Unbreakable Bonds (An Angela Panther Mystery Book 2)

by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

  "We ought to ask your mom for some help, just in case."

  "Good point."

  Mel lifted her hands to the sky. "Fran, it'd be great if you'd help us find a Ouija Board. Actually, we can skip the demon-finder altogether if you'd just show up on your own. 'Kay-thanks-bye." She looked at me. "Think she heard me?

  "The people inside Walmart heard you."

  She touched a finger to her chin. "Was I loud?"

  It was my turn to make the inch sign with my fingers. "Maybe just a little."

  She turned red. "Whoops."

  "Ma," I said, lifting my head to the sky. "This isn't about me, so I'm not being selfish. We either need the Ouija Board or like Mel said, you can pop on down for a chat, 'k? A sign to know you're listening would be awesome, too."

  We stood and waited, but nothing happened.

  I shrugged. "Well, we tried." And then a rock flew out of nowhere and smacked me on the knee. I kicked it. "Oh my Gawd. Enough with the rocks."

  "Wow. That's pretty cool."

  "What? Getting hit by a rock?"

  "Uh, yeah."

  "That's because you're not the one getting bruised."

  "Ang, you just asked your mom for a sign and a rock pelted you. Don't you get it?"

  "Not so much. No."

  "The rock is the sign, Ang."

  That didn't make sense. "Why would Ma throw rocks at me?"

  "Because she can?"

  There was that.

  "All I'm saying is it doesn't seem like much of a coincidence," Mel said.

  My temples throbbed so I rubbed them, hoping to stop a possible migraine. "But what would rocks have to do with my mother?" And then it hit me. Not a rock, the reason. "Hole-eee crap. Rocks. My cousin, Roxanne. Ma and my Auntie Rita always called her Rox for short."

  "There's your sign." We high-fived.

  I race-walked to Mel's car. "I'm calling my cousin."

  Mel race-walked, too. "Put it on speaker."

  Mel turned on the car, putting the air conditioner on high as I called my cousin.

  "Hello?" Roxanne said.

  "Put it on speaker," Mel said.

  I ignored her.

  "Roxanne? It's Angela."

  "Put it on speaker."

  I held up my index finger.

  "Oh, hi Angela. How are you?"

  Mel poked me in the arm. "Speaker phone."

  "I'm doing good Rox, how are you?" I clicked the speaker button on my phone. "Hey, I'm in the car and I've got you on speaker phone, okay?"

  "Oh, sure."

  "I'm sorry I haven't called in awhile. Life gets busy, you know?"

  "Oh, I know. It's busy here, too. John is traveling a lot and we're remodeling our kitchen, but I've been meaning to call you. I had the weirdest dream about your mother the other night and wanted to tell you about it."

  I looked at Mel. She whispered, "Yes," and we high-fived again.

  "You did? What was it?" I asked my cousin.

  "Oh gosh, it's been a few days now. Lemme think." She went silent for a second. "Let's see. It wasn't like a normal dream so I think your ma was trying to give me a message."

  "I bet Ma would do that."

  "Yeah, knowing your mom, I think you're right. Let's see, we were sitting at the kitchen table in Grandma's kitchen, your ma and me. You remember Grandma's house in the Heights?"

  My grandparents lived in a suburb of Chicago called Chicago Heights. I spent many days and nights at that kitchen table and could still picture the floral print plastic tablecloth with the napkin holder and matching salt and pepper shakers in the middle. "Like I was just there yesterday."

  "Oh, good. I wasn't sure because you were so young and all."

  "So what happened in the dream?"

  "Well, lemme see. We were sitting at the table and Auntie Francie says to me, she says, "Ah Madone, I'm there. You tell her for me. Tell her it's her fault she can't see me and to stop the nagging 'cause I'm leaving signs all over the place." So I says to her...I says, ’Who can't see you, Auntie Francie?’ And she says, ’My Angela. You tell her to pay attention because we got stuff to do, her and me.’ Then she took a pizzelle cookie—you know, those pinwheel-like cookies Grandma used to make, and she says, ’Ah Madone, how I love a good pizzelle,’ and ate it. And then I woke up. It was the strangest thing. I think it was really your ma though, Angela. You know, like a visit."

