Nosy Neighbor: All 7 complete Nosy Neighbor cozy mysteries PLUS: 2 short Christmas stories (A Nosy Neighbor mystery)

by Cynthia Hickey

  Matt sighed. “Agreed. We’ll head back to town and have around the clock protection. I’ve been looking into a security guard company and we can hire bodyguards.”

  “The neighborhood watch can keep an eye out, too,” Mom said. “Nothing goes on in our neighborhood without everyone knowing about it. Let’s get packed up! Don’t forget the case board. We can use the dining room wall at home. I’ll take all the photos down.”

  I really hated the fact they were all coming with me. The cabin had sounded like such a good idea at first, but now…the gang’s reach was long. We were no safer here than in town. The security company sounded like a marvelous idea.

  I headed to my room to pack the few things I had brought with me. Somewhere during the day, I’d lost Dakota’s beanie. I could always buy him another. Tossing the rest of my things in my suitcase, I went to the kitchen to start taking down the case board on the wall.

  Something about the day nagged at me. A valuable clue hovered on the edges of my mind. I was tired. Maybe a good night’s rest or two would help me see things more clearly.

  An hour later, vehicles loaded, and Sadie slobbering all over the back seat of Mom’s van, we all set off down the mountain and back toward home. Angela had agreed to meet us there after work, leaving her packing to her daughter. It was as well. I loved my sister, but I wasn’t in the mood to listen to any complaints. The day had been stressful enough.

  The sound of a lawnmower came from the backyard when I climbed out of Matt’s car. With a smile on my face for the first time that day, I dashed around the corner of the house. “Rusty!” I threw my arms around the simple-minded man that had disappeared months ago.

  He stiffened under my embrace. “You haven’t taken care of your yard.”

  “I was waiting for you.” I held him at arm’s length. “Where have you been?”

  “Away. I’m home now.”

  “Across the street?”

  He nodded. “Mother is gone. She was bad.”

  “She was sick, Rusty. Remember that.”

  “I like the little people.”

  “Yes, the new neighbors are very nice.” My heart leaped to know he had returned. I’d worried about him so much the last few months.

  “I have work to do.” He turned back to mowing, dismissing me.

  I headed to the front of the house. “Guess who is back.”

  Mom smiled. “How nice. We’ll have to make sure the poor boy eats each day.” She disarmed the alarm on the house and opened the door wide.

  Ebony and Ivory dashed from their hiding places, meowing and winding around my legs. I scooped them both into my arms, thankful Angela had stopped by after work each day to check on them. Sadie dashed into the house and out the back door, barking at the lawn mower.

  Rusty cried out in alarm. “No, dog!”

  I laughed and rushed to save my gardener. Things were back to normal, at least for a little while.

  Matt helped unload the suitcases and boxes of food. “I have some things I need to check on,” he said, cupping my face. “Don’t go anywhere.”

  “I wish you would tell me what is bothering you.”

  “I need to visit Koontz again before saying anything. Promise me you’ll stay in the house. Your security detail will be parked out front in a dark SUV. Leave them alone.”

  “I promise.”

  He kissed me and rushed out the door.

  “That man knows something that could help us crack this case.” Greta stared after him, hands on her ample hips. “We need to have a deeper discussion about what went on today. Maybe I can figure out what he knows. Tell me about this new police officer.”

  “Reed? He knew Ryan a long time ago. That’s all I know.”

  “Did you see anyone during any of the shootouts today?”

  I froze. How could I have forgotten? “I think I saw Stinger.”

  16

  “Tell me what you saw?” Greta said, grabbing an index card.

  “He was tall, thin, black, and wearing baggy clothes.” I shuddered, remembering the dead look in his eyes. “He stared at me over the car.”

  “Are you sure it was him?”

  “How do I know? I’ve never seen Stinger.”

  “It could have been one of his main goons.” Greta tapped a pen against the index card. “We really need to know what the man looks like.”

  “I’m not going around Melrose Street asking, if that’s what you’re hinting at.” I opened the fridge and stared inside, looking for but not seeing, something to drink.

