Body Work by Fiona Brand

Author:Fiona Brand
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2013-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

Seventeen

The sun slid over the jagged montage of city buildings and the distant line of masts that marked the snaking contours of the Lassiter River as Jane walked into a twenty-four-hour service station. Fifteen minutes later, she’d freshened up, established that she was color coordinated in a hot pink tank, and navy pants and scarf, bought coffee and a stale sandwich, and found a phone booth that still had a directory in it. While she ate and sipped the coffee, she checked through the listings of rental car agencies. When she had finished her breakfast, she tossed the crumpled cup and wrapper in a nearby bin, and strolled up the sidewalk, looking for a taxi.

It was 7:30 in the morning. She had at least an hour to kill before any of the rental agencies opened. On impulse, she walked into the park. A jogger ran past, and then another. An elderly woman strolled by with a big, friendly golden retriever ambling at her side. Further along, on a grassy bluff above the river, an early morning aerobics class was in session.

She unwound the scarf from her hair, spread it out on a flat area and sat down. Automatically, she began to run through a series of stretching exercises, working her muscles until the stiffness in her lower back and thighs began to ease; then she moved on to more precise sets of exercises, working individual muscle groups until her skin was flushed with heat. It had been days since she’d worked out properly, and she couldn’t do her normal routine here. For that she needed weights, a gym and a pool, but in the meantime she could enjoy the morning and reflect on the fact that, finally, she had applied her intellect to the stalker problem.

Just after nine, she climbed out of a taxi and paused on the sidewalk in front of a rental agency. Sliding her phone out of her bag, she called the rental company she’d hired the SUV from and asked them to collect the vehicle from the motel. She hadn’t left anything in it, and it was clean. They would charge her for the pick-up, but if she wanted to remain incognito for the day, it would be worth it.

As she slipped the phone back in her bag and stepped inside the agency, it rang. She checked the “Private Caller” message flashing on the screen. Her stomach did a familiar somersault, then knotted up, making her feel sick. Gritting her teeth, she reminded herself that this was Groucho she was dealing with, not Carlos, “The Jackal,” picked up the call and lifted the phone to her ear. “Piss off.”

She thumbed the disconnect button and shoved the phone back in her bag, satisfaction easing her tension. That should fix his male fantasy.

An attendant cleared his throat.

Jane lifted her head, still glaring. “I want to rent a vehicle.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He ducked down and pulled a book from beneath the counter, and Jane hid a grin. If that was what it took to get some respect, maybe she would do it more often.

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