Operation London by Elle Hansen Read Free Book Online

above her honey colored hair, lightened already from her long run in the brutal Texas sun, she made her way to her clothes box to root around and find something normal to wear.
    A half an hour later clad in tight boot cut jeans, a tight tank top and a white button down shirt, Ava was speeding from her house in her Audi, singing along at the top of her lungs to the only rock station she could find amid what seemed like hundreds of country options . Hugging the turns and curves on the road, she sailed into the city and prepared to do a little legwork.
    The glasses were Hugo Boss, thin wire framed . She had devoured the phone book, asking each optical center if they carried Boss. Unfortunately, she had twelve positives out of a possible fifteen.
    She marched into the first center and breezed across the somber gray rug, leaning over the counter to address a thin, pimply boy working there.
    “Hiya,” she smiled. He responded by brushing his limp, greasy hair back with his hand nervously.
    “Hello . Ma’am. Can I. Help you?”  he asked with a crooked smile, halting to clear his throat.
    Ava put on her best pout and wrinkled her brow in confusion . “Maybe you can?  I’m a lifeguard at the pool at the Embassy Leisure Club, right outside of town?  And my boss told me to be very careful about giving people things back when I agree to hold them?  But I said I’d hold a couple pairs of glasses for some people using the pool and I forgot to give them back!”  Ava worked her best face of alarm, opening her gray eyes wide and fashioning her mouth into a confused O of surprise. It was pretty nauseating, but apparently effective.
    “If I have a look at the glasses maybe I can help you out,” the boy said, pushing his own heavy frames back up his pointed nose.
    “Thanks....Bill,” Ava said, searching his blue vest for the telltale nametag. The little personal touch went over well with Bill, who proceeded to take his most professional manner and assume his duties immediately. He went to the back of the store, spectacles in hand and she was left to wait for whatever help he could offer her.
    Ava walked around the perimeter of the store, perusing the cases and trying to find a match for the glasses . Her fingertips touched lightly on the wire and plastic frames, sliding over their smooth shapes. Each pair was distinct, spheres and rectangles and ovals bent into different sizes and fashions. Ava raised a black eyebrow. The world of optometry was more complicated than the average agent would assume.
    The boy came out a moment later and Ava tried to glaze any intelligence that might be showing on her face, opting for her big-eyed doll look.
    “Bill!”  Her own saccharine voice was giving her a headache.
    “Ma’am. I think I might be able to give you a start.” His crooked smile showed a row of equally crooked teeth. “These are tinted.”  His chest puffed up considerably as he delivered the news.
    “Tinted?” Ava asked, and this time the flakiness wasn’t for show .
    “Uhhm, you can have the glass . Colored. Uh-hmm.”  He seemed uncertain about his explanation.
    “Why would you want that done?” she asked.
    “It’s, uh, pretty much a preference. For people. Who want it done,” Bill stuttered. “And your mystery person had them tinted pink!”
    “I’m still not following Bill . Maybe you could explain the whole thing. Quickly,” Ava said, setting her lips in a firm smile despite her frustration.
    “Well, these are adult frames . And pink isn’t really a tint you see on many adult glasses. Oh!  Also she’s pretty severely farsighted. I’m actually kind of surprised she’s doing without them. Maybe she’ll call your clubhouse,” he added helpfully, pushing his greasy bangs behind his ears.
    “Why do you say ‘she’?” Ava asked, looking at the glasses critically . Was it just the pink tint?  That wasn’t what Ava considered enough of a lead to identify the person as a female.
    “Hugo Boss makes