Chaos in California

by Lucy Quinn

  “I—ah—” Jared let out a chuckle as he pulled the key fob out of his pocket. His gazed darted to Dora. “Both of you?”

  She winked at him and threw out a taunt most men would be hard pressed to let go. “Unless you can’t handle it.”

  “Oh, I can handle it,” Jared boasted. “The question is, can you?”

  Before Dora could gag, Evie said, “Let’s find out. Know where the cliffs are?” Evie asked him coyly, and she reached out to drag a finger over Jared’s bicep.

  He jerked a little before taking a deep breath and blowing it out slowly. “I do, but—”

  Dora was afraid he was going to suggest somewhere else and interrupted him. “The view there gets me hot. It’s the same for you, right—” She stopped short because Fiona had mentioned the name Daisy when she’d yelled at Jared for cheating, and Dora didn’t want to use Evie’s real name. “Agnes?” she blurted out, regretting it the moment she heard herself.

  But what was done was done, and besides, Evie didn’t miss a beat. “That’s right, Ethel.”

  Dora covered her mouth and coughed in an attempt to hide the snort that had escaped.

  Jared frowned. “Interesting names. They remind me of—”

  “Sister wives?” Evie offered. “We get that a lot. Ethel and I like to share.” She placed a hand on his stomach, close to the waistband of his shorts. “Everything.”

  Dora didn’t want Evie to have to go any further than she already had when it came to Jared. She said, “Agnes, the cliffs are so much better than a junk shop parking lot.”

  Evie giggled like a schoolgirl. “Right.” She pulled her hand away from Jared. “Follow us.”

  The two women hopped in the borrowed VW with Sunshine before Jared had a chance to object, and Evie led him to the cliffs they’d driven by earlier that week.

  They got out of the car and approached Jared once he pulled up beside them. Dora had the handcuffs behind her back with both open in preparation.

  Evie spoke as Jared stepped out of his car. “There’s something hot about a man behind the wheel of an expensive car, wouldn’t you agree, Ethel?”

  “Definitely.”

  Jared gave them a lecherous look and licked his lips as he reached for the hem of his shirt. “How do you want to do this?”

  “Well,” Dora licked her lips too, but she was doing it in anticipation of catching Kyle’s killer. “First you need to get back in that sleek machine you drive and put your hands on the wheel.”

  Dora opened up the back door of the car and got in behind Jared as Evie walked over to the passenger side and slid in beside him.

  Evie cuddled up to him. “Keep those hands on the wheel, baby.”

  “O-okay,” Jared croaked out.

  “Now, close your eyes.” Dora lifted up the handcuffs in a silent message to Evie before whispering in his ear, “Good boy.” She lunged forward to snap a cuff on his wrist while Evie grabbed the other cuff and attached it to the wheel.

  “Wait,” Jared said as he opened his eyes. “How’s this going to work?”

  Dora became all business and leaned over the seat to lower his window. “I’ll tell you how this is going to work. See, Jared, we’re awfully close to the edge of the cliff, wouldn’t you say?”

  “Uh-huh,” he answered with apprehension in his voice.

  “Close enough we could probably put this car in neutral and roll you right off it, right?” Evie asked.

  The handcuffs rattled as Jared tugged on them. “Hold on. What is this? This is not what I had in mind.”

  “No?” Dora asked as she climbed out of the back seat and moved to stand next to Jared’s open window. “I wonder if that’s what Kyle thought when you decided to smash him over the head with a lug wrench.”

  Jared shook his head. “Kyle?”

  “Your father’s landscaper,” Evie said. “Surely you know Kyle.”

  “You’ve got this all wrong.”

  “Enlighten us,” Dora said.

  “I don’t know what happened. The guy ran after he killed my father’s third wife. The scumbag was having an affair with her.”

  That explained why Kyle was so tortured, but Dora wasn’t so sure he’d actually killed the woman based on the information they had about Jared’s father.

  “Funny how your father keeps losing wives,” Evie said.

  “Yeah,” Dora agreed.

