Gloria nodded. “Okay.” She didn’t look up from her paper as Ruth shut the door behind her and headed down the steps.
Gloria crept out of the chair and made her way over to the kitchen window. She peeked around the edge of the frame and stared at Ruth’s back as she headed to her van.
When Ruth climbed in the driver’s seat, Gloria darted out of the kitchen and ran to her bedroom. There was no time for a shower. No time to brush her teeth. She was determined to find out what Ruth was up to!
She blindly reached into her closet and pulled out the first thing her hand came in contact with. A pair of dark blue sweatpants and a t-shirt she’d picked up in Chicago the summer before when she’d visited her son, Eddie, and his wife, Karen. It had a picture of the old Sears Tower on it. Of course, it wasn’t called Sears Tower anymore. It had another name.
She yanked on the sweat pants and pulled the shirt over her head, then bolted back into the kitchen. She slipped on a pair of sandals by the door, grabbed her purse off the kitchen chair and her keys before she bolted out the door.
Gloria had a sneaking suspicion that Ruth was not going to meet Kenny at her house. There were too many neighbors close by. No. She was headed to Kenny’s place out in the country where no one could spy on them. No one that is, except Gloria.
She threw her purse on the passenger seat and fired up the engine. She backed up and turned the wheel, then pulled forward. She roared out of the driveway and toward Kenny’s place. Her adrenaline was pumping as she pressed down on the gas pedal and exceeded the speed limit. Just a little.
She had just a few short minutes to figure out how she could spy on Ruth and Kenny and not have her cover blown. Then she remembered the field that ran parallel to Kenny’s place. There was a small two-lane dirt path the tractors used to get to the fields. A wooden fence ran alongside it.
She pulled into the path and coasted down the rutted trail. Her car bounced up and down as she tried to ease in far enough so she wouldn’t be spotted from the road. From her vantage point in the car, she couldn’t see much. Actually, she couldn’t see anything. She slid out of the car and gently eased the door shut.
Gloria ducked down as she tiptoed along the tree line. She looked down at her outfit. At least her clothes were dark! She moved far enough along so that she could see both the back of Kenny’s house and the driveway. Her heart sank when she spied the empty drive. Ruth wasn’t here! Neither was Kenny!
Maybe they were over at Ruth’s place after all! She turned to head back to the car when she saw bright headlights beam through the row of trees. Gloria stiffened straight up and plastered herself against the nearest tree.
The lights shut off and so did the car’s engine. A door slammed. Another beam of light flashed around the tree.
Beads of sweat covered Gloria’s brow and her heart began to pound in her chest. Had she been spotted? She closed her eyes and began to pray. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea after all!
The beam of light disappeared and was followed by the distinct sound of another door slamming. Muffled voices echoed through the trees. Gloria slid down to the ground and turned around. She peeked around the side of the tree.
Two figures stood underneath the bright porch light. It was Ruth and Kenny! They were bent close together, talking in low voices. Ruth would pause every couple of seconds and glance behind her, as if waiting for someone else.
“…come in….” The words wafted through the trees. Ruth shook her head. Kenny headed up the porch steps and disappeared inside his house. He reappeared a few moments later, a box in his hand. He handed the box to Ruth.
Gloria watched as she opened the box and stuck her hand inside. Satisfied with whatever the contents were, she gave Kenny a quick hug then climbed back into her car.
Kenny watched as Ruth pulled out of the drive before he stepped back inside his house.
Could it be that whatever was in the box was what Kenny had snuck into the post office the night before to get? Gloria had a hunch that was exactly what it was.
Gloria jogged back to her car. Well, not really jogged since she was wearing flip-flops. She shuffled across the wet weeds to get back to her car. She wondered if Ruth would bring the box back to Gloria’s place. Or maybe she would she drop it off at her own house?
She climbed into Anabelle and headed back towards town. She turned the car down the street that ran opposite Ruth’s tidy ranch. She peered between the houses and could see Ruth’s van parked in the drive. Gloria drove around the block as she waited for Ruth to leave. The third drive around the block was the charm. Ruth’s van was gone.
