The Deception (2 page)

"What's that?"

"Tonight I want you to spend the night with your whore, because I don't want you coming back until after I've left."

"Okay." There was a tentative tone in Doug's voice.

"Oh, don't worry. I won't be begging you to come back. Would you like to know why?" She leaned over to whisper in his ear. "It's because I don't put up with liars and cheaters, and that's what you are, Doug. You're a liar and a cheater, and I can't believe I was such a poor judge of character. You really had me fooled."

"All right, I probably deserve that, but what about you? Do you have a place to stay?"

"Does it matter?"

She stood and began to walk away. He got up and began to follow her.

"Carrie, wait!"

She stopped and spun around. "Leave me alone, Doug! You stop following me, right now, or else I'm calling the cops. Got it?"

He froze in his tracks. He watched her approach a young couple pushing a baby stroller. She stopped to talk to them for a moment before handing the stuffed bear to the baby. He heard them shouting thank you to her as she walked away. She soon disappeared into the crowd. He sat back down on the bench and watched the people going by. A short time later his phone rang. Jennifer was calling.

"So, did you finally dump her?"

"Yes."

"Good. I just got here. I'm waiting for you in front of the Ferris Wheel."

Doug returned home the following afternoon. By then, all of Carrie's belongings were gone. He found her key on the kitchen counter.

C
arrie was awakened by the sound of her cell phone ringing. She rolled over and scooped it up from the floor.

"Hello." Her voice sounded groggy.

"So what the heck is going on with you?" asked the woman on the other end of the line.

"Louise?"

"Yes, Sweetness, it's Louise. Karl and I ran into Steve and Allison last night at Hernando's. Allison said Doug dumped you at the state fair, and that for the past few weeks you've been camping out in your photography studio, even though they've offered you their guest room. So what the hell happened?"

"I got dumped. Doug found himself some bimbo who he's decided he's in love with. I really didn't have a choice. I had to move out."

"What about the house?"

"It's deeded solely in Doug's name, but even if I were to make a claim on it, my mother's creditors would end up with the money."

"So why haven't you found an apartment?"

"I've been looking, Louise. The problem is they all want to collect some hefty deposits up front, along with the first month's rent. Unfortunately, because of Mama, I just don't have the cash to do it. Once I pay off my monthly expenses, the rest has to go to help pay her bills. Nursing homes aren't cheap, you know."

"I know that, but you need to find a decent place to live. Your studio isn't in the best part of town, and you're probably violating some city code by staying there. Not to mention the fact that Christmas is only three weeks away. I'll bet you don't even have a tree."

"Actually, all things considered, I'm doing just fine." Carrie tried to sound upbeat. "Yes, I'm renting warehouse space in an industrial area, and no, I won't be putting up a Christmas tree this year, but you needn't worry. I'm okay, really. The tent city jail is nearby so there's plenty of police and sheriff's deputies around. My break room has a mini kitchen, and I'm sleeping on an air mattress in the back room where it's surprisingly quiet. And back when I signed my lease I had the landlord put in a shower for the models to use. So you see, I'm okay. I have all the amenities I need to live comfortably. It's not like I'm living in a cardboard box underneath a bridge."

"I understand," said Louise. "However, the reason I'm calling is because I think I may have a solution for you, that is, if you don't mind doing another modeling gig."

"I haven't done a modeling job in years. You know that. Besides, I've just turned thirty. In the world of print modeling, I'm ancient."

"It's not a print modeling job. I need an art model. I've just picked up a private commission. Some well-to-do couple in Berkeley just bought themselves a big house. Apparently, they're serious practitioners of tantric yoga, or some such thing, and they want a serious of black and white photos of a female nude, with some curves on her, to display in their new home. You'd be perfect for the job."

Carrie let out a sigh. She desperately needed the extra cash, but she wasn't sure if this would be the best way to get it.

"I've done some nude work, Louise, but I was always behind the camera, not in front of it. All the photos were done for advertisements. Even though the models were nude, you didn't see anyone's privates."

"I understand if you feel a little shy about doing this, Sweetness, but you'd be working with me. They want something erotic so yes, they'll want to see all the goods in the photos, but they won't know your name or anything else about you. You'll be completely anonymous and I promise you the photos will be tastefully done. It's fine art, not pornography."

"Who would see the photos?"

"They'd be for the client's personal, private use only. That's what's written in the contract. They can only be displayed in their home. The only people who would ever see them would be the couple themselves and whoever visits them. They're not allowed to publish them anywhere, not even on their personal blogs or websites."

Carrie let out a sigh as she thought it over.

"How much does it pay?"

"Enough to put you into a decent apartment in a good neighborhood. It should cover all the deposits plus your first month's rent."

"All right. So when and where do you want to do the shoot?"

"Next Saturday, at my home. Karl has an early-morning tee time and will be spending the entire day on the golf course. It'll be just you and me."

"What time?"

"It'll be a fairly long shoot, so let's have you here early, about eight o'clock in the morning. Bring a curling iron and some nice barrettes along with your makeup kit. We'll be doing some different hairstyles, so we'll have to spend some time working on your hair and makeup throughout the day. And do you by chance have a pair of strappy, opened-toed shoes? Preferably in black."

"Yes. They're black patent leather."

"They'd be perfect, so bring them along." The excitement was building in Louise's voice. "The shoes, barrettes, and some costume jewelry are the only things you'll be wearing. You'll also need bathrobe that you can slip on in between shoots."

Carrie still wasn't sure. Louise must have sensed it.

