The Joy of Revenge by Sheila
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, wha 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

"Hold on!" Cristos yelled back, still reading something on his phone. "It says here in an email that the McDowell residence will soon be on sale. I hacked into Linda Jacobs' account and the email was sent by Pete this morning before the funeral."

"I'll have Link buy the house and put up a practice here. It'll get us eyes in that exclusive residential area, Xavier said. "When does Big Man Lou move into Hillcrest?"

"This Friday," Cristos answered, still swiping away on his phone. "He's bringing in Dina to pose as his nosy wife." Dina was another one of Cristos' prized hackers. She hacked into the electric grid in Oregon two years ago when Xavier needed to pull one of our own out from police custody.

"Yes! Dina is coming," Xavier said enthusiastically. Whenever he needed assistance and Cristos wasn't available, she was his second choice. "Tell her once she gets into town to come to the grocery store. If Liam and Pete are going to push through with their deal, I want the lights out when I start shooting."

Cristos' phone kept pinging as he clicked and swiped. After news of Leo and Benny's

abduction spread throughout the members of the organization, everyone wanted in for some payback.

"I have some good news," Cristos said, smiling as he read his phone. "Veronica Ortiz has accepted Joy's payment and our terms. We're free to kill Pete McDowell without

accepts u

any interference from the Angels of Darkness."

Xavier laughed and kissed me on my forehead. I looked at the both of them puzzled. "Joy's payment?" I asked. "You, my dear, just paid the Godfather of the Angels of Darkness, Veronica Ortiz, two mi dollars to kill Pete McDowell. Her go signal means this is a sanctioned hit," Xavier said. doesn't matter where Pete is or where he hides. You can walk up to him sitting on a beac pull out a gun and shoot him in the head. The Angels of Darkness won't care."

That was good news.

"But we have to move fast. If Pete finds out there's a sanctioned hit on him, he'll hide and undergo drastic measures to change

his appearance," Cristos said, placing his phone in his pocket and standing up. "Let's pray he wants you so bad, he'll come back

CHAPTER 84 Secret Wall

were you, keep a weapon with you at all times. You did bring the small gun Bo gifted you, right?"

"Yep. I brought my NAA short. It's in my purse," I replied, standing up too. "I'm going to change. I'll see you guys back here in

five."

After removing my black dress, I dressed into denim shorts and a regular T-shirt. When I came out of my office, I found Cristos wearing ripped jeans and a ratty old shirt, sea ted. casually on the sofa, clicking away on a laptop.

Xavier, on the other hand, looked pi ssed as he walked up and down my boutique. He was on his phone, hissing at whoever he

was talking to.

"What the fuck do you mean it wasn't him?!"

I walked over to Cristos, nudged him and pointed at Xavier. He had a grim expression on his

face.

"Sam lost Pete. Virtue, I think you have to stay here for the night."

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