“How was your day, dear?” her husband asked sarcastically as she walked in with the twins.
“It’s been amazing.” She put the groceries down to give him a two-handed thumbs up.
“Well, I think that after spending most of the day in an environment you really hate, you should go to your MOMs meeting with the girls.”
“I had to have Kristi drive Aunt Marie and Carolina to do their surveillance.” Sunni felt herself start to relax the longer they stood hugging.
“You’re kidding, right? Who were they going to do surveillance on?”
“There’s this guy with long hair that we think might be dealing drugs, so they were going to follow him home and see where he lives, and get some information on who he is.”
“You mean, the kind of hot guy who makes you blush?” Daniel pulled back far enough to see the blush start creeping up her cheeks.
“He’s the one I was telling you about, and although he does make me blush, it’s because you’re the only hot guy I’ve ever been able to actually talk to without tripping over myself. He doesn’t hold a candle to you.” Sunni placed a kiss on his lips, only to let out a gasp when he grabbed her butt, pulling her closer into his arms.
“Hmm…he definitely can’t do that to me,” Sunni almost purred in his embrace.
“You’d better get going if you’re going to make it to the meeting. I think you should go out with the girls for a drink when it’s over.” He placed a kiss on her forehead and released her.
“Seriously? You’ve been at work all day, and the twins are only going to be wound up from being cooped up in the hospital all day.”
“Yeah, I’ve got this. We’ll eat the salad you got or something else.” He grinned mischievously. “Then we’ll go outside to play, which will help with getting all their energy out. You need this time away without worrying about what the next catastrophe will be.”
“Thank you for understanding. I’ll try not stay out too late or party too hard.” She caught the flying Flynn and his co-pilot as they ran past. “Hey, you two. Make sure to listen to your dad and don’t put anything on or in your body that is not parent approved.” Fixing the two happy faces with the mom stare, she managed to illicit a, “Yes, ma’am,” from both of them.
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Arriving at the MOMs group on time, Sunni wondered if the reason she was always late might be her children and had nothing to do with her. Finding herself relaxing for the first time in weeks, Sunni leaned back and actually listened to the speaker, a woman explaining how winter is approaching and with most families staying indoors more, they were more likely to be hit with cabin fever and depression.
“While many people don’t realize they’re depressed, the simple fact that there is less daylight causes the body to be out of sync, bringing out more depressive thoughts and feelings. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. Most people don’t get SAD or even a big enough case of it to realize it’s the reason that things seem to be out of sync in their world. The same way children respond to the moods of their parents, they can also feel when your system is out of whack.”
“Here are a few things to try to keep that ho-humness away during the next few months. Make sure that you leave the house every other day, even if it’s only to drive to the convenience store. Make plans to have lunch with a friend once a week so that you have someone who can keep you accountable in leaving your house. Children need someplace to run off energy, so take a trip to a museum or walk around the inside of your local mall.
“While these seem like silly things, you’d be surprised to find out how much you will feel more like your normal self, and your children will be able to tell as well.”
Yeah, Sunni snorted to herself. I can only imagine taking Flynn to the mall and the type of things that he would manage to knock over or ruin.
“There are service and volunteer activities that can be done in the winter as well if you feel comfortable taking your children. The local animal shelter needs people to help feed and play with the animals in the winter because they can’t let them out into the freezing weather. Nursing homes are another great way to get out and help. They really love seeing babies and small children because they miss their own families.
“These are just a few suggestions of ways to get out and moving around during winter months.”
When everyone stood and clapped to thank the speaker, Sunni caught a glimpse of Kristi at the back of the room. She began to make her way to join her as their group went to get started on the group projects.
“Oh, my God! Is Flynn okay?” Kristi whispered so that the entire group didn’t know Sunni’s business.
“Yes. He’s fine, and Daniel gave me the night off, insisting we go get a drink after the meeting. Honestly, I’d settle for dinner if you’re up for it?” Sunni grinned, suddenly starving for something with more than greens in it.
“Let’s ask everyone if they want to come and I’ll recount our adventures with the aunts later.” Kristi almost laughed out loud at the memory of their afternoon together.
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Only Miles and Perry joined them at the restaurant for a recap of their adventures.
“You should have seen the looks on our faces when he tossed that bag of snacks inside my window. I thought it was going to explode for sure.” Kristi laughed with the others. “I’m never volunteering for the duty of babysitting the aunts again. Four hours of listening to both of them was enough to drive a saint to drinking. The amount of imagination and speculation those two came up with would make me think we were watching a cartel’s drug house.”
“Do you really think this guy is dangerous?” Miles gave a knowing grin toward Sunni, waiting to see if she blushed.
Kristi giggled, startling the other three. “I think he is hot, H-O-T.” She lowered her voice as she glanced at her daughters in the booth across from them.
“Oh, we have a winner, ladies.” Miles pointed playfully at Kristi. “She’s available to date the first drug dealer she meets. Way to be choosey.”
