Trickery & Envy (5 page)

“
Actually it would be you to tell us if anything is missing,” the officer said.

Vivian g
ave Officer Rogers a quick glance uncertain if he was being sarcastic even though he followed his response with a miniscule smile.

Officer Rogers
pointed his pen over his shoulder. “My partner just went inside to check things out. What is your full name?”

Vivian look
ed past Officer Rogers trying to see inside her shop through the open front door. “Vivian Fowler,” she said.

“Do you know why anyone would break into your shop?”

“No, I don’t Officer,” Vivian replied and looked at the Coffee Shop adjacent to her shop. “Were they hit too?” she asked.

Officer Rogers
glanced over at it. “We haven’t received a call about that shop.”

“
If you don’t mind I’d like to go inside and see if anything has been taken,” Vivian told him and began to move toward her shop.

“I wouldn’t recommend
that at the moment,” Officer Rogers advised her. “There could still be someone hiding inside. That is if this young lady,” he said with a dip of the head at Patricia “walked up during the burglary. As soon as I get the all clear you can go inside.”

No sooner after he spoke those words Officer Cameron walk
ed out of the salon and waved his partner over. Vivian and Patricia trailed him.

“It looks like whoever broke in here,”
Officer Cameron said to his partner then paused after glancing at Vivian. His look then became a stare at her. “Has anyone ever told you that you look like that actress on the Steve Harvey’s show?”

“
I’m sure there are more pressing issues here. You were saying something about my shop.”

Officer Cameron nod
ded at his mistake.

“As I was saying, it appears who ever broke into your shop entered through a back door and exited through the front.  They were probably looking for money or other valuables. Except for a couple of pictures ripped from the wall and a door kicked in, your shop
is in good shape. In any event,” Officer Cameron said and reached into his shirt pocket for his contact information, extended it to Vivian.

“I have your partner’s card
,” and Vivian crossed her arms, unhappy with what has taken place at her salon.

Officer Cameron return
ed the card to his shirt pocket.

“Until someone arrives to dust for prints I would advise you wait before going inside. Speaking of them...here they are now.”

Vivian and Patricia watched as the two officers walked over to an unmarked white four door car and consulted with non-uniformed police officers. When the officers were done Rogers headed for the patrol car and Cameron over to Vivian and Patricia.

“There
’s nothing else here we can do. In the meantime, feel free to give us a call at the station,” and Officer Cameron walked away.

Patricia
was in disbelief looking at the salon. “Ms. Fowler, I am so sorry this has happened to your shop.”

Vivian d
idn’t respond as her focus was now on a man standing directly across the street watching them. The man had on a red t-shirt and his hands stashed into the front pockets of his badly worn blue jeans. The jeans was clearly too big for his waist and baggy near the ankles. The same worn blue jeans she saw a couple days ago. Vivian knew right away who had broken into her shop.
Vernon, I should have known,
and she were now staring rigid at him.

Vernon began
to stroll casually across the street in their direction.

Patricia
observed her boss staring at someone turned to see who it was. She saw a man walking their way with his right hand partially bandaged and stashed into his front jeans pocket. Patricia didn’t hide that she didn’t care for his unkempt teenaged appearance and turned her nose up at his attire.

“Do you know him, Ms. Fowler?” she mumbled without looking at her boss. “I hope he’s not one of them crack heads or he’s going to get
some mace in his face.” Patricia then thought as she slid her hand into her purse that was hanging from her shoulder.
He looks familiar, like I’ve seen him around here before.

“Yeah I know him,” Vivian
countered, keeping her eyes firmly on Vernon.

“What’s up sis?” Vernon
said dryly and with a toothpick sticking from his mouth, and which he had an obsession for. He stopped a few feet away from them planting one foot on the curb. He then returned the same detesting look Patricia was giving him.

S
is
and Patricia looked at Vivian then back at Vernon trying to find some type of a resemblance.

Vernon look
ed over at Vivian’s shop. “Somebody broke in your shop,” he calmly said and looked back at her. “I saw the police over here.”

“What do you want Vernon
?” Vivian replied with her lips twisted at Vernon.

“I don’t want
anything. I was about to visit somebody in this neighborhood when I remembered you opened a shop here. I was just going to stop by and say hey.”

“I find that hard to believe
, Vernon. I didn’t tell you I was opening a shop.” Vivian then narrowed her eyes at him. “Did you do this?” she straight out asked.

Vernon t
ook offense to the question and just looked at her a moment.

“
Why the hell you ask me something like that, did I do this? I just asked you if someone had broken in.” He paused then said, “For your information you did mention you opened a shop.”

“Shouldn’t it be clear Vernon
me asking if you’re responsible?” Vivian’s eyes shifted to the blood stained bandage around his hand.

“
You looking at this,” he said removing his bandaged hand from his pocket. “I just had to knock a fool out,” he stated with a stoic expression.

Patricia taking everything in
her eyes shifted from Vivian to Vernon.

Vivian continue
d with her heinous glare at him. “You know what; you better hope that those finger prints don’t come back yours.”

“What
? Girl I’m trying to be nice coming over here to see if you okay and you trying to accuse me of breaking in your shop. What do I want to break in there for? But if that’s what happened, somebody broke in, you give me a few hundred dollars and I’ll find out who did it in no time.”

