Treated and Dyed (A Bekki the Beautician Cozy Mystery Book 13) Read online

  Treated and Dyed

  A Bekki the Beautician Cozy Mystery

  Cindy Bell

  Copyright © 2015 Cindy Bell

  All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and locations portrayed in this book and the names herein are fictitious. Any similarity to or identification with the locations, names, characters or history of any person, product or entity is entirely coincidental and unintentional.

  All trademarks and brands referred to in this book are for illustrative purposes only, are the property of their respective owners and not affiliated with this publication in any way. Any trademarks are being used without permission, and the publication of the trademark is not authorized by, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owner.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  From the Author

  About the Author

  More Books by Cindy Bell

  Chapter One

  The rush of the water splashing into the sink relaxed Bekki even further. She was rinsing all of the sinks prior to her first customer of the day. There were many appointments scheduled, and she was the only one working in the salon. Sammy had taken a well-deserved day off that Bekki hoped she was enjoying immensely. Although Bekki enjoyed working with her best friend, there was something special about being alone in the salon for her. She felt at home surrounded by the business that she had grown up in.

  Bekki’s mother had run the salon before handing it over to Bekki. Many afternoons of Bekki's childhood were spent doing homework at the front desk or sweeping the salon. Perhaps that was why she had grown up with such a fascination for beauty. Not just the societal standard of beauty, but true beauty, the kind that comes in all shapes, colors, and textures.

  Bekki was looking forward to her first client of the day, Mrs. Stella Black. Stella insisted on getting her hair cut and styled only by Bekki. She was booked in today for her usual haircut and style as well as a deep conditioning treatment and dye. She liked to brag to her friends that she had a celebrity hair stylist. At one time she would have been right, as for a few years Bekki had worked in New York City as a stylist. Her reputation built quickly and she had worked with many celebrities. Stella was a celebrity herself, as one of the wealthiest women in Harroway. She owned several of the shops on the main strip.

  Bekki checked her watch and saw that it was near opening time. She walked towards the front of the salon and flipped the sign on the door to open. She unlocked the door and walked towards the coffee maker when she heard the door swing open. She turned to find Stella blustering into the salon. Stella was a tiny woman. She defined petite by barely making it over five feet tall, and very likely weighing under one hundred pounds. Despite her delicate appearance, she was a force to be reckoned with and everyone in Harroway knew it.

  “Hi, Mrs. Black,” Bekki said cheerfully as the woman headed straight for the hairdressing chairs.

  “Oh Bekki, I've been looking forward to this all morning,” Stella said. She settled into the thick cushion of the chair. Bekki smiled as she reclined the seat and extended the footrest so that Stella could relax.

  “It's been over a month since I've seen you,” Bekki said. She checked the bounce of the woman's curls. “Have you been busy?”

  “I'm always busy,” Stella said. Her thin shoulders slumped as she sighed. “Everyone goes on and on about how being wealthy gives you an easy life. Lately, Bekki, I feel as if I am running in circles. Everyone wants a free ride, and they think I'm their ticket.”

  “I'm sorry that you're going through so much stress,” Bekki said. She rubbed her palms lightly over the woman's shoulders. “With success comes pressure.”

  “So true!” Stella exclaimed. She fished in her gold clutch purse and withdrew one of her favorite candies. Bekki knew they were her favorite because she had never seen Stella without the candies. “Would you like one, Bekki?” Stella offered and fished in her purse for another.

  “Oh, no thank you, Mrs. Black,” Bekki said. “The powder tickles my throat.”

  “You're missing out,” Stella announced. “They are such a nice treat,” she added as she popped the candy into her mouth and offered a quiet purr of approval.

  “I know I am,” Bekki agreed. She smiled at the woman through the mirror. “So, what has you so stressed?” she asked. Bekki began carefully combing through the woman's curls. The strands of hair that ran through the teeth of the comb were honey blonde with a smattering of silver. It made Stella's hair seem as if it sparkled. Bekki thought it was appropriate for such a wealthy woman to have hair that reminded her of silver and gold.

  “Every time I turn around someone is wanting a discount, or a handout,” Stella explained. She rolled her eyes. “It's not as if I'm not generous. I donate to all of the local charities, and global ones as well. I made sure the school had all of its new books, and I even funded the policeman's ball.”

  “You are quite generous,” Bekki said. She tilted the chair upward again in preparation for moving Stella to the shampooing section of the salon.

  “People always want more,” Stella said. Her words were interrupted by a slight cough. “You might have been right about that powder, Bekki.”

  “It gets me every time,” Bekki admitted. “Are you looking for a new style today?”

  “No, I don't think so,” Stella said. Her voice was scratchy as she coughed again.

  “Would you like some water?” Bekki offered.

  “Yes, please dear,” Stella said. Bekki walked over to the water cooler and grabbed a small paper cup. She filled it with the cool water and then walked back over to Stella. Stella had stopped coughing and she looked a little more comfortable.

  “Here you go,” Bekki said and handed her the cup.

