4 Pageant and Poison Read Online Free Page B

best to avoid having to speak to Candy. She made it to the small room where the hair and makeup stations were set up, and breathed a sigh of relief. At least here she would be able to hide out for a while. As she was setting up her supplies one of the judges sauntered into the room. She knew he was one of the judges because he was wearing one of those brilliant orange ribbons that declared that he should be bribed and kissed up to by every contestant.
    “Hey there gorgeous,” he slurred as he leaned close to Bekki. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. He looked to be in his mid-forties with pocked scars on his cheeks that gave him a rough quality. His piercing , green eyes afforded him some attractiveness, but the fact they were bloodshot made it clear that he was half-crocked. “What number contestant are you?” he inquired.
    Wow, he must be drunk. Bekki thought to herself with a quiet giggle. “I'm not a contestant,” she grinned, feeling a little flattered that he had thought so, since most of the girls in the competition were about ten years younger than her, and at least thirty pounds lighter.
    “Oh , too bad,” the man said with disappointment. “I'm Martin,” he offered her his hand.
    “Bekki,” she replied politely and gave his hand a quick shake. She knew from experience how fast a drunk person could shift from friendly to enraged and she didn't want to aggravate him by ignoring his advances. “Have to get back to work,” she said quickly as she began sorting through a makeup kit.
    “Work can wait,” Martin slurred as he stepped closer to her. Bekki suddenly became aware that she was alone in the room, and with all the noise and chaos outside no one would likely hear her call for help. All of the hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she felt his alcohol-laced breath trail across the spaghetti strap of her dress.
    “Back off Martin,” she warned as her muscles tensed. She had studied for several years to become a black belt, and was prepared to use that knowledge.
    “Oh, come on now,” he hooked his fingers lightly through a wave of her dark hair and drew it back across her shoulder. “A little fun won't hurt you any, and no one's around to stop us…”
    “Martin what are you doing back here?” Candy's squeaky voice interrupted just as Bekki was turning into a throwing position. Martin stepped back from Bekki and turned to face Candy who was standing in the doorway.
    “Just getting to know the staff,” he said casually and took a swig from the paper cup he was holding. He moved past her out of the room, as if the matter was settled.
    “I told you to stop harassing the women,” Candy snapped at him. “If it were up to me you'd already be fired.”
    “But it isn't up to you is it,” Martin chuckled darkly as he leaned closer to her, drawing the attention of everyone around them. “You're not really in charge here.”
    "Dry up Martin," Candy snapped as she snatched the cup from his hand. She took a sniff of the liquid inside and then gasped. "You're kidding me, right?" she glared at him, and then in front of everyone backstage she splashed the drink across Martin's shiny blue button-down shirt. Martin sputtered, his eyes wide with fury as the vodka sunk into the material.
    "Do you have any idea how much this cost?" he demanded as his ruddy hands curved into tight fists that made his large knuckles stand out.
    "I don't care how much your shirt cost," Candy snapped in return and glowered at him, her perfectly stenciled brows forming a very rigid line across her forehead. " I will not allow any of my judges to be drunk during one of the most important competitions of the year," she pointed a manicured fingernail in his direction, the diamond-like jewels tacked on to the end glinted in the stage lighting. "If I catch you with any of this swill anywhere near one of my girls I will have you arrested for public intoxication…"
    "Don't you threaten me , Candy!" he growled, and his