Voyager Shadows: Poor little rich girl

Chapter 2: Cheese head

Michelle came to Phineas' complex promptly at nine in the morning with a suitcase and leather satchel full of documents. She lugged three suits and one uniform in three black garment bags over her shoulder. When Phineas opened the door she was pleasantly surprised that he followed her primping instructions and gotten his hair trimmed and parted on the left. He was clean-shaven and even groomed his brows and fingernails.

"Sixties enough for you, Michelle? I wanted to wear a bag on my head when they did the nails. It's degrading." He grabbed the suitcase from her.

She entered fast and he helped her with the luggage. "Good work, Bogg. Don't forget it is called a 'Manicure.' Real men your age were still conservative in 1964, so watch that you don't let too much stubble come in and I know you have an aversion to ties, so if you must, keep the collars and Polos opened up to about…" She put a finger on the center of his chest between his collarbone, and then lowered it just two inches. "Right here."

"Just enough to be tantalizing. Gotchya."

"And you will be with all that chest hair." She winked.

She pointed to the wardrobe bag. "Everything is tailored accordingly, so don't worry about the fit. You need to wear this one on the interview. Gray suit, black and white striped tie. It shows class and professionalism. Kevin is very professional. He looks adorable in his plaids and jeans when he's just being casual, but he expects all his employees to dress appropriately for their job description. But either way, men pretty much wore suits all the time. You'll see the difference between the casual and the business attire."

"Thanks. I've been to this decade before. I'll be back in a minute."

Michelle took a seat on the couch and waited. When Phineas came out her breath caught in her throat. He modeled for her and grinned.

"Fits like a glove. I'm practically the same size as when I started this Voyager gig. But I did work on my muscles."

"Oh my God. You look stunning, Bogg. Absolutely stunning." She circled him and adjusted his cuffs, collar, and tie. "Those sixties women are going to fall so in love the beehives will unfurl and false lashes will pop off!"

Phineas laughed. "Well, maybe I'll be there long enough to turn a few heads, but that's not my focus. I'm glad you listened to me and set the omni for late April instead of June. Two months should be enough time."

"I still don't understand why. I only need you to save my daughter from drowning in a swamp on June 27th."

"No. I think whatever happened wasn't some fly by night accident. Trust me, I've had a lot of experience in the field and there could be any number of events and emotional issues that led up to her decision."

Phineas groaned. He didn't mean to explain it that way "I'm sorry…I just meant…"

Michelle cut him off irritated. "Her decision? What are you trying to say, Phineas Bogg? That my daughter killed herself? How could you think that?"

Phineas' gaze never wavered from her face. "It's a conclusion I've come to for now. I tried to tell you my other one, but you refused to hear it. I thought you'd believe that one for sure."

Michelle put her hand up and shook her head. "I see the elephant in the room. But you can't expect me to believe that Natalie was murdered! By whom?"

"I don't know. I'll need you to check the Wisconsin records for any criminal activity in the area in 1964 and report back to me. I don't want to believe it either, but the circumstances surrounding her death are very suspicious and…"

Michelle felt a migraine coming on. "Bogg, this is too much."

"It's gotta be one or the other, Michelle. Nobody takes a late night drive into the middle of the swamp for fun. And we all know you if drain those things and you'll find tons of missing people. They're dumping grounds."

"I didn't ask you to be Elliot Ness, Phineas."

Phineas stood his ground. She wanted his help, but already impeded him. "Well it's gonna take more than just being a lifeguard, Michelle. Let me do my job the way I know how."

Michelle admired his tenacity. He was going out on a limb for her and for Natalie, whom he never met. "Fine, I'll get you all the reports you need. And I do agree, there has to be foul play here."

Phineas smiled relieved. "Okay. Now we're on the same wavelength. Let's back track. You told me what's going on in the Power residence, Natalie never got over your 'death.' She dislikes her stepmother and is very sore at her father for stomping on your memory. Her whole world came crashing down. And let's not forget the fact that she's a beautiful girl, there's bound to be boys in her life with all the school activities she's involved in. Cheerleading equals Football players equals boyfriends. Maybe something went wrong there. They didn't write all those smarmy, depressing love songs for nothing back then."

