Teased to Death (Misty Newman 1)

by Gina LaManna

  "Would you mind checking? I would, but I don't want to barge in on him," Donna said.

  "Not at all. I'll check now. Can I grab you coffee on the way?"

  "Sure, I'd love some decaf. Actually, let's be honest. I'd love me some regular coffee, but I'm breastfeeding and all, the babies…" Donna said with a roll of her eye.

  I stared at Donna. There was no way Donna was breastfeeding her youngest. But she must have a reason for leading the front desk attendant on to believe it. What was she up to?

  I watched silently, playing along, hoping I'd catch on to whatever Donna was aiming to achieve. As she leaned toward my unnamed high school buddy and slipped her jacket off, real slowly down one arm, her tactic suddenly dawned on me. The cop froze with a Dorito halfway to his mouth, and I didn't think the drool was for the chip.

  I nearly rolled my eyes, but then it hit me. The guy's name was Dwight. He'd always had a crush on Donna. He'd asked her to prom every year in school and been rejected every time. Talk about unrequited love.

  "Let me take your jacket for you," Dwight insisted.

  "Thanks, but that's all right." Donna's eyes flicked toward me as she kept a firm hold of her jacket.

  "No, really. Let me hang it up," Dwight insisted.

  "I'll only be a second, honest," Donna said.

  "No, no." Dwight more forcefully pulled the jacket from her, simultaneously putting his hand on her shoulder. "You asked for a cup o' Joe, and I'm gonna bring you the best cup you've had this year. You sit down and sip it, Donna. I insist. You work yourself too hard."

  Donna's smile was frozen on her face as he pulled the jacket away.

  "Everything all right?" Dwight asked.

  "Yep." Donna blushed. "Well, as a matter of fact, I have a teensy favor to ask of you."

  "Name it." Dwight was back leaning on the desk lickety-split.

  "I need to…tinkle, and if you don't mind, I'd really like to use the private one." She grinned. "But I'm not sure I can wait to grab Jax's key—do you think I could use yours?"

  Dwight pulled out a jingling set of keys from his pocket. He looked incredibly torn at the moment—I could almost read his mind. Now was his chance to do a favor for the girl he'd had his eye on for years. Of course, now they were both happily married, but there was something about young love that was hard to let go. On the other hand, the private bathroom keys were strapped to the rest of his keys, and handing that stash over surely went against protocol.

  Dwight's eyes shifted down the hallway, glancing toward Jax's office. "Can you wait one second?"

  "Oh, no. No, I can't, but that's okay. I'll just use the public one. The same one she uses." Donna tilted her chin at me, her voice insinuating I was the scum of the earth. "It's my special time. I can't exactly wait. It's a little…out of my control."

  Dwight shoved the keys out to Donna and dashed down the hall like his pants were disappearing in flames.

  "Your special time?" I glanced at Donna. "Beautiful. Really, poetic."

  She rushed over, jangling the keys, trying the first one in the lock. "Yeah, yeah. Old Dwight. What a nerd."

  But from her downcast eyes and pink-tinged cheek, she was completely transparent.

  I grinned. "You like Dwight having a crush on you."

  "You try having five kids. It does a number on your self-esteem." She turned her hand, and the lock clicked open.

  "You are gorgeous," I said. "You look like you're twenty-two. And act like it too. Thanks for busting me out, girlfriend."

  "Anytime." Her eyes gleamed. "Crap. My phone is in that jacket though, the one with Dwight."

  "We don't have time." The coffeepot dripped in the background, and Dwight whistled extra loudly, probably trying to block out sounds of any girl stuff that might be happening.

  "But what if the kids call? Alec has been finicky, and I think he might be coming down with something…" Donna said.

  "Nathan has a phone," I said. "He's a good dad. And I'll bring you straight home. Let's go."

  Donna cast one glance down the hall. "He'll kill me."

  "Dwight or Nathan?" I asked, glancing after her.

  Donna just glared at me.

  "Don't worry. Jax will probably kill me first." I grabbed her hand and yanked her out of her reverie as I heard the smack of a fridge door sealing shut and the clatter of a coffee cup being set on a plate.

