Chapter 41
Hidden Secrets
Leona Palmer Haag
Chapter 41
Kevin Curtis slept well. It was a relief. He'd been
afraid Jenn might interrupt him. He whistled as he took the stairs two at a
time to get to the fourth floor. He balanced a mug of coffee and an armload of
reports from the break room to his office door and unlocked it without losing
anything. His computer was softly humming sweet music. He joined it and
whistled along. He loved his job. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time.
Kevin's whistling stopped the moment he pulled up
Jenn's credit card purchases in the past twenty-four hours. He had arrived at
that point one percent. He stared at the total. The amount was appalling. Who
could spend that much money in one day? And what was she going to do with five,
not one, but five floating chairs! Host a garden/pool party in a neighborhood
where she knew no one?
And a computer? What was Jenn planning to do with a
computer?
Kevin's finger ran down the list, then up it.
Clothing. Food. Lunch. Books. Toys. Make-up… His finger stopped. He grabbed a
calculator and summed the make-up alone. One-hundred and seventy-eight dollars
with the perfume? It was ludicrous! "Debbie, hey, take a minute and come
look at this," Kevin calmly said after buzzing the department secretary.
A moment later Debbie looked over his shoulder and
read the tally. "She likes good stuff. But look, twenty percent off the
lipstick and thirty percent off the perfume. Wow, that's a good brand and even
better scent, by the way. Fifteen percent off the rest. She did well. That's a
great sale she found. Not bad. Smart girl."
Kevin's mouth hung open. "One-hundred and seventy-eight
bucks for paint, and you’re praising her?"
Debbie nodded. "And eighteen cents. She's got
good taste."
Kevin snapped his mouth shut. "Do you know how
much it costs to paint a kitchen?"
Debbie shrugged. "Economy paint or the good
stuff? Oh, and did you know paint stinks, no matterer what brand you buy? It
never compares to perfume."
Kevin glared at her.
Debbie laughed. "I know where you're heading, but
you have to realize when a guy enters the kitchen, all he wants is a peek into
the oven or the fridge. He wants pizza and cookies and pies and the cute little
dish who serves then up and…"
Kevin held his hand up. "Spare me the details on
what a guy wants when he sees a painted woman."
Debbie laughed. "Kevin, a woman paints for
herself. She wants to see perfection in every mirror and window reflection she
passes. She wants to see it in her man's eyes too. If she likes to paint, she
paints. I've heard Jenn is artistic. I guess this proves it."
Kevin leaned back in his chair and laced his hands
behind his head, making his elbows jut out. "This woman happens to be in
hiding. Exactly who is she trying to impress? Should I check the video feeds to
see if she's seducing the mailman?"
Debbie sat on the edge of Kevin's desk after shoving
aside a stack of folders and loose papers. "Chances are Jenn needs paint
for herself, not someone else. For courage. To face each moment of each day.
She's painting because she has to cover up fear. Didn't you take any psychology
courses?"
Kevin lowered his hands to his lap. "Apparently I
failed them."
Debbie bounced to her feet and waved at the numbers on
Kevin's computer screen. "With her help, you'll catch up fast. That was
Psych 101. She'll probably lay the upper level courses on you later."
"That's encouraging," Kevin sarcastically
muttered.
Debbie laughed. "Kevin, wake up. Jenn is ten
steps ahead of you. She's sending you coded messages. Figure it out and you'll
be fine. You'll not only survive, but also enjoy this little assignment."
"Women are impossible! She'll be safely home
before I crack the code."
Debbie shoved Kevin's shoulder. "Yep, so don't
sweat it." She waved at the charges. "Just turn it in and defend her.
Next time you talk to her on the phone be sweet and charming and ask her if
she's got everything she needs. Suggests a few items. Get a step ahead of her.
Be smart and don't mention any of these expenses."
"My neck is on the line here, and you're advising
me to suggest she needs a fur coat and a Land Rover? Why should I tell her she
needs to watch baby DVD's on a brand new seventy-two inch plasma screen? By the
time I go home tonight will she own three new diamond necklaces and earrings to
match—because I suggested it?"
Debbie laughed. "No. Let me give you a quick
psychology lesson. When you defend her to the boss, tell Mitchell that you've
made sure your responsibility is completely safe, satisfied and happy.
Everything is under control. Plain and simple, that's your job, isn't it?"
Kevin slowly nodded.
"Don't take the cards away, lecture her, or put a
limit on little spending sprees, or I guarantee you'll have a major crisis.
Right now plastic is the only security blanket she has."
"But if she keeps them, I'll have a crisis
anyway. So you're telling me to prepare for disaster?"
Debbie laughed. "Come on, Kevin, is there really
anything on that list to throw a tizzy over?" Debbie leaned forward and
read a few items. She singled one out. "Every girl needs three bathing
suits and two beach towels. Didn't anyone ever tell you that?"
"Right," Kevin angrily muttered.
Debbie wagged her finger at Kevin. "Hey, you're
the one to blame for that purchase. You sent her to a safe house with a
swimming pool."
"Now I'm the guilty one?"
Debbie giggled. "Yep. But by now you should know
that women always win." She turned and bounced out of the office.
"I haven't lost yet," Kevin muttered.
Debbie stuck her head through the open doorway.
"I heard that, and you're right. You haven't lost, Kevin, and you won't.
Jenn won't lose either. In Psych 401 you learn that there's a price to be paid
for winning. Jenn will purchase it with the company credit card and her own
fortitude. You'll buy it through your determination to keep her safe. Uncle Sam
will pay the financial bill, not you, Mitchell, or anyone else around here.
Like I said, don't sweat it. Be nice and let her have her perfume and paint.
Don't mention it if she buys ten more swimming suits. You'll come out smelling
like a rose in the end and she'll love you."
Debbie shrugged her shoulders as if to say, "See,
that wasn't so hard to figure out," before she disappeared.
Kevin thought about his blood pressure. "Hey, do
you want to keep track of her account for me and keep me advised?" he
called after her.
"Nope," he heard Debbie reply from down the
hall.
End Chapter 41
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