“Let’s make this quick. Ann is already mad that I left her to mind the store. She wanted to come with us.”
“I’m sure she did, but there is no reason to close shop to do a stakeout.” I exited the van on shaky legs and made my way, stiffly, to the double glass doors.
“Still sore after last night, huh?” Greta caught up with me with little effort. “You should have taken a hot bath. Works every time on these old bones of mine.”
“I’ll remember that if there’s a next time.”
She laughed. “Girl, we’re talking about you. There will definitely be a next time.”
“Shut up.” I entered the hospital and made a beeline for the elevator.
Greta’s cackling followed me inside. I put my finger over the button to close the doors and raised my eyebrows. Her eyes widened.
“You wouldn’t.”
“I’m pretty sure I would.” I grinned and pushed the button.
She slid through, the door bouncing open as it hit against her plump hips. “Not funny.”
I shrugged.
The elevator dinged and the doors swung open when we reached Ryan’s floor. A tall black woman wearing a floppy hat and stilettos, took one look at us and made a dash for the stairs.
“Ivy!” I started to run after her, then thought of Ryan. What if she had harmed him? I glanced toward his room, dismayed to see Reed wasn’t at his post. Despite the warning looks cast my way from the nurse’s station, I limp-ran to Ryan’s room and came to a skid inside.
Ryan sat up, a tray of food in front of him. “What’s wrong?”
“I should be asking you that.” I sat painfully in the closest chair. “Where is Reed? Why was Ivy here?”
“Oh.” He sighed and pushed his tray away as Greta entered. “I’m uh, well, I’m seeing her.”
“What? I thought she was Stinger’s woman.” I gasped. “Oh, Ryan.”
He shook his head. “I’m not Stinger.”
“You’re a cop dating a prostitute?” Greta crossed her arms. “Now, I’ve heard everything.”
“I’m not the first.” His face darkened.
“You know who Stinger is, don’t you?” I pointed my finger at him. “I thought you were one of the good guys.” The clamping of his lips told me everything I needed to know. My heart ached. “I’m glad you and Angela didn’t start seeing each other.” I pushed to my feet. “Let’s go, Greta.”
I needed to leave before he saw my tears.
“Wait.”
I took a deep, shuddering breath without looking back.
“Why do you think you’re still alive, Stormi? Think about it. I’m your friend. I would never harm you.”
I squared my shoulders and left. A man whom I had thought to be a close friend had betrayed me. Not only me, but his partner. Matt would be devastated.
I knew better than to force Ryan to tell me Stinger’s identity. I was pretty sure I knew who it was anyway. A friend of the gang’s or not, if he told me, Ryan’s life would be in grave danger. I couldn’t have that on my conscience, betrayal or not.
The tears fell, blurring my vision. I held the elevator for Greta, and wiped my face on my sleeve.
“That was informative,” she said, pressing the button for the lobby. “What are we going to do with the information?”
“I’ll have to tell Matt. But, first, we have a stakeout to do.”
“On who? There’s no sense watching Ivy anymore.”
“There is still the matter of the poison ivy.”
“Right.”
When the elevator doors open, we almost ran into Reed, his hands full with two cups of coffee. “What’s wrong?” He asked, looking at me.
“Nothing. I’m not feeling well.” I wiped my face again. “We’re just leaving.” I pushed past him, glancing back when we reached the doors to the outside.
Reed watched us leave, his dark face impassive. “Be careful,” he called.
I wasn’t sure whether he was warning us or actually showing concern for our welfare. I chose to go with the warning. We were close to catching Stinger and shutting down the gang. Things were going to get ugly.
“I’m wondering who the dead woman with red hair is,” I said, clicking my seatbelt. “Do you think it could be Ginger?”
“That’s a good guess.” Greta started the van and pulled from the lot. “See if Matt will tell you.”
I fished my cell phone from my purse and dialed. “Who is the woman found in the lake last night?”
“Hello to you, too.” He sighed. “How did you find out about that?”
