Did he get the registration?”
“No, but if he can’t get it we are going to work something out. My payments can go on another vehicle but I like the Explorer.”
I rode with Mona over to the apartment Mona had marked in the newspaper on Maple Street.
“What do you plan to use for a bed, and a sofa and you don’t have a TV. You can’t live without a TV.”
“I’ll buy a blow up mattress at Wal-Mart. The other can wait.”
We hopped in Mona’s rig and headed for the apartment. The apartment manager showed Mona the apartment. It was a small one bedroom unit freshly painted with a bar for eating and bar stools, a frig, stove and a window room air conditioner in the living room. It was quite cozy for one person.
I’ll take it.” She said reaching her bosom for the rent money.
“You’ll have to sign the rental agreement. You have a job where you can pay the rent?”
“Of course I have a job. I work for Peterson Bail Bonds.”
“You won’t be bringing any trouble to the apartment complex will you?’
“No, I keep my job away from my apartment.” The manager was taking down Mona’s information.
“Okay, sign here.” He pointed at the bottom of the rental agreement.
Mona signed, handed over cash and the manager handed her a receipt and a key to the apartment.
“Let’s drive over to my folks. Granny Wiggins died a few years ago and Momma stored her furniture in the cellar. Dad’s been wanting Momma to sell the stuff where he can get to his shop. She doesn’t want just anyone using her Momma’s furniture.”
We parked on the curb. Kimberly’s car was parked in the driveway. Kimberly and her two boys have dinner with momma and daddy every Friday evening. They have dinner and Kimberly leaves the boys with Momma and Daddy for the night and goes out partying. Momma says Kimberly needs the time away from the boys. Clay is eight and Winston is six. Winston’s a firebug and Clay’s a fireman. He’s put out more of Winston’s fires than one can remember. Momma swears someday Winston’s gonna burn the house down.
I knocked at the door and walked in. They were just setting down to dinner.
“Hi sister did you come for dinner?” Kimberly said pushing a chair up to the table. “Who’s your friend? Momma we’re gonna need that chair in the bedroom.”
“This is Mona, we work together.”
“Yeah, I hear things are hopping in the bounty hunter business.”
Kimberly hates her job but with two boys to raise she’s stuck working at the post office. Her ex-husband Hal is an accountant and hooked up with his secretary. Kimberly had it pretty good when she was married to Hal Young. He pays her alimony and child support but it’s still not enough to get by on. She got the three bedroom ranch style house and the SUV in the divorce settlement.
Momma brought the chair from the bedroom and we all set around the table. While daddy was saying grace over the food Winston was sticking his paper napkin to the flame of the burning candle and jerking it back before it lit.
“Winston, I’ve a mind to spank you butt and send you to bed without dinner.” Momma said as she put a hot dog on his plate. Everyone else enjoyed pot roast with all the trimmings. Not Winston he only eats hot dogs, potato chips and rocky road ice cream.
“Momma, this dinner is delicious.”
“I was gonna say the same myself. You’re a good cook.” Mona mumbled out of the side of her full mouth trying to hold the food in with her tongue and fork.
“Well, thank you both.”
“Mona, I hear you are staying with Tiffany.” Kimberly said being nosey.
“I just rented an apartment over on Maple Street.”
“The apartment with the big maple trees? Kimberly asked.
“Come to think of it they do have maple trees around the perimeter of the property.” “Momma you should sell Mona some of the furniture in the basement. It’s rotting down there in that moist hole. I don’t know it may already be ruined.”
“There isn’t a thing wrong with Granny’s stuff. I could sell it to you if you think you might use some of it.” She told Mona.
“Can we take a look at it after dinner? My apartment is small so I don’t need much.”
Kimberly played right into our hands. We didn’t even have to ask Momma if she wanted to sell it. She thinks it would be good if Mona bought it. Momma dabbed her checks with her apron and excused herself and went into the kitchen. I followed her knowing she was thinking about Granny Wiggins. I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.
