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Author's note: The Pretender doesn't belong to me etc, etc. And English is not my native language so if you find some major mistakes, don't hesitate to point them out. ^_^
Inkspot
by Indigo
Miss Parker grumbled as she exited her car. Early this morning, she had received an anonymous email. There was no message, only an address followed by Jarod's name. Parker suspected a trick from her brother Lyle but she still had to investigate the information.
Walking slowly, she looked at the numbers on the buildings on both sides of the street. There were only stores. That place sold flowers, this one appliances. Parker was wondering what Jarod could be doing around here.
After a while, she found the address. It was a small shop located between a used bookstore and a shabby bar. Parker couldn't believe what she saw. She checked the address she had twice. There's was no mistake, this was the right place. She stood before the shop for a while, staring at the sign in the window which said: "Inkspot, Tattoos and Piercings" in black gothic letters. Jarod couldn't possibly be in such a place. Miss Parker was now convinced that her brother was behind this. She headed back to her car, stopped halfway and then decided to go inside the shop to take a quick look.
All the people in the store looked at her as she walked towards the counter. Miss Parker just glared at them and they quickly shifted their attention elsewhere. Behind the counter was a small man with long hair and a bushy beard who greeted her.
-Hello there! My name's Bob and I'm the owner. What can I do for you lady?
-I'm a ...private investigator. I'm looking for a man named Jarod.
-I don't know anyone with that name, sorry.
Miss Parker placed a photo of Jarod on the counter.
-Hey! This guy looks like Silver! said Bob, obviously surprised.
-"Silver"?
-He's my main man. The best damn tattoo artist I've ever known.
Jarod doing tattoos? Now that's unusual, thought Miss Parker, slightly amused.
"And where can I find this ...Silver?
-He's in a small room in the back, working on a lady. Here, let me show you the way", he said as he moved from behind the counter. Parker stopped him:"Just tell me the way."
Miss Parker walked slowly in the hallway, wondering whether she should pull out her gun or not. She head a strange noise coming from a slightly opened door that unpleasantly reminded her of the dentist. Must be that needle thingie, she thought as she peeked inside the room. The man named Silver had his back to the door, sitting on a bench and absorbed in his work. He was doing some sort of design around a young lady's bellybutton. The man was wearing black pants, a black sweatshirt and his brown hair was spiked. He could have been Jarod but Miss Parker wasn't so sure.
The man stopped his device and got up. "Lets take 5, okay?" he asked the woman. She nodded and left the room through another door. That's Jarod's voice, thought Miss Parker as she took her 9mm from its holster.
Silver, who was oblivious to her presence, took off his sweatshirt. Parker swore and nearly dropped her gun. She couldn't believe her eyes. The back and arms of Silver were covered with tattoos. On his left arm was a complex scene with a castle and wizards and soldiers fighting. And there were dragons too. On his right arm was various black and red tribal designs. And on his back, despite the dirty white tank top he was wearing, Miss Parker could see words, symbols and more tribal. She also noticed an ugly snake on his neck. Some of those tattoos look primitive and very old. This man couldn't be Jarod, it was impossible.
Miss Parker took a step backward as she put her weapon back. The floor creaked under her feet. Hearing the noise, Silver turned around. This is absolutely not Jarod, Parker thought as she examined the man before her. He has a few days' stubble, dark circles under his eyes, he reeked of alcool and worse of all, he was covered with all sorts of rings. One in the nose, two in his lower lip, one in his left eyebrow and too many to count in both ears.
-What do you want? he asked.
Miss Parker didn't know what to think anymore. It was Jarod and yet it wasn't him. He had the same hair, the same eyes, the same voice, even the same face but he couldn't be him. Jarod would never look so...so disgusting.
-Sorry", she finally says. "I was looking for someone but I think I have the wrong address."
-Well, while you're here, why not get yourself a tattoo? I could make you a butterfly or a flower, you know, chick stuff. Or better yet, I can tattoo the name of your boyfriend right here" he said as pointed Miss Parkers breasts. "I don't think so." she answers, horrified at he idea of that man touching her. She then proceeded to exit the shop as quickly as she could while keeping her dignity. How could I ever think, even for one second that, that...."thing" could be Jarod? Parker thought as she headed back to the Centre.
Epilogue
Miss Parker got out of her bath, hoping to relax. The rest of her day had been a disaster. As soon as she had reached the Centre, Mr. Parker called her to his office. He the proceeded to lecture her on her lack of efficiency. Then Lyle had spend all day giving her stupid rumors about Jarod. Now she only wished for one thing: a good night's sleep.
Then the phone rang. Parker looked at the clock: half past midnight. "Jarod" she sighed as she picked up the receiver. "What?"
-Why good evening Miss Parker, said Jarod happily.
-What do you what?
-I merely called to say how disappointed I was to hear you refuse my offer this morning.
-What offer? What are you talking about?...
And then it hit her. Damn! It was him! Jarod was Silver! How could she have been so blind! She could hear Jarod's laughter at the other end of the line. She was boiling with rage and had to take a few deep breaths before she could speak again.
"Please don't tell me that this..this horrible and stinking "thing" was you?!"
Jarod burst into laughter: "You should have seen your face, it was priceless! Still, I would have loved to tattoo a little angel on your breast." Parker was growling.
"Well let this be a lesson to you Miss Parker", Jarod continued. "Never judge a book by its cover."
-...
-Parker, are you still there?
-Jarod?
-Yes?
