“There’s a gas station across the street.”
“Convenient, if I need them. Go ahead and talk to Angel. I’ll be right in.”
“Okay.”
J.D. waited until she entered the shop, then he started across the parking lot. Immediately, the figure turned and disappeared behind one of the trees. J.D. began to run.
A car horn blared on his right He jumped and slid in a puddle, almost falling. He’d run right in front of the oncoming car. If the driver hadn’t been paying attention, he’d be making a puddle of a whole different sort on the asphalt.
J.D. waved an apology and kept going more attentively. He couldn’t see the watcher any more. By the time he reached the tree line, J.D. knew he’d wasted his time.
Parked cars lined the street, but all of them appeared as empty as the sidewalk in both directions. The person could have headed left into the housing complex or right onto the main street.
At the corner, a bus stopped for a cluster of people. The watcher might have been waiting in the shelter of the trees for the bus to come. He could be any of the wet huddled figures boarding at this moment. Or he might have been waiting for a ride that picked him up.
Or maybe he’d been watching Jackie and was hiding somewhere nearby right this minute.
Wet, cold and frustrated, J.D. trudged back to the store. Jackie was nowhere to be seen. Angel manned the counter, chatting with two young men as she handed them their order. She smiled in recognition when J.D. approached.
“Jackie’s tearing her office apart looking for something,” Angel said.
J.D. stepped back to let the two customers pass. “Angel, have you noticed anyone hanging around outside, watching the store?”
Her smile faltered. “No. Why?”
“Look, I don’t want to spook you, but someone was standing by the trees when we pulled up. It may have been coincidence, but when I headed in that direction the person took off.”
“Really? No wonder Jackie insisted I have Juan come over to keep me company.”
As though summoned, the bell over the door rang and a young Hispanic youth sauntered in. Broad shouldered and muscular, he assessed J.D. before smiling possessively at Angel.
“Juan, this is J.D., he’s a friend of Jackie’s.”
Some of the posturing went out of the youth.
“Hey, man,” he greeted.
“J.D. said someone was lurking in the trees across the way when he pulled up.”
Instantly, Juan bristled. “No foolin’? Where?”
J.D. explained, adding, “Look, it was probably just someone waiting for a ride, but Jackie has an ex-husband who may be dangerous.”
“She told me,” Angel said. “No wonder she’s been so tense and nervous lately. That’s not like her, at all.”
“No?” J.D. asked.
“Oh, no. She’s always relaxed and friendly. She kinda keeps people at a distance, if you know what I mean, but she’s great once you get to know her. And she really loves your kids. She always plans little chores for them to help with and stuff. Sometimes I think she’s a little lonely, you know?”
No, but he wanted to know everything he could about Jackie Neeley. Angel’s words confirmed his own first impression of a carefully controlled person—not someone given to hysteria and wild tales. Not someone who would see imaginary dead elves on her bed.
“Uh, let’s not mention the watcher to Jackie,” he suggested. “She’s had a rough couple of days and I could have been mistaken.”
“Sure. Okay. She does seem pretty uptight tonight.”
“Who seems uptight?”
Jackie came around the corner from the back of the store. Stress had etched tired lines in her face. He was doing the right thing not telling her about the watcher.
“Hi, Juan.” She turned to J.D. “Is the tire okay?”
“Yeah. It’s fine. Must have been my imagination Are you all set?”
“Just about. Angel, I really think we ought to close early. It’s already starting to sleet out there and I don’t want the two of you driving on slippery roads.”
“You’re the boss, but I don’t mind staying. How about if I give it another hour and close at seven?”
Jackie frowned, looking toward the glass front door. “Okay, but keep an eye on the weather.”
“Don’t worry, Jackie,” Juan said, “I’ll take care of Angel.”
She smiled. “I’m sure you will.”
J.D. took her arm and guided her toward the door before she decided to stay and lock up herself. With a hasty good-night, he hustled her outside, scanning the area carefully while Jackie was getting back in the car. If the watcher still lurked, he was well-hidden.
Sleet now peppered the car as J.D. steered in the direction of Main Street. “We need to come up with an approach to ask questions at the photography studio,” J.D. said. “The owner isn’t likely to give information to strangers.”
“How about if we tell them we want some pictures of your children?” Jackie suggested. “We can tell them we liked the elf who took the Santa picture this year and wondered if he was available.”
His grin widened along with his admiration. “Simple and perfect. You’re brilliant. That’s a great idea.”
He saw her shyly pleased smile when they passed under a street lamp. J.D. reached for her hand. After a startled second, she squeezed his fingers and he sensed her relax. Good. Nobody was going to terrorize her again if he could help it.
The photography studio was housed in an old building on a side street around the corner from Seth Bislow’s mortgage company. Darkness shrouded the area despite the lighted stores on either side. The nearest street lamp glowed dully, too far away to do much good. Naturally, there were no open parking spaces anywhere.