“How silly of me to get sentimental. It’s been almost five years since Granny died.”
She said drying her face.
“We’ll never forget Granny. If you don’t want to part with her things you keep them right where they are.”
“I don’t need it and Mona can use it. It’s just materials things. Ask who wants carrot cake.” She wiped her cheeks with her apron.
Dad had pushed his chair back from the table and removed the big dish towel protecting his shirt from the dripping. Mona was still chewing on her last bite of roast. Winston was sucking on his hot dog rolling it around in his mouth and had managed to get his napkin on fire. There were ashes all over the table from Clay fanning to put out the blaze in the middle of the table.
“How many want carrot cake?”
Four hands popped up.
Winston yelled. “I want rocky road ice cream.” As he again aimed his napkin for the open flame. Kimberly jumped up and blew out the candle.
“Why, for ‘crissake’ do we need candles on the table?”
Momma already had a dish of rocky road ice cream scooped up for Winston. She cut the cake and served up six pieces. I balanced the ice cream and three dishes of cake, bumped the swinging door open with my butt and carried them to the table. The swinging door swung back just as Momma was about to go through. It knocked Momma to the floor. Orange carrot cake flew all over the kitchen floor. I helped Momma to her feet. “My, my you have another poop knot.”
“People are gonna start talking.” She said as she turned toward the kitchen to dish up three more pieces of cake.
“No, no you set down I’ll help with the cake.” Mona said showing Momma to her chair.
I picked up the dishes, swept the cake in the dust pan while Mona served up three more pieces of cake.
There was a knock at the door and before dad could say come in the twins Bill and Will were walking through the house.
“You boys hungry for cake?”
“We sure are Mr. Turner.” Will said as he pulled a chair up to the table. Bill brought another chair from the bedroom.
“I’ll dish up the cake for the boys.” Mona said heading back to the kitchen.
Kimberly got a call from her girlfriends and headed out for a night of partying.
Momma switched the light on at the top of the basement. We made our way through the spider webs to the basement. Furniture was staked every where.
“Do you have a kitchen table and chairs?” She poked her head around trying to see.
“Momma had a green chrome set from the fifties with four chairs. It’s in good condition.”
“Do you need a chest of drawers?” Momma pointed to the corner of the room. There set Granny’s old chest of drawers made of walnut with a matching headboard and night stands.
“This is perfect. I’ll need to pick up a mattress and box springs.”
“Momma show her the leather sofa,”
Daddy said pointing to the back of the room. “There’s an end table and a coffee table to match.”
“I may have to get some of it later. I’m sure I don’t have enough money for all the stuff.” Mona said looking around at all the goodies.
“I don’t want anything for this stuff. It’s not doing me any good. You take it and enjoy it. And there’s the double bed in the back bedroom you can have that too. I’ve been planning on getting the boys bunk beds. They always fight when they share the b
ed.”
“Thank you, Ms. ?” Mona said with her voice cracking. “I’m grateful for your generosity.”
I pushed number three on my speed dial. Hayden answered. “Hello Tiffany. What’s up?” I need a favor. Do you think I could borrow one of your pick ups? Mona, my roomy got an apartment and we need a truck to haul her furniture to the apartment.”
“You got it. Where can I pick up the furniture?”
“At my parents house. Momma is giving Mona my Granny Wiggin’s furniture.”
“I have some time tomorrow morning. I’ll meet you and Mona at your parents house at ten. That gonna work for you?”
“Perfect. Thanks Hayden.”
“Don’t think this is free…”
The phone went dead. I knew exactly what he meant.
I drove up in front of my parents house at nine forty five. Daddy had the Brady twins carrying the furniture from the basement placing it on the driveway.
“Look Mona most of the furniture is on the front driveway. The Brady twins are sometimes annoying but when someone needs some help they are always eager to help.”
Everything was in the driveway when Hayden drove up in his black Chevy Lightning pick up, a sleek sporty pick-up.