  Together we rushed out and hopped into her car, Donna in the driver's seat and me in the passenger seat.

  She wheeled out of the parking lot, and we were two blocks away before Dwight rushed out looking wildly up and down the street. I squinted, barely able to make out his figure as Donna drove us out of sight.

  "I don't think he saw us," I said as Donna whipped down a narrow alley. She knew this town better than the back of her hand.

  "He won't chase us," Donna said. "He'll go tell Nathan. He'll probably wet his pants doing so, but…ah well. Poor guy."

  "I still think you have a soft spot for him. Just a teensy bit," I said. "Innocent crush?"

  "Shut up." Donna stared straight ahead. "Tell me, how were you gonna bring me straight home anyway? Did you steal a car? Don't tell me that's why I got a call from you in prison."

  "I didn't steal a car. But I would've offered to drive yours. Anyway, the situation's complicated."

  "Please, fill me in."

  I gave Donna the nitty-gritty details. All the while, she made hairpin turns, backtracked, and rattled down side streets as if driving a getaway car was her nighttime gig.

  When I finished, she let out a low whistle. "Things don't look great for you, do they?"

  I shook my head, glancing at her. "You still think I didn't do it, right?"

  "Of course not. I've got kids in this town. I wouldn't have broken a killer out of jail. In fact, I consider busting you out my good deed of the day," she said with a light smile.

  "How so?"

  "Because you need to figure out who put you in this mess so we can get the real killer off the streets. Like I said, I got kids in this town. I want it to be a safe place."

  I nodded. "I really appreciate this. I was thinking in jail—"

  "Don't tell me you suddenly found your savior or something—you were in there five minutes."

  "Actually, I was thinking I should buy you a nice steak and some bubbly after this to celebrate."

  "Make it two bottles," Donna said. "I'm not gonna be getting any action from Nathan anytime soon after pulling this stunt, so I might need something else to help me sleep."

  I grinned, and it felt good. I hadn't had a lot to smile about the past few days. "Drive yourself home. If I can ask one last favor, would you mind dropping me off at the comic book store?"

  "I've got until three this afternoon, when I have to head to school for the science fair. Nathan Jr.'s volcano is going to explode at three fifteen on the dot, and if I don't take a video, he'll flip."

  "Thanks. Just drop me, and head home. I don't want you involved in this anymore."

  Donna parked a few blocks away in a dirty little alley I'd never been in before. Which was impressive, considering I thought I knew every inch of this tiny town.

  "Wow, I didn't know this was here," I said, climbing out of the car. We were blocks away from the comic store. It was a brilliant park job. Nobody would ever find it. Unless… "Does Nathan know about this place?"

  Donna smiled smugly. "I made out with Angelo D'Amico back here when I was thirteen. First time a boy touched my boob."

  I remembered—he was the teenage bad boy who'd broken most girls' hearts at Little Lake high.

  Donna sighed wistfully in remembrance. "I could never bring Nathan here…he'd be too jealous."

  I wrinkled my nose, not sure if Nathan would be jealous of a boob graze in seventh grade, but then again, Angelo D'Amico had been good lookin'. "Where did Angelo end up?"

  "Driving a FedEx truck. Ugly dude these days, but back then…" She shook her head. "Smokin'."

  We crept up to the back of the
comic book shop. It was supposedly closed today, but there was no difference in signage from any other day.

  "What's our plan?" Donna hissed.

  "I have a theory," I said. "Someone knows information in here, but I don't know who. I figure if I can find a way to convince them to tell me…"

  "You're threatening the priest again. Lord have mercy." Donna made the sign of the cross.

  "No." I winced. "Maybe I'll threaten Alfie."

  "Oh, good. The cop." Donna made praying hands and mumbled something.

  "It's for a good cause."

  "To find the killer."

  "Exactly. Except, Alfie's working, so he's safe, for the moment."

  "What are you going to threaten them with?" she asked.

  "I don't know." I knocked.

  The door swung open, and I faced a black hole once again.

