A tiny blonde girl rises from one of the couches, makes an exaggerated “I’m-so-nervous” face to her tiny blonde friend and then disappears behind the curtain. Sean and I walk up to the front. Up close I can see that Shark’s shirt is covered in tiny white bows, it looks like she’s wearing someone else’s shirt, like she scared the original owner right out of it.
“Yeah?” She’s staring at me, one eyebrow raised.
“Hi,” I say. Over her shoulder I can see into the other room. Sandrine Miller is leaning back on what looks like a dentist’s chair with her shirt pulled up, a guy with a blond crew cut is getting ready to pierce her nipple. A few feet away, a girl with bleached blonde dreadlocks tied in a knot on top of her head is applying a tattoo transfer onto the giant arm of a biker dude. The big biker dude’s eyes are squeezed shut and he’s biting his lower lip like he’s about to cry. Shark catches me looking and shoots me a nasty glare.
A guy pops his head out from behind the curtain. “Eden?” He reaches up and scratches his thick dark hair. “Did the fourteen-gauge needles come in with the last shipment?” He sounds scared.
“Should be in the back if Cedar put the order in.”
“I’ll just keep looking.”
“If she forgot to order them…” Shark aka Eden, shakes her head. “That girl’s time has just about run out.”
“We were really busy all week while you were away,” the guy says. He looks at Shark/Eden, who raises one eyebrow and you can practically see him shrink. “I should have reminded her.”
“Ron, just because she screwed you once doesn’t mean you have to take the blame for her. Stop being such a sucker. When you’re done with that client, you’re going to watch the front. I’m going to have to head over to Utopia to pick them up.”
He winces slightly, then disappears behind the curtain. She’s looking at us again.
“Hi.” I smile, but she doesn’t smile back.
“Are you eighteen?”
“I’m not here for a tattoo,” I say.
“Oh.” She crosses her arms like, “Well, why the hell are you here then?”
“I’m looking for my sister,” I say. “Her name is Nina Wrigley and I was wondering if she had ever come in here. It would have been a while ago, two years maybe, but maybe if I showed you a picture of her, you’d recognize her?”
Shark/Eden’s expression is completely unchanged, almost like she hasn’t heard me. She glances at Sean, then back at me.
“So,” I say. “Can I show you her picture? Maybe see if you remember her?”
A muscle twitches in her jaw, but she still doesn’t say anything. I take Nina’s photo out of my pocket, open it. I hold it out in front of Eden. “This is her.”
I watch Shark/Eden’s face. There are deep lines around her mouth and creases between her eyebrows, like she’s so sure that something is about to make her mad that she’s making the appropriate angry face in advance. But when her eyes focus on Nina’s picture, her face softens, just for a second. And then she quickly shakes her head. “Don’t know her,” Eden says. She shakes her head again. “Sorry.” She shrugs, she turns around and starts walking away, then she stops, turns back. “Please don’t stand here at the counter, this space is for customers.” And then she disappears behind the curtain.
“Fuck,” Sean whispers under his breath.
He starts walking toward the door, shaking his head. I just stand there frozen.
I look back at Shark/Eden and she’s watching us. Sean comes back, grabs my arm. “Let’s go,” he whispers. This doesn’t seem right. Something just isn’t right here.
Back out in the bright sunlight, I turn toward Sean.
“I think she’s lying,” I say.
Sean stops, his lips part slightly. He cocks his head.
“About her not knowing Nina, I mean.” As I hear myself say it, I become more sure. “I think she does.”
“Reeeeeally.” The word oozes slowly from Sean’s mouth, and by the time he’s done, he’s grinning. “What makes you say that?”
“This is going to sound crazy,” I say.
“All the best ideas do.”
“It was the expression that was on her face when she looked at Nina’s picture. Her face got softer, or something, and she smiled the tiniest bit just for a second, like she was a little bit amazed and a little bit amused and she wanted to take care of her…She was looking at the picture of Nina the way people always looked at Nina, the person. Which makes me think she actually knew her. Maybe even knew her well. But, then, why would she lie?”
I look up at Sean, but he’s not looking at me anymore.
“Was she trying to protect Nina from someone or something?” I bite my bottom lip. “That’s the only thing that…”
“So where do you want to get lunch then?” Sean says loudly. He puts his arm around my waist and pulls me close. Eden is passing right by us going fast up the hill. Sean keeps his arm around me until she’s gone.
“Maybe she’s just one of those people who likes to be in control,” Sean says softly. “Wants to be the one with all the power.”
“Fuck that,” I say. “I’m going back in there.” I turn around and start walking.
“To do what?” Sean calls out behind me.