  “This really isn’t what you two seem to think it is,” Jared said. He tugged on the handcuffs again. “Take these off me. You’re making a big mistake.”

  “Maybe,” Evie said as she reached over and stuck her hand in the pocket of his shorts to retrieve his key fob. “But that’s for the police to decide.” She dangled the keyring off her finger. “See, we may have found blood on the lug wrench that you didn’t wipe carefully enough, and we figure there’s more evidence you didn’t quite destroy.”

  His face paled, and he gulped before Dora leaned down to speak softly through the door window. “But, hey. Like we said, we’ll let the police take it from here.”

  “Wait,” he called out as Evie’s door slammed shut. “You can’t just leave me here!”

  Dora looked at Evie. “Actually, I think we can.”

  “It was an accident!” Jared yelled. “I swear. I have money. Lots and lots of money!”

  The women opened the doors to the Bug and got in as he continued to plead with them. But they stopped listening. Evie started the car and then snorted out laughter. “Agnes?”

  “I panicked. Ethel?” Dora asked before she laughed too, and they drove away.

  21

  Evie listened as Dora gave the local police an anonymous tip about Kyle’s murderer and where to find Jared. It felt good to bring Kyle’s killer to justice, but she was still sad for the kind man. If what Jared had said was true, Kyle’s diary account of his tortured dreams over the death of his lover made Evie think he’d not only fallen for a woman he couldn’t save but had paid the ultimate price for loving her.

  It also hit home. Would the life Dora and she were living as they tried to clear Dora’s name cost them people they loved too? Marco Franklin was a dangerous man, as was the mob he was associated with. Who’s to say they wouldn’t go after the people Dora and she loved to get what they wanted?

  “There,” Dora said when she ended her call. “Another good deed done. Now let’s get that flash drive and get the heck out of here. If I don’t see another pig for the rest of my life, I’ll be a happy woman.”

  “Ah, but you’re going to miss the chickens.”

  “No, I won’t, because I’ve decided I’m going to get some of my own. Garret told me how to do it. I’m going to get some cute little chicks and start my own flock.”

  “That’s wonderful. I look forward to eating the eggs. I’ve grown accustomed to them in my short time here.”

  “I know,” Dora said. “And Simon’s cooking.” She let out a sigh.

  “As I recall, you have a darn good chef of your own.”

  “Yes,” Dora smiled at Evie. “And I can’t wait to see him again.”

  “Well, that shouldn’t be long now. Once we get our hands on the flash drive, we should contact Luke to facilitate clearing our names.”

  Evie was looking forward to seeing her boyfriend Trace too. Being away from him these past few weeks had made her realize how much the man meant to her, and she even let herself believe she could be in love. Something Evie hadn’t dared to let happen in a long time, if ever.

  As they came around the bend to the straightaway where Windy’s driveway was tucked back behind tree cover, Evie’s good mood faltered when she spotted trouble ahead. It only took a moment before her happiness was extinguished completely as she realized the blue flashing lights she saw were attached to police cruisers.

  “Dora.”

  “Keep driving, Evie,” Dora said. “Damn it.”

  Evie’s heart was in her throat, and she didn’t dare to rubberneck even though she slowed her pace like anyone would going by
parked police cruisers. But Dora did. She said, “DEA trucks.” She scrambled up to look out the back. “And they’ve got Simon and Garret in cuffs!”

  “What about Windy?”

  “Nope. I don’t think so.” Dora plopped back down in her seat. “They’re raiding Windy for illegal drugs now that they’re legal? What the heck?”

  “Well, to be fair,” Evie said, “I don’t think the amount Windy is growing is necessarily legal.”

  “Good point. But darn it, Evie. What do we do now? We need that flash drive.”

  Evie let out a sigh as she drove them down the road without a destination in mind. They had no idea where the evidence was, and they needed Windy to find it. “I’m not sure. We can’t go back there. Are you sure you didn’t see Windy?”

  “Positive. I bet Garret and Simon protected her and she got away. Which means we have to help her.” Dora let out a strained noise. “We need her!”

