The Ugly Duckling (12 page)

She touched her eyelid. “What did you do here? It’s darker.”

“A little cosmetic surgery.” Joel grimaced. “Tania thought you should have permanent eyeliner on the upper lid and underneath the eye in case you went swimming. Heaven forbid you don’t look perfect in the water.”

“It’s only the faintest line. It looks very natural,” Tania said quickly. “I thought we might as well go the whole way.”

“I see.” They were both looking at her expectantly. “I look quite … glamorous. I never dreamed—”

“I showed you the computer printout,” Joel said.

She only vaguely remembered. “I didn’t really think—I don’t suppose I thought about it at all.”

“It will take time to become accustomed to it. If you need counseling, I’ll—”

Tania made a rude noise.

Joel ignored her. “As I said, this drastic a change can be a bit traumatic. You may need help dealing with it.”

“Thank you, I won’t need help.” It was not as if this were going to change her life. Yet before Medas, it might have done just that, she thought suddenly. The face Joel had given her was the stuff of dreams for any ugly duckling. Beauty translated to confidence, and she had been miserably lacking in that quality. Not now. Rage also empowered. She had no doubt she could do whatever was necessary. “Though I may do a double take whenever I pass a mirror.”

“So will every man within a hundred yards,” Joel said dryly. “You may need a bodyguard for more reasons than Nicholas thinks.”

“Bodyguard?”

“I imagine Phil is doing double duty. Nicholas wanted you protected.”

She frowned. “Phil was hired by Nicholas Tanek?”

Joel nodded. “Phil used to work for Nicholas. You should feel very safe. Nicholas doesn’t make mistakes in that area.”

“And he’s paying Phil’s salary?”

“Don’t worry, he’s picking up the tab for all your medical bills.”

“He most certainly is
not
. Send the bills to me.”

“Let Nicholas pay,” Tania said. “Joel is very expensive.”

“I can afford it. I have a little money my mother left me.” She shifted her gaze to Tania. “You know Tanek?”

Tania nodded. “For years,” she said absently, her gaze on Nell’s hair. “We must go downstairs to the salon tomorrow and get rid of the gray.”

“What gray?” Nell looked back at the mirror. She stiffened as she noticed the gray that threaded the hair at her left temple.

“You did not have it before?” Tania asked quietly.

“No.”

“It happens sometimes. My aunt’s hair turned entirely white after her husband was killed in front of her.” She smiled. “It’s only a few threads. I think a light frosting will look wonderful in that brown hair, and everyone will think you’re
très chic
.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it does. I won’t have that face I designed in a poor frame.” She turned to Joel. “It is all right?”

“You’re consulting me? I thought it was all decided.” He nodded. “I suppose it will be okay.”

Tania turned back to Nell. “Ten tomorrow? I’ll make the appointment.”

Nell hesitated. She had no urgent desire to cover a few gray hairs. Yet it was clear Tania would be disappointed if her creation was marred in any way, and Nell liked the woman. What was more unusual, she felt comfortable with her. “If you like.”

“Oh, I do.” She beamed. “And you’ll like it too. I promise.”

“Y
our taxi, Mr. Simpson.” Jamie opened the door with a flourish. “And isn’t it a fine day, sir?”

Nigel Simpson frowned. “I didn’t call for a taxi.”

“No, I believe it was a lady who called.”

Perhaps Christine had called while he was in the shower. She was always accommodating after their sessions. She believed in honey poured as a balm to soothe the sting. He smiled as he remembered how exciting she’d proved last night. The woman was bloody magnificent. He got into the taxi.

Tanek!

Nigel’s hand flew to the doorknob.

Tanek put his hand on Nigel’s arm. “No disturbance,” he said gently. “It would make me most unhappy.
I take it you recognize me? How? I don’t think we’ve ever met.”

Nigel moistened his lips. “You were pointed out to me last year when you were in London.”

“By Gardeaux?”

“I don’t know any Gardeaux.”

“I think you do. Jamie, why don’t we take a little drive through the park and perhaps Mr. Simpson will remember.”

Jamie nodded and got in the driver’s seat.

“I won’t remember,” Nigel said. He forced a laugh. “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

“Was it Gardeaux who pointed me out to you?”

“No, I told you—” He broke off as he met Tanek’s eyes. He was sitting motionless and his tone had been soft, almost casual, but Nigel was suddenly terrified. “I don’t know anything. Pull over, I want out of this taxi.”

