Seconds after he left, the woman raised the hinged countertop and walked across to the windows. She had to be sure he was gone—no big surprises today, thank you.
The PI was on his phone now, walking slowly while trying to concentrate. It had been difficult for Lady to control herself, to not take him down then and there. After all, the police were taking their precious time.
But there are other ways…
If she could continue to play with him—the same way a cat plays with a mouse before she kills it—perhaps she could achieve more than just revenge. There could be solace. And for once, she’d be able to sleep at night.
As soon as he moved out of sight, Lady locked the door, turned the multifunctional sign to CLOSED, and pulled down the blind, plunging the store into darkness. She went to the back room, gently prying the blonde wig from her scalp. Her short red hair fell free, and she tossed the wig aside.
Where would Mason Black go next? He obviously had no idea what he was doing, otherwise he would’ve known she was the one he was searching for. It was almost laughable, really, which only fueled her anger.
Lady ducked through the beads, then through another door, closing it behind her. The woman, Melanie, was still tied down. At least that was going the way she wanted it to. It was pleasing to watch, everything from the tremble in her knees to the wide, scared-shitless eyes.
Perfect.
Lady picked up the tattoo gun and heard and felt its teasing little vibration. “Now,” she said as she approached the table, “where were we?”