Stylish Payne

Harry didn’t need to wake me up in the morning. I was already up. I showered, got dressed, noticed I wouldn’t need my eye patch for much longer. I was standing in the bathroom, applying some eye makeup when I heard a shuffling coming from the other room. Curiosity struck me as I peeked my head around, seeing a little red envelope on the floor that someone had slipped through the door. I put my mascara wand down and silently scooped it up, pulling a piece of paper out of it written in crayon. The same crayon was also in the envelope. Part of me laughed when I opened the note. In childish handwriting done in the crayon, someone had scrawled out “do you like Louis?” with checkboxes for yes and no. Well, yes I did in fact like Louis. He was sweet and probably the only normal person here that I could talk to. Even Liam felt foreign to me and we’d grown up together. So I took the crayon and check the logical yes box before folding everything back up and slipping it back under the door. I started back to the vanity in the bathroom to hear the envelope skittering outside. Silently, I crept back to the door, holding my breath in hopes of surprising the note’s author. One, two...THREE! I wrenched the door open and threw myself into the hallway finding no one. The note was gone, nobody was there. There was nothing. Chills crept up my spine and I wondered about that little girl Emily. Lord, what if she was a ghost that had left the note?!

Ginny that is easily the daftest idea you’ve ever had my brain told me. Now go finish getting dressed. But I couldn’t. I stepped into the hall and tried checking every nook and cranny, listened to doors that did or didn’t have the eyes on them. I jumped when someone tapped my shoulder.

“Ginny, what’re you doing?” Liam wondered, quirking an eyebrow.

I turned to face him. “I-I thought I saw a suspicious looking maid go in there”, I said, gesturing to the door I’d been listening to. “But she must know I’m here now and that’s why she’s so quiet.”

Liam stared me dead in the eyes and opened the door, a door that didn’t have an eye on it. We looked around the empty guest room together before he finally shook his head. “I’ll have Harold let you off early today”, he sighed. “You’re obviously hallucinating or something since you’re not sleeping.”

I tried nodding and hurried back to my own bedroom. This time, I finished my mascara and grabbed a pair of silver heels to match my green blouse and black dress slacks. To top it off, I picked up a white scarf and blazer, some silver earrings, and a handbag I had in green with silver stitching. Liam eyeballed me as I went downstairs to share a morning scone with Harry who looked particularly upset this morning. “Morning”, I said, trying to greet him. Harry glanced up before jumping out of his seat to rush me. He held up a fist next to my head and kept me in place by putting his free hand on my shoulder. We stood there for a dangerous minute, his liner smudged eyes going from me to his fist before he finally nodded.

“Nothing a little dye can’t fix”, he whispered, sitting back down. Harry slid his hand over the table, the one that had been balled up next to my head which I realized had been holding hair instead of a potential socking.

“Doll hair?” I guessed.

“Human hair”, Harry corrected carelessly. “I found a donation company with too much to do anything with and I ordered some that looked close to your colour. This is what I got and it’s wrong but we can colour it.”

“You have a good eye for detail”, I noted.

Harry smiled softly. “You’re the most recent addition to the Play Things”, he cooed. “She has to be perfect.”

I attempted to return the smile before hungrily shoving a scone in my mouth. After a short breakfast, Harry forced me into a car with Liam. This time, Harry waited until we were in the vehicle to put on his shoes. “Tomlinson didn’t sweep the porch steps. They’re dirty”, he grunted. “Louis knows better.”

“They are outside”, I pointed out. Harry glared at me.

“I’ll have you know, Miss Payne, exterior perfection is just as important as interior perfection. I only hire the most responsible, keen eyed, neat freaks to keep this place running. Louis, as the senior member of my staff, should know better than to slip up.”

“I’m sure it was an accident. And if he’s been here so long, you can’t just let him go? Let him sweep it up later this-” I cut myself off and shrieked as Harry flung himself into the backseat where I was sitting, Liam swerving as Harry bumped into his shoulder to reach me.

“IF I LET ONE PERSON SLIP, EVERYONE ELSE WILL THINK IT’S OKAY FOR THEM TO SLIP AS WELL!” Harry roared, gripping my shoulder to slam me into the car door. “I CAN’T HAVE-”

“You’re a bloody nutter!” I gasped, pushing him away.

“YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS BUSINESS WORKS, YOU DAMNED WHORE!”

Harry threw himself at me again and grabbed my head. I hunkered down in my spot and tried shoving him, getting nowhere as he managed to pull out a few strands and disregarded kicks from my pointed heels. “IT’S JUST A HOUSE. IT’S NOT THE DOLL HOUSE!” I bellowed. “LIAM!”

“Harry, sit down or I will pull this car over”, Liam said calmly.