  Evie was feeling the same panic, and her chest tightened, making it harder to breathe. She inhaled deeply and tried to focus on finding a solution. “We’ve got this, Dor. We’ve just got to figure out how. Where do you think she ran to?” As soon as Evie asked though, she knew the answer.

  She and Dora both said, “The secret treehouse,” at the same time.

  “I know how to get there safely,” Dora said. “Through the Coastal Trail.”

  “Yes!” Evie recalled that when Windy gave them directions to find the treehouse hideaway the first time she’d mentioned that if they hit the trail they’d gone too far. “Pull out the phone, Dora. We need to find the nearest trailhead and go for a hike.”

  “I had no idea being on the run would get us in such great shape,” Dora said as the two women trudged up a trail.

  Their feet thudded on the dirt, roots, and rocks, and Evie had to admit her friend was right. She was hardly out of breath. Once they’d located the trail access from the road, they’d changed into clothing more appropriate for hiking. Being on the run had also taught Dora and Evie to take most of their belongings wherever they went, which meant most of their things were already in the backpacks they carried with them and had remembered to stash in Windy’s VW Bug before going to town.

  Dora stopped, and Evie took the chance to take a long drink of water from her bottle while Dora checked the map on the phone. Even though the trail wasn’t marked on their driving directions app, they knew where Windy’s compound was located on the road. Using that landmark, they could make a good guess where the little blue dot marking their location was in relation to the treehouse. “I think we’re close.” She pointed up the hill they were climbing. “Let’s stop at the top and check again.”

  Evie thought about how it seemed like they were on a never-ending hunt for one flash drive. Each time they almost had the small metal object in their hands something happened to keep it out of reach. It was beyond frustrating, and she wouldn’t have blamed Dora one bit if her friend had had a major meltdown over the latest development. But Dora had remained strong and even optimistic. If anyone was upset about their latest predicament it was Evie. She yearned for a bubble bath in her own tub and the warm strong arms of her boyfriend around her. Heck, she even longed for a boring job that made her watch the clock until closing time.

  Sunshine didn’t seem much happier. The dog was barely keeping up with the women as they hiked. Evie turned back to talk to the pup. “C’mon girl. We’re almost there, and you’re going to see one of your favorite people very soon.”

  Sunshine let out a small groan and sat down with a sigh. Evie smiled at her theatrics and moved to keep climbing. But when she realized Sunshine wasn’t following, she said, “Dora, hold on. Sunshine seems to be on a sit-down strike.”

  “Poor thing,” Dora said. “Her little legs aren’t made for this.” She walked back to pick up the dog. And as she held her, she frowned at Evie. “Does she feel heavier to you lately?” Dora rubbed her hand over Sunshine’s belly. “I think she’s getting fat. No wonder this hike is hard for her.”

  Evie reached for her dog, taking note of the weight she felt as she held her. “She does feel like she’s gained weight.” She too rubbed Sunshine’s stomach, which did feel rounder. “A little too much good food at Windy’s, huh?”

  Sunshine let out a low growl as if she was insulted. Evie chuckled. “Sorry. You know I still think you’re beautiful inside and out.”

  Dora grinned at Evie. “Don’t you worry, Sunshine. A few days back on a regular eating schedule and you’ll be right back to your fighting weight.”

  They’d reached the top of the hill, and Dora checked the phone again. She looked toward the left. “The treehouse should be that way.”

  The two didn’t have to go much more than one hundred yards before they spied the large rock that marked the area where the tree house was located, and when they got to it, Windy peered out the door and down at them. “Took you two long enough. And goodness, you’d both be terrible hunters. I could hear you coming a mile away.”

  “You’re welcome,” Evie said as her stomach growled loudly. It had been a while since she’d eaten, and she was getting grumpy because of it.

  Windy climbed down the ladder with a backpack quickly, and once she hit the ground, she moved toward the trail. “Beat feet, girls. The sooner we get out of here the better.”