Gloria turned onto her street. She pulled into the driveway and put the car in park. Should she or shouldn’t she? What if Ruth came back and caught Gloria inside her house? Even if she did, she was pretty confident that Ruth wouldn’t press charges.
As much as Gloria wanted to get inside and look for the box, she could envision this ending badly for her. If Ruth caught her, at the very least it could put an end to their friendship.
It wasn’t worth the risk. Gloria put Anabelle in reverse and slowly backed out of the drive. Whatever Ruth was up to, there had to be a logical explanation. After all, Ruth couldn’t really be a drug lord, could she?
Gloria passed Dot’s restaurant on her way back to the farm. She drove right by Ruth’s van, which was parked out front.
When she got home, she let Mally out before she headed to the shower. She lathered up her hair and mulled over what information she did have.
So far, nothing made sense. Obviously, whoever had been in the dumpster the other night was not part of Ruth’s little group. Maybe it was a homeless person rummaging through the bins looking for something of value. She dismissed the thought. She had never spotted a homeless person in their small town of Belhaven before.
Then Gloria had another thought. What about the person that broke into Andrea’s place? Did that have some sort of connection to the drug trafficking?
She decided a stop by Andrea’s was in order. She could check on her friend and find out if any other odd occurrences had happened.
She passed Ruth on her way to Andrea’s and waved. They were like two ships passing in the night. Or in this case, in the day.
Andrea’s car was the only one in the drive when she pulled in. There was no contractor trucks or vans. She made her way to the front door and reached for the bell. Instead of a bell, there was a brand spanking-new nifty door knocker. It was in the shape of a lion’s head. She grinned and grabbed the ring. She gave it three loud taps and waited.
Seconds later, Andrea swung the door open. She was dressed in what Gloria would term as garden gear. She had a red bandanna tied across her head. Her shorts were splattered with paint and her t-shirt was a rainbow of colors.
Andrea grabbed Gloria’s hand and pulled her in. “You must have ESP. I was just going to call you!”
“Follow me.” She didn’t wait for Gloria to answer. Instead, she grabbed the mahogany handrail and climbed the steps to the second floor.
Andrea had been taunting Gloria for weeks now about some sort of surprise. Something she’d been working on that she didn’t want Gloria to see until it was finished.
Brutus followed them up the steps. Gloria had forgotten all about Andrea’s new companion. “Well, hello there my furry friend.”
Brutus stuck his head under her hand and thumped his tail. “I bet you know all about the surprise, don’t you?” The dog and Gloria trailed Andrea up the grand staircase.
At the top of the stairs, Andrea turned left, in the direction of the master suite. She swung the double doors open and stood to the side. Her face beamed with pride.
Gloria couldn’t remember the last time she’d been in Andrea’s bedroom. It might have been the night the Blackstone brothers had kidnapped them. Or maybe it was the night Gloria and Lucy snuck in the house and found the stolen money in the floorboards. She glanced at the spot where she and Lucy had uncovered the cash.
S
he had never mentioned the discovery to Andrea. Of course, Andrea hadn’t owned the house at the time they found the money…
Gloria gasped at her first look around the room. It was stunning and it looked so different. The room looked bigger somehow. If that was possible.
“Well, what do you think?” Andrea asked.
“This is a room fit for a princess,” Gloria said.
The walls were painted a muted gray. The trim bright white. New plantation shutters covered all the bedroom windows. The exterior of the fireplace had been redone in a sleek, blue slate. Two pale, purple wingback chairs faced the fireplace. Wide plank wooden floors completed the look.
Still, something was different about the room. Gloria stuck her hand on her hip and spun around.
Andrea grinned. She knew Gloria couldn’t figure out what the big change was. “It’s the ceilings.” She lifted an index finger and pointed up.
Gloria focused her gaze on the ceiling. “Well, I’ll be. You’re right!” The ceiling had once been low and flat. They were now cathedral ceilings with interesting lines. A small, cozy window nook was tucked in one corner of the room. A sparkling chandelier hung over the massive, king-size bed.