  After the horrible day, my brain was tired and my body on the verge of exhaustion. I didn’t want to discuss, or think about, the case, the gang, or shooting. “I’m going to bed. Maybe I’ll see something with fresh eyes in the morning.”

  After a fitful sleep where I heard gunshots all night, and ran down a dark street away from a gang of over one hundred young men who all looked like the guy at the shooting, I splashed cold water on my gritty eyes. Instead of trying to fill the sleepless hours in my bed, I’d spent them in front of my laptop adding words to my current work-in-progress. The novel was coming along, slowly. Much like the murder case I found myself involved in. I shook my head at the tired woman in the mirror, then stumbled to the kitchen to make coffee.

  While the coffee brewed, I worked on putting our case board on the wall, hoping, praying, something would come to mind that would crack the case wide open and put an end to the terror. When I’d finished, I poured myself a mug of java and stepped back to take in the wall at one glance. Nothing popped out at me.

  I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Someone peered through the slit in the kitchen curtains. I screamed, dropping my cup. Hot coffee splashed up my leg. “Rusty!” I hopped over and yanked open the front door. “What have I told you about peeking through windows?” I left the door open and hobbled to the sink to put a cold rag on my stinging skin.

  He stood in the open doorway, his head down. “I’m going to trim the bushes in the backyard. I didn’t want you to be scared.”

  “Well, that didn’t happen.” I didn’t want to be mean to him, he didn’t mean any harm, but he really needed to stop being a Peeping Tom. “I’ve told you before that people don’t like you staring at them.”

  “I see things.”

  I sighed. “Yes, we’ve been over this before. Wait.” I glared at him. “What have you seen lately?”

  He shrugged.

  “Rusty.”

  “You are being watched.” He turned and dashed across the yard.

  I slammed the door closed and raced to the front window. The dark SUV Matt had told us would be out front was. Mrs. Olsen, also named Norma, watered her flowers, occasionally spraying the vehicle parked in front of her house. I would need to tell the security guys to move before she complained. The Salazars, our “little” neighbors walked a standard size poodle down the sidewalk. I smiled. The dog was as tall as they were. Mark Wood, the neighbor on the other side, glared at the Salazars as they strolled by. Their silly feud didn’t seem to be over. Other than the neighbors, no one seemed to be paying any attention to my house. I would need to question Rusty further.

  “Good morning.” Greta breezed into the kitchen and straight to the coffee pot. “I laid awake last night thinking. I’m pretty sure the man you saw wasn’t Stinger. Why would he reveal himself to you? I mean, he’s been so careful up to now. Showing his face to you would put him at great risk of discovery.”

  I nodded. “We still don’t know anything new.” I grabbed a rag and knelt on the floor to clean up the shattered mug and spilled coffee. “I don’t have a clue where to go from here.”

  “Just keep your eyes and ears open,” she said, sitting at the table and staring at the photos and notes on the wall. “Something will pop out. Where do you suppose Matt went last night?”

  “If I guessed, I would have to say he went to the hospital to talk to Ryan.”

  “Maybe we should do that very thing. He’s a good friend of yours, r
ight?”

  “Yes.” I narrowed my eyes. “You’re trying to get me in trouble again.”

  “What’s wrong with visiting an injured friend?” She grinned. “We can take him some treats from the shop. They’re going to go bad if someone doesn’t eat them.”

  “Isn’t Mom going to return to work now that we’re back?”

  She shrugged. “We haven’t talked about it. I suppose it would be okay if I went with her and you stayed locked in your house so I didn’t have to worry about you.”

  I stood and tossed the shards into the garbage. “It isn’t your job to worry about me.”

  “According to Matt it is.”

  “Well, you can stop now.” I picked up the coffee-stained rag and threw it in the sink. “I appreciate your concern, I really do, but Mom will need you at the shop more. Besides,” I motioned my head toward the sound of a hedge-trimmer coming from the backyard. “That man sees more than any private investigator. He’ll call out an alert if anyone is around.”

  “That poor man isn’t always around.” Greta shook her head. “I’m having way too much fun living the good old days to stop now.”