  "Is anyone there?" I asked.

  There was no response.

  I shrugged at Donna, then took the first step forward. It was my neck on the line. I wasn't trying to be brave. In fact, I was shaking so hard my hand couldn't have dialed 9-1-1 if I tried.

  "Hello?" We crept to the right, back to where we'd been standing the other night when Merlin revealed himself. There was a book sitting out on the table, a dusting brush next to it, as if someone had been cleaning it before we'd arrived.

  The book was a huge one, so I grabbed it with both hands, just in case. It wasn't like I had a gun on me. Or a Taser. Or even pepper spray. They'd even taken my nail clippers at the jailhouse. I had to be resourceful.

  "There." Donna nodded toward the hallway from which Father Olaf and Alfie had emerged the other night.

  Except today, the two candles on either side of the doorway were lit. They flickered, casting an eerie glow around the dim room, the light dancing dangerously over the comic book covers.

  I nodded moving forward, feeling like I was getting closer and closer to a sleeping bear's lair. And I doubted the consequences would be good. But there was no other way. I was now a fugitive, and I not only needed answers, I needed them fast.

  No sooner had I taken the first step through the doorway than a rustle sounded behind me. Both Donna and I whirled around.

  "Sorry," I mumbled, after a near miss of Donna's head with the heavy book I wielded in my hands.

  Father Olaf stood behind us, his arms spread open. "To what do I owe this visit?"

  "I need answers," I said.

  Father Olaf raised one hand to his head, and I saw he held a cell phone. "9-1-1 is already dialed. I'm pressing the button, and you will be caught. You are now a fugitive, and I'm no longer afraid of you. My secret is out."

  An iciness crept down the vertebrae in my back. I didn't think Father Olaf would hurt us, but he had nothing to lose anymore. Or nothing to gain by helping us out, at least.

  I lifted the book a bit higher, and Father Olaf winced.

  I glanced at Donna, who looked shocked. It wasn't like I was actually going to hit the priest. I was just shifting. The book was heavy.

  "Uh, Misty?" Donna pointed behind me.

  The very edge of the book had accidentally grazed the tip of the flame when I'd lifted it higher. The corner was very slightly singed, like a marshmallow just starting to brown.

  "Aha," I said, the idea popping into my head. "You like this book?"

  "Please." Merlin reached his hands out. "It's one of a kind. There's none like it."

  "Probably why you were giving it a special cleaning." I raised an eyebrow.

  He looked down. "Please, it's priceless."

  "Yeah, well, so is my life, and I don't intend to spend it in jail." I looked at him seriously. "I'm not kidding. I have nothing to lose. I am extremely sorry to do this to you, but I need answers. I need a name. I need a number. If I don't get one of those in the next thirty seconds, this book is turning back into ashes."

  "I don't have any information," Merlin said. "Honest, I don't know—"

  I lifted the book closer toward the flame, and the corner started to melt just a bit.

  Merlin whimpered.

  "Stop lying," I said. "It's against the Commandments."

  "Fine! Check the computer."

  "Where's the computer?" I asked. "You just thought to tell me about the computer now?"

  "It's in the room behind you," he said.

  "No luck. I'm not falling for that. I'm staying right here, keeping this book nice and toasty by the flames," I said. I really hoped he'd get a move on with the information. My biceps were built for dancing, not for holding boulders above my head for ages. "You have internet on your phone, don't you?"

  Merlin waited forever to respond. My arms were wobbly, and I was about to break down and follow him into the next room without a plan. I was getting desperate, and my arms were getting tired. However, just before my arms collapsed, I saw a crack in his resolve. "Yes."

  "Tell me," I roared, the pain really getting to me now. It was like trying to hold on to the monkey bars for a year.

  "I know her first name. I only know this because I poked around after you were arrested because I was curious. I can't find her last name, honest. But I have her address. It's real. A few weeks ago, there was an accounting mix up, and we didn't have enough cash on hand to pay the girls. Anthony knew where she lived, and I found a note stuck in his things."

  "How do I know it's real? What if it's the address to Anthony's grandmother's house?" I asked.

