Chapter 27 Blood

Jamie's POV

We pull up to Sunny Day Trendz and before I can open the door and hop out, I'm pulled across the front seat and pulled up tight against a strong chest with steely arms wrapped around me as he presses his firm, demanding lips on mine.

I sigh in happiness as I let Wes kiss me senseless. I want to stay right here forever and let him devour me with his lips and tongue. *This boy really knows how to kiss!* I kiss him back just as fiercely letting him know I need him too.

Reluctantly he pulls away with that silly little pout on his lips. "I'll be here when you get off," he states.

"Thanks Wes. I'll see ya later, then," I giggle as he nuzzles my neck before releasing me. *I miss the warmth of his arms immediately.*

I hop out of the truck and practically skip into the boutique. Then I come to a stop as Edith paces back and forth wringing her hands. *Something is wrong.*

"Dee, what's wrong?" I ask. I look around trying to figure out what has set her off. I see lots of milling customers and Rick is in his office closing a door with another man, presumably for some sort of meeting.

"Jamie! Ashlyn is still sick and I haven't been able to get a hold of her. I've been calling all day!" She says in a hushed voice. She looks really freaked out right now. I can see tears in her eyes from stress.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Maybe she's just sleeping and she has the flu or something?" I try to reassure her, squeezing her arm gently.

Dee nods her head distractedly, pulling out her phone and checking for messages before stuffing it back into her pocket.

A pretty girl with black hair and dark brown Asian eyes and pretty caramel skin approaches me with a smile.

"Hi, you must be Jamie. I'm Judy. It's nice to meet you," she chirps, holding out her hand for mine. I shake it with a smile.

"Hi Judy. Glad to meet ya," I smile back.

Both of us look at Edith with sympathy, but she doesn't acknowledge us. She just continues to check her phone.

"She'll be okay," Judy whispers to me.

I nod my head, hoping it's the truth.

For the next few hours we are super busy. I like getting to work with Judy and Dee, even though she is distracted. We all seem to work well together and keep up with the customers, and then Crew saunters into the shop.

He comes up to me giving me a sheepish smile. "Hey Jamie," he says looking across the sales floor. He swallows hard as he looks back at me with guilt heavy in his eyes.

"Hey Crew. Is there something I can do for you?" I ask in my most professional voice. I'm at work and I don't want to get in trouble for talking to him. Especially after what happened with Neo yesterday.

I do notice a few girls glaring at me for talking to Crew. *I don't know why.* I'm not interested in Crew, and *he is the one who approached me!*

"Yeah, can you tell Wes I'm sorry? I've been trying to talk to him, but he's shut me out. I really didn't mean to be an ass... We didn't know..." He sighs looking upset. "You were new and we just... uh..."

"Well, I can tell him, but you should really talk to him. He has been really upset," I state. "You guys spread that picture around and now he's getting girls who want to drag him off to bed because you guys started talking 'bout me!"

"I know! We... we didn't know he was *actually* into you. We thought... We just saw..." he clears his throat looking uncomfortable now.

I fold my arms over my chest and give him a look. I know what he saw *and it should've never been seen!* It was private! Now everyone thinks I'm slut out for anyone with a male body part!

"You thought what?" I demand.

"Jamie. I'm sorry. We didn't know you were... uh..*. actually looking for an actual relationship*. We just thought you were like the other girls Wes has been with..." He says, looking sheepish.

Yes, I figured Wes had been with other girls. You can't be that good without practice, but it's still upsetting to hear. But it doesn't matter right now. It's all in the past.

"I guess I can forgive you for your assumption that I'm... *whatever the hell it is you thought I am,* but you'd better make right with Wes." I state.

"I will! I promise! We didn't know what would happen if we shared the picture. We didn't know it would hurt you so much," he tries to explain. "And in the process, *it hurt him too."*

I huff. "Fine. But next time use your brain to do the thinking, not what's under the belt!"

He nods emphatically. "Thank you, Jamie. I'll make it right!"

Then he heads off to the men's section. I don't pay attention to him anymore as Neo enters the store once again and joins his buddy. Seriously, how much do they come here?

Hours later its time to finally close up. I'm tired and stressed, and completely ready to go home and cuddle with Wes. All the customers have left, along with Rick who'd been busy in meetings for hours.

I rush into the break room and scream, coming to a halt. My head spins and confusion clouds my mind. *What is this and how the hell did it get in here?* Nothing is making any sense to me right now!

Moments later Dee and Judy are right behind me, and just like me screamed at what we found. *It must be a natural reaction... But this wasn't natural!*

In the middle of the break room is a mannequin dripping in a red liquid. It is dressed just like Ash had been yesterday... I thought Rick would've changed it’s clothes this morning... I guess he was still busy.

But that wasn't the most disturbing thing.

It was holding a cardboard sign. The writing was all cutouts from magazines and old papers, making it look choppy.

With tears dripping down my face I read it aloud.

*"What has multiple colors and takes less than a minute to leave home and return back to start? What can save a life or take it away? And the human body produces 17 million per second?*" My voice is quiet and shaky by the last word.

My stomach turns at the cryptic message. What the hell is this all about? My mind still can't figure out the stupid riddle.

"The answer is blood," Judy whispers, just as shaky.

I think about it, but then I'm confused. *"Blood has more than one color?*" I don't know why my mind got caught on that fact and did not reach for my phone to call the cops.

"Well, yes. The human body has both red and white blood cells. Also, crabs have blue blood and worms and leeches have green blood, and invertebrates can have clear or yellowish blood," she explains.

I must be in shock because my mind is focusing on *that* and not the bloody mannequin standing in front of us.

"Forget colorful blood, dammit! We need to call the cops!" Dee demands.

I just nod, still confused and I call the police. My mind is numb as I make the call and answer the operators questions. I can't seem to function right now.

A few minutes later red and blue lights flash in front of the store. They talked to me for a few minutes before they let me go.

Outside the store Wes is waiting impatiently for me. He runs to me the moment he sees me. "Baby, what's going on? What happened?" he demands, pulling me in for a comforting hug. I really need this right now.

I can't say anything, so I just pull out my phone and open up the picture I took and hand it over to him.

"Damn!"

*Yep. That about sums it up.*