“Monica, do you ever go to the local rec center?” Casey asked.
“Not much.” She crinkled her nose. “Those places are filled with germs. It’s better to stay home, though what with the landscapers gawking at us all the time, I’m not sure I’m any safer here.”
“They’re watching you?”
“They watch everybody on their smoke breaks.”
Monica jumped up and rushed toward the little girls. “Shawna, don’t pour your lemonade in the pool! That’s yucky.”
Summer leaned toward Casey and whispered, “Is she paranoid?”
“Maybe.” Casey dropped her pencil. As she bent down, pain shot through her shoulder and her ribs protested. Worse, her head pounded so hard that she flinched.
“I’ll get it,” Summer said.
“Thanks.”
Summer handed her the pencil. “You okay?”
“Yep.” Watching Monica settle back in her chair, Casey said, “How many of your neighbors use landscapers and cleaning services?”
“Three use landscapers, and at least two hire cleaning people.” Monica drained her lemonade, then gazed longingly at the bottom of the glass.
Casey wondered how often she indulged in those zingy lemonades.
“Can you give me the names of the companies?”
As Monica did so, Casey made notes. The pounding in her head started to pick up, and her energy was fading.
“Can you tell me where the bathroom is?” Summer asked. “I need to wash my hands.”
After Monica gave directions, Summer headed inside.
“She’s a beauty,” Monica remarked. “The boys must be coming around already.”
“More than I’d like.”
Monica gazed at her granddaughters. “Teach her to choose wisely. The wrong man can cause no end of misery. Speaking of wrong men, I’ve seen Denis Stoyko talking to the landscapers. He could be passing along info about the neighbors. The moron always looks nervous when he talks to them, like he’s afraid of being spotted.”
“Does he talk to them a lot?”
“I’ve seen it happen twice, which is what I told the cops, but those idiots stopped taking me seriously ages ago.” She picked up her empty glass, then put it down again. “I’ve complained a lot about noise and people parking where they shouldn’t. They probably view me as the crazy old broad who always cries wolf.” Monica leaned closer to Casey. “That’s why I called you. I know I sound a bit nutty, but I knew from the minute we met that you’re a caring person.”
Casey smiled, although she wasn’t sure how much she could help. “I’ll pass the names along to the investigating officers.”
From inside the house, an unfamiliar voice drew nearer and said, “Call you later.”
A thin young woman with short, jet black hair and a lip ring emerged from the kitchen, her attention on her phone. Stepping over the threshold, she looked up and froze when she saw Casey. She turned to Monica. “Hi, Mom. Didn’t know you had company.”
“Mommy!” The little girls jumped out of the pool.
Monica smiled with obvious relief. “I didn’t expect you back from the States until tomorrow, Sonya.”
“There weren’t any good sales.” Sonya bent down to embrace her girls. “Eeww, you two are getting me soaked. Have you been having fun?”
“I wanna go home,” Shawna said.
Summer slipped past the woman and returned to her chair, looking at Sonya with curiosity. The contrast between mother and daughter was startling. While Monica was blonde and deeply tanned, her daughter was pale, and her forehead was far more bulbous than her mother’s.
After introductions were made, Monica said, “Casey’s the nice security officer I was telling you about.”
“I see.” Sonya barely hid the smirk. “Has my mother been going on about all the suspicious people spying on neighbors?”
Casey shrugged. “I think she’s smart to be cautious.”
“Would you like some lemonade?” Monica asked Sonya. “Have you eaten? How about a sandwich?”
“Thanks, but I’m not hungry.” Sonya ruffled her daughters’ hair. “I’ll pack up these two and give you some peace.”
“They’re no trouble at all. We’ve been having a great time.”
Casey looked at Summer, who returned a puzzled glance. There were good reasons why Monica wouldn’t want her daughter to know what a handful the toddlers were. A lonely grandma would want to keep things harmonious in her family.
“Are you sure you can’t stay for a bit?” Monica fiddled with her necklace. “You’ve been so busy lately that we’ve hardly had a chance to catch up.”