  “I thought you worked a desk when you were an officer.”

  “I did, but I heard things and learned a lot.”

  “Fine. We’ll go see Ryan, but tomorrow, you’re back to working with mom.” Who was I to deny a fellow snoop? “Give me fifteen minutes to get dressed.” I dashed upstairs to my room and threw on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved tee shirt. “We’re stopping for coffee,” I yelled as I thundered down the stairs to disarm the alarm. “I spilled mine.”

  Greta joined me and we headed outside to the jeep. I backed out of the driveway as Mom stepped onto the porch, waving her arms for us to stop. No way was I letting her accompany us. She was in enough danger. I waved and roared down the street.

  “That was mean.” Greta buckled her seat belt.

  “I don’t want her involved any further.”

  We stopped at Heavenly Bakes and filled a box with bite-sized cakes. I sampled a few as I chose the assortment, squelching my complaining empty stomach.

  At the hospital, I pulled into the parking spot closest to the door, which was still twenty cars away and cut the ignition. “Let me do the talking.”

  “Yes, boss.” Greta climbed from the jeep. “Has anyone ever told you that you can spoil their fun faster than a meteor hitting a water park?”

  “Not in so many words, no.” I led the way into the hospital and pressed the button on the elevator. Some of the fear that hung over me the last few days dissipated. How much danger could we be in visiting someone at the hospital?

  Reed wasn’t at his post when we arrived at Ryan’s room so Greta and I waltzed right in. Ryan was sitting up, staring morosely at at bowl of jello. “Tell me you brought me something other than baby food to eat.”

  “Hello to you, too.” I planted a kiss on his cheek and set the box of cakes on the windowsill. “You can have those as soon as the doctor says it’s okay.”

  “You’re a heartless woman.”

  “I’ve been told that before.” I grinned and sat in the chair next to the bed. “How are you feeling?”

  “Fine, I guess, but I’m starving. Once I move my … uh ... well, you know, they’ll let me eat real food.” He eyed the box of treats.

  “When we were here the other day,” I put a hand on his arm, “you said there was something you needed to tell us. What was it?”

  “I’m not at liberty to say.” He shoved his food tray away.

  “Why not?”

  “I was drugged up pretty good yesterday. Who knows what I was really going to say? Most likely, it was something that would get me in hot water.” He glanced over my left shoulder, not meeting my eyes.

  He was lying.

  “If you know something that will stop all this—”

  “I don’t.” He crossed his arms. “You should stop asking me. Since I can’t help protect you, you’re only increasing the danger. Where’s my car?”

  “Norma drove off in it.”

  “My gun is in that car.” He shook his head. “I don’t mind taking the bullet intended for her. I’m glad she got away.”

  “Do you know the identity of the person who ordered Norma killed?” I squeezed his arm. “Do you know who Stinger is?”

  “What are you doing in here?” Reed stormed into the room. “No one comes in here without my permission.”

  “I’m visiting a friend. There’s no rule against that.” I released Ryan’s arm and lifted my chin. “We’re here during visiting hours.” Since we had yet to stop for coffee, my mood was not one where someone could come at me aggressively and expect me to back down.

  “I’m calling Detective Steele. You’re refusing to follow my orders.” Reed reached for his radio.

  “No need.” Greta stood. “We’re leaving.”

  “Do I know you?” He asked.

  “Nope.” She rushed me from the room and into the elevator, repeatedly pushing the down button until the doors closed. Reed watched us from Ryan’s doorway.

  “What was that all about?” I jogged to keep up with her as she hurried to my jeep.

  “Get in and I’ll tell you.”

  We got in and locked the doors. “I’m listening.”

  “I’ve seen that man before, and he wasn’t in uniform.”

  “Where?”

  “Little Rock. He may be an officer, but he’s something else, too. I think he’s Stinger.”

  My heart dropped. “He’s guarding Ryan.” I reached for the door handle, intending to run in and rescue my friend.

