The Life Thief

by Cherie Mitchell

  “Don’t rush. I’m going to tidy up this equipment and your friend isn’t done yet.” Sam walked away and Becky took a deep breath before releasing her grip on the chair. She walked over to watch Saul finish Sasha’s curving, scrolled design. “That looks fantastic. Does it hurt, Sasha?”

  “Yep.” Sasha’s voice was tight and strained. “Chad has a couple and he said they didn’t hurt at all. He lied.”

  Saul chuckled. “It depends on so many different factors. Tiredness, hungriness, time of the month for women – all of those things can affect how painful it feels.” He switched off the machine. “You’re done. You can go take a look in the mirror if you like.”

  By the time they left the tattoo parlor, both women were on a giggly high. Becky couldn’t stop gazing at the tattoo on her wrist. “I can’t believe I actually have one. I never wanted one until I saw the design on the parlor wall. It has almost completely covered my scars, too.”

  “Do you think it feels like a statement?” Sasha asked. “You’ve made the decision to cover part of your past with a tattoo of an animal that’s known for its independent and take-no-prisoners attitude.”

  “Whoa, that’s far too deep for me, Sash!” Becky laughed out loud. “I got it because it reminded me of Lucifer. He’s still missing, you know.”

  “That’s a shame. You had no luck with your Facebook post?”

  “No. No one has seen him.”

  “That’s the problem with cats. They tend to just get up and go without a backward glance or a meow of thanks for all that you’ve done for them. At least you have his picture on your skin to keep close to you and love forever. Ow, I feel as if a dentist has gone nuts on my hip.” Sasha unlocked the car doors. “What do you think Michael will say?”

  “He’ll love it,” Becky said confidently. He’ll love it as much as I do.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Michael did not love it. He said her tattoo was unprofessional and tacky. Becky scowled at him, annoyed by his attitude. “Tattoos don’t have the stigma they once had. Get real, Michael.”

  “And why a cat?” he grumbled. “The disloyal, ungrateful animal has deserted you. Why would you want to immortalize it?”

  “I like it.” She ran her finger lightly over the plastic film that covered the tattoo. It still stung a little but it wasn’t too bad. It felt more like a graze now, just as the tattooist had said it would. She couldn’t wait until the redness died down and she could remove the film. She still felt daring and dangerous for getting it done and she didn’t regret it at all, despite Michael’s obvious aversion.

  She glanced at Lucifer’s bowl. “You didn’t see him when you came home? I called for him when I got out of the car but he didn’t come.”

  “I think you have to start to resign yourself to the fact that he’s not coming back. Maybe he’s found another home where they treat him better.”

  “What do you mean by that?! He was treated wonderfully here.”

  “I didn’t mean he was badly treated here.” He reached for her but she spun out of his grasp. “Don’t be like that, Becky. I meant that he might have found himself a place with an old lady who’s home all day to fuss over him and hand feed him sardines.”

  “He’s not a cat that likes to be fussed over,” she said stiffly.

  Michael dropped his hands down by his side. “Ok. Whatever you say. You knew him best.”

  “I’m going to make dinner. Do you want to help?” She had visions of them standing side by side at the counter, drinking wine and laughing together as they put this small disagreement behind them.

  “No. I have work to do.” He picked up his briefcase from where it sat on the floor beside the bar stools. “I’ll be in the study.”

  She stared after him, wondering if he’d forgotten their pledge not to bring work home. He didn’t look back to catch her eye, instead shutting the door behind him. She shrugged and went to get herself a glass of wine.

  The next day was busy again, with two property evaluations in the morning and a showing in the afternoon. Jill’s house had finally sold, at a price higher than the vendors had hoped for as a second couple came in at the last minute to make a counter offer. Becky hoped the young woman would find happiness in her life once she’d overcome her current challenges. Everyone deserved to be as happy and content as she was.