  I had never told my cousin about my gift. "I don't think it was just a dream either, Rox. I think Ma was trying to get a message to me. I ask her for them all the time."

  Mel's mouth made the shape of the letter o and her eyes widened. I thought she might wet herself.

  "Did she say anything else?" I asked.

  "Nope. Like I said, I woke up."

  Mel whispered for me to hurry up, so I cut the conversation short and told my cousin I'd call again soon. "Gawd you're a pain in the butt, Mel."

  "We need that Ouija Board."

  "Have a change of heart, did you?"

  "If it's the only way to talk to Fran so I can get on with my life, then yeah, I guess I did."

  My pulse raced. It struck me that Mel might get on with her life somewhere other than here, somewhere away from me. "Do you think you'll stay here?"

  She squished her eyebrows together. "Do I think I'll stay here? Of course, where would I go?"

  Relief washed over me. I'd already lost enough important people in my life and I didn't want my best friend to leave me, too. "Back to New Jersey? To be closer to your parents?"

  "Good God, no." She pretended to stick her finger down her throat and gagged.

  "You love New Jersey."

  "I love visiting New Jersey, not living there, though I do kind of like having someone else pump my gas." She winked at me.

  "That's not all you're gonna need pumped." I snapped my fingers and said, "Oh snap!"

  "Seriously. If I don't get out of this marriage soon I'm gonna need to buy stock in a battery company."

  "TMI, Mel."

  "I have needs. I'm not suffering from peri-menopause and a reduced sex drive like, ahem." She pointed at me.

  "I'm not peri-menopausal and even sex addicts don't have your sex drive. You ho."

  She laughed, a strong, from the belly kind of laugh. "Whatever, Queen of Denial. And I'm not a ho yet, but once I'm divorced I will be. I'll need to make up for this lost time."

  I wrinkled my nose. "Nice."

  She laughed. "Me love you long time," She said, quoting a line from the 1980s movie Full Metal Jacket.

  "Excuse me, I'm the 1980s trivia queen, not you."

  She shook her head and laughed again. "And you can keep the crown. I dunno how you keep all that garbage in your head anyway."

  I shrugged. "It's a gift."

  "Wish you'd have lost that gift instead of the talking to the dead one."

  "Touché."

  We found a Ouija Board at Goodwill, and Mel panicked about demons the entire drive back to my car.

  "Where and when do you plan to do this?" she asked.

  "Your house, of course. Tomorrow morning okay?"

  "Oh hell no. You are not bringing that demon transporter into my home."

  I laughed. "I was kidding, Mel. Tomorrow morning at my house unless you're too chicken?"

  She clucked and said, "Who'll be there? I don't wanna bring demons in if Josh's there. Emily's kind of already a demon, so I'm not too worried about her."

  "I'll tell her you said that."

  She laughed. "Kidding. Sort of."

  "Jake's leaving for New York and Emily has to work in the morning. I'll tell Josh we're going to watch chick flicks in the basement. He won't come down there then and the demons won't even know he's home."

  "I hope not. I love Josh."

  "Me, too," I said.

  "I'll text you when I'm heading over."

  I got out of the car. "Have fun with your battery operated friend tonight."

  "I plan to."

  "Ew."

  "You started it,"
she said and then added, "I might do a little following tonight, feel like tagging along?"

  I leaned my head back and rubbed my forehead. "We're gonna be so busted."

  "We'll see," she said. "He said he's got a meeting at the office until about eight tonight. I checked his email and saw the calendar request from his boss so I'm pretty sure that's not a lie. I'll pick you up at 7:15 and we'll wait for him. Wear black."

  "Wear black?"

  "Yeah, in case we gotta get out of the car or something."

  "Good grief."

  "See you later."

  I waved and smiled but inside my stomach churned and I thought I might be sick.

  CHAPTER THREE

  I DIDN'T TELL JAKE ABOUT MEL AND NICK, so instead of telling him Mel and I were planning to follow her husband, I said we were going to a movie. I hated lying, but Jake and Nick were friends, and until I was reasonably comfortable with the facts, I didn't want to put my husband in an awkward position. I wasn't entirely sure that was the truth either, but it was the best excuse I could give myself.