  “Which really makes me wonder.” Greta pierced me with her stare. “Ryan is still alive, isn’t he? If Reed is Stinger—”

  “Then Ryan knows about it.” I leaned my forehead against the steering wheel. “I need to call Matt, and we need to visit Jamal.” I dialed the hospital front desk for Jamal’s room and was informed he had been released. “We’re heading to Jamal’s house. Get my gun out of the glove compartment.”

  “I thought you kept it in your purse.” Greta retrieved it and set it in my lap.

  “Normally, I do, but I stuck it in there on the drive back from the cabin.”

  I drove us to Jamal’s house, sad to know that Norma wasn’t home. She was in hiding, and hopefully still alive. I parked in Norma’s driveway and after exiting the jeep, stuck my weapon in the waistband of my pants and pulled my shirt down to cover it. The usual group of young gang members was nowhere to be seen.

  Glancing around us, we made our way to the Brown’s front door. I knocked and stepped back.

  Shaunda opened the door. “What do you want?”

  “I’d like to speak with Jamal.”

  “He ain’t here.”

  “Stop it, Momma. Let her in,” Jamal called from inside.

  We stepped into a room full of boxes and suitcases. “You’re leaving?” I moved to stand in front of the sofa where Jamal lay.

  “It’s not safe here,” Shaunda said. “I need to get my boy away while he’s still breathing.” She bopped him upside the head. “Him and his stupid choices.”

  “Ow!” Jamal put a hand to his head. “I told you I wanted out, but they wouldn’t let me.”

  “They shot you!”

  “I’m pretty sure it was the cops that shot me.” He took a deep breath. “The police department is sending a moving truck for us in thirty minutes. They’re placing us in protective custody. I bet you’re here to talk about Stinger.”

  17

  “That name is not allowed in my house.” Shaunda sat on an overflowing suitcase in an attempt to close it.

  “If you’re running, why are you taking all of your things?” Greta asked. “Why not just go?”

  “Not everyone has the money to replace belongings.” Shaunda bounced and grunted, finally getting the case closed and latched. “These are our memories.”

  “What do you know about Stinger?” I turned my attention back to Ja
mal.

  He plucked at a loose thread on the unraveling Afghan across his legs. “Rumor has it that he’s a cop.”

  I choked back a gasp. Greta and I were on the right track. “Anything else?”

  “He gives his assignments through text messages.” Jamal dug a phone out of his pocket. “Here. The last thing I got was that our target was at the park. I wasn’t happy to see it was you.”

  I glanced at the text. “I think the target was supposed to be Norma.”

  “I heard her and Tyler disappeared.”

  I nodded, not sure how much to tell him. Saying he wanted to change his lifestyle wasn’t the same as doing. “Do you know where Ivy’s greenhouse is?”

  “Yeah, but I don’t advise going there.” He wrote an address on the back of an empty envelope and handed it to me. “If her or Stinger finds out you went there and harassed her mom, they’ll kill you.”

  “And us, if they find out he told you.” Shaunda opened the front door. “Y’all need to leave before someone finds out you’re here. My boy is still mending.”

  She was right. Greta and I needed to go. “Take care of yourself, Jamal. I hope you can leave this all behind you.”

  “Be careful, Miss Nelson. You’re one of the good guys.”

  “Thank you. What are Ivy’s hours?”

  “Most of the time, she works during the day. She spends her nights with Stinger, messing with her plants in between.”

  I met Greta’s gaze, knowing without saying what our next stop was going to be. I shook Jamal’s hand, bending close enough to whisper for him to seek the Lord.

  He nodded and told me to keep a close eye on Sissy. She wanted Ivy’s spot in the chain of command.

  I turned and thanked Shaunda, and left, knowing I would never see either one of them again. I sent a prayer heavenward for their safety, and returned to the jeep.

  “Do you think they’ll be all right?” I asked Greta.

  “I think so. The boy seems to have his head on straight now. Better late than never. They can start over somewhere else.”

  I really needed my coffee, so we made a trip to the coffee shop. It seemed strange not to see Tyler behind the counter. The friendly aroma of brewing coffee and baking pastries helped relieve some of the tension.