Chapter 4: Video Dixie
Dixie’s Office
November 6, 10:07 a.m.
Dixie had chosen her Power Suit to wear today. A navy blue skirt that hung just past her knees, a matching tailored jacket with a white silk blouse with a touch of frill in the form of a bow at the collar. The ensemble was completed with simple strap pumps with three-inch heels.
She was proud of her office. She had worked long and hard to get promoted off the floor. It wasn’t a corner office, and it didn’t have a great view. But she was on her way up the building, as well as the corporate ladder.
She had worked most of the morning on the decorating of a new motel that was going in downtown. It would be a lucrative contract if she could find a pattern that the owner would find attractive and contemporary. A task that wasn’t getting any easier with every idea that she presented.
Willow stuck her head in the door. She confused Dixie even though they had both been friends for a long time. Willow was a shapely redhead who was smart as a whip. But she seemed to be perfectly content to be Dixie’s secretary, while Dixie made the climb up the corporate ladder. Willow was making the assumption that Dixie would always pull her along by asking for her specifically.
“Mail call,” Willow said when Dixie waved her in. “Nothing good; just this.” Willow held out a plain brown package. Dixie took the package and looked at the front of it.
“Can’t make out anything on that postmark. It looks like it got wet.” Dixie said. “So it could be from anywhere.”
“I thought those postmarks were supposed to be waterproofed?” Willow asked. “Shall we open it and see what’s in it?”
“Sure, you go ahead. That way if it’s a letter bomb I might survive.”
“Ugh!” Willow made a face as she opened the envelope. “Honestly, Dixie, I don’t know where you get your ideas. Why would someone send you a letter bomb?”
“Calm down, Willow.” Dixie said defensively. “I was just kidding.”
“I know.” Willow said peering into the envelope. “But how many times do I have to say it: If you focus on the negative then the negative is sure to – OUCH!” Willow jerked her hand out of the envelope and let it fall to the floor. She cradled her finger in her other hand as blood welled on the tip of her finger.
“Willow!” Dixie exclaimed, as she came around her desk to get a look at the finger.
“It’s nothing,” Willow said, licking the blood away.
“That is so gross, Willow. Couldn’t you have waited until you were away before you did that?”
“What?” Willow looked up from her finger confused.
“That’s it.” Dixie said playfully. “Enough is enough.” She took Willow by the shoulders and guided her friend to the door of her office. “Back to work. Enough dallying.”
As Dixie closed the door to her office she turned to go back to her desk. She noticed the envelope still lying on the floor. Curious now, she went and picked up the envelope and peered inside. Nestled in the envelope was an innocent looking VHS tape. Dixie couldn’t imagine how Willow had cut herself on videotape.
Dixie went over to the TV with built-in VCR and turned it on. In Dixie’s line of work, it was often necessary to see the interior of a building, light sources, and numerous other details. Whenever Dixie went to view a place, and to find out what the client wanted, she often brought a video camera along. It allowed her to take a second look without having to revisit the property.
She inserted the tape and pressed play. Then she went back to her desk and sat down. For a moment Dixie looked about for her remote, before she remembered that it was on the bookshelf behind her. She turned, grabbed the remote, and turned back. Then she leaned back in her chair, ready to see whatever was on the tape. As with every time she started a tape, she couldn’t help wishing she had some popcorn.