Sadie eyed the rack.
“I kind of like the yellow one. Do you have it in a medium?”
He checked, but extra-small and extra-large seemed to be the only options for the bright yellow shirt for ladies, although if she wanted the basic men’s design, he had her size in that color.
Sadie declined the yellow and tried on the red. It fit like a glove and she had to admit that spending fifty bucks on a running shirt would be strong motivation to get jogging on a more regular basis.
She left the mall feeling somewhat sated by both her run-in with Christian Lasko and her new sportswear purchase. However, when she got home and took that fifty-dollar shirt out of the bag, it didn’t look nearly as impressive.
Pam was equally disappointed.
“It feels like it’s made out of some new age plastic,” she said, feeling it between her thumb and forefinger. “If you got near an open flame it would probably shrink-wrap you.”
“It’s microfiber blended with spandex,” Sadie informed her. “And it’s breathable. All the cool joggers are wearing them.”
“Hmmm. Well, download the coupons. If you can balance cool with frugal it may be worth it.”
“Good idea.”
Sadie powered up the computer in her office, waited a couple of minutes for all the icons to pop up, and soon was inputting the Web site address shown on her receipt. With a click of her mouse and a few strokes of the keyboard, she was signed in to the online community and was printing off a colorful array of coupons and a lengthy newsletter, no doubt going through a few dollars’ worth of ink from her color printer in the process.
As the newsletter chugged out of the printer, Pam began reading the pages and appeared deep in thought.
“Wow, selling sportswear is a huge moneymaking racket. I wonder what will happen to Grant Toth’s store now that he’s dead,” Pam murmured.
Sadie blinked at her friend in surprise. “You know, I totally forgot that he was in that business.” She snatched up the coupon from her desk. “Maybe I’ll go down and see if they carry the Run-Tec line. I can make use of my coupon and check out Grant’s store at the same time.”
She looked up the store’s address in the phone book. It was at the other end of Seattle, but because it gave her something to do, she didn’t hesitate to drive there. The small sportswear store was in a strip mall, squeezed between a Subway sandwich shop and a Kinko’s. Inside she found the place clean but without the bright lights and rock ’n’ roll of the mall megastore.
“If I can be of any help, just holler,” a young woman called from behind the counter.
“As a matter of fact,” Sadie began, walking up to the desk, “I’ve got this coupon for the Run-Tec line and was hoping to see your selection of shorts.”
Sadie held out the paper, and the young woman flinched as if repulsed by it.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t carry that line. Never have and never will.”
She reached behind the counter and handed Sadie a buff-colored sheet with bold lettering proclaiming, “Saving the World One Child at a Time.”
“This is a list of clothing lines that are known for using child labor. You’ll notice that Run-Tec is at the top of that list. As an ethically run business, we’ve chosen to educate our clients and not carry Run-Tec products.”
“Oh!” Sadie felt immediately guilty. “I had no idea.”
“Most people don’t, which is why when the owner started this store he made sure that all his employees were informed about ethical business practices so they could spread the word to the clientele.”
“You’re talking about Grant Toth?”
“Yes. He’s the owner. Do you, I mean, did you know him?”
“I’ve done work for his mother,” Sadie said truthfully. “What’s going to happen to the stores now that he’s gone?”
“We don’t know,” she admitted sadly. “Grant’s lawyer called the store manager and told him that Grant’s mother would inherit the business. We hope she’ll consider keeping the stores open.”
Sadie couldn’t imagine Sylvia Toth running a sportswear store.
“I’ll show you our alternative to Run-Tec,” the clerk offered. “You’ll find our line less expensive and with all of the same great features, just not made by some child in a Bangladesh sweatshop.”
She showed Sadie some very attractive running outfits, but most of them were in bland blacks, whites, and beiges.
“I really like the bright colors that the Run-Tec line has,” Sadie admitted, then quickly held up her hand. “Not that I’m going to put someone into slavery just so I can have a bright yellow shirt.”
“Well, we don’t carry any shirts in yellow, but I can show you this same style in a bright blue or red.”
Sadie walked out of the store having spent a small fortune in guilt money, but at least she was now fully equipped from the top of her head to new running shoes for her feet. She’d have to make another trip to the mall to return her Run-Tec shirt, but that could wait for another day.
When she got home, she returned to her den and noticed the computer was still open to Run-Tec’s home page. Splashed across the screen were photos of the shirt she’d bought at the mall. The largest one showed the same shirt in yellow. She had a sudden tickle of remembrance that led to an epiphany.
Before she could stop herself, she dialed Detective Petrovich. She wasn’t able to reach him and instead got his voice mail.
“This is Sadie Novak. I’ve got an important question about the Toth case. Please call me as soon as you get this message.”
She nervously tried to keep herself busy. She even cleaned behind the TV, admonishing Hairy for the few little raisin-type poops he’d accidentally left there instead of in his litter box. Next she fed the rabbit and played a half hour of solitaire before Petrovich called back.
“You said that the bloody clothing found in the Toth hamper was running clothes, right?” Sadie asked.