“You’re an accountant, I believe. You must be very valuable to Gardeaux … and to Kabler.”

Nigel froze. “I don’t know either of those names.”

“I’m sure Gardeaux knows Kabler’s name. Suppose I called him and told him that you’re Kabler’s informant.”

Nigel closed his eyes. It wasn’t fair. Everything had been going so well for him, and now this bloody bastard appeared and sent everything crashing.

“You look a little sick,” Tanek remarked. “Shall I open the window?”

“You can’t prove it.”

“I won’t have to prove it. Gardeaux won’t take the chance, will he?”

No, Gardeaux would just smile and shrug and the next morning Nigel would be dead.

Nigel opened his eyes. “What do you want?”

“Information. I want reports regularly and accurately.
I want to see everything first and then I’ll decide what you can sell to Kabler.”

“Do you think I’m the only accountant Gardeaux has? He’d never trust everything to one man. We’re given bits and pieces of the records of the money that goes out, and most of that is in code.”

“The list of names for the Medas hit wasn’t in code.”

“The action to be taken was.”

“What was the reason for the hit?”

“I sent Kabler all I knew.”

“Then find out more. I want to know everything about it.”

“I can’t probe. It wouldn’t be safe.”

“Do you know, Nigel”—Tanek smiled at him—“I really don’t care.”

“I
t looks … strange.” Nell shook her head, and the pale gold streaks shimmered beneath the soft lights of the salon.

“It looks wonderful,” Tania said firmly. “And the cut suits you. Casual but sophisticated.” She turned to the hairdresser. “Magnificent, Bette.”

Bette grinned. “It was a pleasure to put a little frosting on the cake. Now you need a new wardrobe to go with the new look.”

“I agree,” Tania said. “I’ll take her to the city tomorrow.” She frowned. “No, Joel might not like it. I’ll wait until next week.”

“That’s not necessary,” Nell said. “I can notify my housekeeper in Paris to ship over some clothes.”

“You can do that too, but Bette is right. You need new clothes for the new woman.”

New woman
. Tania’s phrase resonated in Nell’s mind. In a way, she
had
perished the night Jill and Richard died, and had been born again in the agony of learning
of Jill’s murder. But the woman was not complete; she was hollow inside. Perhaps not entirely hollow, she realized suddenly. She had felt warmth, amusement, even envy in the past few days since Tania had appeared.

“Am I pushing too hard?” Tania asked. “It’s a habit of mine. Not necessarily a bad habit. Just annoying.”

“You’re not annoying.” Nell turned to Bette. “How much do I owe you?”

Bette shook her head. “I’m hired by the clinic. No fee, no tip.”

“Then thank you.” She smiled. “You’re very talented.”

“I did my best, but, as I said, it was only icing. With that face, you’d even look good bald.”

“So, will you let me take you shopping in town?” Tania asked as they left the salon.

Nell had been thinking about it. It might be a very good idea for her to go into the city. “If Joel will let me.”

“Good. I’ll tell Joel we’ll be charging everything to Nicholas and that will make him more likely to let us take a little day trip.”

“Why? Doesn’t Joel like him?”

“Yes, but their relationship is complicated. Joel is a very competitive man.”

Nell looked at her blankly.

“Nicholas is …” Tania shrugged. “Nicholas.”

“But Joel is a brilliant surgeon.”

“And Nicholas is larger than life. There are some men who tend to cast a long shadow. Joel doesn’t like to stand in anyone’s shadow.” She grinned. “So he takes out his irritation in the way that is most pleasing to him. He was very disappointed when you said you wanted to pay his fee yourself.”

Nell hadn’t wanted to stand in Tanek’s shadow either. “The debt was mine.”

Tania’s gaze was fastened on her face. “You resent him.”

She did resent him. She resented his ability to pierce through the barriers she had erected and the cruelty of the way he had jerked her back to life. She resented the fact that every time she saw him, she remembered Medas. She resented the fact that he wanted to close her out when he could help her. “I know he’s your friend, but he’s not my cup of tea. I prefer your Joel.” She changed the subject. “Does this clinic have facilities other than a beauty salon?”

“Everything from a spa to a five-star restaurant. Some of Joel’s patients choose to stay until they’re entirely healed and require all the amenities. What did you have in mind?”