Containing their laughter was difficult, but they held it down, causing only a few glances from the other tables.
“If Kristi thinks he’s not dangerous, then where does that leave us?” Sunni questioned, perplexed.
“I think he’s a charming character, and obviously, you guys haven’t been as subtle as you thought about spying on him,” Perry chimed in, twirling the straw in her raspberry tea.
“Aunt Marie is certain there’s more than one person running the drug ring. They could be tied in to a much bigger group that are well hidden.” Kristi glanced at the girls to make sure they were behaving.
“She’s trying to get a date with Alexander Fine.”
“What!” Sunni exclaimed as Kristi’s words sunk in. “Why on earth would she try to date a suspect?”
Kristi shrugged her shoulders in response.
“Has she ever been on a date that you know of?” Perry asked, concerned.
“No. She’s always nice to men, but they’ve never shown any interest in dating. She doesn’t even complain about being lonely like most single women do.” Sunni looked pointedly at Kristi.
“Hey, now. Just because I would like to find a man doesn’t mean I’m complaining. I’m exploring my options out loud.” Kristi defended herself.
“I personally complain all the time because no man has stepped up to make an offer.” Miles batted his eyelashes flirtingly from behind his menu.
“Ha-ha. Don’t you think your wife, Lori, might have a problem with another guy entering your life?” Kristi teased back.
“Well, now that you mention it, she has been dropping hints for us to get a pool boy.” Miles snapped his fingers. “I’ve been replaced by thoughts of pool boys.”
“Ooh, I should dress up in a speedo and knock on the door answering the ad.” Miles tried a sexy pout while sweeping a hand down his body to showcase his goods.
“I think your very hard working wife would love it i
f you just cleaned the pool so she didn’t have to think about hiring someone to do it.” Perry burst Miles fantasy with some common sense.
“Dang it, woman, I’m trying to spice up my marriage.” Miles pouted.
Thankfully, they were all saved from commenting when the food arrived.
The four friends didn’t revisit the topic of their detective adventures; although, if they could have seen Carolina, they would have been worried about her safety.
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Carolina had parked down the street from Zach’s house in the driveway of an empty house that was for rent. She backed her blue, beat-up work truck into the driveway, facing out so she could see the house past the row of bushes that lined the driveway. She had a stash of drinks and snacks on the seat next to her, plus a thermos full of coffee to keep her awake.
The early darkness that came with winter hid her vehicle in the shadows, since the closest street light was several blocks away.
She took out a notebook and began to draw a diagram of the neighborhood, with a description of each family or person that belonged to the homes in the area.
Occasionally using the binoculars around her neck to check on a particular house number, she cased the neighborhood thoroughly while drinking from her thermos.
“Uh-oh. I forgot one very important thing,” Carolina muttered to herself as she glanced around before gingerly exiting her truck.
She left the door cracked open instead of shutting it so that she didn’t make any noise.
Hoping that no one would mind, she snuck alongside the bushes toward the back of the house and stopped when she felt it was far enough back in the dark, where she then proceeded to take care of her urgent personal need from drinking too much.
Now I know why they don’t recommend drinks or eating while on a stakeout.
Determined to do a better job, Carolina climbed back into the truck and waited until someone down the street went to leave and timed the closing of her door with theirs.
Although the snacks called her name, Caroline ignored them and reached behind the seat for the blanket she kept on hand for emergencies. Within minutes, she was asleep, and her snores could be heard across the street.
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Zach dialed the number of his superior. “You’re never going to believe what the hens did today.”
“What? Who are we calling hens?” The voice on the other end was suddenly paying close attention.
“The ladies who are pretending to be detectives. You should’ve seen their faces when I threw drinks and a bag of chips in their car window. They were certain they were going to catch me with drugs.”
“You let them catch you?”
“Of course not. I went to the local J & J to get milk. It was fun to see them chase their tails, though.”
“Who are we calling hens? Not the niece, surely?”
“No. Marie and Carolina were in the car with another lady who was driving. I think they called her Kristi. She had her kids in the car with her.”
“Did you get a file built on them?”
“Yes. Although, I think that Kristi Simmons was just the person they had talked into it for the day. Listening to their conversation from their vehicle wasn’t only tedious, but Kristi offered opinions only after the other two had given her details. It sounded as if she wasn’t their first choice for chauffeur.”
“Well, just be extra careful they don’t catch you spying on them as they spy on you.”
“I’m good at hacking things. I even took the dog for a walk and went right past them. They had no idea I wasn’t safely tucked into my house, so they didn’t see me.” Zach chuckled at the amount of distractions the women were just to themselves.
“If you find anything that flags on them, let me know.”
“Copy that. I have to go leave a message for the current member of the surveillance team. Later.”
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Carolina awoke to the sound of someone wrapping on the glass of her window.
She rolled down the window.
“Can I help you?” Carolina asked, as if she wasn’t trespassing on someone’s property.