  "I drove by the address myself today. It's her—no doubt about it. I recognized the walk. The hair."

  "Here's what we're gonna do. You're gonna give me the slip of paper with her name and address on it. You give us a fifteen-minute head start, then call the cops or don't. I'm taking the book with me. If the information is good, the book will be returned."

  The priest nodded, his face resigned.

  "We have a deal?" I pressed.

  "Yes." He reached his hand out, and we shook on it. When I withdrew my hand, it was holding a piece of paper.

  I glanced down at it, my mouth feeling like it'd come unhinged. All the saliva dried at the writing on the paper. "No."

  The priest nodded.

  "No," I said again.

  Donna reached over and grabbed the paper from my outstretched hand. I was as frozen as a gargoyle in shock.

  "No," Donna said. "No."

  The priest nodded. "If you leave the book, I won't call the cops on you ladies."

  I dropped the book on the table, rather unceremoniously, and hurried out of the shop with Donna close at my heels.

  Unfortunately, we both knew the address to where we were headed, as well as the name on the paper.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  "I should've known." I shook my head.

  Crouching next to Donna behind a fluffy bush, we hid directly across the street from the house in question. We'd parked a few blocks away and walked to the address listed on the slip of paper, so as not to arouse suspicion.

  The house was small and modest, an easy-to-afford starter home for the single woman. The yard was boxy and simple. The place would look decent with minimal amounts of lawn care, and there wasn't much of a walkway that would need shoveling in the coldest months of winter. The few bushes out front sprouted dusty leaves, which rattled with the chill in the air.

  "How? You were trying to be a good person. Heck, nobody guessed. Not even Jax," Donna said.

  I gave Donna a small smile, but my attention was drawn back to the house as a cop car rolled to a stop out front. Squinting, I could make out Jax in the driver's seat, his girlfriend sitting next to him.

  "Trouble in paradise?" Donna asked as we watched what looked like an animated argument take place. "He doesn't look happy."

  Even I couldn't feel happy about this latest development, however, because Jax was sitting across the seat from Sarah, whose address was on the slip of paper that Father Olaf handed over to me. The chances were high that he was staring into the eyes of a murderer. Or now, kissing a murderer.

  "
Wow, that was fast," I said, glancing away as the animated conversation turned from a discussion into a steamy good-bye kiss. I wondered what had spurred Sarah to need a ride home, when I knew she had her own car.

  "It's over. You can look now," Donna said, removing the hand she'd clasped over my eyes as the two locked lips. "Plus, she's getting out, which isn't a good sign for them. I think she's been staying at his place a lot, so maybe they need some time apart to cool off."

  "We should signal Jax. I'm not sure it's a great idea to go after her by ourselves."

  "Go after her? Nope, I wasn't planning on doing that. She's got crazy eyes," Donna said, shaking her head.

  "She does, doesn't she?" A wave of relief washed over me. "I thought I was just biased from a stupid kindergarten grudge, but I couldn't get over the fact that she has crazy eyes."

  "Nuts."

  "Psycho."

  I glanced at my friend and smiled. "Thanks."

  "What sort of a friend would let you face a psycho on her own?"

  "You?" I asked. "I think I'm going to go in there. I am an escaped convict. I don't have much time. In fact, Jax wouldn't probably even believe me if I signaled him now."

  "That's not a smart plan. The woman has killed at least one person, who she supposedly loved, and possibly another. I don't like the odds of her letting you waltz out of there unscathed," Donna said.

  "What about your faith in me?" I flexed my smallish arms, trying to lighten the mood with a grin.

  Donna shook her head. "Those mashed potatoes aren't getting you anywhere. And, girl, you can dance like none other, but I'm afraid those skills aren't going to help you here either, unless you plan on seducing her."

  "Not a bad idea." I raised an eyebrow.

  "I'm not letting you go in there."

  "Come on. It's the only chance I've got. I'll go back to jail if we call the cops, and there's a chance Sarah will never be caught."

  "They'll look into it. The cops will figure out who did it, and if it's Sarah, they'll arrest her."