  Mel sent a text. "In the driveway."

  I kissed Jake goodbye.

  "Isn't she coming in to say hi?" He asked.

  "Nope. She wants to stop and grab some candy at the gas station before the movie starts. It's cheaper there."

  "Good idea. What're you seeing again?"

  Crap. I had no idea what was even out, let alone what was playing at about eight o'clock. Lying wasn't my specialty and I hated digging an even deeper hole. "You know, I don't even know. Mel just needed to get out so I told her I'd do whatever. Didn't even think to ask."

  He lifted the side of his mouth. "Huh. Usually you're all about the plan." He grabbed my waist and pulled me close to him. "I like this more spontaneous, go-with-the-flow woman you're becoming." His hands wandered to my backside and he pinched. I jumped.

  "It's just a movie, honey," I said, twisting myself out of his hold. "Gotta go. Love you."

  "Love you, too."

  In the car, I smacked Mel on the arm.

  "Ouch, what's that for?"

  "For making me lie to my husband, that's what," I said, my bottom lip stuck out like a toddler. "I'm going to hell for that, you know, and it's your fault."

  "Meh, don't worry. I'll be there right after you."

  "Great. So I'm going to hell because of you, and I'm gonna die first. Thanks for that, best friend."

  She laughed. "What did you tell him?"

  "That we're going to a movie. Then he asked which one and I had to lie and say I didn't know, that you'd picked and I'd forgotten. Or something like that. Heck, I can't even remember what the lie was now. Great. I'm definitely going to hell." I scowled and folded my arms across my chest. "I hate you."

  "Just tell him we didn't go to the movie and ended up at my house, watching When Harry Met Sally. God knows you can recite every line from that movie anyway, so he'll never know it's a lie."

  "How did you get so good at making stuff up?" I asked.

  "I'm married to a cheating rat bastard, remember? Not only can I lie like him now, but my lie detector is better than the kind cops use." She pointed to her head. "I could make millions with this thing."

  It was sad and funny and I couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry."

  She laughed, too. "Don't be. It's so pathetic that it's funny."

  We drove out of my neighborhood. "So, what's the plan?" I knew I'd regret asking, but I figured I'd better be prepared.

  "We're gonna go to his office and wait for him to leave and see where he goes. He told me the meeting would last until at least eleven o'clock but the email meeting request said it would only last about a half an hour. He's planning to go somewhere after, probably to his ho's house to get laid."

  My stomach flipped. How she could speak so casually about her husband sleeping with another woman was beyond my comprehension. "Don't you feel sick? He's not even my husband and I want to puke."

  She shrugged. "I've had more time to come to terms with this than you, I guess."

  "I guess."

  A few minutes later we pulled into the parking lot at Nick's office. The building, a five-story multi-office structure, was partially lit, with most offices dark. The lot was about fifteen rows deep, and there were only ten cars there. Mel pulled up next to Nick's car. "He's still here," she whispered.

  "Why are you whispering?" I whispered back.

  She smacked her forehead with her palm. "Because I'm an idiot."

  I giggled. "Not all of the time."

  "Thanks," she said. "I'm going to text him and see when he plans to get home."

  Nick responded immediately. Mel showed me his text. "Meeting is supposed to end around eleven. I'll be home straight after."

  "Liar, liar pants on fire," I said.

  "That remains to be seen, but I'm guessing you're right."

  "We can't stay parked next to his car, Mel. He'll see us."

  "His office is on the other side of the building so he can't see us from the window, but you're right." She pulled through the space in front of us and drove toward the exit. She parked at the opposite end of the lot, facing the exit, shut off the car and switched off the lights. "I feel like Kris Munroe."

  I recognized the name, but it took me a second to place it. "Kris Munroe? Of Charlie's Angels?" I asked.

  She nodded. "It was on in the 1980s, you should have got that."

  "You're right. I'll work on it. And uh, you're Asian and she's blond. I think I would be a better fit for Kris. You're more of a Sabrina, but less smart."

  "You did not just say that."

  I nodded. "Did so."

  "Fine. They're old now anyway. I'm more like Lucy Liu from the movie version actually. And she's Asian, so shut it."

  "Then I'm Cameron Diaz, without the plastic surgery."

