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“I want to support this, I do,” Wendy assured him, “but the prices at those stores are nothing to laugh about.”
“I thought so, too,” Erik agreed, “that’s why I set up a line of credit with most of those stores. The tab’s name will be under W.E. Get nice things. Jewelry, shoes, purses, whatever you fancy.”
Wendy’s eyebrows flew up in surprise. “And who’s picking up that tab?” she asked as politely as she could.
“I am,” Erik replied nonchalantly.
“You don’t have that type of money!” she exclaimed.
Erik gave her an amused look, and Wendy quickly recounted.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I mean I’m sure you know your finances better than I?—”
“Wendy, it’s okay.” He chuckled, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve made a good living doing what I do. You’re not going to break my bank or get me in trouble. And if at the end of this, you don’t really want anything that you buy, all of those stores have a thirty-day return policy.”
Wendy relaxed a little as he told her about this, but she was still unsure. She’d never spent another adult’s money before−at least since being an adult herself.
“Are you sure about this?” she asked.
“Positive,” Erik assured her. “We’ve got to put a stop to all of this harassment, and if that means giving a good woman a shopping spree, then so be it.”
“But—”
“No buts.” Erik chuckled, “Seriously, don’t worry about it. Now, I should get going; the sun is going to be up soon. Cynthia, Tucker, and I will be by later tonight to hear all about it.”
* * *
Using Erik’s money was still an uncomfortable idea, but Wendy knew that it was all about catching Anita and bringing her down. So, when it was time to go into town, she drove straight to the Leavenworth Outlets, a place she’d never been before. She’d driven past the shopping center many times on her way to work but had never been inside. On her salary, there was no point.
As she pulled up to the parking garage, she was greeted by a valet.
“Good morning, madam,” he stated pleasantly, “will you need a ticket or do you have a tab?”
Remembering Erik’s code, she gave the valet the name, and he smiled back after a few keystrokes on his handheld device.
“Ah, yes, you’re all set,” he announced, printing out her ticket. “Please drive forward until you see the next valet. He should be standing by the double access doors, and he will park your car for you. Take this ticket with you inside, and when you’re ready to leave, just show it to the valet, and they will be happy to retrieve your vehicle.”
Wendy thanked him and immediately tucked the ticket into her purse, not wanting to forget it. As she continued to drive into the garage and saw the shiny rows of BMWs, Jaguars, and Mercedes, she felt a sense of discomfort. This wassonot her element. Quickly, she pulled out her phone and called Birgit.
“Hello?” Birgit asked, picking up on the first ring.
“Help,” Wendy whispered, even though she was alone in her car.
“What’s wrong? Is it Anita?” Birgit asked, immediately growing concerned.
“No, or at least not yet,” Wendy assured her. “But Erik sent me to the outlets today in hopes of bumping into her.”
Birgit let out a low whistle. “Fancy.”
“No kidding,” Wendy huffed. “Too fancy. I’m going to stick out like a sore thumb. I should have worn a better sweater.”
“I’m sure your sweater’s fine.” Birgit chuckled. “Look, just go in there with the same attitude you had when you were captain of the cheer squad, and you’ll blend right in.”
At this, the tension broke, and Wendy let out a laugh. She’d forgotten about her snobbier days as head cheerleader at Leavenworth High.
“That was different,” Wendy negated. “I worked hard for that title.”
“And you’re working hard to help us,” Birgit replied, “You deserve a little treat. Just trust Erik on this, okay? Think of what you did when you were captain. You embraced the persona of one. And when you became a nurse, you embraced the persona as a woman who saved lives. Embrace this role as a bougie bunny. Wear it well. And if Anita is around, she will come right to you.”