"Look, Carrie, you don't have to do this. I can call the agency and have them send another model. I just figured that right now you needed the money."

"I know, Louise, and you're right. If the city were to find out I'm living here, they'd probably fine the heck out of me before my landlord kicked me out on the street."

"Good. We'll have you living in a decent apartment before you know it. We might even be able to get you a Christmas tree too. But I need to let you know one other thing."

"What's that?"

"I have a show coming up at Hanson Sisters Fine Art in February. I'd like to include five prints from our shoot as a series of hand-signed limited editions. They'd be sold with the same restrictions as the ones going to the couple in Berkeley. You'd remain anonymous, and the photos cannot be published or displayed anywhere in public, except of course for the gallery, but that would be the only time."

Carrie let out a sigh. There had to be a better way for her to get into an apartment. She glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall. It was the first week of December, the time of year when business normally slowed down. This year would certainly be no exception and things wouldn't start to pick up again until late January. If she didn't act now, she'd be living in her studio until March or April, and the longer she stayed, the greater the chances of someone finding out and reporting her to the city. She let out another sigh, knowing she had no other choice.

"Okay, Louise, I'm your girl. I'll be there, Saturday morning, eight o'clock."

"Good. You really won't regret this, Carrie. You'll be proud of these photos, I guarantee it. I'll email a contract and release form for you to sign. Make some copies for yourself and bring them with you on Saturday."

Carrie couldn't shake the bad feeling she started getting after she ended the call. She thought it over and realized she was probably just nervous. She'd never been photographed in the nude before, and the idea of total strangers looking at her naked body made her feel uneasy. Then again, she'd be doing it for Louise, and she owed her success to Louise's hard work. She looked at the clock. It was time to get up. She had work to do and she'd be better off focusing her thoughts on the nice apartment she'd soon be living in.

C
arrie pulled into Louise's driveway at exactly eight o'clock Saturday mo
rning. She shut down the engine
and hesitated for a moment before grabbing her duffle bag. She stepped out of her car and slowly approached the front door. She seriously considered turning around and leaving before mustering up the courage to ring the doorbell. She was soon greeted by Louise's smiling face.

"Come on in, Sweetness." She gave Carrie a big hug as she stepped across the threshold. "You're right on time. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"No, thanks. I'm nervous enough as it is."

"I understand. I'll grab a cup for me, and then we can get started."

Carrie followed her to the kitchen. Walking behind her, she couldn't get over how little Louise had changed over the years. Neither her looks nor her attitude fit the image of a woman in her mid-fifties. Louise still had smooth skin and a shapely figure. There wasn't so much as a hint of gray in her curly red hair, and she had the stamina of a woman half her age. As soon as she finished pouring her coffee, she grabbed her mug and motioned for Carrie to follow her down the hallway to a small room that had been made into a dressing room.

"Okay my dear." She pulled out the little chair in front of the vanity. "Let's get your curling iron plugged in. I'll step out in a minute, and when I do you'll need to take all your clothes off and put your bathrobe on. My studio is in the next room and I'll be setting up the lights. I'll come back in a few minutes to help with your hair and makeup."

As soon as she left, Carrie nervously undressed and got into her bathrobe. Louise soon returned and grabbed the curling iron, saying that for the first shoot she'd pull Carrie's hair back into a loose ponytail, with some wispy, curly locks dangling around her face. Louise thought that particular hairstyle would show off her oval-shaped face and deep-set blue eyes. She quickly went to work preparing her for the shoot.

"You really were born to be a model, you know that," she said as she brushed some bright red lip-gloss onto Carrie's lips. "You may be thirty years old now, but you're still drop-dead gorgeous, and you're going to be beautiful even when you get to be my age. Doug was an absolute fool to let you go. Now, take a look at yourself in the mirror."

Louise stepped aside while Carrie studied her reflection. She had to admit she still looked pretty, at least on the outside. But ever since her break-up with Doug, she'd felt less than desirable on the inside.

"Now I need you to put on those sexy shoes of yours and I'll be back in a flash. I have a surprise for you." She rushed out, returning a minute later with a wooden box. "I found this the other day at a craft fair. It's all handmade and one-of-a-kind, and when we're done you can take it home with you. Think of it as an early Christmas present from me to you."

Carrie thanked her as she eagerly opened the box. Inside was a collection of beautiful handmade costume jewelry. There were necklaces, bracelets and earrings of all different colors, shapes and styles. They carefully went through and inspected each piece as they decided which ones she would wear.

"Let's start with this," said Louise, setting a matching black-beaded necklace, bracelet and earrings down on the vanity. "I think they'll go nicely with your shoes. We'll use some of the other stuff later on. I'm going back into the studio. Come in as soon as you're ready and we'll get started."

Carrie put on the jewelry as Louise stepped away. When she was ready, she took a final look in the mirror. She let out sigh and slowly walked into the photo studio. Louise had the lights set up in front of a gray, textured screen that was pulled out for several feet onto the floor. She pointed to the spot she'd marked.

"Okay, we've got a lot of work to do, so let's get rolling. We'll start with a few warm-up shots. Take your robe off and go stand over there."

Carrie's hands were trembling as she untied her robe. She slowly removed it and set it aside. Walking to the mark, she suddenly felt as if she were naked to the world. It was more than a little scary.

"You look tense and you don't need to be. You're a beautiful woman, Carrie. Everything about you is beautiful and perfect and you have nothing whatsoever to be ashamed of. The Victorian Age is over. It's high time we women stopped feeling so self-conscious about our bodies and learned how to love and accept ourselves, exactly as we are."