Scumble River Mystery 07 Dead Blondes Tell No Tales

by Denise Swanson

  Simon’s face darkened, and he snapped. “I don’t know. Did you set another one?”

  For a moment Ruby looked sheepish, but she stood her ground. “I said I was sorry about that. Why did you wake me?”

  “We need to talk. Now.” Simon moved forward.

  “I’m not dressed.”

  “We’ll wait.”

  She started to close the door, but Simon put a foot out. “We’ll wait inside.”

  Ruby grudgingly moved back and allowed them into the apartment, but stopped Bunny. “It’s better if I talk to them alone.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Ruby nodded. “You and I’ll talk later.”

  Bunny patted her friend’s arm and went back down the stairs.

  Ruby closed the door and said to Simon and Skye, “I may be a while.” She started toward the bedroom, words floating over her shoulder: “And I could really use some coffee.” She turned her head toward Skye. “Bring me a cup when it’s ready, hon.”

  “Skye ignored the blonde’s request, and tugged Simon over to the sofa to wait for her reappearance.

  A half hour passed, and Ruby still had not come out of the bedroom. Simon was pacing up and down the small living room. It looked like a tornado had gone through, strewing clothes, shoes, cosmetics, magazines, and empty plates and glasses on every possible surface.

  On one of his passes by the couch where Skye was sitting, he gestured to the mess and said, “Bunny likes things tidy, so this mess must be Ruby’s. She’s not much of a housekeeper, is she?”

  Before Skye could answer, Ruby swept into the room and stated, “There’s where you’re wrong. I’ve been married five times, and I always keep the house.”

  Ruby settled onto the chair facing the sofa. She was now dressed in a bright pink jersey. The pants were tight, though otherwise not too outrageous, but the top consisted of a rectangle in front and crisscrossed straps in the back.

  Simon raised an eyebrow at Skye as he joined her on the couch. She shrugged. The woman’s clothes were not their problem.

  Ruby relaxed back into her seat and yawned. “What’s so urgent?”

  Simon growled, but got control of his temper when Skye dug her nails into his thigh. “We want to know what’s going on. It’s obvious someone is after something you have.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.” Ruby examined her manicure, making a moue of displeasure when she spotted a chip in the hot-pink polish.

  “First the incident with the police; then your car is vandalized, this apartment is almost set on fire; and yesterday Hacker was mugged. We may live in a small town, but we aren’t stupid.”

  Ruby continued to avoid their eyes. “I never thought you were.”

  “Then tell us what’s happening,” Skye said, having decided to play good cop. “We just want to help.”

  “There’s nothing to tell.” Ruby picked at an imaginary piece of lint on her pant leg. “I’ve just had a run of bad luck since coming here.”

  Simon grunted. “Does that ’bad luck’ have a name?”

  “No. I must have broken a mirror or something.”

  Skye got up and knelt by the other woman’s chair, taking her hand. “Ruby, I know you think you can handle whatever the problem is on your own.”

  Ruby nodded.

  “I know you’re a strong, independent person, but everyone needs help at some point in their lives.” Skye paused and looked into Ruby’s eyes. “People are starting to get hurt because of you, and I’m sure that’s the last thing you intended.”

  A single tear rolled down Ruby’s cheek. “I didn’t think they’d bother anyone else.”

  “When it was just your car or a false fire alarm, we could let you deal with whatever is going on by yourself. But yesterday Hacker was attacked. What if today it’s Bunny or one of the children coming for the Easter-egg hunt?”

  Ruby sniffed. “I’ll leave; then everyone will be safe.”

  Simon offered her his handkerchief and said gently, “No, I’m sorry, but they won’t. Whoever is doing this might still think you’re here, or that you left behind what he’s trying to find.”

  “Please, please, tell us what you’re hiding.” Skye squeezed the other woman’s hand.

  “Okay.” Ruby heaved a sigh. “I’m turning them over to the FBI tomorrow anyway.”

  Skye and Simon exchanged an alarmed glance and asked simultaneously, “Turning what over?”