Sonya’s eyes narrowed just a little. “I wouldn’t want to wear out my welcome.”
“You wouldn’t be, darling. How can you say such a thing?”
Casey felt the tension.
“How about brunch one morning?” Sonya said in an even tone. “I’m on afternoons this week.”
“Great. What about tomorrow? It’s your day off, right?”
“Actually, I have a couple of appointments, but I’ll call you.” Sonya reached for her daughters’ hands. “Come on, girls. Let’s go get your stuff.”
Monica watched them leave, her lips pursed. Turning to Casey, she smiled, as if determined to show that Sonya’s departure didn’t bother her.
“Busy lady,” Casey remarked.
“Yes. What with her working so much at that silly goth boutique and being a single mom, we hardly have any quality time.”
If she and Summer left, maybe Sonya would stay a bit longer. Considering the heaviness invading Casey’s limbs, this was a good time to leave. “We should get going.”
“I understand. You do look tired.” Monica lost no time escorting them to the front door. “Please call if you learn anything,” she said, and disappeared inside.
Casey slowly eased into the driver’s seat. It hurt like hell.
Buckling her seatbelt, Summer said, “Is it just me, or is Monica a little weird?”
“I think she’s stressed and frightened about what’s been happening in her neighborhood.”
Monica’s pristine home and her remark about preferring to feed her granddaughters outdoors also suggested a fastidious nature that didn’t welcome change. Elsie’s death would have thrown her into a tailspin. Casey doubted that Monica’s fondness for boozy lemonade helped her state of mind.
“It’s more than that,” Summer said. “She seemed kind of fake, and I don’t mean the makeup and jewelry, but the way she acted when Sonya showed up.”
“There could be some family issues between them. She might be wishing her husband was around. Clearly, the poor woman doesn’t feel safe.” Casey backed the car up slowly and scanned the street. Dusk would be settling in soon.
“Maybe she should move.”
“This is her home.” Casey cruised down the street. “Some of the residents have lived here a long time. They shouldn’t have to move out of fear. Besides, moving’s expensive and a huge amount of work.”
A white van turned off a side street and drove behind them, but at a distance. Plenty of vehicles were out on this warm July evening, so why did Casey feel a sense of foreboding? Maybe Monica’s paranoia was rubbing off. She checked her rearview mirror and saw only one person in the vehicle.
“What’s wrong?” Summer asked.
“Nothing.”
“You’re all quiet and looking kind of nervous.”
She should have known better than to hide anything. “Tell me if you can see the license plate number of the van behind us.”
“Why?”
“If it doesn’t belong to one of the locals, the police might be interested.”
Summer unclipped the seatbelt and turned as best she could in the seat. “I can’t see it.”
“Okay. Put your seatbelt back on.”
“You think he’s one of those home invaders?”
“No. They’re not usually out this early.”
“But wouldn’t they chec
k out the houses in daylight?”
Casey wished she hadn’t mentioned the van. Her headache was clouding her judgment.
“We should make sure he’s not following us,” Summer added.
“Better to act like we haven’t noticed him. Casey shook her head to clear the fuzziness.
“Are you okay?” Summer asked, sounding plenty worried.
“Yeah. Fine.” As long as she got home fast.
FIFTEEN
Casey stepped out of her Tercel and, adjusting the gray wig, strolled through the parking lot behind the recreation center. There were no two ways about it. Sneaking out of the house like this was necessary. Casey had grown to despise the furtive glances constantly passing between Summer and Lou. After her excursion to Monica’s place, Lou refused to let her go out on her own. She felt like a toddler who couldn’t reach her sippy cup without help from a grown-up.
Casey hadn’t forgiven Summer for telling Lou about it. She’d had to listen to his What the hell were you thinking? lecture. From there, the conversation had disintegrated into a heated debate, with Casey telling him to back off. Why couldn’t he and Summer respect her wishes? Small wonder that she felt little guilt for heading out while Lou was at work and Summer in the shower.