  “Thank you,” Stella said as she took the cup from Bekki. She sipped it delicately.

  “Excuse me one moment, Mrs. Black, your favorite shampoo with the mango scent is in the back. I'm just going to grab it. You relax.”

  Stella nodded as she finished her cup of water. Bekki stepped into the storage room. She sorted through the shampoo stocked in the storeroom until she found the mango scented one. She grabbed the bottle and stepped back into the salon. Stella appeared to be very relaxed.

  “Mrs. Black, did you fall asleep?” Bekki asked. She walked over to her. The closer she came to the chair the more she noticed how slumped down Stella was. “Mrs. Black?” she asked. She reached out to lightly touch the woman's shoulder.

  The paper cup that she had been holding in her hand tumbled out of her grasp. It struck the floor with a soft bounce. Bekki froze where she stood. At first she wasn't able to process what she was seeing. Stella was staring right at her, but her eyes were glassy and devoid of recognition.

  “Stella?” Bekki asked. Her voice was weak as she tried to force it past her lips. “Stella?”

  She placed two trembling fingertips on the curve of Stella's throat. Her skin was paper thin and warm but there was no sign of a pulse. Bekki grabbed for the phone closest to her which happened to be the exte
nsion beside the sinks. She dialed 9-1-1 with one hand while she felt for any sign of breath beneath Stella's nostrils with her other hand.

  “9-1-1, what is your emergency?” a tinny voice on the phone asked.

  “One of my customers isn't breathing,” Bekki rushed out. She gave the address. “It's Stella Black,” she added. She heard a quiet gasp on the other end of the phone.

  Bekki could tell that there was no hope for Stella, but she followed the operator's instructions and performed CPR on Stella while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Bekki could hear the sirens screaming at a distance as it approached the salon.

  “The ambulance should be there now,” the operator said.

  “Yes, they are here, thank you,” Bekki said. She hung up the phone as the paramedics rushed inside. Bekki slid back along the floor out of their way. When one of the paramedic's thick boots came down on the paper cup, crushing it into the floor, Bekki's tears burst forth. After a few minutes the paramedic shook his head.

  “What happened?” Bekki asked in a shaky voice. Her heart was still pounding heavily.

  “With her age, probably a heart attack,” the man said. He looked at her with sympathy. “It could have happened anywhere at any time.”

  Bekki nodded. She couldn't bring herself to speak. A box of tissues sat near the bottle of shampoo that she had placed on the counter. She grabbed a tissue and used it to wipe away her tears. As the paramedics wheeled the gurney out of the salon, Bekki followed solemnly after them. She stood outside the salon, still in shock, as the ambulance pulled away.

  Bekki didn't notice the two women walking towards her along the sidewalk until they had stopped to stand beside her.

  “What happened?” one of the women asked. Bekki recognized her as the woman who ran the new pet grooming shop at the end of the main street.

  “Stella Black just passed away,” Bekki said softly.

  “Stella Black?” the woman repeated. Her voice was high-pitched with shock. “How terrible. She's been such an important part of this community for so long. She's like our own royalty.”

  “That's so sad, she was in her seventies, wasn't she?” the other woman asked. Bekki glanced over at her and found that she was one of the waitresses from the local diner.

  “I believe so,” Bekki said. “One minute she was fine, the next she was gone.”

  “A heart attack?” the first woman asked. Bekki suddenly remembered her name.

  “Yes, Julie,” Bekki nodded. “The paramedics think so.”

  “What a shame,” the second woman said as she looked over at Julie. “I guess it was just her time. Now, there is only her daughter, Jodie, left.”

  Bekki nodded vaguely. Stella wasn’t exactly a spring chicken but Jodie would be heartbroken. “Are you okay?” Julie asked. She looked at Bekki with kindness. “It must have been shocking for you.”

  “Yes, it was a shock but I’m okay,” Bekki nodded. “I should get back inside,” she turned away from the two women.

  As Bekki made her way back into the salon she was still in a daze. She stared at the empty seat that Stella had just been in. She noticed that her purse was still resting on the floor beside it. She wasn’t sure what to do with it.

  Bekki knew that her mother would want to know about Stella's death as they had been friendly for many years. Stella now owned the convenience store that Bekki's father had owned and run for several years. She grabbed her cell phone from the front desk and called her mother's number.

  “Bekki, what a nice treat,” Marie said when she answered the phone. “I don't usually get to hear from you first thing in the morning.”

  “Mama, it's not good news,” Bekki said.

  “Bekki?” Marie asked. “What's wrong? What's happened? Is it Nick?”

  “No, it's not Nick,” Bekki said.

  “Then, what is it darling?”

  “Stella Black just died in the salon,” Bekki said. Her words were jumbled by her emotions.

  “What?” Marie asked. “Bekki, are you serious?”

  “Yes, I am. The ambulance just drove away with her body. I still have her purse, I don't even know what to do with it. I can't believe she's gone. She came in for her usual cut and dry and a conditioning treatment and dye as well and I walked away for one minute to get shampoo from the storage room, and when I came back she was dead.”