  “Some computer disks that just happened to fall into my possession.”

  Simon ordered, “Tell us from the beginning.”

  “It all started when a friend of mine, Benny, who worked on the cleaning crew in one of the new casinos, got busted by the feds for selling land through the mail.”

  “That’s illegal?” Skye questioned.

  “It is when there’s no land. He put ads in the paper, sent any sucker who answered a slick brochure, and then if they took the bait and wrote him a check, he sent them a fake deed. Most people who bought were yuppies looking for investments, so they never figured out all they owned was a worthless piece of paper. Unfortunately for him, someone found out, got the feds involved, and next thing you know poor Benny is back in the slammer.”

  “How can you say ‘poor Benny’?” Skye asked. “He was cheating innocent people.”

  Ruby shrugged. “People with the kind of money to invest like that are never innocent. No one gets rich without screwing someone else.” Ruby shook her head at Skye’s naı ¨veté. “Anyway, this was Benny’s third offense, and he was going away for a long time, so he made a deal with the feds. He would turn over a lot bigger fishes if they let him skate on his jail time.”

  “He stole the computer disks from the casino, right?” Simon guessed.

  “Right.” Ruby smiled “The casino owners were up to something shady, and Benny figured it out.”

  “What were they doing?” Skye asked.

  “I don’t know, and I don’t want to know.” Ruby crossed her arms. “I was just holding the disks for Benny. Nothing else.”

  “I thought it was almost impossible for a casino to do anything illegal anymore.” Simon’s face was set in hard, tight lines.

  “Like I said, I don’t know the details.” Ruby shrugged. “But you know the old saying—invent a better mousetrap and the mouse just gets smarter.”

  “Why didn’t Benny give the disks to the FBI when he made his deal?” Skye demanded.

  “Benny’s been around the block a few times, and he doesn’t trust the government. He gave them to me to hold until he and the feebs could come to a mutually satisfactory agreement. I got a message from Benny yesterday that it was okay to turn them over now.”

  “Then it’s an FBI agent who’s been trying to get the disks?” Simon’s brow wrinkled in disbelief.

  “No. I told the FBI I would turn over the disks on Good Friday—that I couldn’t get ahold of them until that day. Agent Dodd will be here tomorrow morning at eightA .M.”

  “That’s why Wally didn’t arrest you,” Skye deduced. “You had him call the FBI and they told him to let you go.”

  Ruby smiled serenely. “It was purely a delight to see that boy’s expression when he realized he couldn’t put me in jail.”

  “So what did you burn when you set off the alarm?” Skye asked.

  “I didn’t burn anything.” Ruby’s expression was puzzled. “Someone else burned some of my personal correspondence.” She bit her lip. “He must have thought it was from Benny, but it was only a couple of notes from my fiancé.”

  “It must be the casino owner, or more likely one of his goons looking for the disks, but why would they burn your love letters?” Skye questioned.

  “Who knows?” Ruby’s expression turned serious. “How anyone figured out I even had the disks is beyond me. I would never have come here if I thought for a minute I’d put Bunny in danger. We’ve been like sisters for nearly twenty years.”

  “But you must have had some suspicion, since you came a day early and tri
ed to have your hair dyed.” Skye suddenly remembered what her godfather and brother had said during Sunday night’s dinner.

  “I was just being cautious.” Ruby tossed her head. “I figured better safe than sorry.”

  “I wonder if whoever is after you lost your trail, and didn’t realize you stayed at the motor court rather than here Saturday night, and that’s who vandalized the bowling alley.” Skye was starting to put the recent events together.

  “Maybe.” Ruby squirmed in her seat.

  “Who knew you were going to visit Bunny?” Simon asked.

  “The only person I told was my fiancé.”

  “Have you spoken to him lately?” Skye questioned, not liking the way the situation was shaping up.

  “Yesterday. I wanted to know how his daughter took the news of our engagement. He told her the day I left Las Vegas, and I hadn’t been able to catch up with him to find out her reaction before then.”

  “And he hadn’t told anyone where you were?” Skye chewed her lip.

