 |
| (In this dramatic reenactment, the bed represents the haunted mall and my cat is the pashmina hoarding ghost) |
Chapter Two - Waiting for Pegucy
Thirty-two minutes later, an anxious Joanne Miller paced before the grand entrance to Campbell’s department store awaiting Pegucy’s arrival. Caroline Graham had a clear view of Joanne from where she stood at her jewelery counter. Caroline didn’t know what Joanne was up to, but she could tell she was waiting for someone. Joanne was in her late thirties, though Caroline thought she looked much older wearing those conservative suits and that ever-present string of pearls; this new worried look on Joanne’s face did nothing to help that situation.
“She probably swims in those pearls,” Caroline grumbled to herself. It was only 8:50 am, and the store didn’t open for another seventy minutes. Caroline always came in early to wipe down the large oval glass case that held the finer jewelry Campbell’s sold. She wasn’t sure why Joanne was there this early, though. Normally, Joanne works the last shift, not the early one. Where was Carla?
All of the sudden, Joanne jumped to unlock the main glass doors and let in a wild looking woman. Caroline had never seen a woman like this before... short beehive hairdo, a pistachio green dress with a baby pink tulle underskirt, and enough cleavage and fish net to hook, plus masculine black military boots and stiletto nails- all while wheeling a vintage teal suitcase behind her.
Joanne and the mystery woman talked for a few minutes at the main doors, but try as hard as she could, Caroline couldn’t hear a word. She had polished the glass where she eavesdropped so well it was squeaking as the two women began walking her way.
“Hi there,” said the woman Caroline didn’t know.
“Oh, hello. New girl?” Caroline asked.
“This is Private Detective Pegucy Bundcardo,” said Joanne.
“Pegucy Bundcardo? Like Peg Bundy and Lucy Ricardo?” Caroline asked.
“I like to think it describes me fairly well,” Pegucy replied.
“So you gave yourself that name? It’s like, your detective name?” Caroline asked while smirking at Joanne and thinking to herself, Joanne hired a private tranny dick!
“Why are you asking me about my name? Aren’t you more curious to find out why a detective is here?” asked Pegucy.
“Oh, well. I’m not very smart, I guess,” Caroline replied, suddenly feeling defensive. “Why did you hire a private dic.. er, um, I mean... detective, Miss Miller?”
“Come on,” said Joanne, ignoring Caroline. “I’ll take you to security. They have the tape.”
Caroline watched them walk off past the Clinique counter towards security.
“Security footage?” Caroline spoke out loud to herself again, as she purposely inhaled Pegucy’s lingering scent. She didn’t know if Pegucy was a man or a woman, a detective or a lounge singer, but she knew she better be prepared the next time they met.
Stay tuned for Chapter Three, entitled...
'In Security' (duhduhdunnnn!)
No comments:
Post a Comment