“Yes,” he said impatiently. “Look, I don’t know why you’re so hung up on this, but my job didn’t end at the Toth house or even at your house. I’m working another case right now.”
“Did you or did you not say that the shirt was one of those fancy running shirts in bright yellow?”
“I did.” He sighed. “Why?”
“Well, I’ve got news for you. Grant didn’t own a yellow running shirt and he would never have owned a yellow running shirt,” she announced triumphantly.
“So the guy hated yellow. Big deal.”
“It’s not the color. If you’ll check you’ll find that the bloody shirt was made by a company called Run-Tec.”
“So what?”
“Grant was ethically opposed to Run-Tec.”
She could almost hear him rolling his eyes.
“For God’s sake…”
“Listen to me!” she shouted. “He wouldn’t wear something made by Run-Tec because he believed them to be an unethical manufacturer. Even though it’s the largest-selling sports brand in the country, Grant refused to have that line in his stores because they supported child labor. His employees are trained to give out handouts opposing that company!”
There was a pause.
“So what? It doesn’t mean a damn thing. Hell, maybe he wore it to make a point. Getting the yellow shirt soaked in his wife’s blood could’ve been a way for him to make a global statement about how he felt about that Run-Tec company.”
Sadie said quietly, “But you’ve said all along you never believed this was a premeditated act. A crime of passion, you called it, right? What you’re saying now is that he dressed in clothes he found reprehensible to make an ethical statement. If that was true, he never would’ve stuffed those clothes into a hamper instead of being caught wearing them, right?”
Petrovich was quiet for a moment.
“Plus, when I had dinner with Kent he admitted to going into a sports megastore and spending a fortune on running clothes.”
“Fine. It’s a stretch, but I’ll get the
clothes from evidence and see what I can find out. I’m not promising anything, okay?”
“That’s all I ask,” Sadie said and thanked him.
She felt like she was onto something, and she couldn’t stand just sitting around the house. She decided to go back to the mall and return the red shirt.
By the time she got to the mall, she’d decided not to return the shirt after all but instead to exchange it.
“Let me get this straight,” the same pimply man who’d waited on her earlier said. “You want to exchange this shirt for the men’s style in yellow.”
“Yes.”
He went and got her the other shirt.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Sadie took the shirt to the counter.
“Don’t you want to try it on?” he called after her. “The men’s style is a looser fit.”
“That’s okay.”
Instead of heading home, she drove to the hospital to visit Sylvia Toth. There was a chance that being shot at had convinced Mrs. Toth to be open to Sadie’s ideas. Then again, it could’ve just convinced the woman to get a restraining order. Sadie might soon find herself being hauled down to the police station. Again.
18
Sadie drove straight to the hospital. She got out of the elevator and walked hurriedly into Sylvia’s room, where she found a middle-aged man asleep in the bed where Sylvia had been.
“She’s gone,” Sadie murmured in surprise.
On her way out she stopped at the front desk.
“Excuse me. I’m looking for Sylvia Toth. She was in room five-ten.”
The duty nurse thumbed through the charts and looked up.
“Mrs. Toth was discharged this morning.”
Sadie had been hoping against hope that Sylvia’s sister, Janet, wouldn’t be in the hospital room, but she knew now that she would have to face her. Regardless, it had to be done.
Sadie got into the elevator and was alone, except for a man whose rib cage was spread wide open to expose his organs beneath.
“I hate hospitals,” Sadie grumbled. To the man she said, “Heart surgery?”
His eyes grew wide.
“How’d you know?”
“Lucky guess.”
On the ride down in the elevator, Sadie dealt with the heart surgery ghost but got little satisfaction from helping him go over. She was too worried about Sylvia Toth.
When she reached Sylvia Toth’s townhome, she snatched the shopping bag from the passenger seat and composed herself as she strode to the front door. She rang the bell and held her breath as footsteps sounded on the other side.
The door opened and Janet stood there, looking not at all thrilled to see Sadie.
“I thought we had an agreement that you’d stay away from my sister,” she spat angrily.
“This will only take a second. I just have a question regarding Grant’s clothing.” She held up the shopping bag.
“His clothing? You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I think the bloody clothes found in Grant’s hamper may have been from the Run-Tec line, and I suspect Grant would never have worn that line, so—”
“Wait a second.” Janet held up her hand. “You think the clothes may have been, and you suspect Grant wouldn’t have worn them? Listen to yourself!” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to play detective with someone else’s loved one. I’m not interested.”
“Who’s at the door?” Sylvia Toth’s weak voice called from down the hall.
“A salesperson who’s just leaving,” Janet answered over her shoulder. Then to Sadie she hissed, “Get out of here and don’t come back. If you come around again, I’ll call the police.”
Sadie was left standing outside holding her shopping bag. A few icy raindrops fell on her cheeks like sloppy tears.
As she started her car, she felt sullen and morose. She’d been so stupid to think that she, a glorified cleaning lady, could break a murder case wide open using a jogging shirt as evidence. She would have laughed at herself, but she didn’t have any energy left for even a smile.