  “No.” Ruby paused. “Well, he gave his daughter this phone number so she could call me, so we can get to know each other, but he didn’t tell her where I’m at.”

  “Maybe she told someone?” Simon suggested. “It isn’t that hard to get a location if you have a phone number.”

  “There’d be no reason for anyone to even question her.”

  Simon shrugged. “So where are the disks?”

  “It’s best if you don’t know.” Ruby got up and straightened the material of her top. “I’ll give them to Agent Dodd tomorrow morning, and that will be that.” She smiled at Simon. “See, problem’s solved.”

  Chapter 12

  Misery Loves Blondes

  “Did you know about Ruby and the FBI before today?” Skye asked Bunny as they worked setting up the egg-dyeing stations.

  Skye, Simon, and Bunny had discussed whether or not they should shut down the bowling alley and cancel the Easter-egg hunt, but finally made up their minds to go through with it. Bunny had clinched their decision by pointing out that a bad guy among the kids would stick out like a librarian at a book burning.

  “Some of it.” Bunny had been subdued since hearing what Ruby had told Skye and Simon. “I’m glad Sonny Boy had to leave. He was making me nervous pacing around here and grinding his teeth.”

  Simon had reluctantly returned to the funeral home, promising to ask Wally to send a police officer to keep on eye on things during the party. Ruby had agreed to stay in the apartment until she turned over the disks the next morning.

  “Did Ruby tell you where she hid the disks?” Skye probed.

  Bunny paused and looked over the station she had just set up. Each one would hold five kids and a teen supervisor. Each child would get to dye four eggs.

  “No.” Bunny moved on to the next table. “And I didn’t ask her. Asking too many questions is what gets you into trouble.”

  The women worked in silence while Skye considered what Bunny had said. Finally she said, “Why didn’t you tell us about Ruby’s predicament?”

  “It wasn’t my story to tell.” Bunny put her hands on her hips. “What you don’t understand is that I’ve lived a really different life than you have. Las Vegas is like no other place on earth, and the rules are different there. You learn pretty damn fast to mind your own business, and be awful careful about who you try and help, because there’s no quicker way of making an enemy than doing someone a favor.” She gave Skye a half smile, and then went into the kitchen to get the eggs the cook had been hard-boiling all morning.

  Skye contemplated what Bunny had said as she finished setting up the last dyeing station and went over to check on the prize table. Once again, Simon’s mother had proven she was far from the airhead she pretended to be.

  A deep voice yelling, “Ho, ho, ho,” broke into Skye’s musings, and Charlie strode into view. He held a purple Easter Bunny costume out in front of him.

  Skye hurried up to him and kissed him on the cheek. Laughing, she said, “Uncle Charlie, where did you get such an elaborate costume? It looks like it could walk and talk all by itself.”

  “I rented it from a place in Chicago.”

  “Well, it’s terrific, but the Easter Bunny does not go ‘ho, ho, ho.” ’

  He frowned. “Well, what does a rabbit say?”

  “Nothing. The Easter Bunny just nods and smiles and hands out prizes.”

  “You mean you ladies talked me into wearing this stupid outfit and it isn’t even a speaking part?” Charlie pretended to be upset, but the twinkle in his blue eyes gave him away.

  Bunny came out of the kitchen, put down the tray of eggs she was carrying, and walked over to him. “There are other compensations.” She took his arm, tugging him toward the storeroom. “Let me show you the present Ruby brought me.”

  Skye felt her cheeks flush, remembering the objects that had gotten Ruby into trouble when the blonde first arrived in town.

  She checked her watch. “The kids will be here in half an hour.” Bunny and Charlie walked away without acknowledging her words. Skye called after them, “Don’t forget Frannie and her crew will be here any minute, so keep it G-rated.”

  The teenagers arrived just as Skye started to get the refreshments ready.

  They pitched in, and as they all worked Skye went over their duties one more time. “Each of you is in charge of five kids. Miss Bunny and I will be available if you need help with anything. After the eggs are dyed, take your group into the basement. We’ve got three games for you to play with them. Try and give us at least thirty or forty minutes to hide the eggs before you bring them back upstairs. Everyone with me so far?”

