The September Outcome

Chapter 17: Badinage

Audrey walked into Dede’s Hair and Beauty salon with an air of confidence and manner about her. The place was in the same state as it had been yesterday, busy and bursting with people. Audrey was surprised when the woman in the shop had said there was an available spot but accepted it anyhow.

 It was three forty nine and Audrey found a sofa by the door and sat in it as her appointment was not for another ten minutes or so. She sat there, waiting. Audrey hoped to snag some information today even if they were only snippets. Ingrid was in no way reluctant to talk about herself at the Anathema Ball so Audrey doubted she would be now. She was a lovely girl who just had an unfortunate boyfriend.

Audrey sat thinking about her husband. She worried for him and everything that was going on around them. Audrey explained to him about the disappearance of his father in law and Jackie and Eleanor. She could see that he felt terrible about Randall and neglecting him for so long. If his situation was like the chefs’ it meant that Randall couldn’t see Dwight nor vice versa.

 She still thought of the people who had intruded in her home. Who were they? Who could they have possibly been? No one knew about what they were doing because if they did Dwight would be lying with his throat cut in a gutter. Audrey grimaced at this thought. She was scared but thrilled.

 Audrey wondered why she had been so intent on discovering her husband’s meantime project. Had he no privacy? She thought he might still be resentful about her but doubted it. Dwight loved her, she knew that, but if anyone was resentful it was Donny Brooks. He seemed to have inextinguishable hatred for her that flared on. She may have broken up their man time but only for her own safety. Something told her that probably wasn’t enough of an excuse for Donny.

 Audrey’s train of thought was suddenly interrupted when Ingrid Bauer walked into the salon. Audrey stared at her from the chair she was sitting in. Ingrid was more beautiful than she remembered. Her face was tragically pale and her lips crimson red. Her hair was done up in a big bun that mounted the top of her head. A large brown fur coat covered her body and reached the caps of her knees. Her prettiness seemed to outshine the older women walking about. She looked around wonderingly.

 Audrey thought of how she would pull it off. She’d have to play it off surprisingly as if she hadn’t known Ingrid was going to be here. If Ingrid did find out about that then Audrey would most likely never see her again. Audrey took a breath and approached her.

‘‘Ingrid?’’

 She spun around and the coat followed after her. ‘‘Audrey? Well fancy that! I had no idea you got your hair done at Dede’s! That’s crazy, ja?’’

 ‘‘Oh yeah, completely crazy and coincidental,’’ Audrey lied. ‘‘What time are you in for?’’

 Ingrid looked at her watch. ‘’Four. You?’’

 Audrey gave a pretentious chuckle and smiled. ‘‘Funny that because I am also in for four! The odds of that are….well one in a million.’’

 Ingrid nodded and the lady Audrey had met yesterday approached them with a grin on her face. ‘‘Mrs. Mathers and Ms. Bauer right this way. I did as you asked-’’

 Audrey immediately knew where this was going and acted quickly. ‘‘No!’’, she yelled at the top of her voice. Everyone in the room looked over at her even the women with tin foil hats on their hair. Audrey explained herself.

  ‘‘What I mean by that is that I would like to get on with my appointment at quickly as possible.’’ She invented that on the spot. She felt a bit rude for saying it. ‘‘So let’s get moving, yes?’’

 The woman gave her a strange look and turned around. ‘‘Right this way ladies.’’ The woman walked towards two chairs and pointed at them. Ingrid threw off the coat and sat down. Audrey sat down in her chair and smiled at Ingrid.