She motioned Gloria to the bathroom. “That’s not all.” Andrea pressed on the side wall - the secret entrance to the master bath. She hit the light switch and stepped inside. The original marble tile that surrounded the tub had been polished, and the tub itself had been replaced. It was a bit bigger than the original and this one was jetted. Stained-glass windows surrounded the tub on three sides and a crystal chandelier sparkled from above.
The marble on the double vanity had also been polished. Brand new, sleek, modern sinks and faucets had been installed. Small storage cabinets had been installed on both sides of the vanity. Crown molding gave the ceiling a touch of elegance.
Gloria walked over and skimmed her hand across the gleaming marble top. “This is almost too pretty to use.”
Andrea wandered to the door on the other side of the bath. “Check out the closet.”
There was no light switch to flip in this room. Instead, it was all motion sensor. They stepped inside and recessed lights instantly brightened the interior. Custom shelves and cabinets lined the walls. There was a whole section devoted to shoes. It was jam-packed.
Gloria gazed down at the collection. “I never knew you liked shoes that much.”
“It’s my downfall,” Andrea confessed. “I love shoes.” She went on. “But, hey, you’ll never guess what the workers found when they were redoing this closet.”
She stepped over to the corner. The one with the built-in cabinet. “Check this out,” Andrea said.
She stuck her hand under the cabinet. The cabinet glided seamlessly backwards and stopped a few feet in. Andrea reached around the corner. A bright light came on and revealed a secret room!
Gloria leaned forward and peeked through the narrow opening.
“Follow me.” Andrea turned sideways and squeezed in through the small space. Gloria followed her in. She glanced down at the wall and her stomach that touched the frame. Too many more desserts and she’d get stuck!
The room wasn’t large. Maybe six feet by nine feet. The walls were smooth concrete. A small, plaid sofa sat in the corner. An end table with a small lamp sat beside it. There were two TV monitors on one of the walls.
Andrea pressed the button on one of the monitors. A view of the front door appeared.
Gloria placed a hand on the smooth concrete and stared at the screen. “You have a panic room,” she said.
“I know, right? I ordered a safe to put in here.”
Andrea stuck her finger on the power button to turn off the screen when a figure appeared at the front door. It was Brian. “We better go down,” she said.
She flipped off the light and Gloria followed her out of the closet, then out of the bedroom. “How many people know about that room?”
Andrea counted with her fingers. “You, the contractor, one of the workers,” she got to the fourth finger, “and me.”
Andrea gave her a dark glance. “I was thinking maybe I should keep it that way,” she said.
Gloria nodded. “I agree 100%! By the way, have you had any more people wandering around or odd occurrences?”
They were on the stairs now and could hear the thump thump of Andrea’s newly-installed knocker. Andrea shook her head. “Nope, thank goodness.”
The smile never left Brian’s face when Andrea opened the door to let him in the foyer. “Well, well. Two of favorite girls.” He kissed Andrea’s forehead and then hugged Gloria. “I’ve been thinking about you,” Brian said.
“Oh yeah?”
“Wondering if your washer was still working and if your houseguest was still there. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say the answer to both is yes?” His eyebrows raised.
Gloria’s shoulders slumped – just a little. Andrea had taken Gloria’s mind off her troubles, but they were back now in full force. “Yeah. Any news on the post office investigation?”
If anyone would have info, it would be Brian since he had a lot of people come in and out of the hardware store every day. He shook his head. “Nope. Not a peep. They’re keeping a tight lid on it over there,” he said.
“You want to join us for lunch?” Andrea asked.
Gloria shook her head. “No. I have another stop to make before I head back home. Maybe next time.” She hugged Andrea and Brian and headed to the car.
It was time to stop by her friend, Lucy’s, place. She hadn’t seen much of her lately. Just briefly when she came by the farm to drop off a load for the yard sale.
