Blood Rites
Page 9
This is Lilly.
Lilly, its Jeff from the store, she heard her employee say and she noticed that he sounded nervous.
Jeff, is everything okay? You sound a little tense, Lilly told him.
Well, there is a little problem. We have an irate customer demanding to see you, saying something about being ripped off. He wont go into details, but he is really angry and I didnt know if I should call the police or what so I called you.
If he hasnt hurt anyone dont call the police, we dont need to bother them with this if I can solve it by me coming up there and talking to the man. Give me five minutes and I will be there, Lilly told Jeff.
Lilly hung up the phone and took the first turn that would lead to her bookstore.
Mom, whats up? Is everything okay at the store?
Im not real sure. That was Jeff, he is one of my assistant managers, and he says there is an irate customer demanding to see me. Jeff seemed pretty apprehensive about it so I think I need to stop by, but I will make it quick.
Its no big thing, wolf-man can wait a few moments. Im not going to tell him we are making a detour, lets make him sweat a little when I dont show up exactly at 1:00, Jacque said with a mischievous smile.
I dont think you and Jen should be allowed to hang out any more, Jacque, shes beginning to rub off on you and I cant handle more than one evil witch at a time, Sally said sarcastically.
Jen rolled her eyes. Theres nothing wrong with making the man sweat a little. I mean, come on, he did fake his death and nearly drive our sweet little Jacque out of her mind. Alls fair in love and war, baby.
Well, there is that, Sally conceded.
They pulled up to the curb in front of the book store and all four of them piled out of the car. It was way too hot to sit in the car even with the air on and besides that Jacque didnt want her mom facing some lunatic by herself. Once they were in the store, Lilly started looking around, expecting to see or at least hear this so-called irate customer, but there was nothing. Everyone in the store was quiet, perusing through the store, some talking softly to one another. She walked up to one of the employees and asked where Jeff was.
He said he had to leave, something about an emergency, the employee named Lisa answered.
Thats weird, Lilly thought. Well what happened to the customer who was so upset? Lilly asked.
What customer? There haven't been any upset customers this morning.
Although Jacque had noticed that she hadnt been picking up emotions lately, she could feel something wasnt right. Mom, Im not really liking the sense of this whole situation. Let's go, okay? Jacque told her mother.
Yea, Im with ya, Jac. Im getting a bad vibe, Jen added
Lilly felt the same way; something was wrong. They needed to leave but she didnt feel comfortable leaving the store open. She turned back to Lisa and told her to politely tell the customers there had been an emergency and that the store needed to close, and then asked her to lock up.
As they all got back into the car, Jacque couldnt stop the chill that ran through her body. She was blocking her thoughts from Fane and even trying to block her emotions because she knew if he thought she was even in the tiniest danger, or that there was even a potential for danger, he would come flying to the rescue and she didnt feel like the situation was that dire.
As Lilly began to pull away from the curb, Jacque asked, So mom, what do you think that was about?
Im not really sure. Jeff has always seemed honest. I dont understand why he would lie about an irate customer, Lilly answered.
Maybe hes one of those disgruntled employees whos gotten his panties all in a twist because he didnt get that raise he wanted. Or maybe hes got one of those problems where you hallucinate and see things that arent there. Or maybe hes on crack so hes hallucinating and seeing things that arent there, or hmphmm - Before Jen could continue, Sally slapped a hand over Jens mouth.
We really need to work on that whole brain, mouth filter, Jen, Sally said morosely.
Hmm hmm hmming Jen grunted around Sallys hand.
Yes, yes, we know you're just saying, Jacque translated for her.
Well, whatever his panties are in a twist about, as Jen so eloquently put it, they just became the least of his problems considering he lied to me and then left in the middle of his shift. Lilly pinched her forefinger and thumb on the bridge of her nose. It was times like these that owning her own business seemed like the least brilliant of all her bright ideas.
Jacque was looking at her mom, seeing the tiredness seeping into her like water searching for cracks in a foundation when she heard Jen whistle.
Check out that tall drink of somin, somin.
All of a sudden Jacque heard a huge bang. Lilly began to swerve. She jerked the steering wheel to the right to compensate but it was too hard. The SUV began to spin and as they hit the ditch on the side of the road, the car began to roll. Over and over it rolled like a barrel down a hill until it finally came to an abrupt stop, landing upside down with its wheels in the air. Jacque was screaming, hell, they were all screaming. She could feel the passenger side door crush into her side, the side of the front dash slammed into her leg and she felt a bone shattering crunch shoot up her leg and the seat belt was like a noose across her neck. She was so confused she didnt understand what had happened. Finally the rolling stopped and as the car came to a jarring halt Jacque felt her head hit the side glass window and then it was quiet.
