Page 56 of The Change
Harriett walked over and picked up the apple. Then she held it out for Jo to see. Etched into the apple’s skin was a word.FAITH.
Jo took a step forward and reached out for the apple. Harriett casually raised it to her mouth and took a bite.
“What did you do that for?” Jo demanded.
Harriett gestured with her chin at a man hustling across the lawn toward them. On the Pointe, his dark blue suit instantly identified him as a worker, not a resident.
“Shit,” Jo groaned.
Harriett swallowed. “Another friend of yours?” she asked.
“That’s the bodyguard I was talking about. He isn’t going to be happy to see me. I had to kick his ass when he showed up at my gym a few weeks ago.”
“Hmmm,” Harriett said. “Looks like you may need to do it again.” The man had picked up speed and was now jogging straight for them. “But look at all the effort he’s making. Let’s see what he wants first, shall we?”
The sight of the two women patiently waiting for him seemed to confuse Chertov, and he slowed to a brisk walk. His face was flushed when he reached them.
“Well, it’s about time. We’ve been looking all over for a waiter.” Harriett took another bite of the apple. “I’d love a banana daiquiri, and my friend here would like a piña colada.”
Chertov ignored Harriett. “You’re trespassing on private property,” he told Jo. “How did you get through the gate?”
“I walked, just like everyone else,” Jo said.
“Well, it’s time to go.” He reached a hand out toward her. “Mr. Harding knows you’re here, and he wants a word with you.”
Jo glanced down at the man’s hand, and it paused in midair. “Didn’t you learn your lesson the other day?”
The hand that had been traveling toward her changed course and disappeared under the man’s jacket. When it emerged, it was holding a gun. “Start walking,” he ordered.
“Fuck you.” The whole scene struck Jo as ridiculous, and she refused to play along.
“It’s okay, Jo,” Harriett said. “I’d like to have a word with Mr. Harding, too, wouldn’t you? If nothing else, we should try to convince him to buy better art.”
Residents stepped out on their decks to watch as Harriett and Jo were marched back toward the Dunn mansion. Apparently, the people of Culling Pointe weren’t accustomed to having trespassers nabbed on their land. As Jo and Harriett approached the party, the guests all stopped to look. Only the children didn’t seem to care.
“There you are!” called a voice behind them. “I’ve been looking all over for you two. What’s going on here?”
“You know these women?” Chertov barked.
“Of course!” Claude exclaimed, as if Harriett and Jo were the guests of honor. “They’re here for the party. They’re both friends of Leonard.”
That little lie seemed to give the bodyguard pause. “They were trespassing on private property. Mr. Harding wants to see them.”
“What?Why?” Claude asked with a confused smile, as though nothing he’d said made any sense to her.
“It’s okay,” Harriett assured her. “We’re looking forward to meeting Mr. Harding, too.”
“Still, there’s no need for that.” Claude pointed daintily at the gun. “I’ll take the ladies up to meet Spencer right now.”
When Chertov hesitated, Claude pulled out her cell phone. “Would you like to check with the boss?” she asked. “I can ring him up, if you like.”
When the bodyguard seemed uncertain, Claude began to dial.
“Fine,” he barked. “Just tell Mr. Harding I delivered them.”
“Of course,” Claude replied, her voice saccharine sweet.
“Thanks,” Jo told her as the bodyguard stomped away.