  “Oh dear, Bekki,” Marie said. Her voice was tender as she spoke. “Do you want me to come to the salon?”

  “No, I have to figure out if I'm going to cancel the rest of the appointments today. The salon is booked solid and I know that the clients would be really disappointed.”

  “Sweetheart, just do what you want to do, the customers will understand, don't you worry,”

  Bekki sighed with relief at her mother’s support. “Thanks, Mama,” Bekki said. “I know you and Dad knew Stella pretty well.”

  “I'm not sure that anyone really knew Stella,” Marie said. There was a wistful tone to her voice. “She was a hard woman to know.”

  “I feel so badly for her daughter,” Bekki said.

  “I do, too,” Marie agreed. “I hope she has some support to help her through this. Let me know if you need anything, sweetheart.”

  “I will. I love you, Mama,” Bekki said.

  “I love you, too, Bekki.”

  Once Bekki had hung up the phone she drew a deep breath to try to calm herself.

  Chapter Two

  As Bekki weighed the pros and cons of shutting down the salon for the day she tidied up a little. She picked up Stella's purse and set it on the counter. She was sure that someone would want to retrieve it soon. Before Bekki could decide if she was going to turn the sign in the door to closed, her next appointment came walking in the door.

  Bekki knew that Lacey Hubert was one of the mayor's secretaries. If she wasn't satisfied with the service she received she could cause a lot of commotion, and she was no stranger to doing so. She had made such a fuss about a shoe repair shop when the owner failed to repair her favorite heels in time for an important event.

  “Hello Lacey,” Bekki said. She tried to sound normal, but she knew that her voice was still wavering.

  “What's wrong, Bekki?” Lacey asked. She scrunched up her nose in distaste at the sight of Bekki's pale visage. “Are you sick?”

  “No, I'm sorry,” Bekki said. She led Lacey to a chair on the opposite side of the salon. “I didn't have time to contact you, as this just happened. Stella Black was here for her appointment and unfortunately she passed away. I can reschedule you for another appointment time if you'd like.”

  “You'll do no such thing,” Lacey said sharply. “I have a very important dinner to attend tonight and I can't go looking like this. Stella's dead, okay, that doesn't mean I shouldn't get my appointment.”

  Bekki stared at the woman. She was a little shocked by the way she was speaking. “I only offered because I thought you might be uncomfortable,” she explained.

  “I'm not,” Lacey said. “I want my hair shorter this time. Also, please make sure not to overdo it with the hairspray, I have allergies and the smell gets to me.”

  “Okay,” Bekki said. She began preparing for the haircut.

  “So, Stella Black is dead,” Lacey said as she leaned her head back. Bekki tilted her chair so that Lacey's head eased into the sink. She tested the water and then began running it slowly over Lacey's scalp. “I guess her daughter, Jodie, will be pleased.”

  “Pleased?” Bekki asked. She was so surprised that she nearly dropped the bottle of shampoo in her hand. “Why would she be happy that her mother is dead?”

  “Well, maybe not happy,” Lacey said. She shrugged her shoulders. “We go to the same country club and she's been complaining about her mother for years. Jodie has to beg for every dime she gets, and Stella never lets her forget how much she gives.”

  “Maybe she just wanted Jodie to be financially responsible,” Bekki suggested. She lathered Lacey's hair. The soap suds sliding across her fingers
were slippery. Her mind kept shifting back to Stella and the last words they had exchanged about people always wanting more from her.

  “I'd believe that if she was that way only with Jodie. But she's always been like that. If she held her pennies any tighter they'd turn to dust.” Lacey tilted her head back a little further as Bekki rinsed her hair. “Now, Jodie will inherit everything, I'm sure she'll be living it up by tomorrow.”

  Bekki bit into her bottom lip. She wanted to come to Jodie's defense, however she also didn't want to offend Lacey. She didn't really know Jodie or Stella that well, but she was sure that anyone that went through the loss of a parent would be left with a lot of grief to deal with. Bekki continued with the cut and style while Lacey chatted about local politics.

  “I suppose with Stella gone there will be quite a few properties up for sale,” Lacey said. “I wonder if Jodie will be selling everything right away.”

  “Maybe, she'll keep the properties,” Bekki suggested.

  “Jodie?” Lacey shook her head a little. Bekki combed her hair back into place. “She's never worked a day in her life. She'd have to maintain the properties, collect the rent, actually leave the country club once in a while. No, I can't see her doing any of that.”

  “Sometimes people surprise you,” Bekki pointed out. She was trying to keep the conversation light and positive.

  “Not usually,” Lacey said. “I know what you're doing, Bekki. You feel like I'm being cold about someone who just passed away. I've just never understood why people speak of the dead as if they were saints. Stella wasn’t exactly young and we're all going to die eventually, and none of us is perfect.”

  “Maybe not, but don't you think there's a time for honoring a person for who they were despite their faults?” Bekki asked. She was treading dangerously close to arguing with a customer, something she never did. Her emotions were still raw from Stella's death.