  They all nodded.

  “Great. Once they come back upstairs, hand them each a little basket and let them start hunting. There’ll be the regular eggs they dyed, and also plastic eggs with slips of paper inside indicating prizes ranging from a chocolate bunny to the grand prize—a bicycle. Try to make sure all of the children find at least one plastic egg. Understand?”

  More nods.

  “Okay. Let me show you the games we set up in the basement.” Skye led the teens to the stairs.

  They encountered Bunny as she came out of the storeroom. The redhead’s hair was mussed and her makeup smeared. She waved at the kids and said to Skye, “I’ll be right back. I want to freshen up and see if Ruby needs anything. Charlie is changing into his costume.”

  “Good.” Skye looked at her watch. “We’ll unlock the door in five minutes, so don’t be long.”

  After the tour of the basement, Skye led the teens back upstairs and to the entrance. There were already twenty or thirty kids and their parents waiting outside. As soon as Skye unlocked the door they dashed inside, and Frannie and her team snapped into action, registering kids, taking coats, and separating them into groups.

  Skye made her way through the crowd, reminding parents to pick up their kids no later than five.

  The last parent had finally left when Bunny rushed over to Skye, took her arm, and pulled her aside, frantically whispering, “Ruby’s gone! The apartment’s been ransacked, and there’s blood all over.”

  Skye felt her chest tighten. “I’ll call Simon and Wally. You go ahead with the hunt.”

  Bunny looked torn.

  “There’s nothing else we can do right now. We have a hundred kids here, and we can’t tell them to leave. Most of their parents dropped them off and they’re here alone.”

  Bunny nodded and pasted a smile on her face, turned to the kids, and said, “Let’s go have some fun.”

  Skye made the calls. Simon was stuck at the funeral home, but Wally said he’d go directly up to the apartment. He also said that one of his officers would be at the bowling alley soon to keep an eye on things while the children were there.

  She thanked him and went back to the party.

  Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Skye dealt with the small emergencies that popped up, like broken eggs and fights over the red dye, but otherwise t
hings were running smoothly.

  By three thirty, all the kids were in the basement playing games, and Skye and Bunny were hurriedly hiding eggs.

  They finished just as the first wave of hunters crested the stairs. Skye checked her watch. Where was Uncle Charlie?

  She said loudly, “Maybe the Easter Bunny is feeling shy today. Let’s all call his name to make him feel welcome. Ready? One. Two. Three.”

  “Easter Bunny!” the kids shouted together.

  Nothing.

  Skye smiled at the kids, but there was a line of worry between her eyes. “One more time.”

  “Easter Bunny!” the kids shouted again.

  Nothing; then after a long moment the storeroom door burst open and the Easter Bunny hopped out. The kids went wild and the hunt began.

  A half hour later, all the kids had prizes and the parents started arriving to pick them up. By five thirty the kids and parents were gone and the cleanup had begun. Wally had come down from the apartment after everyone left and said that he had called out all of his officers to look for Ruby, and he had the county sheriff’s department processing the crime scene. If they didn’t find her soon, Wally would call the FBI.

  After Wally left, Skye paused in gathering discarded candy wrappers from the floor and asked Bunny, who was wiping tables, “Have you seen Charlie since he made his appearance as the Easter Bunny?”

  The redhead stopped in midswipe. “No. Maybe he can’t get out of the costume. It looked complicated.”

  Skye stood. “I’ll go check. It’s been at least an hour since I’ve seen him. Surely he’d have come for help if he needed it.”

  Bunny followed her. The storeroom was dark, and when Skye switched on the lights she gasped. Charlie was duct-taped to a chair with a gag in his mouth.

  Chapter 13

  Blondes of a Feather Flock Together

  Skye cradled the receiver between her ear and shoulder as she straightened the rental shoe racks. It was sixP .M. Friday night and the lanes were full. “Mom, as I already told you in our previous hundred phone calls, Charlie’s fine.”