Page 11 of Shadow Lies

“Do you want to keep the length?” the one asked in relation to her hair.

“I usually keep it just above shoulder length.”

“We can do that. You’ve got beautiful texture. I’m assuming we’re keeping the curl?”

“Yes.”

“Got it. I’ll do a good trim and a conditioning treatment.”

“What color polish for your fingernails?” one of the women pushing back her cuticles asked.

“Um, nothing too bright.”

“We can do a French manicure.”

“Okay.”

“What color for your toes?” the woman sitting between her feet while scraping off half a year’s worth of callous asked.

“Uh, red, maybe?”

She grabbed a bottle and held it up for Alex’s inspection.

“That’s fine. Thank you.”

She thought the questions must be done, until a new woman walked up.

Actually, walked wasn’t quite the right term for what the store’s employee did as she strained to push the laden rolling clothes rack across the spa.

“Hello. I’ve taken the liberty of pulling a few outfits for you to look over. I wanted to get an idea of your taste and what you had in mind so I can tweak the selection. When your nails are dry and after you’ve eaten lunch, we can try some things on in your size.”

Alexis stared at the rack opened mouthed, until she remembered to answer. “Okay. Thank you.”

“My pleasure. Now, for your travel days, since you’ll have a long flight, I’ve chosen something both comfortable and professional…”

Jeez. Just when she’d thought she had no more questions about this assignment for Charley, more arose.

How much money were they spending on her? And why did she get the feeling that this personal shopper knew more about her travel agenda than she did?

ChapterFive

Buddhist lessons, every day, twice a day, were a normal part of daily life at the monastery.

Kane didn’t mind. He found the lessons fascinating. More than that, while they were learning was one of the few hours during the day that they weren’t pushing their bodies to the limit.

For one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, the study time was a nice break from the hours upon hours of physical training, punctuated by chores and meals, that filled the remainder of his daily life.

The evening lessons had just ended and Kane was heading toward the kitchen to fulfill his duty of helping to serve that evening’s dinner when his teacher rushed toward him.

“Brother, you have a visitor.” For the first time ever, his teacher looked rushed. Discombobulated, even.

There wasn’t much the monk could have said that would have surprised him more.

A visitor?

His parents were in the States. They wouldn’t travel halfway around the world as a surprise. They were too practical for that.

The Lee family plans had to be talked about ad nauseam before being made and then confirmed.

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