-I hate you." Parker could still hear him laughing as she hung up the phone.
The End
by Indigo
Miss Parker grumbled as she exited her car. Early this morning, she had received an anonymous email. There was no message, only an address followed by Jarod's name. Parker suspected a trick from her brother Lyle but she still had to investigate the information.
Walking slowly, she looked at the numbers on the buildings on both sides of the street. There were only stores. That place sold flowers, this one appliances. Parker was wondering what Jarod could be doing around here.
After a while, she found the address. It was a small shop located between a used bookstore and a shabby bar. Parker couldn't believe what she saw. She checked the address she had twice. There's was no mistake, this was the right place. She stood before the shop for a while, staring at the sign in the window which said: "Inkspot, Tattoos and Piercings" in black gothic letters. Jarod couldn't possibly be in such a place. Miss Parker was now convinced that her brother was behind this. She headed back to her car, stopped halfway and then decided to go inside the shop to take a quick look.
All the people in the store looked at her as she walked towards the counter. Miss Parker just glared at them and they quickly shifted their attention elsewhere. Behind the counter was a small man with long hair and a bushy beard who greeted her.
-Hello there! My name's Bob and I'm the owner. What can I do for you lady?
-I'm a ...private investigator. I'm looking for a man named Jarod.
-I don't know anyone with that name, sorry.
Miss Parker placed a photo of Jarod on the counter.
-Hey! This guy looks like Silver! said Bob, obviously surprised.
-"Silver"?
-He's my main man. The best damn tattoo artist I've ever known.
Jarod doing tattoos? Now that's unusual, thought Miss Parker, slightly amused.
"And where can I find this ...Silver?
-He's in a small room in the back, working on a lady. Here, let me show you the way", he said as he moved from behind the counter. Parker stopped him:"Just tell me the way."
Miss Parker walked slowly in the hallway, wondering whether she should pull out her gun or not. She head a strange noise coming from a slightly opened door that unpleasantly reminded her of the dentist. Must be that needle thingie, she thought as she peeked inside the room. The man named Silver had his back to the door, sitting on a bench and absorbed in his work. He was doing some sort of design around a young lady's bellybutton. The man was wearing black pants, a black sweatshirt and his brown hair was spiked. He could have been Jarod but Miss Parker wasn't so sure.
The man stopped his device and got up. "Lets take 5, okay?" he asked the woman. She nodded and left the room through another door. That's Jarod's voice, thought Miss Parker as she took her 9mm from its holster.
Silver, who was oblivious to her presence, took off his sweatshirt. Parker swore and nearly dropped her gun. She couldn't believe her eyes. The back and arms of Silver were covered with tattoos. On his left arm was a complex scene with a castle and wizards and soldiers fighting. And there were dragons too. On his right arm was various black and red tribal designs. And on his back, despite the dirty white tank top he was wearing, Miss Parker could see words, symbols and more tribal. She also noticed an ugly snake on his neck. Some of those tattoos look primitive and very old. This man couldn't be Jarod, it was impossible.
Miss Parker took a step backward as she put her weapon back. The floor creaked under her feet. Hearing the noise, Silver turned around. This is absolutely not Jarod, Parker thought as she examined the man before her. He has a few days' stubble, dark circles under his eyes, he reeked of alcool and worse of all, he was covered with all sorts of rings. One in the nose, two in his lower lip, one in his left eyebrow and too many to count in both ears.
-What do you want? he asked.
Miss Parker didn't know what to think anymore. It was Jarod and yet it wasn't him. He had the same hair, the same eyes, the same voice, even the same face but he couldn't be him. Jarod would never look so...so disgusting.
-Sorry", she finally says. "I was looking for someone but I think I have the wrong address."
-Well, while you're here, why not get yourself a tattoo? I could make you a butterfly or a flower, you know, chick stuff. Or better yet, I can tattoo the name of your boyfriend right here" he said as pointed Miss Parkers breasts. "I don't think so." she answers, horrified at he idea of that man touching her. She then proceeded to exit the shop as quickly as she could while keeping her dignity. How could I ever think, even for one second that, that...."thing" could be Jarod? Parker thought as she headed back to the Centre.
Epilogue
Miss Parker got out of her bath, hoping to relax. The rest of her day had been a disaster. As soon as she had reached the Centre, Mr. Parker called her to his office. He the proceeded to lecture her on her lack of efficiency. Then Lyle had spend all day giving her stupid rumors about Jarod. Now she only wished for one thing: a good night's sleep.
Then the phone rang. Parker looked at the clock: half past midnight. "Jarod" she sighed as she picked up the receiver. "What?"
-Why good evening Miss Parker, said Jarod happily.
-What do you what?
-I merely called to say how disappointed I was to hear you refuse my offer this morning.
-What offer? What are you talking about?...
And then it hit her. Damn! It was him! Jarod was Silver! How could she have been so blind! She could hear Jarod's laughter at the other end of the line. She was boiling with rage and had to take a few deep breaths before she could speak again.
"Please don't tell me that this..this horrible and stinking "thing" was you?!"
Jarod burst into laughter: "You should have seen your face, it was priceless! Still, I would have loved to tattoo a little angel on your breast." Parker was growling.
"Well let this be a lesson to you Miss Parker", Jarod continued. "Never judge a book by its cover."
-...
-Parker, are you still there?
-Jarod?
-Yes?
-I hate you." Parker could still hear him laughing as she hung up the phone.
The End
