Captivated

Chapter Twelve

The drive was quiet as Nadia took me to the next town over, in the oposit direction of the city. I had half expected to have an escort or some kind of driver like there had been last night but to my surprise Nadia and I were by ourselves. I was beginning to get the impression that she was very capable of handling herself. Before we left to get in the car she had stopped in a back room on the main floor near the rear of the building. It looked like an armory, the kind you would see in a movie or at a cop shop. The walls stretched for a long time covered in different types of wepons and body armor, it made my stomach lurch nervously. She picked up an assault rifle stringing it over her shoulder and a handgun with matching holster. After strapping it to her lithe frame and pulling an intricate leather jacket over top she carried the rifle to the car with me bringing up the rear. She hid the rifle in the back of the vehicle and then motioned for me to climb into the passenger seat.

We passed another set of lights and a few small businesses, a park and a small school as we drove in silence. Nadia had tried to make small talk but gave up shortly after we started out. The drive had taken us about an hour. "Where are we?" I asked as I let my eyes wander over the cute little quirks of this town. Intricate black lamp posts stood on every corner, the kind with orinate copper inlays.

"Lockwood" Nadia said with a smile; "it's not very big and most people don't even know it exists. Only locals and people who grew up here"

"How did you come to know it so well?" I asked watching as she navigated the streets with little effort at all, like she'd driven these roads a million times.

"Cameron" she answered difinitively.

"I don't understand"

"He was born and raised in this town. When we first met he often brought me up here to shop and get away from the hustle and bustle of the manor" she smiled to herself as we pulled up to a small building just off the main street. Outside was a large sign that read 'Lockwood Tailors'  it was adorned with a needle and thread carving.

I stepped out onto the street waiting beside my door as Nadia gathered her purse and walked around to me. I followed her through the door as a small bell announced our arrival. The store was small with a counter, an array of fabrics, a few outfits on manikins and a couple raised circular platforms scattered about. Sets of three angled mirrors were arranged around the various raised platforms that people were meant look at themselves in.

A small group of women stood on one of them getting a wedding dress taken in as they talked quietly with the seamstress. I stood with Nadia at the counter waiting for someone to come greet us. "Hadley!" The seamstress called out as she continued to work on the wedding dress, not once looking up.

A young woman came from the back, her hair tied up in a messy blonde bun. She was in a professional little outfit; a button down dress shirt, pencil skirt and matching blazer. A pin cushion was on her wrist with varying sizes of clips and pins shoved in it. "Good Morning Nadia" Hadley said with a knowing smile, clearly these two women have met many times before. It vagely made me wonder what things Nadia knew about Cameron, the secrets this woman must know. "Who is this?" She asked motioning to me with a sweet smile.

"Annabelle this is Hadley. Seamstress by trade and a very talented one to" she said winking at her. Hadley blushed a bright pink pretending she didn't hear Nadia and turned her attention to me.

"It's very nice to meet you Annabelle." Her smile was very sweet, she looked to be in her early thirties and very polished. "What can I do for you ladies today?"

"Annabelle here needs to be fitted, and sized.  Also Mr. Black said he called an order in this morning for some things to be worked on and then shipped to him as usual. We could probably do to have some more aprons made for the staff and maybe some more uniforms as well" Nadia said with a smile.