Deceiving Dexter

Chapter Six - Phone Calls and Coincidences

Natalia POV

The wind was blowing through my hair, which was stylishly curled. It wasn’t my favourite look, but it was ‘Natalie’s’ style, which meant that today my hair would stay in curls. My grey top was tucked into my black skirt, a dark purple blazer covering my arms. The skirt was a little too long, but ‘Natalie’ would approve, so I was stuck in it. ‘Natalie’ worked in a bank. As a bank teller. How boring was that? But as Oleg tastefully put it, ‘Quit you’re whining, Natalie is supposed to be boring, she is a ‘normal girl’ who shouldn’t rouse suspicion’. I agreed with him, but it meant that I had to dress ‘respectfully’. I pushed the rim of the uncomfortable fake glasses up along my nose, the black frames, being a tad too big for my face.

My handbag suddenly started ringing and I stopped to find it in the disaster area which was my handbag. I finally found it and answered the phone while crossing the currently empty street, taking advantage of this opportunity as I was sure that the street would go back to being busy at any moment.

‘Hello.’   

‘I miss you,’ came from the phone and I smiled at her opening choice of words.

‘No you don’t,’ I laughed into the phone.

‘Yes I do, I haven’t lived alone in my life,’ she complained.

‘I’ve only been gone a few days Dominika, I’m sure you’ve just been throwing parties while I’m gone.'

She was silent for a few seconds, ‘Ok, I admit, I did throw a party last night, but still, I miss you kitten.’

‘Miss you too Nika.’

She laughed at my pet name for her ‘I hate that name.’

‘You know you love it,’ I laughed ‘Anyway I have to go, I’m about to commence stage two.’

‘Oh you and all your stages, you can’t plan it out so much.’

‘I beg to differ, it’s been going well so far.’

‘Stay safe Kitten, call me tonight.’

‘Will do Nika.’

I hung up before she had a chance to comment on the name.

She hated it since we first met when she told me her name was Dominika and I asked her if I could call her Nika.

She said no, but I wasn’t exactly the type of child who listened so I called her Nika that whole day, and we never spent a day completely apart since. I had asked her years later why she wanted to be my friend after I had annoyed her so much, but she told me that all the other kids were intimidated by her and I was the only one who would dare to do something other than she told them.

I had laughed at that, but I understood it. With her beauty, foreign accent and expertise at death staring, it was understandable. She still constantly got what she wanted but with me she could always count on my honesty, something rare in this life, where power and money regularly trumped the truth.

I remember when Alexander once called her Nika. The look of pure detestation and loathing she shot at the poor boy combined with his blatant petrified expression sent me into fits of laughter for hours.

Smiling, I continued down the street.

I was walking along one of the roads commonly used by Detective Wyatt, his favourite coffee shop located at the end of this street.

I slightly slumped my usually straight shoulders and stepped into the little coffee shop.

To my left was a counter and barista station, with a few busy looking employees working behind it. To my right held a handful of tables, which were mostly full. The coffee shop had a rustic feel and its walls were lined with simple yet tasteful pieces of art. The ceiling held long lights which hung low from the ceiling, bringing a somewhat magical element to the small area. It was nothing like my store, but it had its own charms and quirks which made it lovely and endearing in a different kind of way.

I noticed the man sitting in the corner table from the comer of my eye as I studied my menu. I walked up to the counter where a young girl was working, her light hair in a messy braid and she gave me a bright smile.

‘Welcome to ‘Kaylee’s Corner’, Can I take your order?’

‘I would love a cappuccino.’

‘Coming up,’ she smiled at me and put through my payment.

I went to choose a table when I was waved over by the man at the corner table.

‘Natalie?’ The man asked.

‘Detective!’ I shot him a fake smile, ‘How nice to see you.’

‘Would you like to join me for coffee?’ He asked and I nodded, sitting at the brown chair opposite his.

‘How have you been Natalie?’ The handsome man asked me, taking a sip of his drink.

‘I have been alright, the other day, it was hard seeing what I saw, but I am doing well.’

He seemed genuinely happy to hear it.

‘Were you able to catch him detective?’ I asked.

He gave me a guilty look, ‘No, unfortunately we were unable to find anyone matching the description on any of the security cameras or in our searches of the neighbourhood.’

I faked a disappointed frown.

‘Don’t worry Natalie. Those people cannot get away with these things forever,’ He assured me, but it made me wonder what he thought of my father and his people.

‘What do you mean by those people?’ I asked, plastering an innocent expression on my features.

‘Cherkesov’s men,’ He replied.

The young girl came to the table, dropping off my coffee and I was already basically sculling the beverage, the effects of my limited number of hour’s sleep finally catching up to me.

‘Who is Cherkesov?’ I asked about my father, keeping my expression interested but unfamiliar, speaking the name with American pronunciation.

‘He is the head of the Russian Mafia in Chicago, he runs a massive organised crime syndicate. His men are ruthless killers and I promise you Natalie, I will get justice for these men.’

‘Thank-you detective, it is good to know that there are hardworking, honest cops in this city.’

‘I am just doing my job,’ He replied, humbly.

Yeah right, just doing his job. He was able to ‘protect and serve’ without attempting to take down my entire family.

‘I must go,’ I told him, ‘would you like to meet for coffee one day Detective?’ I asked bluntly, knowing all too well that his next answer would dictate whether I would be able to continue with phase three.

‘Please call me Dexter, and yes that sounds lovey Natalie.’

I pulled one of Natalie’s fake cards from my purse and left it on the table.

I then picked up my half empty coffee and walked away, in the direction of ‘my workplace’, but really I was just getting a cab to go to ‘Klara’s’ to work.

My cab passed the coffee shop and I turned my head to see Dexter walking along the streets a coffee cup in his hand and a small smile plastered on his lips and I couldn’t help but wonder whether it was me that caused that sweet smile to linger on the man’s face.

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