“NO!” Harry reached around the front seat and threw his arm across Liam’s neck with such force, my cousin began coughing. “NO! I CAN’T HELP IT THAT MISS PAYNE IS SO STUPID!”

“Ha-arry!” Liam coughed. “Stah-stoppit! Whadda Hell is- hawrong wittoo?”

As quickly as he’d thrust himself into the back seat, Harry calmed down. He stared at the both of us and twiddled his thumbs, pulling away to curl into a ball opposite of me. “Nothing”, he mumbled. “Nothing you would understand.”

Liam spluttered a few more times and I tried straightening myself out but not without watching Harry for any more bizarre attacks. We arrived at the Doll House and I made sure to ignore Harry and stay solely at my spot at the reception desk, only moving to help potential customers as they came in. The day was slow though I didn’t mind. It gave me time to examine the doll in the window, the one Louis and I had found in the photograph the night before. I didn’t dare touch her but the careful detail to her hands amazed me. There were perfect folds that mimicked a true human’s hands. Her fingers even had prints on them. The doll had the same green eyes as Harry, the same curls, the same pale skin that could be easily compared to a wilting daisy. I got lost in her, so lost I didn’t notice when Detective Malik came in.

“Is Mr. Styles here?” he inquired, making me jump.

“I-yes”, I answered. “Let me just ring me him.” Malik stood in the foyer, hands crossed in front of him as I tried the phone at the front desk. Harry didn’t answer. However, he did answer when I called his cellphone.

“You weren’t paying attention and didn’t tell me that git was here”, Harry’s voice snarled. “I had to climb out of a window in the basement.”

“I forgot about your dentist appointment”, I replied, making up an excuse for Harry’s weird absence.

“Ha. Ha. Haaah”, Harry mocked. “Keep the dentist story then tell him I have business meetings with Liam. Don’t worry. The doors are locked.”

“Yes sir, appointment with Liam and a business dinner with an interested Canadian party”, I recited. “I’ll be sure to let detective Malik know.”

“I don’t want you letting him in again.”

“Mr. Malik”, I forced a smile at the man. “Can I have a card to pass along to Mr. Styles? He can call you later and arrange a time for a meeting in his busy schedule?”

Malik rolled his eyes but handed me a card. “Goodbye Ginny”, Harry called through the phone. I said good bye as well and hung up.

“Mr. Malik”, I said softly. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Depending on what it is, yes”, he nodded.

I bit my lip. “This case you’re working...it doesn’t have anything to do with Emily Styles and her disappearance, does it?” I asked.

He frowned. “I’m not so certain she ever disappeared”, Malik said. “I can’t give information outside of that though. Why?”

“Mr. Styles is a very strange, volatile man”, I said softly. My voice was so quiet it was like I was scared Harry would hear me. “And I wonder if she doesn’t act as some kind of inspiration to him.”

Mr. Malik whipped out a memo pad from his jacket pocket. “How is he strange, Miss Payne?”

“He erm, tends to blow up quite frequently”, I mumbled.

“Is that why you wear that eye patch?” Malik questioned. “Did he assault you?”

I couldn’t bring myself to lie to the detective. “Yes but I have no desire to press charges”, I exclaimed quickly. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s done the same to other staff members. I-I don’t want to point fingers or give you information that may or may not be correct but...I’ve heard a rumour…”

“A rumour?”

“One involving the drug trade. I can’t say Mr. Styles appears like a drug kingpin-”

“And he doesn’t have to”, Malik stated. “Just because someone doesn’t act the part doesn’t mean they aren’t playing it. Miss Payne, can I take you down to a local station for some questions?”

“I’m currently the only person in here and I can’t afford leaving until closing”, I explained. “But...when I get off, I’ll tell Styles I’m heading into town to do some shopping and I’ll meet you?”

Detective Malik lit up like a light bulb. “Yes! Yes, that’s fine. Miss Payne, before I leave, I want to applaud you for your bravery. Everyone I’ve tried talking to at the estate has a lock so tight on their lips, I’d almost imagine it’d be easier to just sew them shut. Thank you for being willing to open up to me. I’ll see you around seven, yes?”

“Wonderful”, I agreed. “I might actually be able to get in some shopping then.”

He laughed and headed for the door. “Miss Payne, I and the rest of the Scotland Yard truly appreciate this. When the truth comes to light, people will talk about you for decades to come.”

I didn’t know what that meant but I smiled and this time it was a real smile. I didn’t know what was happening and honestly, I was scared but with the Scotland Yard, it wasn’t like I could be in too much danger, right? Detective Malik saw himself out and it was promptly after that that I hurried to straighten up the house, organize dolls and fluff dresses, and help anybody who came in with the same smile plastered on my face.

Notes

This chapter sucks but I'm so fucking excited about what's going to happen soon. OmiGod, things. The things that will happen. I'm so freaking happy. Like shiiiiit dude :D