The Body Hunters (5 page)

 
           Lucius had rented a small one-bedroom apartment for her to use as an office and be able to go into her spirit realm trance without interruption. He also set her up with all the hardware and software she would need to do the job. He also made sure any pass codes she needed, to access the various databases for privileged information, were now accessible to her. Lucius also offered her a substantial stipend since she was technically not working for any agency but now a private consultant. Danny decided to call the new e-zine The Body Hunters and Lucius made it all happen
.

 
Danny sat in the large leather swivel office chair in the waiting room, as she not so affectionately dubbed the office Gerard made for her in the house. It had all the appeal of a doctor's reception area.  A steaming mug of tea sat on the glass and chrome desk beside her beloved laptop. She was ready for her first editorial for the magazine. Since no spirit had come forward, she felt relatively safe that Gerard would not discover her in mid-trance, while she was concentrating on the grisly photos of the gang-related shooting of an up and coming new rapper Dizzy J.

 
             The rapper had apparently pissed off a rival local rapper and gang member in his lyrics alluding to a sexual tryst with the rival's girlfriend. Viewing the photos of the blood bath on the streets of Los Angeles, no ethereal spirit connection was made. Dizzy J. wasn't making an appearance today.

 
The huge black-and-white clock on the wall chimed and alerted Danny that she needed to get ready. Today was a special day. She was to see the clinic and spa for the first time meet Gerard for lunch. He promised her the grand tour and had made reservations at the new upscale Italian restaurant in town. Gerard hoped it would make her less homesick for her and Stephania's favorite hole in the wall spot
.

 
  After finishing the editorial, Danielle padded into the master bedroom, taking off her clothes as she walked. She passed the four-poster mahogany king-sized bed and smiled a little remembering her first night in her new house "christening" the new bed and several other rooms that night with Gerard. She headed into the master bath off the bedroom that was complete with his and hers showers. Having grown up in sweltering hot and muggy Louisiana, she thought she was prepared for heat. The climate of Phoenix was something altogether different.  The triple digit arid temps in summer were stifling.  She ran her shower cooler than normal letting the jet sprays that came out of the walls at different angles massage and cool her.  Upon leaving New York, she had stolen a bottle of Stephania's favorite body wash, and the smell reminded her of the apartment in New York they shared, relieving a little of the homesickness she was feeling.

 
  Lathering her body she ran her finger down her zipper-like scar, left over from a childhood surgery to fix a faulty heart valve.  Though, barely noticeable to just passing glances, the old wound was a few shades lighter than her caramel complexion.  Danny's mother was white and her father was Haitian-Creole, like his mother Marie, her beloved grand mere, who was also the product of a biracial marriage. The mix was apparent with her shoulder length, naturally straight black hair and her skin tone that changed from lighter to darker in the summer sun. Her scar now glistened from the water, and even though the surgery was a distant memory, she wore it proudly like a badge of honor.

 
  After her surgery was the first time Danny realized she had a different side to her. Though being psychic was something that was passed down through his family lineage, her surgery deepened her connection to the spirit realm. Looking through an old photo album while recuperating, she found herself visiting with an old great-uncle in his antiquated living room.  She was six years old and didn't realize then that she was in a trance-like state and had slipped right into the spirit realm. Her grand mere found her in bed glassy-eyed with her head back. The old woman immediately deduced what was going on, and when Danny awoke from this mysterious seizure she and grand mere had a frank discussion of what happened.

 
           Out of the shower and drying off with a very thirsty Turkish towel, she slipped into a lightweight white dress that came to just above the knee and showed just enough cleavage to, as she hoped, leave Gerard wanting more. Strapping her white Roberto Cavalli sandals on her feet, she stared into the walk-in closet that was almost as big as her former New York apartment. Looking into the full length mirror she plumped her boobs in the dress and checked her butt for panty lines. She then slid red lipstick over her mouth and ever so slightly applied Chanel on her wrist pulse points and behind her ears. She looked striking in the dress as it not only showed off cleavage, it made her caramel-colored legs look radiant. She was ready to enjoy the afternoon. Soon she was off in her beloved Camaro that she had inherited from her father
.

Following the directions Gerard had given her, Danny arrived at his practice in short time. Since her arrival in Phoenix, this would be her first time visiting setting foot inside his place of business. She pulled the car into an empty spot in the front of the complex. She noted that most of the cars in the parking lot were on the high end; ranging from Ferraris to Beemer’s. Two women, who looked like they had stepped off a runway in Paris, strolled through the automatic sliding doors
.

 
   Beautiful Image Spa and Cosmetic Surgery Center was located in a futuristic glass and concrete structure just on the outskirts of the Phoenix city limits. Glass doors parted as Danny approached the building. She could hear her footsteps as soon as her sandals touched the glossy marble floor tile. Everything in the lobby was hip, modern and trendy. A flat panel monitor against one wall played a presentation by each of the doctors that practiced at Beautiful Image explaining some of the procedures and services that were offered. The two women from the parking lot were seated, along with several other patrons, patiently flipping through fashion magazines. Taking in the luxurious setting before her, Danny stepped up to the receptionist counter.

 
           The receptionist who had obviously had cosmetic work done asked, "May I help you?" The tops of her overinflated boobs bobbed in her blouse like water flotation devices, and it was amazing she could actually breathe through the thin incision that was her nose
.