I met Hayden at the curb. Hayden was dressed in black jeans and a black tank top with Hayden‘s Store All across his back. A pair of black sun glasses hid his gorgeous blue eyes. He wore black boots with a two inch heel to compensate for his five foot ten stature.“ You brought your pride and joy. I’m afraid it might get scratched.”
“Don’t worry about it. I brought a tarp to cover the truck bed and if it gets scratched I can have Riley’s Body Shop repair it.”
Within a half hour the pick up was loaded and we were on our way to Mona’s new apartment. Bill and Will did the unloading and carried it to the second floor. Hayden helped Mona set the bed in place.
Hayden excused himself and headed out. I took Bill and Will by the ‘Burger in a Box’ drive through. The squawk box shouted out. “Can I take your order?”
“Two burgers, two large fries and two large cokes.” I shouted.
“Lady, I can hear you, you don’t have to shout in my ear.”
“All I hear from you is spit and sputter.”
I pulled forward and saw the man that ran me out of the ‘Box’ last week standing behind the counter. I kept my face turned away when I handed the guy with the ‘Box’ on his head the money. He handed me the bags of food and the cokes. The guy behind the counter looked my way when I took the cokes.
“He began to rave. “You find another place to buy burgers. I don’t want to see you here again. You hear me?”
“Now that’s not nice I could bring you a lot of customer’s or I could tell a lot of people you throw tantrums when someone asked to have their table cleaned off.”
I put the Blazer in gear and headed out. Leaving him with his mouth open.
Bill asked. “Tiffany, what was that all about?”
“Mr. Box doesn’t keep his tables cleaned off.” I turned onto my parents street.
“I have to keep going. Thanks for helping us move the furniture.” I reached into my bag and brought out two twenty dollar bills. “Here’s your pay for a job well done.”
“Thank you, Tiffany.” They jumped from the Blazer with cokes and a bag of food. I headed out and looked back to see them racing to my parents house waving the money in the air.
I drove by the Martin’s place. The lawn was freshly mowed. I drove to the back parking lot and a truck and trailer filled with gardening equipment was pulling from the parking lot. I pulled in front of him. I jumped out of the Blazer and ran over to the gentleman. He had a big straw hat, a handkerchief around his neck and his brow was wet with sweat. His truck jumped as it idled.
“Senor, do you know anything about the Martin’s?”
He spoke to me in Spanish. My Spanish is limited to senor, senorita and gracious.
He shook his head. “No English.” And drove off.
I wrote down the name of his company and phone number on the door of the truck. I’ll call the number later and hopefully someone can tell me how he gets paid for his labor.
My phone rang. I flipped it open. Randy’s name was on the screen. Modern day technology is wonderful. I thought to myself.
“Hi Randy, What’s up?”
“Why are you hanging out around the Martin house?”
“Where are you?”
“Look in your mirror.”
NINETEEN
I stopped off at the market and picked up a few items. Cheez Whiz, bread, a trio of deli meat and cheeses, a box of Cheerios, a carton of milk, apples, bananas, a head of lettuce and a six pack of beer in case a gentleman friend stops by my apartment. I picked up a large bag of dog food and some chew treats for Bailey and a new ball for catch.
Mr. Sinclair was in the foyer when I got home. The maroon Chrysler was leaving the parking lot in a hurry. It was difficult to see the driver. He was scrunched down in his seat looking through the steering wheel.
“Mr. Sinclair, who’s the guy in the Chrysler, new tenant?”
“No, he’s been in and out of the parking lot today.” Mr. Sinclair went about his business.
I made two trips up the stairs carrying in my goodies from the market. Bailey helped with the second load smelling and pawing at his bag of food while I tried to drag it up the stairs.
