by Misty Simon
“There was a man here for this?” I asked.
Max and I looked at each other. Maybe Waldo had come and picked the contents up earlier before he was killed. That meant whatever was here was probably back in the house.
“Yeah, this guy came in, dressed to the nines with a letter of instruction. We don’t do that kind of thing. It’s illegal. The branch manager said it looked all official-like, but if Mr. Phillips wanted the contents released then he’d have to come down himself to do it. The guy was beyond angry, but then got himself under control and said he’d bring the owner back here.”
Fat chance he, whoever he was, could do that now since the owner was dead.
I nearly vibrated to get out of there and go see if Burton would let me truly ransack the house.
Max had other ideas. “Could you describe the guy, Candy?”
“Well . . .”
“Please, it would be a big help. I’m trying to help my sister here get back together with her husband.” I could hear him almost choke on the last word and kept a snicker to myself. “Maybe the guy was the clue, sis. Maybe you were supposed to come for the box, find out the guy had left here empty, and that would clue you in to something.”
I nodded my head, because, really, what else could I do? “Is there anything you remember about him? Hair color, eye color?”
“Brown and brown.”
That could describe over a third of the population around here.
“Anything else specific? Something to identify someone with?” Max added.
“Well,” Candy cracked the knuckles on one hand. “He did have these expensive-looking black and white shoes.”
I almost fainted where I stood. My phantom shoe guy was back again. We needed to find him and figure out how he was involved and who the hell he was. Someone was one step ahead of me at all times, and I wanted to know why. And what the hell this game was that I seemed to be involved in, but hadn’t gotten a formal invitation for.
After that, it was just a matter of getting Max out the door and catching my breath.
“This black-and-white shoe bastard has to go.” I stalked back and forth along the sidewalk in front of the bank with my arms crossed at my chest.
“Who is it?” Max leaned against the hood of the car, not interfering with my movements, but watching me like someone would a tennis match.
“The day before Darla died, she was fighting with some guy in her office when I went to go get my check from her. I fell onto the carpet.” I wasn’t going to explain that one despite his grin. “And all I saw were black and white shoes moving past my head, almost stepping on me, if you must know, as the man strolled out. Then Darla dismissed me by putting my check on the floor next to my face before telling me to see myself out.”
“So you have no idea who he is?”
“No, I don’t even know if his hair really is brown, or his eyes, but this is the first description I’ve been given. And the only other person I know who saw him is dead.”
Max crossed his arms too, and looked like one of those centerfolds on the hood of some fancy old car. I had to get that image out of my head if we were going to be able to get anything else done today.
“So, this guy had on the shoes and has brown hair and eyes. That’s not going to help a lot unless he still has the shoes on when we see him again.”
I groaned. “I know and this sucks. But who is he? If I could hear his voice again, I’d know him. And he smelled of some cologne that tickled my brain, but not my nostrils.” I grabbed the ends of my hair, trying to rack my brain for what the smell could be.
“Describe it to me.”
“I don’t know. I’m not good with smells. It was like something from summer.”
“Cut grass?”
“No. Not sun tanning lotion, either. Something harsher.”
“Wood burning?”
“No, that’s going the wrong way.” I kept stalking around and was starting to get noticed. I waved to a few people who hurried along.
“Harsh, as in chemical smelling?” Max asked, continuing to watch me like a hawk.
“Yes, something chemically, like . . . I don’t know, but not pesticides.”
“Chlorine?”
I stopped in my tracks. “Chlorine.” The smell of the pool mixed with Darla’s blood rose in my nose. I nearly gagged, but suddenly my mind was clear. The pool boy at Darla’s, Aaron, had brown hair and brown eyes. He’d asked me out a few times, but I had not been interested. He had been nice enough, even waving to me that one day as I left Darren’s, but looks could be deceiving. Had I waved to a killer that day? I got shivers just thinking about it.
“Isn’t there a pool boy you and Gina were talking about that one day?”
“Yes, yes there was.”
“Do you think that’s our guy?” His voice had gotten deeper as he’d straightened from the hood of the car.
“It might be.”
“Because I have to tell you: I saw someone walking down the street who fits that description right before I entered Waldo’s house and found you. I didn’t notice his shoes, but a guy with brown hair walked by Waldo’s house as I was coming up to the front door. What if he was still in the house when you entered and snuck out, leaving the door unlocked?”
It was a convenient way for Max to not be involved, but I had a feeling that was far more plausible, especially since I knew in my heart there was no way Max had been the killer. “I guess that’s possible.”
“Did you hear anyone leave?”
There had been a moment when I’d thought I’d heard something, but then I also had been screaming that I’d found my ex dead, and there was not a good way to tell if I’d actually heard something. However, if the killer had been in the house and Max had seen someone on the street, maybe he’d be able to give a better description.
“Tell me what he looked like.”
“Kind of wavy hair, scruff on the face, tall, a walk that was a little more macho than most.”
“Aaron.” Shit, now we knew who it could be, but how to go about proving it was a whole different matter.
