ll be on my way.”

“You don’t have to do that. Rose will take care of it.”

“Oh, it’s part of my job. It will take only a minute.”

“Thank you,” he said quickly and returned to his office.

From her cage Sky had heard the helicopter but couldn’t hear the soft voices through the heavy doors. She knew it wasn’t Louis who had come by — he was easy to hear from anywhere in the house. It was someone else. The uncertainty made her restless and she tossed around more than usual. The door clicked and Sky sat up abruptly. Rose entered with an armful of books.

“Who was here?” Sky asked.

“Oh, just a . . . service provider,” she smiled and gently placed the books down.

A hot red liquid filled Sky’s face and she turned from Rose to hide. As the door clicked shut again, she chewed her lip, wondering if it was Katherine. “Service provider . . . bitch.” She looked through the books but was completely disinterested in all of them. From the corner of the room, the camera stared at her. She picked up a book, put her arm through the bar, and threw it. The book hit the wall next to the camera, so she threw another and another, none of them accurate enough to hit the tiny target.

Gareth sat at his desk and watched her on his monitor. He touched his head and smoothed his hair again to make sure it was still there. It was so light, he felt naked.

He picked up his phone and sent a message to his sister.

You’ll be happy to know I got a haircut.

She responded right away.

You? Really? I don’t believe it. Let’s see it.

No
.

Video conference right now. I’m calling you. Pick up.

He responded to his sister’s call but kept his camera off.

“Gare, I can’t see you,” Elise sang from the computer screen. She leaned back in her office chair and fixed her hair. “You have your camera off.”

“I know,” Gareth said.

“Oh come on, I know what you look like. Just turn it on.”

“I had a hairdresser come by this morning. It’s . . . shorter. I’m not used to it.”

“How short?” Elise said, leaning in to the camera.

Gareth felt his hair with his fingers. “About as long as yours.”

“Really?” Elise raised her eyebrows. “What kind of cut is it?”

Gareth chuckled. “You can play this game by yourself. I’m not turning the camera on.”

“So why did you agree to a video call? To fuck with me?”

“It was your idea.”

“Do you like it?”

“What do you mean?”

Elise rolled her eyes. “Do you like your haircut?”