“A celestial being told me.”
He groaned. “It’s Ginger.”
I nodded at Greta. “Okay, thanks, and Matt?”
“Yeah?”
“I need to tell you something, but not over the phone. Can you come by tonight? I’ll call you when I get home.”
“Sure. Where are you going now?”
“Love you, bye.” I hung up, not wanting to tell him I was going on a stakeout. He’d only fuss, even though it was the middle of the day. What could possibly go wrong other than people lying for months to someone who thought them a friend?
Enough crying. It wouldn’t change anything. There was work to be done. “Head to Melrose Street,” I said. “If nothing is happening there, we’ll go to Ivy’s mother’s house.”
“That’s as good of a plan as any.”
Fifteen minutes later, we parked in front of a closed video rental store.
I didn’t bother stuffing my hair under my cap. The gang knew who I was and that I was asking questions.
The usual girls stood on the street corner. I never understood that. I always thought their profession took place in the dark of night. I spotted Ivy and Sissy in what looked like a heated argument. With arms waving, they shouted at each. We were too far away to hear what they were saying.
“Those are our main suspects,” Greta said. “I’d give anything to be an ant on the sidewalk right about now.”
Ivy stormed away and climbed into a rusted Volkswagon. “Follow her,” I said. “Try not to be seen.”
“She’s too mad to see much of anything.” Greta whipped the van after her.
Ivy went straight to her mother’s house, exited the car, and marched to the greenhouse. I opened my door and followed.
She turned as she opened the greenhouse door. “You’re a piece of work.” She stepped inside.
Since she hadn’t ordered me to leave, I stepped into the humidity. “Did you kill Daisy?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m dating a cop, which I’m sure you know now.”
“So? Why is Ryan’s word so important that I’m still alive?”
She plucked a wilted leaf off of a rose bush. “If I tell you that, I’ll be as dead as Ginger.”
“Why is she dead?” I leaned against the counter after making sure no poison ivy was anywhere in sight.
“Because she knew too much and was blackmailing Stinger.” She glared. “Stop being so stupid already. You must know everything you need to know.” She jabbed her finger in my forehead. “Think with that addled brain God gave you.”
I had all the information? Then, why wasn’t it falling into place? If Ivy didn’t kill Daisy, and I actually believed her when she said she didn’t, then … Oh!” I whirled and rushed back to the van. “Back to Melrose. Hurry.”
“What did she say?”
“That I had all the information I needed to crack this thing wide open. She’s right.”
“Tell me.”
“Not until I know for certain.”
“That’s just plain mean.” She sped back to Melrose. Sissy was nowhere to be seen.
My shoulders slumped. “Do we know where Sissy lives?”
“I can find out.” She turned the wheel and took us to Heavenly Bakes.
Mom glanced up from where she frosted a cake. She wiped her hands on her apron. “Spill the beans. What did you find out?”
I told her about Ryan and Ivy, about
my suspicions regarding Sissy and Reed, and about Rusty’s zombies. When I’d finished, she stared at me, her lips pressed tight together as she processed the information.
“That’s quite the day you two have had,” she said, picking up her spatula. “Considering all that, and the danger involved, I’m kind of glad I stayed here, and I’m doubly glad your sister didn’t get her wish about going out with that no-good, dirty cop.”
Considering how much time Ryan had spent at our house over the last few months, I knew she was feeling as injured and betrayed as I was. My mom always prided herself on her ability to read people at a glance. We’d both failed this time.
I was a writer. I was supposed to notice these things, to see inside a person as fodder for my stories. Pain ripped through me like a knife. “I need to head home and prepare myself for telling Matt.”
“I’ll drop you off,” Greta said. “Then come back here and see what I can find out on Sissy.”
“I need coffee first.” I headed across the street.
“Gracious, girl.” Sarah stopped me as soon as I entered the coffee shop. “If you want people to buy your books, you should at least look presentable when going out in public. Sweat pants?”