* * *
Our plan wasn’t brilliant. I, however, only needed it to be effective. I started at the Bean There, Done That with Mama Shirley after calling Burton to let him know there had been nothing to find in the safety-deposit box. I did mention seeing the shoes again, even though I didn’t see the guy, but hung up on Burton before he could tell me to stay out of it again. Time was of the essence and I was going to solve this on my own. I wanted my name cleared and I did not want to wait for a full-blown investigation to do that. Aaron had already shown that he was perfectly willing to kill for what he wanted. There was no guarantee that I wouldn’t be next.
“Hi!” I said, taking a seat at the counter after making sure there was a pretty big crowd around. “Can I get a latte and can you let Gina know I’m here? I need to talk to her.”
“I heard about the scumbag and, while I’m sorry someone else is dead in our little town, I can’t be too sad it was him. He was taking up the air.” Shirley patted my hand. “You okay?”
“I am. It shocked and saddened me to see another life cut short. He wasn’t my favorite person by any means, but he was still a person and didn’t deserve that.”
“Well, you keep your chin up.”
“Will do.”
“Your dad going to take care of him?” Shirley asked as she wiped down the counter.
“Um, I would think so.” Holy hell, that might need supervision, especially if this tax thing actually happened now. Waldo might end up being buried facedown with his bare ass in the air and a clown wig to cover his bald spot.
“Well, I hope he keeps the quality of his work, or hands him off to somewhere else. No need to ruin years of reputation by letting that sleaze in.”
“I’ll make sure I tell him that. Can you please go get Gina? I really need to talk to her soon.”
“Make sure you do. I’ll get her for you.” Shirley squinted at me, but we
nt to do as I’d asked. I had a feeling I’d get a talking-to later, but at this point it would all be worth it if we could flush out Aaron.
Max was doing a background check on the pool boy as I set our plan into motion. He’d report in as soon as he found some kind of connection, if there was one. This way, we didn’t have to lose face with the police department if I was totally and completely wrong in my assumptions. Wasn’t Burton going to be pissed if I figured it all out myself? Well, he’d just have to deal. Or maybe I’d study to be an investigator and really get out of cleaning rich people’s houses. Too much went on there that I didn’t need anyway.
Gina came out of the back and swooped in. “What’s up? Did you find it?”
She’d kept her voice down, but that didn’t play into what I needed. I hadn’t had time to explain the plan to her, so I’d just have to hope she’d follow my lead.
“Make that latte a double, Shirley! I have good news.” I beamed at Gina and winked.
Gina looked baffled for a moment, but communicated with her eyes that she’d play along as long as she got the full story later. I nodded.
“And what are we celebrating?” Gina said, a little too loud. I wanted people talking, not clapping after the performance.
I gestured for her to cut down the noise just a little. “I won’t be cleaning houses anymore. I think I might actually be able to open that teahouse next door in a few months.”
That caught Gina off-guard, but she rallied with very little pause. “Wow, that’s awesome, Tallie. Did your dad give you a raise?”
I laughed, hoping it sounded natural. “No, it turns out when we got divorced, Waldo never changed his will, so I’m the sole beneficiary of everything he owns. Remember when we were talking about the money that seemed to be missing?” I nudged Gina’s hand and gave a slow nod.
“Of course I do. You’re going to use it to open up next door?”
“I sure am. I found it all in a safe in the wall at the house. Apparently it’s all mine. Can you believe it?”
“I can’t.”
There was a scurry of chairs scraping back behind me. I made a point not to turn around as some of the most virulent gossips went forth to spread the word that I was a rich woman again.
Shirley came back with the latte with a lid on it. “Better go tell the same story at the diner if you want it spread everywhere,” she said with a wink.
“Bless you. Can you do a little phone-tree work too? I want this over and I want it over soon. You know everyone who is everyone.”
“Did you think you even needed to ask? I already sent out a text blast to all my friends and hit them all at the same time. The story will be all over the place within an hour.”
Which gave me sixty minutes to get back to the apartment and see what Max had found out, and how we might be able to get Aaron to confess to the cops. I’d have to make phone calls later in the day to assure my cleaning clients I really wasn’t going to quit on them, or I’d be out more than just a job.
I didn’t know what the rules were on the tax thing now that Waldo was dead, but it would have to be saved for another day. I wasn’t banking on Waldo not having actually changed his will. If he was smart, I was pretty sure that was what he would have done the day after I left, but it was as good a story as any. Hopefully, it would flush out Aaron if he, indeed, had been the one at the bank trying to get into the safety-deposit box.
Now I’d just have to wait and see. In the meantime, I had an appointment I couldn’t put off and perhaps another avenue for my story to make the rounds and hit as many people as possible, including Katie.
Because I wasn’t letting that woman off the hook just yet. I had a feeling Gina’s cousin was far more involved in this than I had previously thought. Time would tell. If I had enough left . . .
* * *
The Cuttery was hopping when I went in under the pretense of getting my bangs trimmed. I paused a moment at the threshold, knowing that I had to bring Katie down. Gina had seemed okay with it, and I couldn’t let who she was related to keep me from seeking justice.