Patricia responded with a
slight gasp at Vernon trying to charge his sister to help her.
You are definitely a crack head.

“Like I
just said, you better hope those finger prints don’t come back yours.”

“What need
s to happen is you coming to your senses and giving me my due. I done told you some of that money you living off of belong to me and I plan on getting mine.”

“Whatever Vernon, you don’t scare me.
I’m not about to play look-out for Vernon.”

“Girl I’m telling you the boogey man is
real.” He moved the toothpick in his mouth with his tongue from one side to the other.

“Well
, boo to you, too, Vernon.”

Vernon
waved his bandaged hand down at Vivian acting unalarmed by his threat. He began walking away and back across the street.

Vivian
’s next words came in a whisper to Patricia. “Walk toward the shop. I’m going to close up for a couple of days to get things back in order. Call everyone and tell them to cancel any appointments they may have for the next couple of days. If you need to, call me on my cell.”

“I’ll take care of it
, Ms. Fowler. I just need to get inside to get the appointment book.”

They
then both look in the direction Vernon had traveled, glad to see that he had gone about his business.

“I know they’re dusting for prints but I need to get in here,”
Vivian said and opened the outer door to her shop and stepped inside. She saw one of the forensic workers walking her way. “Do you know how much longer this is going to take?” she asked him.

“We just finished up.”

“Good,” Vivian said and headed toward her office to take care of the business of getting her shop back in order. She saw that the door to her office had been kicked in and moved her head from side to side. Her first call was to a locksmith.

* * *

Later in the evening, Vivian was wearing a classy silk purple pleated skirt and jacket with a sexy lavender silk blouse underneath. Very beautiful around her neck was a string pearl necklace. On her feet were purple house slippers that she brought with her for dinner at Toni’s house.

“You certainly have a nice home
,” Vivian commented, and then took a sip of red wine from her glass. “I like walking into someone’s house and it feels like home.”

Toni
couldn’t help but steal glances at her. He was donned in navy blue slacks and white cotton shirt.  The sleeves on his shirt were perfectly rolled back, which showed the diamond and gold Rolex watch on his wrist.

“Thank
s. How’s the chili? I didn’t make it too hot did I?”

“
It’s a little spicy, but is absolutely delicious. I can’t remember the last time I had homemade chili. I do remember my mother making it once.” Vivian smiled. “We both agreed that she should stick to chili in the can.”

Toni amused
by her story smiled with her. “Was it that bad?” he asked and picked up his glass of wine.

“I think she failed when she tried to get creative and instead of just mixing in the ground beef she made little meatballs out of it.”

Toni had just taken a sip of his wine when his head went back in laughter. “Meatballs, are you kidding me?” He wiped at his mouth with his napkin.

“Meatballs,”
she repeated still tickled too.

“That’s one for the books. You’ve got to tell me another story because your smile is infectious
,” Toni said amazed at how attractive she was. “You’re gorgeous.”

Vivian dabbed at the corners of her mouth with the
red cloth napkin that was sitting in her lap. “I have to say you are as equally easy on the eye Toni.”

Vivian then lift
ed her glass with her eyes softly on what she still felt was a mysterious man.
He is almost too cute, almost feminine
.

“What kind of music do you prefer?” Toni inquired,
and lifted his glass for another sip of wine.

“Rhythm and Blues
, I came up on that music. What about you? Do you have a preference?”

“I
like a variety of music for the exception of most rap songs. If I had to pick a favorite it would be Luther Vandross.” Toni then noticed Vivian’s glass of wine was almost gone. “Would you care for a refill?”

“I think I’m going to go easy on the wine.”

“You mean I’ll be having a second glass alone,” and Toni reached for the bottle of wine in the center of the table and refilled his glass that was almost empty.

Vivian look
ed as if she was debating to have a second glass. Had she been at home she’d probably already be on a second glass. Vivian didn’t care for getting tipsy outside of home. It seemed to have her making decisions she wouldn’t ordinarily make sober. Nonetheless, there was something about Toni that made Vivian feel safe.
One more glass and that would be the limit.
“A refill it is,” she said.

After dinner
they moved to the living room with glasses of wine.

“I’m going to put on some music,” Toni said and head
ed over to his stereo.

Toni
suggested music to see where Vivian chose to sit. Her selection would in a way indicate what kind of mood she was in. If she selects the rocker that might suggest, though enjoying herself, she wasn’t ready to get too close. If she opted for the sofa she could be leaving space for Toni to join her, maybe consent to a kiss if he made a move for one.

Vivian
’s choice was the sofa. Toni seeing it out the corner of his eyes beamed. He then plays music by Nancy Wilson.

“Jazz
,” she grinned.

Toni walk
ed over to the sofa and dipped his head at the empty spot next to Vivian. “Do you mind,” he said holding his wine glass in one hand.

“
No, I don’t mind.” Vivian smiled some.
He is certainly a gentleman. Most men would have just invaded my space.

Toni
sat on the sofa and crossed one leg over the over. “You may continue,” he said.

Vivian
drew back a bit. “Continue what?”

Toni was a little
tickled her being puzzled. “Singing, remember...you were doing a duet with Nancy Wilson.”

Vivian
tilted her head to the side. “Are you always this calm?” and reached for her wine glass, then turned inwards with it to talk.