  It was nearly 5 o’clock by the time Becky walked into the office for the first time that day. Sasha’s desk was empty but Alice was standing by the filing cabinet. She looked up and smiled at Becky. “Hi there. I didn’t expect to see you today.”

  “I thought I’d come in for an hour or two before going home. Michael won’t be home until much later and I’ll pick up some dinner for myself on the way.” She dropped her folders on her desk. “What’s it been like in here today?”

  “Not too bad. Sasha was in this morning but she left soon after lunch.” Alice walked over and perched her rump on the edge of Becky’s desk. She tossed her head and her hair rippled and fell back against her shoulders. Becky caught the familiar smell of the toiletries they’d used at the retreat. “I think she went to meet Jerome Saunders.”

  Becky frowned, not liking Alice’s faintly accusatory tone. “Mr. Saunders is Sasha’s client. She’ll be having several meetings with him during the course of his house sale. It’s hardly unusual.”

  Alice nodded as she crossed one slim leg over the other, clearly settling in for a long chat. “I saw Gordon last night.”

  Becky looked at her, puzzled by the name. Who was Gordon? A client?

  “From the retreat,” Alice clarified. “I think he’s gay.”

  “I don’t think so. He seemed to be smitten with Annie. Not that it matters. Where did you see him?”

  “At one of the food trucks in Downtown. He was buying nachos with his male friend. They looked as if they were close, if you know what I mean.”

  “I do know what you mean but I don’t think it’s any of our business. Did you speak to him?”

  She shook her head again and Becky caught another waft of the retreat’s shampoo. “No. I was in a hurry. I was meeting someone.” She gave Becky an encouraging smile, as if she thought Becky would have more questions for her.

  “Oh.” Becky glanced at the time. Alice was paid until 5 o’clock and it was now ten minutes after. If Alice left, she’d have the office to herself and she could get a decent amount of work done in the afterhours silence.

  “I was meeting a man.”

  “That’s nice. Your boyfriend?” Not that Becky was interested but it was polite to ask. Alice hadn’t mentioned a boyfriend while they were at the retreat and Becky had gained the impression she was single from some of the brief conversations they’d had.

  “He might be.” She stared at the calendar on the wall behind Becky’s head and a small, secretive smile played across her face.

  “Lovely.” Becky turned on her computer and sat her phone on the desk in front of her. She needed to transfer some photos from her phone gallery to the business website and work on some blurbs for new listings.

  “The weather is getting colder. Winter isn’t far away. They say we might get a couple of large falls of snow this year.”

  “Do they?” Becky opened her photo gallery and scrolled through the images, scrutinizing them with a critical eye and deleting several outright. The house she’d visited this morning had been hard to photograph and she’d need to get Alex, their location photographer out there as soon as possible. She prided herself on her photography skills, even when using just a phone camera and in fact, she’d been studying photography before she met Tony. Before her life changed forever.

  “There’s a concert on at the Milagro Theatre tomorrow night. The tickets are expensive but I think it will be worth it.”

  “Oh, you like music? You should speak to Sasha. She’s passionate about it.”

  “Yes, I know. I was talking to her about her favorite band yesterday.” Alice had given no sign that she was ready to leave.

/>   “Well, I have work to do,” Beck said pointedly. She reached for her folder, hoping Alice would get the hint. “I guess I should get on with it.”

  “Okay. I’m off home. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Alice stood up and as she did so, the cuff of her long-sleeved blazer slid back to reveal a plastic film covering a new tattoo.

  Becky stared at her wrist as Alice hurriedly tried to pull her sleeve back down to cover it. “Alice, do you have a tattoo?”

  “Yes, but I’m wearing corporate clothes and no one can see it. I’m not being unprofessional.” She sounded defensive as she hastily turned her back on Becky and began to collect her things together. “I should get going.”

  “It’s new,” Becky persisted. “And it’s in the same place as mine.”

  “Is it?” Alice said offhandedly as she walked across to the door. “See you tomorrow, Becky.”