“Yes. You can leave before I call the police. I noticed you last night, and when you were still here this morning, I realized that you shouldn’t be over here.”
“Oh, no worries. I’m just waiting for it to be late enough to call the realtor and have them show me the house. I didn’t mean to bother you. I was driving around looking at places because I just got into town late last night.” Carolina put a story together that sounded crazy enough that most people wouldn’t think to question it.
“Well, if that’s true, then why is there shoe polish written all over your window?” The neighbor pointed to the words that read, “GO HOME! QUIT SPYING ON PEOPLE.”
Carolina gasped. “What horrible kind of person would do that to me?”
Beginning to rant, Carolina didn’t even notice when the neighbor backed away and picked up the phone to call the police.
“I was going to buy a house and now the neighborhood is accusing me of spying. Are there no nice people in the world?” Waving her hands, she got louder as she continued. “Well, take that, you mean people. I don’t want to live in your nice neighborhood anyway. See if I come back or spend money in your town. I’ll go to another town where they’re so horrible to new people.”
With those words, Carolina noticed a crowd was starting to gather around the first neighbor. Considering that she didn’t want to get arrested, she started her truck and pulled out of the drive, not even bothering to return the wave Zach gave her from the porch of his house as she drove by in a huff.
Amazingly, she felt refreshed instead of tired from her night of surveillance, but she didn’t plan to let Kristi know what had happened unless she absolutely had to tell her.
Chapter 9
Marie woke earlier than normal. Since she was retired and didn’t have a man yet, there was no reason to get up extremely early most days.
The thought of trying to date again after so many years was really terrifying. The only man she had ever loved had been considered dead after being MIA during Vietnam. The Army had finally recovered a list of where the dead were buried in Vietnam, so they had updated him to KIA, but everyone had already presumed him to be dead for the past forty years. It might be time to move on and find someone to keep her company during her older age.
She stood in front of the mirror with a curler in hand to fluff up her natural curls from their frizzy freedom.
The young girl that had once anxiously awaited news of her man to come home was gone. In her place stood a face lined with happiness, but there were still moments when a hint of the old sadness would come through.
“I’ve waited a long time, John. I can’t do it anymore. I deserve to find someone I can love. You’ll always be my first love and hopefully, you’ll find a way to watch over me and put the right man in my path.”
Determined, Marie placed the curling iron back on the counter and walked back to the bedroom. Lifting her pillow, she took a small framed picture of a young man in uniform out from under it.
“Thanks for all the sweet dreams through these years, but I’m ready to move on.”
She kissed the picture tenderly and went over to the chest of drawers, placing the aging photo on the bottom under everything.
“One day we’ll meet again.” Closing the drawer firmly, she shut the past out and stepped toward her future. Without giving herself a chance to change her mind, she turned and went to the bathroom to finish getting ready for her dates.
A weight that she hadn’t known was there was gone. As she looked in the mirror again, she could almost see a younger woman standing there, ready to put on her war-paint and go catch herself a man.
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Nervous about meeting someone, Marie didn’t think she would be able to eat anything, but when she arrived at the nearest coffee shop, a chamomile tea seemed like the best o
ption to help calm her nerves and stomach.
Glancing at her watch as they called her order, she realized that she was fifteen minutes early.
The table along the back wall called out to her because it faced the street, and she could see anyone who was coming in ahead of time.
Her wait wasn’t very long because an attractive man walked in, and he was a definite upgrade to his picture because it had been a blank profile.
When he headed her way, she knew this was her date.
“Hi, I’m Alex Fine. Are you Marie Ward?”
“Yes.” She stood up and offered her hand.
“I see you already have a drink, so let me get one and I’ll join you. Can I get you anything else?”
“No, but thank you. I thought I’d take the awkwardness out of the date by getting my own.” She smiled tentatively.
The line wasn’t very long, since most of the morning rush was over, and suddenly, Alex was back with her.
He was at least six feet tall and was still quite handsome, with touches of gray in his brown hair. This wasn’t the man she was after, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t take a chance and get lucky while doing a little detective work on the side.
“So what do you do?” Marie blurted out, hoping it would get things started.
His face lit up with a slow smile of interest in what he was about to tell her.
“I’m retired military, and then I retired again last year from being a contractor. Now, I just oversee things when something crazy goes wrong. These days, I volunteer with a group helping veterans get back on track and reenter society.” Alex sounded passionate and full of life, which still made Aunt Marie nervous.
She had avoided available men for so long that she wasn’t sure how to respond, but he took matters into his own hands.
“What did you do, or still do for a living?” He took a sip of his straight, black coffee.
“I worked for a bank, doing their processing and analysis. These days, I help my niece out and play bingo. I’ve only been retired about six months and it’s driving me crazy.” She gave a little laugh. “So I thought I’d get back out there and see if the dating world could handle having me on the market.”
The Mommy Detectives and the Bingo Hall Mystery Page 8