Lucy’s jeep was in the drive. Gloria pulled in beside it. She started for the porch door when she heard a muffled voice. “Over here!”
Gloria rounded the end of the house and circled the bush on the edge of Lucy’s garden. Lucy was bent over a tomato plant. A bushel basket rested on her hip. She straightened her back and shaded her eyes with her free hand. “My, my. If it isn’t my long-lost best friend,” she said wryly.
Gloria defended herself. “You know I’ve been busy.”
Lucy tip-toed past the tidy rows of plants and over to where Gloria was standing. “I know. I’m just teasing…” She set the basket on the grass and motioned Gloria towards the house. “How’s it going with the houseguest?”
“Ruth’s fine. No problem at all,” Gloria answered. She remembered her date last night with Paul. “It is cramping my style a little,” she admitted.
Lucy was on the top step now. She spun around. “Oh yeah? What style is that?”
“You know. Dates. Stuff like that,” she added.
“So go over to Paul’s place,” Lucy logically suggested. She held the door for Gloria to go inside.
“We would but Paul’s kids just moved in,” she said.
Lucy snorted. “You don’t say.”
Gloria pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. She stuck her chin in her fist. “Yeah. I do say.”
Lucy headed to the kitchen sink. She scrubbed the dirt and grime off her hands then wiped them on a towel hanging on the side of the fridge. “Have you eaten lunch yet?”
Gloria’s stomach grumbled in response. “Nope.”
Lucy reached into the fridge and pulled out a box of fried chicken. “Good. You can help me with this.”
She reached in and pulled out a container of coleslaw and another one with potato salad. She set them on the table and grabbed a pitcher of iced tea.
“Here, let me do something.” Gloria jumped to her feet and helped set the table. The two loaded their plates, then said their blessing. The chicken was delicious, even cold.
“Did you get this from Dot’s place?” Gloria asked. She peeled off a piece of white meat and popped it into her mouth.
Lucy nodded. “Yeah. She’s trying a new recipe and asked if I wanted to be the guinea pig.”
The meat was moist and tender, the coating nice and crispy and seasoned with the right amount of salt. Glori
a made a mental note to tell Dot it was delicious.
Lucy reached for a drumstick. “Any news on the investigation?”
Gloria shook her head. “Brian said the investigators are keeping a tight lid on the case.” She hesitated for a fraction of a second. Should she tell Lucy about Ruth? She decided she needed a second opinion. Lucy had helped her out with other investigations. Maybe they could put their heads together…
Gloria set her half-eaten piece of chicken down and took a deep breath. Gloria told her everything that had happened so far.
Lucy’s eyes widened when she told her how Ruth had surveillance equipment inside the post office. “Can’t she get in trouble for that?”
“That’s what I thought, too.” Gloria pointed at her own chest. “But I’m not going to say anything.”
Lucy shook her head and made a locking motion in front of her lips. “Me either.”
Gloria went on to tell Lucy how she caught a glimpse of Kenny in front of the camera the night before and how she followed Ruth to Kenny’s that morning and watched as he handed Ruth a box.
Lucy stopped chewing and gasped. “What do you think is in the box?”
“I wish I knew,” she said. I thought about taking a peek in the bedroom when she’s not around,” Gloria confessed. “You know, to see if the box is in there.”
Lucy nodded. Her red head bounced up and down. “Good idea. After all, it is your house,” she pointed out.
Lucy tossed the empty container of coleslaw and potato salad in the trash. She put the rest of the chicken back in the fridge and pulled out a baker’s box. Inside was a lemon meringue pie.
Gloria’s mouth watered. “Did Dot give that to you, too?”
Lucy pulled the lid off and lifted the pie from the box. “Yep. She wanted me to run this by my taste buds. She’s thinking about adding this to the menu, too.”
“Why doesn’t she ever ask me to taste test for her?” Gloria complained.
Lucy sliced a generous piece and set it on a plate in front of Gloria. “Cuz you’re never around?”
Hope Callaghan - Garden Girls 05 - Eye Spy Page 8