  Becky stared after her as the door closed behind her. Why hadn’t she mentioned she was getting a tattoo when she and Sasha were talking about it? She was right there, just a few feet away from them, and she’d never hesitated in joining in with their conversations before. Becky touched her finger to the filmy covering on her own tattoo. Calm down, Becky. She was clearly being paranoid. Alice was entitled to do whatever she wanted to her body and it was highly unlikely that she had also chosen a cat design.

  She flipped open her folder and began to go through her listings.

  Chapter Fifteen

  It was already Saturday night again. Becky was at a loss to account for time since returning from her brief vacation. “What do you want to do for dinner tonight?”

  Michael looked up from his phone. “I feel like seafood. Maybe a nice creamy chowder and some crunchy garlic bread.”

  “We could get home delivery.” She picked up her phone. “We’re just thirty minutes away from hot food in a bag.”

  “No.” He walked across and placed his palm over her phone screen to cover it completely. “We’re going out. I want to treat you. I want to make coming home afterward an event worth waiting for.”

  “Oooh, I like the sound of that.” She fluttered her eyelashes flirtatiously. “Are you going to throw me over your shoulder and drag me back to your cave?”

  He growled at her and slapped her bottom as he walked past on his way to the study. “If you keep looking at me like that, we won’t end up going anywhere.”

  She laughed as she ran up the stairs to get changed. A night out would be fun, especially after her busy week. She showered quickly, noticing her tattoo barely hurt at all now when the hot water ran across it, and then she pulled a short, fitted cream dress out of her closet. She still felt skittish and girlish whenever she prepared for a date with Michael. She didn’t ever want to lose this feeling.

  An hour later, they were seated at a downtown bar while the bar girl mixed up the ingredients for their mojitos. Becky glanced around. It was busy in here with the Saturday night crowd but the atmosphere was gloomier than she would’ve expected. “Have you ever noticed how many unhappy people there are?”

  “Hmmm?” Michael tucked his phone back into his pocket and looked around. “Can’t say I’ve ever noticed.”

  “Do you think we’re missing out on anything?”

  “What?” Michael was watching the half-clad, bosomy girl behind the bar with a knowing smile on his face as she vigorously shook the cocktail shaker.

  “Michael!” She slapped his arm to gain his attention and nodded at the group who were smoking weed at the table outside in the smoking courtyard. “It’s legal now. Everyone’s doing it. Why aren’t we smoking it?”

  “We did when we were younger, before it was legal in this state.” He reluctantly dragged his eyes away from the bargirl and finally looked at Becky properly. “What? You mean you haven’t ever smoked it?”

  “You sound as if you’re accusing me of doing something wrong.” She picked up her cocktail that the bar girl had placed on the bar in front of her. “My teenage years were a little different from most, Michael.”

  “I know.”

  She watched as he gave the girl a large tip, irritated by him all over again. This was supposed to be a lovey-dovey couple-y night out and instead they were arguing over stupid, pointless things. She edged her body away as a man sat heavily on the bar stool next to her, sitting almost close enough to touch her. She glanced at him and was disconcerted to see him staring at with dark, hooded eyes. His face was swarthy and pitted and a faint, unwashed odor clung to his clothes.

  Michael turned to watch the people in the courtyard again. Becky kept her body held stiff, hoping she wouldn’t accidently brush against the stranger. The man’s staring was making her feel uncomfortable. She slipped off her stool and yanked down her short dress at the back. She could still feel his eyes on her. “Should we go to our table?”

  Michael grunted but he got off the bar stool all the same. “I’m not sure if I want chowder anymore.”

  “There are plenty of other options.” She waited for Michael to give the waitress his name for their reservation and then they followed her sway-hipped walk as she led them to their table. “It’s supposed to be warm tomorrow. Do you want to go for a walk in the afternoon, after I’m done with my property showing? We could walk down by the river. The trees are so pretty with all the colors of the Fall leaves.”