"Good point." She hugged him tight. "Whatever it is, please don't let it happen that way. I love my daughter so much." She pulled away so her tears wouldn't stain his dress shirt. "Protect her Bogg, any way you can. She's all I have."

Phineas stroked her face and felt compelled to lean closer. They kissed briefly and he smacked his lips together with a soft smile. "I've always wanted to know what that would be like." He admitted.

Michelle patted his cheek and stepped back. "I guess I wondered the same about you. That was nice. I've heard many tales about the Bogg kiss. I'm glad to be part of the legend now."

"Aww, shucks, ma'am. Kevin was a lucky guy."

You know, I wish Kevin had thought so…but I didn't make it easy on him either."

Phineas set his omni and stared at her. "You still love him, don't you?"

Michelle nodded, overcome. "I…I never stopped. But that's all over with. You ready? You have the communicator?"

"Yes, and Jeffrey finally taught me all the new fangled features on it. It will come in handy as a Chauffeur."

"You're supposed to sign up for the two-day instruction courses, Bogg."

Phineas shrugged. "Who has time? Jeffrey's the best teacher." He held up his omni and put a finger on the activator. "It's now or never."

"Now, Bogg."

~Oo~

Phineas materialized behind a pair of large, neatly trimmed bushes dotted with pink and white flowers. He patted down his suit and head to assure every hair and thread was in place. He glanced up; it was a gorgeous, sunny day. Strains of music and a young, pretty voice belted out in song from a window on the second floor.

"Nothing you can say can tear me away from my guy! Nothing you could do, cuz I'm stuck like glue to my guy…"

Phineas grinned and walked up the cobblestone pathway. Dark and cream colored bricks, gabled roofs, balconies, and curved arches and windows lavishly combined into an Old Italian style mansion. He whistled at the sight. It was humongous, with flowering, manicured paths leading to a backyard where he spied a large white patio, deck and a deep swimming pool.

"I gave my guy, my word of honor, to be faithful and I'm gonna! You best be believing I won't be deceiving my guy…As a matter of opinion I think he's tops, my opinion is he's the cream of the crop…"

The singing continued until a door slammed and woman's voice shouted.

"Turn that negro music off! How many times do I have to tell you not to blast it in this house? Why don't you listen to Patsy Cline or Connie Francis, or Annette Funnicello? Something sensible for once."

The singer didn't respond and cranked the music up louder. The door slammed again.

Phineas rang the bell and waited. He expected to see the flaming red-haired beauty Barbara Walden from the case-photos, but a sour-faced, chunky maid with a duster under one arm answered.

"Who are you? What's your business? I already have a vacuum cleaner. And I'm sorry, sir, but you won't find many bibles in this house." She looked sternly toward the kitchen, where Phineas saw a shapely woman from behind shimmy and pour herself ample cocktails.

Phineas didn't realize how loud the music was from inside, it was no wonder everyone teetered on edge. He would have too. "No, no. I'm not a salesman or a preacher. My name is Phineas Bogg. I have a…" He checked his watch. "A 1:00pm appointment with Mr. Kevin Powers for a job."

"What? You came to trim Kevin's flowers and rob?" She asked alarmed.

Phineas refrained from rolling his eyes and spoke louder. "I have an appointment with Mr. Powers! An Appointment!" He made a driving motion with his hands. "Job interview! Chauffeur!"

The record cut off and she finally understood and bade him to come inside. She led him to a neatly furnished Parlor.

"Please have a seat, Mr. Powers is in his study on the phone right now. I'll tell him you're here on time. He likes punctuality."

Phineas grinned cheerfully. "Good timing is my business."

A bedroom door opened from upstairs and he looked up and saw Natalie Powers in the flesh. She was even prettier in person. Her blonde tresses were half-teased in a bouffant and held in place with a light green headband. She wore a green and white gingham shirtwaist dress and beige Mary Jane shoes.

