Red(9)
Felicity tried to concentrate on reading Macbeth for her English assignment while the dye set, but it was hard to focus with so much on her mind. There was also something very disconcerting about reading the “Out, damned spot!” scene while her hair was drenched in blood-colored liquid. Eventually she just closed her eyes and listened to Rose’s radio, which informed her that Ruby Johansen, Scarletville’s fiftieth redheaded baby of the year, had just been delivered. Rose did little chores around the studio until the timer on the dryer went off, then led Felicity to the sink and started scrubbing out the dye.
“Rose?” Felicity asked timidly. Now that she couldn’t see her stylist’s face, it was easier to say things that might sound accusatory.
“Yes, honey?”
“I don’t want you to think I don’t trust you or anything, so please don’t take this the wrong way. But you would never tell anyone whose hair you dye, right?”
Rose’s fingers stopped moving against her head. “Of course not, Felicity. You know that. I signed a contract with your mom when you were just a little kid. I would never violate client confidentiality.”
“I mean, I didn’t think you would. I know you’re a professional and everything. But there’s no way that someone could accidentally find out who comes here, is there?”
Rose sighed. “I know you’re nervous because of the pageant, but you don’t need to worry, okay? Your hair looks so natural. If I didn’t color it myself, I’d think it was real.”
“Okay. You’re probably right.” Felicity started to relax a little as Rose resumed scrubbing at her scalp with strong, competent fingers. They were both careful. Nobody was going to unearth her secret.
When Felicity’s hair was clean and conditioned, Rose spritzed it with sandalwood oil to hide the smell of the chemicals and blew it dry. She carefully inspected Felicity’s hairline for runaway flecks of dye, then removed her smock and gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze to show there were no hard feelings. “Good to see you,” she said. “I’ll email your mom the bill for today. Congratulations, and don’t stress, okay? You look beautiful. I’ll see you in two weeks, and we’ll recolor all the way to the ends.”
“Okay.” Felicity gave her roots a quick check in the mirror. They looked bright and coppery and natural. She smiled at Rose. “Thanks a lot. I’ll see you soon.”
She boarded the down elevator and rode it to the second floor, where it opened onto a small room made up with mops and brooms and a large corroded sink. The only way it differed from a normal supply closet was that under a sliding section of dirty wall tiles, there was a concealed screen showing video feed from two security cameras in the hall. Felicity saw three men in suits passing by, and she waited in the closet until they were out of sight.
Just as she pushed the door open to leave, her sunglasses slipped off the top of her head and clattered to the floor. She ducked back into the closet to retrieve them, and that was when she noticed something on the monitor that she hadn’t seen before.
There was someone else lurking in the shadows near the stairwell.
Felicity frantically pulled the door closed again, swearing under her breath as it made a louder click than she’d expected. How could she have been so careless? Even as a preschooler, she had known the rule about the video monitor: check twice, sneak once. The door was only open for a second, she told herself. They probably didn’t see you. Just wait here for a minute, and whoever it is will go away.
But the person didn’t leave. Felicity stared hard at the grainy footage, trying to figure out who it was, but all she could tell for sure was that it was a dark-haired girl. For ten agonizing minutes, as she paced around the tiny closet and tried to calm her racing heart, the mystery lurker stayed right where she was. It almost looked like she was watching the closet door, waiting patiently for Felicity to emerge.
Finally, just when Felicity thought she couldn’t take one more minute, the girl pushed open the door to the stairwell and disappeared.
Sweaty and shaking, Felicity slipped out of the closet and hurried out of the Jefferson Building as fast as her legs could carry her. She was still trembling all over by the time she reached her car. She tried to believe there was no reason to be afraid; someone could have been lurking in the hallway for any number of reasons. Maybe she was waiting for a friend. Maybe she was looking something up on her phone. Why assume the worst?
Still, Felicity couldn’t help feeling as if the mystery girl had been trying to catch her in the act of emerging from the closet. And if someone knew she would be in the supply closet of the Jefferson Building after school today, that person probably knew why.
3
TUESDAY, MAY 4
When Felicity arrived at Scarletville High the next day, she ducked her head and hurried inside as if she were fleeing from the paparazzi. Her experience at the salon yesterday had spooked her. She told herself it was just a coincidence and that nobody was following her, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.
She slowed when she saw a brown-haired boy leaning against her locker. Though she couldn’t tell who it was from the back, he couldn’t be a friend of hers—Felicity didn’t have any brown-haired friends. Perhaps he just wanted to congratulate her on the pageant. She wasn’t in the mood for gushing this morning, but she remembered Haylie’s comment about doing her civic duty. So she put on her best magnanimous smile and approached.