“I’m not in the mood, Sarah.” I got in line.
“No need to be snippy. I’m only trying to help.”
“Do you have something to tell me? If not, go back to your table.” I’d regret my rude behavior later.
“That gardener of yours is in jail.”
“What?” I frowned. “How is that even possible?”
She shrugged. “He hit someone over the head with a shovel.”
I paid for my coffee, waited for the Barista to fill my order, then hurried back to Greta. Since she had driven that day, I didn’t have a vehicle. I quickly explained what Sarah had told me. Greta agreed to drive me to the station.
Once there, I approached the desk where Angela sat talking on the phone. I tapped her head. She held up a finger, telling me to wait.
“I will not wait.” I hung up the phone.
“Hey!”
“That was a personal call.” From the look on her face, I had guessed right. “Where’s Rusty?”
“Locked up.”
“Has bail been posted?”
She shrugged. “He assaulted someone, Stormi.”
“In self-defense, I’m sure.”
She sighed. “Talk to your boyfriend. I just work here.”
“Please, I’ve had a rough day. I’m sorry I hung up the phone.”
She cocked her head. “You do look a little … rough. Matt is in his office. Go on back.”
“Thank you.” I turned to Greta. “I’ll catch a ride home with Matt or Angela.” Ignoring the stiffening in my knees from too much activity, I headed for Matt’s office where he scowled at something someone said on the phone.
“I don’t care what your intentions are, Linda. I expect you to remain professional and do your job!” He slammed the receiver down, noticing me in the doorway. He jumped to his feet and rushed to my side. “What happened?”
“You might want to sit down for this.”
23
“You look like you need to sit down.” He led me to a chair in front of his desk, then pulled another seat close. “What is it you want to tell me? Is this what you were going to say tonight?”
I nodded. “I don’t know a good way to tell you this, so I’ll just say it.” I told him of my visits to Ryan and to Ivy.
He listened with a stony face, then stood and paced the room. “I was beginning to suspect Ryan knew more than he was telling, but this is more than I thought.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. If I tell the chief, he could go to jail or worse, dead. At the minimum, he’ll have to turn in his badge.” He rubbed his hands down his face. “This is so hard to believe. We’ve been partners for a long time.”
“I’m so sorry.” I stared at my hands in my lap, giving him a moment to come to terms with what I’d said. When he returned to his seat, I asked, “What happened with Rusty?”
“He found someone snooping around your house and hit them with a shovel. The boy will be all right, and isn’t going to press charges, the little idiot, even though he is spending the night in the hospital. He knows he was in the wrong by trespassing. The chief just wants Rusty to have some time to learn that peeping, and assaulting, is wrong.”
“He was only looking out for me.”
Matt nodded. “I know.”
“Has he told you about the zombies?”
His head jerked up. “He said something about the boy he hit was one, but I chalked it up to Rusty’s crazy talk.”
“Mrs. Olsen also said the street is very active at night. I plan on staying up to see what is going on. I think the zombies are people keeping an eye on me.”
“It looks as if I’ll be sitting up with you. I’ll bring pizza.”
“Maybe we should observe from your house. If we do it at mine, we’ll have a crowd.” I stood and caressed his face. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”
He nodded, leaning into my touch. “I’ll call when I get home.”
I brushed a kiss across his lips and went to ask Angela to give me a ride home.
“Seriously? After the way you hung up on my phone call? Fine.” She glanced at the clock. “I don’t get off work for another thirty minutes. Have a seat.” She waved me toward some hard plastic chairs bolted to the floor.
“Get your hands off me!” A police officer, one hand clamped firmly on Starr’s upper arm, dragged her down the hallway. “You’ve got the wrong girl.”
She glanced at me and winked. Who was this person?
The officer dragged her down the hall and practically threw her into a conference room. I met Angela’s bored gaze.
“Welcome to the precinct.” She returned to her work.