She stared at him curiously. He was the most gorgeous man she ever saw in her entire life. Better than any movie star she was currently in love with and all those mop head gnarly-faced rock singers from Britain. She licked her lips, smoothed her dress, and came down the stairs. She couldn't let him think she *pinned him or anything. Her enchantment fled when she saw his suit and luggage.

"Oh, hi."

"Hello, who might you be?" Phineas asked cheerfully.

"Natalie Powers. You know, you look a lot like Troy Donahue, so let me guess, you're my father's new cheese head?"

"Excuse me?"

"Cheese head. That's what I call all the models he uses for his stupid cheesy advertising. And that's what other people call us Wisconsin folk. All they do is make cheese around here. Cheese and beer, it's no wonder everyone is so bloated and constipated." She spoke breezily.

"I'm not here to model for cheese."

"Okay, then maybe…" She looked at him closer, almost disappointed. "Oh, you're not as young as I thought. Okay, Troy Donahue at…forty?"

"Good guess. Thirty-eight."

"You could pass for thirty-five I guess. So maybe you're here to plug my dad's watered down liquors on those lame commercials. But you don't look like a lush."

Phineas kept a disarming smile on his face. "Nope. It turns your cheeks and nose all red and puffy and gives ya a hardened beer gut. Not attractive at all."

Natalie actually laughed. "I can't imagine you like that."

A glass shattered from the kitchen and the maid bustled past them cursing under breath with a broom and dustpan.

Natalie's grin quickly faded. "You should tell that to the hot toddy in the kitchen. Pretty soon she won't need to wear any blush."

"Oh, I see, she's doing the three martini lunch?"

"Make that four or five." Natalie's standoffish mood returned. "Okay, so what are you really here for? Are you from the boarding school in Boston? I already told my dad I'm not going. I refuse!" She stomped her foot like a little girl half her age.

Phineas sighed. "If you'll stop guessing wrong and let me finish, I'm here to apply for the Chauffeur's position. My modeling days are over and I was never big on Academics."

"Like I said before, a cheese head."

"That name is gonna get old really fast." Phineas gritted his teeth.

Natalie walked circles around him. "Chauffeur? Right. More like my hound dog. Let me set you straight. You're the third guy that applied, the last two quit after a week, so if you have any brains you'll turn around and find something else to do. I know some desperate housewives around here who would love a new pool boy. You'd be perfect."

Phineas was not intimidated by her snobbery. "And why can't I be a chauffeur? Are you gonna try and sabotage my job, poke holes in my tires, put whoopee cushions and glue on the car seat and pull stupid tricks to make me leave? I don't think so, girlie. I don't scare easily. I can give as good as I get."

Natalie shivered from the sound of his resonant voice when he hovered over her. He actually relished the challenge. They both turned to see her father standing in the doorway of his study. He grinned ear-to-ear and clapped.

"I may just forgo the interview process and hire you on the spot! What's your name, sir?"

Phineas smiled and they shook hands. "Phineas Bogg, thank you Mr. Powers. I wasn't aware that your daughter did the hiring around here."

"Neither was I." Kevin glowered at her. "She forgets I own the mansion and pay the bills. Never mind that I'm her father."

"No dad, you never let me forget it." She stared with disbelief at Phineas. "Phineas Bogg? That name sounds like you fell off the back of a moonshine truck in Kentucky."

Phineas vowed to let every obnoxious jab slide off his back. Even Jeffrey used to cop an attitude when they first met. The kid found his name strange, and might as well have called him a cheese head on the Kitty Hawk beach when he accused him of messing up all of history.

"Not even close, Miss Powers. We're Scandinavians back home…err…home being New York."

Kevin patted his back. "City boy! He knows the score. I like this man already. A descendant from the Vikings! Like me!"

"Oh, here we go. Then where's his horn helmet and battle-axe?" Natalie asked and rolled her eyes. "You weegies are too proud. You'll get along great."

Phineas smiled. "I keep my weapons in my suitcase. I only use them for emergencies. But it's actually a misconception that Vikings wore that type helmet. They were cumbersome and hazardous during battle. We…I mean they fought in very close proximity to each other, a helmet like that would poke their fellow Viking's eyes out. They only wore helmets with protrusions and horns for rituals."

