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Chapter 3
Gia thought for sure she’d be up all night long after her panic attack over her purse. Instead she found herself sleeping so soundly she almost missed Roger’s text message. Thankfully he wasn’t asking her to meet him anytime soon. She had time to shower, dress, and catch a bus.
For someone like Roger, a car might make sense. Odds were the police weren’t going to ticket his luxury vehicle. But she wouldn’t be able to pay the fines associated with illegal parking. And a parking garage was too costly. By the end of the day, she’d be working strictly to pay for a car. That made no sense to her. Besides, the public transit system got her everyplace she needed to go. Hopefully, whatever she was going to be doing for Roger would be on their routes as well.
She had no clue why Roger was willing to take her on, not knowing how long she was going to be able to work for him. He didn’t strike her as someone who’d risk being left in a lurch. Then again, what did he know about her in the first place? Everything she told him could’ve been a lie. It wasn’t, but how would he know that?
Gia wasn’t sure who was being more foolish: Roger for hiring her or her for agreeing to his offer. She knew if it seemed too good to be true, it probably was. And then the whole thing about claiming her as a date if they were caught out in public, that was just . . . a strange request.
He was rich and attractive. There was no way anyone was going to believe he was on a date with her. She didn’t consider herself ugly, but she pictured him with someone who pampered herself with expensive salons and pricey clothes. If she didn’t find it on a clearance rack, you better believe she found it at a consignment shop. Paying full price, never mind a high price, wasn’t in her DNA.
Gia grew up in a large family of five older siblings and one younger. Her parents taught her the value of a penny. She didn’t toss them aside, they added up, and sometimes that jar of coins was all they had to buy milk and bread. Even though both her parents had worked, it seemed one of the kids always needed something that hadn’t been in the budget.
That’s why she had to make this happen. Going back home was an option, and her parents said the door was always open, but they had sacrificed enough. It wasn’t fair to them to be a burden, not at her age. Knowing she had their support was good enough. It had to be.
Since she had no idea what kind of work she was going to be doing—it could be cleaning his house for all she knew—she was going to dress business casual. Like the day they first met, or made contact through the puddle, she opted for a dress and sandals. The weatherman said it was going to be a clear and sunny day. However, in New England the weather changed in the blink of an eye.
Believing she was dressed for almost anything, Gia headed to the café that Roger asked to meet at. She wasn’t a coffee drinker, and this place was known for their espresso. Hopefully they also served hot tea.
When she got off the bus, she knew Roger was already there. That black sleek beast was parked directly in front, but as she walked closer, she noticed he was sitting inside. He was on his cell phone, and the way he slapped his steering wheel, things weren’t going the way he wanted. He’d made it clear he wasn’t all that . . . nice. Was this a more accurate view of who he really was?
What did she know about him, except he was somehow linked with the Hendersons? That had been made clear when he called Lena and used her first name without any introduction. That was the only reference he’d come with.
It wasn’t as though she personally knew any of the Hendersons, but there was no way you lived or worked in Boston and didn’t know of them. Several families were that rich and powerful. Hendersons and Barringtons were two of the top ten. And Roger says he’s going to get my résumé in their hands.
She hadn’t forgotten that and had a copy prepared and with her. Hopefully his word was worth as much as his car.
Standing outside while he chewed out whomever he was talking to didn’t make any sense. So she went inside and ordered a black leaf tea with honey. She was about to pay when she noticed orange pecan scones drizzled with a sugar glaze. Having one heated and added to her bill, she grabbed them both and took a seat beside the window. It provided her a great view of him sitting in his car.
From the scowl on his face, it didn’t look as though he was going to be entering the café any time soon. Even if he blew her off, it wasn’t a total loss. The scone was delicious.
A man she didn’t know came over and asked, “Is this seat taken?”
Gia looked up and said, “I’m . . . waiting for someone.”
“Why don’t I keep you company in case they don’t show.”
Roger’s deep voice said, “Take a hint. She’s not interested.” The guy turned around and was about to utter something else, but for some reason, he clamped his mouth shut and walked away.
Smart man.She wished it had something to do with her, but she knew it was the look in Roger’s eyes. There was something menacing, and only a fool would push to find out how far he’d go. She wasn’t about to flatter herself and think he was jealous that another man was showing interest. Although his tone was one of a jealous boyfriend, she knew Roger had been pissed off before he entered the building. So she bit back any sarcastic teasing as the timing was off. The last thing she wanted was to add to what already seemed to be a bad day.
Gia let it drop. “I don’t know how you take your coffee or I’d have gotten you one.”
“I’m good, but normally, strong and black,” he said as he took a seat. “I had a few things to take care of.”
Yes you did.She hoped she’d never feel his wrath. “It gave me a chance to have a bite to eat.”
“I guess we can get started.” He reached inside his pocket, pulled out a photo, and handed it to her. “What do you know about photography?”
She looked at the black and white picture. “That it has changed a lot since this was taken.” She continued to hold onto it as she asked, “Who are they?”
“I don’t know.”
“I guess the first thing would be find out when and where it was taken. That might help you find out who they are,” Gia stated.
“Anything else to add?” Roger asked.
“What do you have to go on besides the photo?” Gia loved a mystery, but this might be more than she was prepared for. Usually she would be looking through documents and files to find an inconsistency.