Starr pounded on the window a few times, then moved out of sight. Everything in me wanted to go into that room and ask her who she was, but the presence of the officer outside the room deterred me. I’d seen enough trouble for one day.
Matt came out of his office and entered the conference room. Now, I really wanted to go in.
“Let’s go.” Angela grabbed her purse.
Time sure passed quickly at the police station. I couldn’t believe half an hour had come and gone. I followed my sister to her second-hand BMW and slid behind the driver’s wheel.
“Please don’t come into my place of work dressed the way you are,” she said. “I have a certain standard to uphold.”
“Why is everyone concerned with my dressing habits?”
“You look like a homeless person.”
“My knees are skinned up. Loose fitting sweat pants are comfortable.”
We pulled into the driveway. She turned toward me. “You look terrible, Stormi. You need to get some rest. Take a long soak in the tub. Anything that will make you look more … alive. You’re ragged. Mom is worried about you.”
“Just Mom?”
“Fine.” She exhaled sharply. “We all are. Why can’t you just stick to your writing?”
“I honestly don’t know why life won’t let me. Maybe I have a gift.” I exited the car.
“A gift for finding trouble,” she said, after joining me outside.
We walked in silence to the house. I disarmed the alarm and headed upstairs. That bath sounded wonderful. I filled the tub with hot water and bubbles smelling like roses. I would have preferred something that didn’t remind me of Ivy’s greenhouse.
I shed my clothes and climbed in, taking a sharp breath at the heat of the water. I slowly lowered myself into the bubbles, feeling the heat start to ease the tenseness in my body. I leaned back and closed my eyes.
A ringing coming from my purse woke me. The water was cold, and I shivered as I reached for my purse.
“Hello?”
“It’s me. Are you ready?”
“Oh, sure. Give me five minutes.” I hung up on
Matt and climbed from the tub, rubbing the goose pimples on my skin away with a towel. I chose another pair of sweats to cover my scrapes, brushed out my hair and went downstairs. “Going to Matt’s!” I called, in case anyone was home to hear me.
With Mom now living in the basement, and Angela overseeing improvements to the attic, my home had returned mostly to the quiet tomb it once was. Of course, renovations in the attic were on hold at the moment. With all that was going on, I didn’t want strangers traipsing in and out of my house.
In case any zombies were watching, I clipped a leash on Sadie’s collar and snuck us out the back door. Not that my giant, scared-of-her- own-shadow, dog would be much help against an attacker, but her presence still soothed me as I kept to the shadows on my way to Matt’s place. That and the gun in my purse.
A few people, dressed in dark clothes, ambled up and down the street. I watched for a minute, thoroughly confused. They made no attempt to hide themselves, just walked up and back, up and back. I wanted to wave my hand in front of a young man’s face as he passed the bush I crouched behind, but kept my hands firmly on Sadie’s leash. She growled. The guy passed as if he hadn’t heard her. What the heck?
I stepped out of hiding. As one, all six of them turned to stare. I expected to be riddled with bullets. Instead, they turned and resumed their pacing. Weird and freaky.
Matt stepped off his front porch. “Isn’t that the strangest thing?”
“Not so strange.” Ryan stepped from around the house.
“What are you doing out of the hospital?” I started to rush to him, but remembered what a traitor he was.
“Let’s just say I let myself out.” He held one arm close to his side. “These are my people. They’re here for your protection.”
“You’re asking for a gang war on a family street.” Matt balled his hands at his side, clearly restraining himself from punching his former partner.
“Stinger doesn’t want a war any more than we do.” Ryan sat on the porch steps. “I’m sorry, man. I couldn’t tell you what I was messed up in. It wasn’t even something to be concerned about until the gangs moved in. I thought I could get them to leave and no one the wiser.”
“Who is Stinger?” Matt stepped toward him.
Nosy Neighbor: All 7 complete Nosy Neighbor cozy mysteries PLUS: 2 short Christmas stories (A Nosy Neighbor mystery) Page 45