"You talk like you've seen it for yourself." Natalie said a little intrigued.

"Maybe…uhh, in a museum of course. I'm just very up on my history."

Kevin nodded pleased. "I like a man with hobbies, and you should be proud of your heritage. There's nothing wrong with that. So, what's your real business, Mr. Bogg?"

"I'm your one-o-clock for the Chauffeur position, Mr. Powers."

"Oh, of course! Fancy that, I just got the call that you'd be here. Do you have an up to date drivers license?"

"Yes sir. Just got it renewed." Phineas patted his coat pocket. Michelle supplied him all the essentials – drivers license, ID, and even two credit cards.

"Great, you're hired."

Phineas and Natalie stared at him incredulous. "Just like that?"

"Just like that. We'll need to get you fitted for a uniform and…"

Phineas slung the wardrobe bag over his arm. "I actually have my own. Double breasted black, white shirt, black tie. You can inspect it if you'd like. The shoes are in my suitcase…next to my battle-axe." He winked at Natalie and she blushed faintly.

"Amazing. That's exactly what I had my other Chauffeurs wear. Some guys these days think they can get away with girlish colors in their clothes. I don't allow that."

"As you can see, my father is not a fan of Elvis and his pink shirts and blue suede shoes." Natalie droned. "Dad, you need to get with it. This is the sixties and the world discovered color fifteen years ago. Longer if you count technicolor films."

Kevin ignored her. "Come to my den, we need to talk about a few particulars of the job, Mr. Bogg."

Natalie sighed. "This is the part where he tells you that you're secretly my bodyguard and must watch every single move I make. Then you must report back to him like a rat fink." Natalie folded her arms defiant.

"Thanks, Nat. You just made my job a lot easier. There you go, Phineas. It's my secret agenda to make her life miserable."

"It already is." She muttered.

Phineas shrugged. "I'm game. I like the spy work. Whatever I'm paid to do, I'm gonna do." He bucked his teeth, curled his hands and made a rat noise. Kevin laughed.

Natalie gaped horrified. "That is so…you are such a *panty waist! Both of you!" She stormed to the door.

"Nat, where are you going?"

"I'm going to the shopping mall, dad. And there's a sleepover at Jill's house, remember?"

"You're not going by yourself."

"But dad, I have my own car!"

"Which wasn't my idea. You can thank Babs for that one."

"She only got it for me so I'll get out of her coiffed hair."

"That's enough, Nat! She gave you that car when you turned sixteen so you could prove your maturity. I guess she was wrong."

"Yeah it was nice of her, but nobody ever lets me ride it anywhere. She got that car for herself; it's never in the garage anyway." She huffed.

"Please show some respect, you're in front of guests."

"Phineas Boggle head is not a guest, he's a Chauffeur." She said snidely. "One of the family. Like Phillip."

She looked at Phineas and Kevin shook his head flustered. "So, I had a dance recital at 8 years old with a solo part. Do you know who came to the show and took me to a celebration dinner? Our Chauffeur and his girlfriend. I hope you paid him extra for that, dad." The memories of her parent's neglect came to the fore. "My dad missed all the important events, and mom tried to be there, but she was always out of town for that fat, sleazy do-nothing Governor. I think the Governor's kids spent more time with her than I did. Well I showed her, when she died I was too busy to attend the funeral!"

Kevin's demeanor hardened and he raised his hand. "How dare you say something like that!"

Natalie backed into Phineas and he stepped between them. "Hey, no need for this. Just get me the keys and I'll take her shopping and whatever else you'd like done, Powers."

Kevin lowered his arm a little ashamed. "I'm sorry. I never hit Natalie. I've just been under strain lately."

"Sure, you're always sorry. But you should be!" Natalie said tearfully. "I'll be waiting for your new cheese head outside!" She slammed the front door so hard that vases and nick-knacks shook.