  She scrutinized my face. "Probably could benefit from a little, if you ask me."

  I cringed. "Ouch."

  She smiled. "We're even."

  I hit the home button on my phone, lighting up the screen to check the time. It was five minutes after eight. "Maybe he wasn't lying? It's past eight already." I angled my phone toward her to show her the time.

  "It's five minutes past, Ang. I wouldn't count on going home just yet." As if Nick had read her mind, he walked out just after she finished her sentence. He wasn't alone but the only people with him were men. "Duck," Mel said, crouching down in the car seat.

  I followed suit.

  The men stood next to Nick's car for what seemed like an eternity. When Nick finally got in his car, he left in the middle of the other three cars, and turned right out of the lot. His house was the other direction.

  Mel and I exchanged headshakes.

  "Coming straight home, my ass," she said. She flipped on her lights and pulled out shortly after the last car.

  "Oh, yeah. No one's gonna notice that, Alex Munday," I said, referencing Lucy Liu's character in the Charlie's Angel's movies.

  "Hush," Mel said. "I'm busy being stealth-like."

  I busted out laughing.

  Nick made a few turns and ended up at the apartments behind a local outdoor mall. We stayed back behind the entrance, watched him enter through the electronic gate and turn left. Once the coast was clear, Mel pulled up to the gate.

  "What're you gonna do? You don't know where he's going, or who lives here," I said.

  "I'm pretty sure he's not here to visit a buddy. We'll just drive around and look for his car. She stretched to look behind the iron gate. "These are the townhouse style apartments. Looks like there are only four to a parking area. It should be easy to find him."

  "If we can get past the gate."

  "We can," she said and opened her window. She pressed a button and someone answered.

  "Yes?" A voice from the speaker box said.

  "Hi, I'm here to deliver a pizza but the customer isn't answering. Can you let me in?"

  A second passed and the buzzer went off, opening the gate.

  "Wow, yo
u really could be a Charlie's Angel."

  "Funny."

  Mel drove around until we spotted Nick's car. She passed it and pulled into a parking space five buildings away. She was right, there were only four townhomes attached together with parking spaces for them. We didn't know which townhouse Nick was in, but from the direction he'd turned, we had an idea where to look. I stopped Mel before she got out. "Wait. What's the plan?"

  "You and your plans," she said. "The plan is to get out and walk behind the buildings and see if we can hear anything. It's beautiful out. Maybe the ho's got her windows open or something."

  Eep. I shivered. I didn't like that plan. "So we're just gonna walk around and peer into people's homes? We can get arrested for that, Mel."

  She pushed up the sleeves on her black spandex jacket. "Only if we get caught. Who's the chicken now? Come on, let's go." She got out of the car.

  "Demons might not be real but the cops are, and I don't see anything wrong with being afraid of them," I said, but got out of the car anyway because best friends risk getting arrested for each other. "If I get busted, I'm giving you up, too."

  "If you get busted, I'll turn myself in," she said and tilted her head toward the back of the townhomes. "Now, let's go."

  We tiptoed behind the building, checking for open windows and lit rooms. Most of the townhouses still had lights on, probably because it wasn't even nine o'clock at night.

  I pasted a smile on my face, pretending I was out for a leisurely night walk, in the dark, behind stranger's homes, wearing black, instead of actually spying into said strangers homes looking for my best friend's cheating rat bastard husband. My heart beat as if I were running a marathon.

  "Wait," Mel said. "I think it's that one." She pointed to the last townhouse of the second set of units even though Nick hadn't parked in that one's lot.

  "How do you know?" I rubbed my arms even though I was sweating.

  "She pointed to the patio. "Because that's the cooler I got him for Christmas last year. Bastard."

  On the patio sat an Atlanta Braves cooler with biggest fan ever inscribed on it. Mel had it specially inscribed for Nick. I knew because I was with her when she did it. Bastard. We creeped closer to the patio, Mel a few feet ahead of me, head up and shoulders back. The blinds were closed, but the patio door was slightly ajar, and we could hear muffled voices, though we couldn't make out the words. I glanced at Mel and could have sworn I saw steam coming from her ears. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "We should go, Mel. It's not like we can see or hear anything anyway."