  “I can’t.” He smiled at the waitress as he took his seat. “I’m working tomorrow, Becks. I’m certain I told you that.”

  She stared at him across the table. “No, you definitely didn’t tell me that. What’s up with all this extra work all of sudden?”

  “You know I’m working on a couple of major projects with the elections coming up. Anyway, you’re working too.” He smiled suddenly, instantly lightening the atmosphere, and raised his glass in a toast. “To my beautiful Becky.”

  She grinned and lifted her own glass. This was more like it, more like the Michael she knew and loved. “And to my handsome Michael.”

  “Beautiful except for that ugly tattoo,” he added unnecessarily, scowling at her wrist and immediately ruining the mood all over again.

  She sat her glass back down without taking a sip and picked up the menu. “Can you drop it?” she said tersely. “It’s not going away. It’s permanent so you’d better get used to it.”

  He grunted again and opened his own menu. “I really don’t feel like fish anymore. I might have the steak and mushrooms.”

  “You know that guy with a face like five miles of bad road?” Michael looked his shoulder as they left the restaurant a few hours later. “I think he’s following us.”

  Becky looped her arm through Michael’s and pressed herself close against him. Their date had rapidly improved once their meals arrived and they’d lingered over dessert and coffee, talking and enjoying each other’s company. She hadn’t noticed the man from the bar until now and now she was worried about why he’d chosen to reappear just as they left. “Should we walk faster? The car isn’t far away.”

  “Burton.”

  Michael stopped walked and turned to face the man. “Do I know you?”

  The man stood a few feet away from them, his face half-hidden in the shadows. “Just watch your step. Consider this a warning.”

  “What the hell are you talking about? Who are you?”

  “You don’t need my name.” The man spat at the pavement, the globule of salvia landing close to the toe of Michael’s shoe. “Just keep your nose clean.” He abruptly turned and strode away down the street.

  “Loser!” Michael shouted after the stranger while Becky pulled at his arm, anxious to move him on. “Hurry. We need to get in the car and lock the doors. Who was that, Michael? And what did he mean when he said it was a warning?”

  “I have no idea who he was. Just some random blowhard. Probably doesn’t agree with the council policies. We get them all the time.”

  “I don’t like it.” She pulled at him again. “Could you hurry? I want to go home.”

  He slipped hi
s arm around her waist as they continued walking to the car. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you. I’m your caveman dragging you home, remember?”

  “What do you mean, you get them all the time? Have other people made threats against you?”

  “Not the same as that, but there is always some crazy blasting us for some reason or another. He probably just got a letter telling him he needed to trim his overhanging trees.”

  Becky was relieved when they reached the car. She looked back down the street but the man had gone. “No one should have to put up with threats as part of their job. You aren’t paid well enough for that.”

  Michael snorted as he opened her door for her. “Tell that to my boss. Forget about that guy, Becks. I guarantee we’ll never see or hear from him again.”

  She climbed into the car but put her hand out to prevent him closing the door behind her. “I worry about you when things like this happen.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m a big boy now.” He gently pushed against the door. “Now take your hand away and tuck your legs in. I’m taking you home to ravish you until you scream for mercy.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The phones had been ringing constantly all morning and both Alice and Becky between them could barely keep up with the calls. Becky put the phone down and stared at the sticky notes that littered her desk. This time of year wasn’t generally the peak season for property sales but it just showed that you never could tell.

  Alice said goodbye and hung up from her call. “That was another person wanting an evaluation. Should I put it on Sasha’s desk or do you want to deal with it?”

  “Give it to Sasha. She should be in soon. I have more than enough here to keep me busy. You’ve seen my schedule today.” Becky picked up a few of the sticky notes and began to arrange them in some semblance of order. She had a full afternoon ahead of her and then an evening showing at 6.00. At the rate she was going, she didn’t even think she’d have time to stop to eat lunch.