Equally frustrating was the lack of communication from Denver and Stan. Her voice-mail messages had gone unanswered. Both had shut her out of the information loop. Well, screw that. Time to take back control of her life.
Casey had rested so much over the past couple of days that she felt strong enough to do something worthwhile. With proper preparation, a surveillance mission would be simple, safe, and—with any luck—informative. She knew that this mission could land her in trouble with those who had her best interests at heart, but she was willing to risk it. Doing what little she could to help find Elsie’s killer and protect people like Hilda and Daisy was all that mattered now.
She’d been mulling over a possible connection between the Australian woman at the rec center’s front counter and the home-invasion gang. This was a good day to learn more. She felt fine, and more to the point, the Jellyfish ladies would soon be here for their morning swim. The perpetually chatty Hilda could easily reveal all sorts of things about her home and her life. Someone had to watch out for her.
Casey entered the rec center. In this ankle-length skirt, long-sleeved blouse, wig, sunglasses, and dark foundation, she doubted that Hilda and Daisy would recognize her. The sling had been left at home, not that she needed it as much anyway. The only telltale sign of her identity was the broken finger, but she could keep her hand in the pocket of her skirt.
The air-conditioned lobby felt good. Casey ambled across the room, looking for any sign of an undercover officer watching the front-desk staff, but only a couple of teenaged girls were in the lobby. A woman accompanied by four rambunctious youngsters arrived. As the group headed for the counter, Casey wandered to the bulletin board, noting that only one employee was there. Keeping her back to the reception desk, Casey listened for an Australian accent, but the employee couldn’t be heard over the noisy kids.
She figured that Summer would be phoning any minute. Casey had left a note saying she’d gone on a quick errand, but she knew the call would come. She’d been tempted to turn her phone off, but there’d be even more hell to pay if she did.
“I tell ya, Hilda,” a familiar voice said, “you left that stupid bathing cap here last time, you silly dodo.”
Keeping her back to Daisy and Hilda, Casey smiled.
“I’m not a dodo. I’m a big, beautiful, white swan,” Hilda said.
“Or maybe just a cuckoo,” Daisy shot back.
Casey’s phone rang. She looked at the display screen, surprised to see Barb’s name. They hadn’t been in touch since Lou cancelled the wedding five days ago. Apparently, Barb hadn’t taken the news well. Casey hesitated. If she didn’t answer, Barb might complain to Lou about being ignored.
Keeping her head down, Casey crossed the lobby and stepped inside the center’s physiotherapy clinic. “Hi, Barb.”
“How are you feeling, sweetie?”
“Better.” Through the clinic’s glass door, she watched the Jellyfish ladies wander toward the changing room. “I’m checking out a physio clinic as we speak.” Another reason for this morning’s outing. She’d been advised that the sooner she started therapy the sooner she would heal.
“Okay, good. This will only take a sec.” Barb paused. “I’m asking you and Lou to reconsider calling off the wedding. I know you won’t be a hundred percent by then, but I can’t get all of your deposit money back, and I don’t want you losing out.”
“I appreciate that.” She still had mixed emotions about the postponement. “I’ll talk it over with Lou.”
“I just spoke with him and he said that he’d talk to you too. Lou knows how excited the family is about this wedding. I reminded him that relatives have already booked flights. Some are using their vacation time to come to Vancouver.”
“I know.” Casey hated the idea of relatives wasting their time and money.
“I think it’ll take some persuading,” Barb said. “But if anyone can do it, you can.”
“I’ll give it a try.” Barb had worked so hard. Casey owed her that much. Besides, if she refused to help, resentments could build.
“Thanks, sweetie. Let me know what he says.”
“I will.”
Casey returned to the lobby, where the same staff member was serving another customer. A second employee had arrived and was now on the phone. Casey moved to the brochure rack near the counter and listened. No Aussie accent. Where was the third woman who’d worked with them the other day?
