****
Boone and Delilah were waiting at the appointed place at 5:00. Both were nervous Boone’s push may have not worked as planned. But promptly at 5:15, Katia turned the corner. Delilah stepped out of the SUV and opened the door for Katia to enter.
“We are staying just a few minutes away,” Delilah explained. “We will have dinner, and then we will see what we can do about your dress. You are a remarkable woman, Katia.”
Katia smiled. It was an honest smile. For a moment, she did feel strong. She knew she was doing the right thing. She just hoped she could remain strong four more days. Her knees were already shaking.
After dinner, Delilah led Katia into the second but empty bedroom of the suite she and Boone were sharing. When Katia removed her plain blue dress, Delilah gasped. Katia had a remarkable body, very curvy and toned. “Do you ever wear your hair down?” Delilah asked.
“It is not acceptable,” Katia replied and blushed. Plus she was not used to someone seeing her in only her undergarments, even though she was covered from her shoulders to her knees.
“May I?” Delilah asked. Katia nodded. Delilah unbraided Katia’s long dark brown hair. Delilah smiled as she combed through it with her fingers. “You have beautiful silky hair. It is a shame you have to hide how beautiful it is.”
Katia caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and smiled bashfully. “I could never be as beautiful as you,” Katia sighed in despair.
“You want to be beautiful?”
“It is not acceptable.”
“Let’s try something,” Delilah suggested as she handed Katia a robe to help her feel more comfortable. “I will be right back.”
Delilah returned with her makeup case. “You are naturally beautiful. It will not take much to make you exquisite.”
“I will go to hell for this,” Katia frowned.
“Won’t you be expected to wear makeup on Friday?”
“Yes, but...”
“This is your dress rehearsal then. I want you to feel comfortable and confident,” Delilah explained. “You cannot be nervous.”
Katia acquiesced and closed her eyes. Delilah could feel her fear, but she started applying mascara, blush, and eyeshadow. “I have kept it simple,” Delilah announced when she was finished. “Open your eyes.”
Katia slowly opened her eyes and looked into the mirror. She did not recognize the woman glaring back at her. “You are quite beautiful,” Delilah smiled. “Now for the dress.”
Delilah opened the garment bag and frowned when she saw the dress. The frown was not because it was unattractive. The dress was quite beautiful. The frown was because it was far too revealing. Delilah took a deep breath and calmed herself. “You will look beautiful in this gown. It will be perfect for your figure.”
After Katia remove her t-shirt and bra she donned the gown, and then she slipped on the shoes. Looking at her reflection, she was torn. She did look beautiful, but she still felt shame. Her shoulders slumped as her eyes fell towards the ground. This was not who she was. This was not how she was raised.
“Head up, Katia,” Delilah told her assertively. “Never, ever be ashamed of how beautiful you are. Let it be your talisman, your good luck charm. Now let’s show Boone how gorgeous you are.”
Delilah reached her hand towards Katia so she could lead her to the sitting area of the suite. Katia shook her head no, refusing to take Delilah’s hand. Instead, Katia stood up straight and took her first step to the door on her own. Delilah smiled with pride.
Boone had been in the common area of the suite trying to hack into Miner’s server. He was looking for more information about the party and about Miner himself. Hearing the click of Katia’s heels, Boone looked up. He could not help but smile. “Wow! The dress was made for you.”
“Boone!” Delilah sneered in disapproval.
“Sorry, but it is true. Katia is definitely one beautiful young lady. I can see why Miner picked her for the party.”
Katia blushed and then smiled innocently at Boone. “Is it too revealing?” Katia asked looking down at the plunging neckline of the dress and the outline of her bulging breasts. Then she turned around and revealed the low-cut back.
Boone swallowed hard and looked at Delilah. Katia had asked him a question which never had the correct answer. He thought carefully before replying. “The costume is perfect for the party. But for your natural beauty and innocence, I do believe it is too revealing.”
“Me too,” Katia squirmed while fighting to maintain her resolve. “But any alterations to the dress will be detrimental to your plans. Who is this girl you are trying to find?”
“Miner’s daughter Lucy,” Delilah confessed.
“He has hired you to find his daughter? I am confused,” Katia exclaimed.
“No, but we are trying to find her,” Boone tried to explain. “We think he is involved in her disappearance. Her mother wants her back, and we are doing this for Lucy and her mother. Lucy’s only sixteen.”
“Now I understand all the secrecy,” Katia sighed. “I heard about Lucy running away, but most of the ladies I work with think she was married off.”
“Do you think it is a possibility?” Boone asked.
“I have never met Mr. Miner’s wives, but I know my mother would never allow me to be given away into a polygamist marriage at sixteen. Sixteen is too young to be married and to be having babies. But I know there are sects of Mormons, who condone the practice.”
“Do you think your father knew Miner condones this practice? Maybe it is why he sent you to Provo to work?” Delilah asked suspiciously.
“My family is not rich, but we do okay. I have six brothers and sisters, all younger than me. Money gets tight now and again. I send as much money as I can to my mother to help out with clothes and food for the little ones. My father does not know about it, though. He would suffer shame and ridicule if anyone found out,” Katia explained.
Both Boone and Delilah stared at one another. Delilah was silently wondering if Katia’s father sent her to Provo to work for Miner in hopes of being paid for Katia being auctioned off to the highest bidder. Boone nodded a silent yes. Even Boone knew Katia was now thinking the same thing.
“It is just not right,” Katia cried in abhorrence. “I do not want to be paraded around and sold to the highest bidder,” Katia quickly deduced. “I am not a piece of property.”
Delilah took Katia into her arms. “We do not know this is what is happening. So let’s not speculate the worse. It could all be quite innocent.”
“This is innocent?” Katia screamed looking down at the gown and her breasts. “This is NOT innocent.”
Boone and Delilah exhaled slowly and frowned in unison. “You are right, Katia, it is not,” Boone replied forlornly. “But you are our only hope of finding the truth and finding Lucy.”
“I will be damned if I am going to be sold as a slave and whore,” Katia screamed out surprising herself by the words she was using. “I will spend eternity in hell before I let Miner do that to me.”
“So you will help us?” Delilah asked trying to keep from smiling. She knew Katia was about to become their best weapon to defeat Miner and finding Lucy.
“Yes!” Katia replied with determination. “What is the plan? What do you need me to do?”
“Let’s get you out of the gown and then we will talk,” Delilah answered. She knew Katia needed to feel comfortable again before discussing any further plans.
After Katia was back in her own clothes, make-up removed and hair braided, Delilah and Katia joined Boone back in the sitting area of the suite. “I have searched the invoices for the party preparations and nothing states where the party is being held,” Boone confessed. “Did they tell you where the party was going to be?”
Katia frowned. “Debbie said it is held somewhere private. It is totally secret.”
“Well, that will make it a bit harder to infiltrate,” Boo
ne sighed feeling hopeless. “We need to find out where it is going to be.”
“I will ask around tomorrow and see what I can find out,” Katia offered.
“Just be sure, not to ask too many people,” Delilah reminded Katia. “You do not want to show your hand.”
“Debbie knows a lot, but I am not sure if I can trust her,” Katia sighed. “She was invited to the party so maybe I will suggest we eat lunch in the park together again tomorrow. I am sure she will spill everything without me having to actually ask a single question. I will just tell her how excited I am and how much of an honor it is to be chosen and then let her talk.”
“That is a great idea,” Boone smiled. “Ask very few questions and let Debbie do all the talking.”
“Let’s get you home,” Delilah suggested to Katia.
Red Wolf Page 35
