Page 64 of Bullet
I tuck my phone back into my pocket and leave the storage room. Tara looks up as I step onto the floor.
“Hey, how’s it going back there?” she asks.
“I think better than it is out here.”
She’s got books stacked so high around her as she checks them in that it’s almost hard to see her.
She laughs. “I love new shipment day.”
“So I hope it’s okay, but she is going to stop by.”
I don’t even have to explain who she is. Tara goes from playful to serious.
“Are you sure you want to do this? I’m sure the guys will understand if you can’t do it.”
Before she even finishes her sentence, I shake my head. “No, I got this,” I say, sounding more confident than I really feel.
“Well, I’m here if you need me.”
“Let me know when she arrives?”
“You got it.”
I head back into the storage room and begin unpacking boxes. Every time the bell rings above the door, my breath catches.
Is that her?
Thirty minutes later, Tara comes back.
“Hey, Harlee, you have a visitor,” Tara says lightly.
My heart races as I smile. “Hey, you made it!”
Adalyn smiles. “I did.” She looks over at Tara. “I hope it’s okay I’m here.”
Tara waves away her concern. “You’re fine. Any friend of Harlee’s is a friend of mine. Make yourself at home. I’ll be out front if you need me.”
“I know you said you didn’t want anything, but I grabbed you a strawberry banana smoothie. I hope that’s okay,” Adalyn says as she holds it out to me.
“Oh, thank you.”
She steps forward to hand it to me, and I see my opening.
“Oh, let me get that.” I reach up and touch her hair, pulling a few strands.
Wincing, I lie through my teeth. “Sorry about that. You had a bug in your hair, and I didn’t realize your hair got caught on my ring.”
“Oh my god, how embarrassing,” she says, sounding completely appalled.
“If you want, there’s a bathroom through there,” I say, pointing toward the door.
Without giving it a second thought, she sets the drinks down and rushes toward the bathroom. When the door shuts behind her, I walk over to my bag. Very carefully, I pull out a Ziploc bag that Bullet placed in there this morning and place the hair inside.
My heart races as I shove it back into my purse. I take a deep breath and try to calm myself.
Who knew stealing somebody’s hair could be so stressful?
A few minutes later, Adalyn comes out of the restroom.