I put the frig items away, took the leash from the hook and hooked up Bailey. Stuffed his new ball in my jacket pocket and my Glock in the other. I put on my running shoes and grabbed a Country Living magazine on my way out the door. I like looking at the way normal people live. Bailey practically dragged me to the park. He was anxious to hike and poop. I unhooked Bailey and he ran to greet the other dogs in the park. I took a Kleenex from my pocket and wiped off the damp bench the best I could. I set down, flipped the magazine open and began flipping pages. I felt the bench lower a couple inches and looked to my side to see the big woman Bailey attacked setting at the other end of the bench. My heart raced. What is she doing here? She doesn’t have a dog to let run loose for pooping and hiking. I nodded a polite hello and continued to read my magazine. My skin began to crawl. I got up, stuffed the magazine in my waist and called Bailey. Bailey was interested in a little poodle being led by an elderly woman. She picked up her dog and snuggly wrapped her arms around protecting him from Bailey.
“Bailey, I yelled sharply. Get over here.” Bailey fell to his belly and pulled himself toward me. I rolled him over and gave him a belly rub. Slapped my hands. “You wanna play catch?” I took the ball from my pocket and tossed it in the air. Bailey looked at it like. What’s that? Again I threw it a short distance. Bailey again ignored it and rolled on his back for another belly rub. I fetched the ball and ran back to Bailey. This new toy was not going to work out for play time. I looked over my shoulder to get a look at the bench. The bench was empty. Thank goodness she’s gone.
A voice came from behind. The voice of the big woman. I stopped in my tracks, turned, annoyed I said. “What did you say?”
“If you rub the ball on your body he will pick up your scent and chase it.” She said with her hands on her hips with a no it all attitude.
“Okay, I’ll try it.” I rubbed the ball on my jeans and tossed it away from the woman. Bailey chased it and I chased after him not waiting for him to fetch and bring it back to me. I hooked up Bailey and we jogged home. I glanced over my shoulder a number of times to make sure we were not being followed. Bailey was tired when we reached the apartment and plopped down in the foyer. I unhooked Bailey and double stepped it upstairs. Made my way to the bedroom to hang up my jacket. I glanced out the window and the Jeep I had seen days ago was turning around in the parking lot. I ran to the door and called Bailey. He wasn’t at the bottom of the stairs. I heard him barking. I ran down the stairs. Bailey was barking at the Jeep heading out of the driveway.
“Bailey! Come Bailey, come!” I yelled. “Let’s go upstairs.”
>
Bailey ran back to the doorway and continued to bark. “Good boy Bailey, good boy.” I knew I should heed Bailey’s warning.
The phone was ringing. I looked at caller ID. It was Mona.
“Hi Mona, whatcha up to?” I said pulling my running shoes off, stretching my legs out and twisting my feet in circles.
“I’m lonesome, thought you might like to come over and christen my apartment over a glass of wine and a pizza.”
“I’ll be right over. I’m spooked and need to get out of here. I‘ll pick up a pizza, pepperoni okay with you?” I was scurrying to the bedroom for my jacket, slipped on my boots, grabbed my Glock and dropped it in my bag and headed out.
“Pepperoni is fine with me. Why are you spooked?”
“We’ll talk about it when I get there.”
I started toward the door and Bailey blocked me. “What’s up Bailey? Can’t a girl go out for the evening?”
He looked up at me and barked, ran to the new bag of dog food.
“Bailey, I was so upset with the woman and the Jeep I forgot to feed you.”
I put the water dish in the sink and turned on the faucet. I put the food dish on the counter and open the large bag of dog food. The makers of the dog food furnished a big scoop. I filled it full a couple of times and filled Bailey’s dish. I threw a couple of chew treats on his big pillow in the living room. Set the dog food on the floor. Turned off the faucet, poured a little water from the water dish and set it on the floor. Bailey slurped a lot of water and started on the dog food.
“Looks like you are content. I’ll be back later. You guard the apartment.”
I grabbed my handbag, threw the strap over my shoulder and headed out the door. I locked the door behind me and headed down the stairs. I ran to the Blazer, jumped in locked the doors and headed for the Mia’s Pizza. I pushed the appropriate number for Mia’s Pizza.
“Mia’s Pizza, can I help you?” A lovely young voice came over the air waves.
The Devil's Dwelling Page 10