  As they pushed their way through the woods, Evie noticed Windy glance over her shoulder wistfully, and she imagined what it must be like for the woman to be leaving what had been a lovely home and her little world for decades.

  Once they got to the trail, Evie asked her, “Are you okay?”

  Windy nodded. “I got too comfortable. I had begun to think this day wasn’t going to come.”

  “What’s going to happen to Simon and Garret?” Dora asked as they walked briskly down the trail.

  “They’ll be fine. I’ve got a good lawyer on retainer, and they can offer information on the famous outlaw in exchange for a misdemeanor charge.”

  Evie was impressed with how well Windy was taking her sudden move, but she supposed that like Dora and her, Windy had gotten used to accepting a situation and making the best of it. And even though Evie had no intention of having to continue to do so on a regular basis, she figured it was a good skill to have.

  22

  Windy waved her hand in the air that rushed by the VW as she hung it outside the passenger window. An Eagles song was blasting out of the radio as Dora drove down the highway, and Evie, Windy, and Dora were singing along. It should have made Dora happy, but she was losing patience with Windy.

  The woman refused to tell them where they were going or where the flash drive was until they were safely out of California. The moment Dora saw the sign welcoming them to Oregon she turned off the radio.

  “Hey,” Windy said. “That song’s a classic.”

  “Where’s the flash drive, Windy. We told you Jared killed Kyle and solved his murder like we promised. Time to live up to your end of the bargain.”

  “I am,” Windy said coyly. “We’re headed toward where it is.”

  “So, you don’t have it?” Dora felt her voice rise in volume at the end of the sentence, and she took a deep breath to try to calm down.

  “Nope. Took a page from the book you two girls are writing. I mailed it to a little place of mine in Montana.”

  “Montana?” The plan to remain calm wasn’t working, and Dora let out a frustrated sigh. “What exactly is this place we’re headed to? It had better not be another illegal business you’ve been tending all these years. Did you even pay taxes on what you made off your pot farm?”

  “Dora,” Evie said softly.

  “No, it’s okay,” Windy said to Evie, who was leaning in between the bucket seats from the back. “I get why she’s upset with me. You can take the girl away from the rules, but you can’t make her stop wanting to follow them. And we had a deal. One Dora expects me to honor.”

  Dora knew she was worked up and perhaps not being completely rational, but she
was tired of feeling jerked around, and the latest development was another delay to getting her life back. Getting Evie’s life back. “I do expect you to honor it, Windy. We’re saving your butt right now, and you’re not being truthful with us.” Dora was tempted to threaten to leave the woman by the side of the road, but she couldn’t if she wanted the flash drive, and Windy knew it. Not to mention the fact that it was Windy’s car they were driving. “I’m not feeling all warm and fuzzy about things right now. We trusted you.”

  “I know,” Windy said. “But I did what I thought I needed to do to keep the flash drive safe. You should be glad I did. Otherwise, it’d be sitting in a police locker right now and you might never get your hands on it.”

  Dora shot Windy a glare. While the woman was probably right, Dora was struggling to feel kindly toward her at the moment.

  “You know what?” Evie said. “I’m starving, and I bet that’s why we’re so cranky. Now that we’re in Oregon can we please get something to eat?”

  Evie was right. Dora was really hungry too, and that probably did affect her mood. “We need gas,” she offered, “but I’d really like something more substantial than junk food. I need a big shot of protein.”

  “Yes,” Evie said. “Like a burger. A big, juicy beef patty with lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayonnaise.”

  “And a pickle,” Dora added.

  “Fries too?” Windy asked.

  Dora let out a moan now that her focus was on food. “Yes. Heck, I’m even going to get a sugary cola instead of something diet.”

  Evie chuckled. “Craziness, Dor. Let’s do it.”

  Dora smiled, feeling a little better about her current situation now that she had a plan she knew she could complete. “There’s food and gas at the next exit.” She looked over at Windy with a sudden burst of charity. “And if it makes you feel safer, we can go through the drive through. You can hide in the back.”