The Joy of Revenge

Chapter 84

CHAPTER 84 Secret Wall
Joy
I had Cristos follow me home so I could pick up my overnight bag and leave my car. After locking up my house, we drove back into town.
Cristos dropped me off at my boutique while he went next door to do some grocery shopping. The boys at Old Man Eugene’s wanted some steaks and potatoes delivered for dinner. Through the storefront windows, I noticed my shop was clean, furnished, but empty. Noah and his crew must have already gone home.
I opened the door and dropped my heavy overnight bag on the floor, my eyes surverying the finished-project. I sighed happily.
This was my store.
I walked inside, my heels making a slight clickety clack sound against the polished hardwood. floors with my every step. The mirrors seemed to glow underneath the lights. The vintage furniture I had bought from Bismarck gave the shop an elegant appeal. All that was missing were the gowns, dresses, suits and apparel I was going to sell. I twirled around, reveling at a dream that could have been mine, if I wasn’t raped and brutalized.
While I was admiring myself in one of the mirrors, I suddenly heard voices. Odd. I tiptoed to the short hallway towards the back where my office, bathroom, storage room and fitting rooms were all located. The lights weren’t on in that particular area, so I squinted my eyes to see through the darkness.
I found Noah and Nicole standing in front of the wall that separated my space from Xavier’s warehouse. While Noah was still wearing what he wore this morning, Nicole was in a floral spaghetti strap mini dress and high heeled sandals, her hair in a ponytail in the back of her head. They were whispering to each other, oblivious to the fact that I was standing right behind them.
“Nicole, trust me,” Noah whispered. “I promise I’ll make it up to you. When all my plans push through, you and I will be together. Right now, all the pieces are starting to come together. Per
and Liam are at each other’s throats. It’s all going to happen soon.”
“Don’t give me that, Noah. Don’t play with me. I saw her the other night at your office. If it weren’t for her black hair-
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CHAPTER 84 Secret Wall
“Virtue, I have some
store.
croissants and coffee for you,
Cristos’ voice echoed throughout my Cristos’ voice echoed
I pursed my lips, frustrated at the sudden interruption. Thanks a lot, Cristos.
I quickly switched on the lights.
Nicole and Noah both turned to find me admiring the wall paper while Cristos stood behind me. I turned my head in their direction and jumped, pretending I was startled by them.

“Oh my gosh! I didn’t notice you guys were there!” I exclaimed.
“Virtue… Chip… uh hi! We were just about to leave,” Nicole lied. I noticed Noah’s face had. turned bright red from being caught off-guard.
“Noah, you did excellent work,” Cristos said, placing the food on the counter. “So when can I haye you back at the pub?”
I moved aside so Noah and Nicole could walk by Noah’s face was still a bit red while Nicole looked annoyed. I rolled my eyes at them. Of all the stu pid things they could do, they had to have a meeting here.
“About that, I was planning on going to the pub tonight to speak to you about postponing
the renovations at the pub. I was hired by Linda Jacobs to up the debris from the
funeral home and start construction right away. Chimes is the only funeral home we have in New Salem and now that it’s ash, I think it’s my civic duty to help build another one for the people of New Salem, Noah said, sounding like a politician.
“Seems like you want to run for mayor, Noah,” Cristos quipped. “Sure, I can postpone renovations on the pub. Just promise me when your schedule is free, you’ll come and finish
it.”
“I promise,” Noah said, extending his hand. Cristos grabbed it and shook it, sealing the deal. “Virtue, I’ll come by your house to drop off your bill. Come on, Nicole. We need to check that design you made for the new funeral home.”
“Bye guys,” Nicole said, lowering her head while tucking some errant strands of hair behind.
her ear.
Once the door closed, Cristos looked at me with a warning look. I shrugged my shoulders and walked over to the wall near the display area and pulled out the PVC sliding wall panel to block everyone’s view from the outside.
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CHAPTER 84 Secret Wall
“Maybe I should put bells on the door, so I know when it opens… Just like the pub,” I said. Cristos grimaced. It wasn’t something fashionable to install.
“Or you
could install a door chime just like Dom’s. Dom can install it for you,” Cristos said, before locking the door and pulling the sliding wall panel all the way before locking it.
I pulled out Big Man Lou’s trusty device and began scanning while Cristos sat down on the couch at the side of the store. Luckily, Noah and Nicole didn’t install anymore listening devices nor spy cameras. I completed a quick sweep in minutes, including my storage closet, office, fitting rooms and restroom.
“Clean, I announced, placing the gizmo back in my bag. “Sorry about that. They were staring at that wall. For a second, I thought they figured out our secret wall panel.”
“What did you overhear this time?” Cristos asked while he clicked away on his phone.
“Lover’s quarrel. Nicole said she saw a woman with black hair come by Noah’s office the other night,” I said. “She sounded jealous and skeptical.”
“Black hair? There’s only one woman that comes to mind when I hear black hair,” Cristos
said.
Suddenly, the wall panel opened and in came Xavier from his warehouse, carrying a huge box. After he was safely in the store, the wall quickly closed behind him. “Chip, some help please.”
“I’m wearing Armani,” Cristos said, not wanting to get his black suit dirty.
“Then get dressed into jeans and a shirt,” Xavier said, placing the huge box on the floor. “There are clothes in the office. So, what are you guys talking about?”
“Nicole saw a woman with black hair come by Noah’s office the other night,” I answer taking off my heels and putting on slippers. I walked over to Cristos and sat beside hi
“Sarah Hughes and Noah?” Xavier said, shocked. “I actually thought Sarah Hughes was
lesbian.”
“Well, she isn’t. She’s in love with Noah,” I said. “It was written all over her face when I her here, right in the middle of my shop, while she was sizing me up.”
“Virtue, every warm-blooded female in this town thinks you’re competition,” Xavier said. doesn’t matter if they’re as young as Marla or as old as Norma Martin.” He suddenly kicke
CHAPTER 84 Secret Wall
Cristos on the leg. “Chip, get you a ss up and change! There are more boxes out in the back. and Dom
doesn’t get here ’til later. After he takes Marla home, he’s meeting up with De Luca gas station.” When Cristos didn’t budge, Xavier kicked him on the leg again. “Chip!”
at the
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