Lilly, its Jeff from the store, she heard her employee say and she noticed that he sounded nervous.
Jeff, is everything okay? You sound a little tense, Lilly told him.
Well, there is a little problem. We have an irate customer demanding to see you, saying something about being ripped off. He wont go into details, but he is really angry and I didnt know if I should call the police or what so I called you.
If he hasnt hurt anyone dont call the police, we dont need to bother them with this if I can solve it by me coming up there and talking to the man. Give me five minutes and I will be there, Lilly told Jeff.
Lilly hung up the phone and took the first turn that would lead to her bookstore.
Mom, whats up? Is everything okay at the store?
Im not real sure. That was Jeff, he is one of my assistant managers, and he says there is an irate customer demanding to see me. Jeff seemed pretty apprehensive about it so I think I need to stop by, but I will make it quick.
Its no big thing, wolf-man can wait a few moments. Im not going to tell him we are making a detour, lets make him sweat a little when I dont show up exactly at 1:00, Jacque said with a mischievous smile.
I dont think you and Jen should be allowed to hang out any more, Jacque, shes beginning to rub off on you and I cant handle more than one evil witch at a time, Sally said sarcastically.
Jen rolled her eyes. Theres nothing wrong with making the man sweat a little. I mean, come on, he did fake his death and nearly drive our sweet little Jacque out of her mind. Alls fair in love and war, baby.
Well, there is that, Sally conceded.
They pulled up to the curb in front of the book store and all four of them piled out of the car. It was way too hot to sit in the car even with the air on and besides that Jacque didnt want her mom facing some lunatic by herself. Once they were in the store, Lilly started looking around, expecting to see or at least hear this so-called irate customer, but there was nothing. Everyone in the store was quiet, perusing through the store, some talking softly to one another. She walked up to one of the employees and asked where Jeff was.
He said he had to leave, something about an emergency, the employee named Lisa answered.
Thats weird, Lilly thought. Well what happened to the customer who was so upset? Lilly asked.
What customer? There haven't been any upset customers this morning.
Although Jacque had noticed that she hadnt been picking up emotions lately, she could feel something wasnt right. Mom, Im not really liking the sense of this whole situation. Let's go, okay? Jacque told her mother.
Yea, Im with ya, Jac. Im getting a bad vibe, Jen added
Lilly felt the same way; something was wrong. They needed to leave but she didnt feel comfortable leaving the store open. She turned back to Lisa and told her to politely tell the customers there had been an emergency and that the store needed to close, and then asked her to lock up.
As they all got back into the car, Jacque couldnt stop the chill that ran through her body. She was blocking her thoughts from Fane and even trying to block her emotions because she knew if he thought she was even in the tiniest danger, or that there was even a potential for danger, he would come flying to the rescue and she didnt feel like the situation was that dire.
As Lilly began to pull away from the curb, Jacque asked, So mom, what do you think that was about?
Im not really sure. Jeff has always seemed honest. I dont understand why he would lie about an irate customer, Lilly answered.
Maybe hes one of those disgruntled employees whos gotten his panties all in a twist because he didnt get that raise he wanted. Or maybe hes got one of those problems where you hallucinate and see things that arent there. Or maybe hes on crack so hes hallucinating and seeing things that arent there, or hmphmm - Before Jen could continue, Sally slapped a hand over Jens mouth.
We really need to work on that whole brain, mouth filter, Jen, Sally said morosely.
Hmm hmm hmming Jen grunted around Sallys hand.
Yes, yes, we know you're just saying, Jacque translated for her.
Well, whatever his panties are in a twist about, as Jen so eloquently put it, they just became the least of his problems considering he lied to me and then left in the middle of his shift. Lilly pinched her forefinger and thumb on the bridge of her nose. It was times like these that owning her own business seemed like the least brilliant of all her bright ideas.
Jacque was looking at her mom, seeing the tiredness seeping into her like water searching for cracks in a foundation when she heard Jen whistle.
Check out that tall drink of somin, somin.
All of a sudden Jacque heard a huge bang. Lilly began to swerve. She jerked the steering wheel to the right to compensate but it was too hard. The SUV began to spin and as they hit the ditch on the side of the road, the car began to roll. Over and over it rolled like a barrel down a hill until it finally came to an abrupt stop, landing upside down with its wheels in the air. Jacque was screaming, hell, they were all screaming. She could feel the passenger side door crush into her side, the side of the front dash slammed into her leg and she felt a bone shattering crunch shoot up her leg and the seat belt was like a noose across her neck. She was so confused she didnt understand what had happened. Finally the rolling stopped and as the car came to a jarring halt Jacque felt her head hit the side glass window and then it was quiet.