Kevin stared after her miserably and tossed up his hands. "I hate that age. Phineas, you don't have to put the uniform on today. You look perfectly fine."

"Whatever you say…uhh, Kevin, don't you want to look at my references and talk to me a bit? You're just gonna let me go take your daughter so fast?"

Phineas made a mental note. If Kevin entrusted her life with a stranger this easily, he may have trusted the wrong person the night she died.

"I have copies of all your paperwork, Bogg. Can I call you Bogg?"

"Sure, if it's easier. A lot of people do."

"Well Bogg, your last employer had nothing but glowing praise. But I have to ask, what's a handsome man like you doing driving around spoiled rich kids?"

"Well…uh, Hollywood didn't pan out?"

"Nice one, man. We all have our secrets. You're entitled to some too." Kevin chuckled.

"Thanks, and I assume you checked all my records.."

"Absolutely, Bogg. You're so clean you squeak. I barely know you, but I think I trust you more than I trusted any other employee. Strange."

Kevin Powers was an attractive man with silvered blonde hair, light blue sloped eyes and a rugged face. Phineas found him to be agreeable and easygoing, but he needed to stay on his toes. He saw firsthand how fast Kevin's mood shifted hot to cold. Michelle never mentioned any physical abuse. Phineas surmised that with the loss of his first wife, his daughter's rebellion, and running his companies, the stress tore him up inside. Kevin said it himself. Phineas wondered if guilt over the affair played the biggest part of all.

"I'd like to introduce the Mrs. …Babs! Come meet the new Chauffeur. I know how you insist on approving of the hired help."

Phineas turned and swallowed hard. Barbara Walden-Powers stood in the archway of the dining hall with a Cosmo in hand, wearing a tight pink dress that hugged each voluptuous curve on her body. She looked no more than twenty-five to Kevin's forty-five years. When she walked over Phineas expected to hear drum beats follow every sway of her hips. In high heels she nearly came head to head with him. She held out her hand and Phineas graciously shook it. She expected a kiss and lowered it dissatisfied.

"Hello, Mrs. Powers, I'm Phineas Bogg."

"That's an amusing name. You may call me Babs. I'm the lady of the house. Can I get you a drink?"

"Oh no thank you. Never on the job."

"Too bad, it really loosens you up. Kevin's often away on business and leaves me all by my lonesome, it'll be nice to have some more adult company around." She cooed.

Kevin put his arm around her waist. "Babs is a big spender, so you'll be driving to the shopping centers a lot."

Barbara swatted him. "Oh Kevin, you make me sound like a flake. I do other things, Mr. Bogg. I have my bridge club and the sports lodge where I take my tennis and swimming lessons and…"

"The salon, the coffee house, fancy boutiques, and the theater with your girlfriends. I know, I know. It's a very hectic schedule you keep." Kevin rolled his eyes.

Barbara pouted her cherry-red lips. "Don't be mean, Kevin. A woman has to have some interests when her man isn't home to please her…am I right, Mr. Bogg?"

Her wide gray-eyed gaze examined him up and down like a piece of choice meat on a butcher hook. He nodded politely. "Sure, it makes things well balanced to have separate interests. Keeps the home fires burning with curiosity."

Barbara laughed seductively. "I'm always full of curiosity."

"Don't you know it killed the cat?"

"But satisfaction brought him back." She giggled.

Phineas groaned inwardly. Kevin seemed oblivious to her actions but he wasn't stupid. And she unabashedly flirted with every man she met, especially the hired help. He knew it wouldn't be long before she put the real moves on him.

"Kevin, I'm taking a nap. Don't forget we have the music concert at eight tonight." She reminded him.

"Oh, will you be needing my services?" Phineas asked.

Kevin shook his head. "Oh no, I will not be leaving Natalie alone."

"But Mr. Powers, she said she's going to her friend Jill's house for a sleepover."

Kevin slung an arm over his shoulders. "So she says, my friend. The women in my life are very crafty. Come on, I think it's time we had that little chat."

*Pinning: To look very hard at someone. Particularly the object of your affection.

*Panty Waist: A mama's boy, or gay.