I hadn’t been to the salon in quite some time. After my fall from grace I just couldn’t afford it, but before that I’d come here at least weekly when I’d been Mrs. Phillips III.
Max was paying for this little jaunt, however, and had given me cash to use for the fringe cut and brow wax. It felt good to sit in the comfortable chair and be pampered. Lately I had just gone into whichever walk-in haircutting place was closest to my last job to get a quick trim, but this place was an experience.
“Tallulah, how wonderful to see you again.” Mimi Granger was in her mid-fifties and had always been a fixture at the Cuttery. She was the owner and had taken the enterprise from a one-bowl setup in her garage to what amounted to a spa for the rich and well-heeled.
I had made a point to dress to the nines before I came. I’d run back to the apartment to do a quick change after digging into a box I still had in my apartment to find some of my old clothes, those I hadn’t consigned as soon as I’d left Waldo. I had to play up the fact that I was about to be rich again, and would be able to afford all the luxuries I’d had to cut out after the divorce. Not that I’d missed many of them, but this one I had definitely missed.
“Mimi.” We air-kissed and she stood back with her hands locked on my wrist.
“The hair needs a complete overhaul and your hands, my darling, we must set you up with a paraffin wax immediately.” She turned the hands in question over and tsked.
“I know, I know. One of the hazards of the jobs I’ve had to do to keep afloat until this windfall.” I put one of my hands over my mouth and giggled like a stupid idiot girl, the one who I used to be, and made eye contact with the only woman who was a bigger gossip than Shirley. “Sorry, that’s inappropriate when Walden just died.” I made sure to use his correct name because Mimi would be giving a report to everyone who was anyone. It had to sound like I was as vapid as ever.
“Oh, darling, we all grieve in our individual ways. Nothing is inappropriate when an ex dies.”
“Thank you, Mimi. And while I’d love to do a manicure, I have a few other things to do today before a dinner date. Can we trim my bangs and wax my eyebrows now? I’ll come back another day for the rest.”
“Of course, you’re always more than welcome.”
Yeah, now that I supposedly had money again. “Wonderful. Who do you have me set up with?” I listened with half an ear for the answer. I’d just caught sight of Katie being removed from the washing bowl and led to a chair in an alcove I knew held two chairs and would be far more private than being out in the middle of the floor.
“I have Penelope.”
Yes! I wanted to jump for joy. Penelope had always had the chair in the back, right around the blind corner from where Katie was sitting, currently having foils put in her hair.
“I’m sure she’ll do a tremendous job as she always has. Shall I sit and wait for her?”
“Absolutely not. I’ll wash you out myself and then take you back to her. She should be ready by then.”
“Great!”
And with that I was treated to a five-minute hair wash that felt like heaven and left my scalp tingling in a super-pleasant way. Mimi even waxed my eyebrows before sitting me in the chair around the corner from Katie. Katie, who I could hear, but couldn’t see. And the “couldn’t see” part was awesome because it meant Katie was blind to my presence. Hopefully, she thought of her hairdresser as her mother-confessor, the keeper of all her secrets, and would speak loud enough to be heard near and far. Maybe not too far, just around the corner to my chair.
Penelope came up behind me and I was quick to tell her about wanting the bangs trimmed so I could get on to listening as intently as possible. I had a short amount of time to get back to the apartment and see what Max had come up with in case this didn’t work.
Penelope stepped away to go get a new set of shears, apparently thinking the ones she had weren’t sharp enough for the forest
that was my bangs. I sat forward with my drape nearly touching the floor and my ear cocked to the right.
“And that bitch, Tallie, walked in,” Katie was saying. “You remember her; used to think she was all high and mighty and then didn’t even have the brains to make sure she got half of everything Walden had. Well, I wasn’t so stupid, I’ll tell you that. He might be dead and I’m sad because my gravy train is gone, but it’s not the end of the gravy. I’ve still got quite a bit coming to me.”
Penelope returned and I sat back in the chair, still listening.
“You should have seen the look on her face when she caught us together. She was so jealous.”
That almost made me jump out of my chair to throttle the woman. Penelope cursed as her scissors slid up instead of straight across.
“Please sit back or you’re going to be completely hairless up front.”
“Right, sorry,” I said quietly. I did not want Katie to know I was here and make her stop talking.
Katie had been talking about some kind of ring, but I missed that part.
The hairdresser chimed in. “Did he give you the ring before he died? That would give weight to your claim.”
“No,” Katie grumbled. “But I have a plan to get it before they shut down the house. I had a necklace we were going to turn into a ring. Or at least I was going to have a ring made, then show it to him. But then he was gone.” She sighed. “It doesn’t matter. I’m sure he had one for me. He told me he did, and I know right where he would have hidden it. Once I get it on my finger, no one will be able to say he hadn’t intended to marry me. Which should give me leverage if anyone tries to go against me.”
I asked to use the restroom and, though Penelope sighed, she waved me toward the bathroom over to the left. I had my phone in my hand before I even fully closed the door and was calling Max before I locked myself in.