“A gymnasium.”

“Yes, but I doubt if Joel will let you do much exercising for a while. He’ll want to make sure the bones have healed.”

“I’ll do what I can. I have to get stronger.”

“You will. It’s only a question of time.”

But she didn’t want to wait. It was maddening to be this weak and ineffectual. She wanted to be ready
now
. She repeated, “I’ll do what I can.”

“We will see what is possible.”

“Tomorrow?”

Tania raised an eyebrow. “I’ll talk to Joel. Maybe if I go with you and make sure you don’t hurt yourself.”

“But that will interfere with your job. I don’t want to impose on you. You’ve done too much already.”

“It’s no imposition. I’ll enjoy it. I need to work out myself, and being Joel’s housekeeper doesn’t require a good deal of time.” She chuckled. “Besides, he’ll be pleased that it keeps me off the phone.”

Nell gazed at her doubtfully.

“Truly,” Tania said. “You’ll need workout clothes. You can borrow some of mine until we go shopping.”

Nell shook her head. Tania could not be more than a size eight. “They wouldn’t fit.”

“Well, they may be a little big, but that’s no problem. Workout clothes should be loose.”

Nell looked at her in bewilderment.

“Unless you object to wearing someone else’s clothes?”

“No, of course not but I—”

“Good.” They had come to Nell’s door, and Tania said to Phil, “I brought her back safe and sound. How do you like her hair?”

Phil whistled admiringly. “Nice.”

Tania turned to Nell. “I’ll be here at nine tomorrow and help you dress.” Tania smiled and waved before walking down the hall.

“I’ll help you back to bed,” Phil said. “You must be tired.”

She was exhausted, she realized in frustration. “Thanks, but I have to learn to do for myself. I can’t rely—”

Phil had scooped her up with ease and was carrying her toward the bed. “Sure you can. You don’t weigh more than a feather. That’s what I get paid for.” He tucked her into bed. “Now take a nap and I’ll bring you your lunch.”

They may be a little big
.

You don’t weigh more than a feather
.

She slowly lifted her arm, and the sleeve of her bed jacket fell away. She stared at her arm for a moment and then opened the bed jacket and pressed the loose cotton gown against her. She must have lost twenty-five pounds in the past month.

Instant diet, she thought bitterly. Fall from a balcony, lose your whole world, and you’ll be svelte as a greyhound.
All those years she had labored to lose those extra pounds and now, when it mattered so little, they were gone.

But perhaps it did matter. She would gain strength more quickly without those excess pounds holding her back.

Vanity wasn’t important, but strength was everything.

“I’m not sure I like this,” Joel said in an undertone to Tania as he watched Nell and Phil come toward them down the hall. “And I know Nicholas wouldn’t.”

“We’ll be back by three,” Tania said. “And Phil is driving us to the city and from store to store. What could happen on a half-day shopping trip?”

“Tell that to Nicholas.”

“I will,” Tania said. “Trust me. This will be good for her.”

“I don’t think shopping for clothes is high on her list of priorities.”

“No, but it’s a simple, normal function. Doing normal things is important for her.”

“Like exercising?”

Tania frowned. “There’s nothing normal about the way she exercises. It’s as if she’s driven. She’d be in that gymnasium twenty-four hours a day if you’d let her.”

“It’s not hurting her.” He paused. “You don’t have to baby-sit her, you know. She’s not your responsibility.”

“I like her. I want to help her.” She added slowly, “I suppose I see myself in her.”

“One of you is quite enough.” He turned to Nell, who was now beside them. “Don’t overdo it. When you get tired, give it up and come back.”

“We will.”

He thrust a roll of bills at her. “Here. I didn’t know how much cash you had on hand.”

Nell looked at him in bewilderment. “I don’t need this. I don’t have my credit cards here, but I’m sure I can call and make some arrangement.”

“It will be easier if Tania charges everything to the clinic and we bill you later.” He opened the back door of the car. “And remember, this Lincoln turns into a pumpkin at three.”

“T
his is Dayton’s department store. We’ll be able to get most of the basics here. We’ll go to boutiques for the specialty items.” As she got out of the car, Tania said to Phil, “Will you give us three hours and meet us here at one?”

Phil frowned uneasily. “I don’t think that would be a good idea. Suppose I park the car and meet you inside?”