Casey picked up a pamphlet and was reading about adult swim programs when she heard the accent. Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted a blonde woman assisting at the counter. Casey’s throat grew dry as the urge to get out of here took hold. Pushing back the anxiety, she made her way to the exit.
Looking over her shoulder once again, Casey spotted the blonde watching her. Oh god. The woman couldn’t possibly identify her in this disguise, could she? If she was part of the gang, she’d be extra cautious, scrutinizing everyone. Forcing herself to stay in character, Casey pushed the door open awkwardly, then started down the sidewalk, prepared to run if necessary.
At the end of the building, Casey stole another glance. No blonde in sight. She walked along the side of the building. The tinted glass wall allowed her to see the main pool, a hot tub, and a smaller pool for the young ones. The glass continued around the back of the building, where Casey’s Tercel sat in the middle of the parking lot. Beyond the glass was a brick wall with two doors, one marked Employees Only.
Casey slid into the Tercel’s backseat, opened the windows, and took a calming breath. Since no one was traipsing near her car, she removed the sunglasses and wig and wiped the perspiration from her face with a hand towel. Foundation smeared the light blue towel. Unfastening buttons was easy, but slipping the sleeve down from her injured shoulder not so much. The stretchy tube top beneath was a godsend—no bra required. Next came the ankle-length skirt. With shorts underneath, all she had to do was lift her butt and slip the elastic waistband down. Easier said than done. The shifting and squirming created painful twinges in her ribs.
Casey was still trying to maneuver the dress down her legs when her phone rang. Seeing Lou’s name on the screen, she groaned. She felt bad for not answering, but avoidance seemed better than lying about what she was up to. She would be home in a half hour anyway. The call went to voice mail.
As Casey managed to free herself of the skirt, a muscular guy with dark hair and a beard emerged from the employees’ door and lit a cigarette. Casey changed from sandals to flip-flops, then pulled the clip-on earrings off and placed a ball cap over her pinned hair. The final step was to remove the rest of the foundation. As eager as she was to head home, she didn’t want to have to explain the makeup to Summer. Casey pulled the bottle of makeup remover from the bag. Sh
e scanned the lot to be sure she wasn’t being watched, then got to work, quickly but gently. Although the bruises were fading, there were still tender spots. By the time she finished, the smoker had returned inside.
Casey’s phone rang. Lou again. Damn. Now he’d be anxious. She took a deep breath and answered.
“Hey, are you all right?” he asked. “I’ve been trying to reach you. Where are you?”
“I’m fine,” she answered with a cheerful tone. “Not far from home.”
“Uh-huh. Summer says you’ve been gone a while.” He paused. “Well?”
Seriously? He expected an explanation? “I’m checking out physio clinics.” The silence on the other end of the line made her fidget.
“I thought we agreed that you weren’t going to get behind the wheel for a while.”
“Actually, you and Summer decided that. But I’m feeling much better or I wouldn’t have gone out. Anyway, your mother just called. Sounds like she really wants the wedding to go on as planned.”
“Yeah.” He sighed. “Looks like we need to talk.”
His lack of enthusiasm didn’t make her optimistic. “Okay. I’ll see you later.”
Tossing her phone on the passenger seat, Casey spotted the brochure she’d picked up earlier. The rec center’s phone number was on the front. It would be helpful to learn the blonde’s name. Before she could talk herself out of it, Casey dialed the center. If someone with an Aussie accent answered, she’d hang up.
Happily, that didn’t happen.
“Hello, there,” Casey said, trying to sound old and frail. “I was at the rec center a few minutes ago, paying that nice young Australian lady my money. But I just realized that she gave me too much change, so I’d like to return the three dollars. Do you know which lady I’m referring to?”
“Erin,” the receptionist answered.
“Will she be in all day?”
“She just left on her lunch break, but you can return the money to any of us, if you’d like.”
“Thank you. I’ll try and come by tomorrow. Bye now.” Casey checked the time. It was noon.
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