Back home she dressed in her non-Run-Tec jogging clothes purchased from Grant’s store. She carefully activated the house alarm the way she’d been told and slipped a spare house key into a small zippered pocket in the lining of her new shorts.
She stayed on the main roads and constantly looked over her shoulder. She didn’t make it nearly the distance she had before. This time her sore muscles screamed in protest at such abuse, so she spent the last quarter mile walking, contemplating, and generally berating herself for letting the Toth situation take over her life.
When she stepped back into her house, she quick-stepped to the keypad and turned off the alarm. Then she went in search of the phone. She’d decided to call Petrovich and let him know that she was done with the entire Toth thing. She was sure it would make his day.
Her answering machine blinked that it had one message and when she hit PLAY, it was Petrovich’s voice that came out the speaker.
“Call me,” he said.
Great minds think alike. She dialed the number he’d left and while she waited for him to pick up, she prepared her speech announcing that she was backing off.
“The shirt in the evidence bag was a yellow Run-Tec shirt, like you said,” he barked, seemingly annoyed at the idea. “I went to Grant Toth’s store, and you’re right. Run-Tec is not something Grant would’ve been caught wearing, probably dead or alive.”
“Good—but I’ve been thinking and it was probably like you said,” she replied. “He wore it to make a point. Maybe he didn’t even buy it. There’s a good chance that he got tons of promotional freebies given to him and if he got it for free, he might’ve brought it home and worn it.”
“Maybe,” Detective Petrovich agreed. “The pants in the hamper were regular fleece-lined jogging pants in a size medium. A style that anybody would’ve worn to exercise.”
“Sure, and just because he wore the Run-Tec shirt because he got it for free, that doesn’t mean he’d go out of his way to sign up on their Web site to get the coupon for the discounted matching shorts,” Sadie reasoned.
“What do you mean, matching shorts?”
“Nothing,” Sadie replied, tired of the whole thing. “I’m done with this, Dean. I’ve been a pain in the ass and I’ve way overstepped my bounds.”
“You were doing what you thought was right, although why on earth you picked this case to fixate on is beyond me,” he said, half joking.
She couldn’t exactly blurt out that it was because of Trudy’s messages. Instead, she said, “I’m going to concentrate on clearing my name the old-fashioned way, with good old-fashioned hard work. What happened with the diamond pin and Sylvia Toth being shot was an unfortunate side effect of my not keeping my nose where it belongs.”
“I’m reopening the case, Sadie.”
“What?” She stopped short of drinking the water she’d just pulled from her fridge.
“That shirt stuff makes sense, and I’m not going to be able to sleep until I’ve answered some of the questions you’ve brought up and made sure the shooting and the tire slashing aren’t tied in with the Toth house.”
“Sounds like I’ve given you an extra load of work,” Sadie said apologetically.
“Better you pointing it out than it being picked up by some reporter a year down the pike. Anyway, it won’t hurt to do some more digging into the whole Run-Tec lead, and then, hopefully, we can put this baby to rest.”
“Good.”
“And that doesn’t mean we’re not still looking for Kent Lasko or whoever banged off those bullets in your direction. Keep yourself safe.”
“I’m trying.”
After she hung up, Sadie showered, then made herself a salad and shared a handful of it with Hairy.
She checked her e-mails and found a couple tired old jokes forwarded to her from Dawn and a Run-Tec advertisement that smacked of the spam the store clerk had promised she wouldn’t receive.
When she opened the message it shouted in bold blue and red letters that they were having a WILD WACKY SALE! It demanded to know if she, Sadie Novak, had downloaded her coupon for half off the running shorts and did she know that, as a valued member of the Run-Tec online team, she could look forward to specials offered only to online members.
Sadie couldn’t help but wonder how many people fell for the store clerk encouraging them to sign up on this Web site.
She clicked the link at the bottom of the e-mail and it brought her to the Run-Tec site. It took her ten minutes to locate an area on the site where she could discontinue her Run-Tec membership. Even then, she doubted she’d be removed permanently from the mailing list.
“Probably people still get e-mails long after they’ve died,” she muttered to herself.
She made a mental note to ask Petrovich if he could find out if Kent was on their client list. If Kent Lasko wore Run-Tec clothing, that would’ve annoyed Grant. Then again, it would’ve angered him a helluva lot more to find out his friend was screwing his wife. Probably Kent couldn’t face Grant. That’s why he was shopping at the sports megastore in the mall instead of supporting his best friend’s sportswear shop.
She frowned, switched her e-mail off, and opened FreeCell instead. While she clicked on cards she found her mind drifting again to Kent Lasko in a bright yellow running shirt.
“Damn.”
To take her mind off Kent she dialed Dawn’s number at work.
“Feel like getting together for a bite after work?”
“Sure, except John and I were going to go out for Chinese. But, hey, I’ll just tell him I’m going out with my big sister instead.”
“That’s all right. I don’t want you to cancel your plans,” Sadie said, then added, “I could always join you, unless—”
“That would be great!”
“Good. I’d like to meet this guy who stole my sister’s heart.”
The Remains of the Dead Page 23