 
          "I'm here for Dr. Wolfe." Danny returned, trying to avert her eyes from the twin monstrosities in the woman's shirt
.

 
          The woman placed a clipboard with a personal information questionnaire in front of Danny. "You're here for a consultation? I need you to fill this out with your medical history and your emergency contact information.
"

 
          "I'm actually Dr. Wolfe's fiancée. I'm meeting him here for lunch.
"

 
           The woman's eyes narrowed into serpent-like slits, obviously appraisingthe woman who had claimed to be engaged to one of the doctors. Her eye's fell on the gaudy engagement ring planted on Danny's finger
.

 
          "Excuse me one moment." She huffed. "I'll page him for you.
"

 
          Two minutes later, Gerard arrived in the lobby, looking like a gorgeous soap opera doctor in his lab coat, shirt and tie. He swept Danny into his arms and mashed her lips against his own
.

 
          "Glad you could make it, Sweetheart." Taking her by the arm, he led her beyond the receptionist's desk and into the facility. "You don't mind if I give you the grand tour before we go, do you?
"

 
          "I would love to take the grand tour with you, but I have to admit, I'm totally impressed." Danny's eyes were still taking in the sights of the facility. "Everything looks so ... expensive.
"

 
          "We actually have very good investors. Cliff is pretty good at getting things done on the financial end. In a few years this place will be paying for itself. Our children will never have to want for anything, our grandchildren for that matter.
"

 
           Arm in arm, Gerard took her throughout the facility. He told her that the building rested on several acres of land. The surgical and recovery section rested in one wing of the building, while the spa and relaxation center were on the other. They walked past the aromatherapy/massage room where patrons could get a therapeutic massage while inhaling fragrances designed to soothe any restless soul. There were several tanning beds on site along with a hair removal center. There were some vacant rooms, which could be rented out to a hair salon or even a fitness center. Along the way, Gerard proudly introduced her to his staff as his bride to be.

 
          The surgical wing boasted three large operating rooms along with four recovery suites. The suites were fully functional apartments where guests could recover from their surgeries and enjoy the comforts of a home away from home. One operating room was occupied, the patient undergoing a breast enhancement
.

 
          "Call me old school, but I don't understand going under the knife just to improve your looks." Standing outside the operating room, Danny shook her head, watching the surgery. "I'm all about working with what God gives you.
"

 
          "You're one of the few who don't understand. The plastic surgery business is a multi-billion dollar field. Humans, especially women, are vain creatures always trying to outdo each other.
"

 
          "Women are vain creatures?" Danny gave him the look, planting a hand on her hip
.

 
          He smiled down at her. "Yes, you women are always in competition with each other. Why do you think so many beauty products are on the market? You're always striving to look youthful.
"

 
           "So, I should ignore all those hair color for men commercials on TV, right? To say nothing of the male enhancement boner-for-six-hours pills!"Danny drawled flippantly
.

Gerard's jaw dropped, stricken speechless
.

 
          "Checkmate." Danny quipped knowing she'd won the debate
.

 
          "That was perfect." A voice barged into their conversation. "You must be the good doctor's beautiful fiancée.
"

 
          "Danielle, this is Sebastian. He's one of the producers of our little reality show." Gerard introduced the man
.

 
          The man shook her hand and she could just feel the slime just dripping off him. He gave her the vibe that he would sell his own mom up the river if it meant he could move up the Hollywood food chain. To her horror a cameraman and boom mike operator stepped from around the corner. Obviously they had been filming the exchange between her and Gerard
.

 
           "It is so great to finally meet you. We've been filming with the doctors and their wives, yet we haven't had the pleasure of getting you on camera, Ms. Labluelux." Sebastian said
.

 
          "It's Ms. Labouleaux, pronounced La Boo Low" Danny corrected with an extreme look of irritation on her face
.

 
          Gerard threw his hands into the pockets of his lab coat and had the audacity to look innocent. The filming of the reality show had been one of the biggest arguments they'd had. She had refused to be a part of the show and refused to move into their home if the cameras were going to be there. Her life was not a television show, and she did not want to become fodder for the tabloids. Being the next celebrity housewife was not her goal in life
.

 
          "You've been filming us!" she continued. The statement was not a question
.

 
          Sebastian seemed pleased with himself. "I couldn't resist. You and Dr. Wolfe's tour of the facility seemed like the perfect place to start our series. Your criticism of the plastic surgery field is exactly the contrast we need to get the viewers hooked. You will be our connection to the everyday people who think plastic surgery is overindulgent. You two had a good exchange and it would have been an outrage not to get it on camera.
"

 
          "See, there's one problem with that Sebastian. May I call you Sebastian?" She asked sweetly
.

 
          "Of course Ms. Labouleaux" He returned overly polite
.

 
          "I've discussed this with my fiancé time and time again. I don't want any part of any reality show. I don't want my life on television. So the footage you think you have needs to be thrown out.
"

Sebastian gave her a condescending 'you stupid woman' look. "Sweetheart, this is a reality show. This is what we do. We film reality. This entire center is our film set. Whatever goes on the camera may make it into the show, I'm sorry.
"

 
           "No, I'm sorry. My apologies!"Danny could feel flames of anger behind her eyes. "I don't think I made things clear for you. If I so much as see my shadow on television, I will sue your ass. By the time I'm done with you, you won't be able to produce an infomercial. Do you understand me?
"