“I’ll pull up near that alley and drop you off. I’m going to have to go back to Main Street to find a place to park.” He pulled the car over and went around to help Jackie out. Unfortunately, he’d pulled so close to a fire hydrant that she barely had enough room to open the door.
“Sorry. I didn’t see it.”
“That’s okay, I can manage.”
Wind whipped icy rain against their bodies. J.D. shivered, feeling curiously exposed. He sent a quick glance around.
“Go park the car,” Jackie said. “I can make it inside without help.” She started toward the shop.
J.D. couldn’t explain the unease that had him scanning every doorway around them. He waited until she got inside, and then went in search of a parking place. He was thoroughly chilled before he reached the photography shop.
Despite the shabby outside, a comfortable waiting room showcased a series of brilliant photographs on the walls inside. Jackie was alone when he entered, but seconds later a pretty young woman appeared from a back room, a smile lighting her pleasant face.
“I’ll be right with you, sir.” She turned to Jackie. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I’m short staffed today. May I help you?”
“I hope so. Is the owner around?”
“You’re looking at her. I’m Susan Teller.”
Her smile remained steady as though prepared for Jackie’s surprise. She did look awfully young to be running her own studio. Early twenties, J.D. decided.
“Ms. Teller, I’m Jackie Neeley and this is J.D. Frost. We were wondering about having some pictures taken.”
“What sort of pictures?”
“Portraits,” J.D. told her. “We were at the mall the other night and I was very impressed by a young man who was doing the Santa pictures.”
“Which night was this?”
“Last night, around eight or so.”
Susan Teller frowned. “You say it was a young man? That would have been Steve.” She seemed surprised that they were interested in him.
“Steve?” Jackie echoed faintly. Her expression grew troubled. Did the name mean something to her?
“Yes, he’s one of the temps I hired to fill in at the mall during Christmas.”
“Then he doe
sn’t work for you on a regular basis?” J.D. asked.
“No. Until I get better established, I only have a couple of permanent employees. But, I think I can help you. The work on the walls is my own.”
“Very nice.”
“Steve’s last name wouldn’t be Pinta, by any chance?” Jackie asked.
J.D. tensed. Susan Teller frowned.
“Uh, yes, as a matter of fact. Do you know him?”
No doubt about it, Jackie was upset and trying to hide the fact. J.D. felt a bit upset himself. Who the hell was Steve Pinta?
“I don’t actually know him.” Jackie’s troubled eyes flashed to J.D., then turned to Susan Teller. “But we did meet once. He was a good friend of my partner’s son.”
Damn. Another friend of Donnie Lieberman? No wonder Jackie was upset. What the devil was going on here? Donnie Lieberman was dead. His good friend Oggie something-or-other had just been killed. Now some other friend of Donnie’s just happened to work for a photographer and dress as an elf?
The telephone on the desk in front of Ms. Teller trilled loudly. “Excuse me a minute,” she said.
“Teller Photog—Betty? What do you mean he didn’t show?” Her voice raised in vexation. “No, he didn’t call in…. I don’t believe this! How am I supposed to get my work done if I have to substitute at the mall?”
Jackie stared up at J.D. with a frightened expression.
“No, no, it isn’t your problem. Let me call his place… You did?…Of course there was no answer. Why am I not surprised? I knew those two were trouble…. Okay, do the best you can and I’ll come right away.” She tapped a nail against the countertop. “I don’t care, Betty. As far as I’m concerned, they’re both fired.”
J.D. stepped closer to Jackie, laying a reassuring arm across her shoulders. She jumped in reaction and J.D. rubbed her shoulder lightly.
Ms. Teller replaced the phone with a decisive clatter. Her left hand balled in frustration. “Look, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you right now,” she said. “I’ve got an emergency and I have to close the shop immediately.”
“I understand,” Jackie said quickly. “Just tell me one thing. Does Brad Volmer also work for you?”
Was this another of Donnie’s friends?
Susan Teller stiffened. “Who are you?”
“My name’s Jackie Neeley. My partner and I own Sundae Delights over on Mclarin Street.”
Suspicion pinched the photographer’s features.
“Steve Pinta and Brad Volmer were friends of my partner’s son, Donnie Lieberman,” Jackie added hurriedly.
“Wait a minute, wasn’t he the kid that got killed in that car crash out on Interstate 70?”
“Yes.”
All pretense of friendliness disappeared. “You didn’t come here for pictures, did you?”
“Uh, no, not really. You see—”
“Sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Jackie persisted. “It’s just that my partner and I are trying to sort through Donnie’s belongings, and Brad or Steve may be able to help us.”
The woman’s expression turned bitter. “I don’t discuss my employees. But you can do me a favor. When you find Brad and Steve, let them know I’m really ticked off over their disappearing act, okay? And I want my elf costumes back.”
“When did they disappear?” J.D. asked.
“I’m sorry, but you need to leave.”
J.D. released Jackie and stepped forward. “This could be important, Ms. Teller.”
“I don’t have time for this,” she said. “I need to get over to the mall right now. Pinta didn’t show up tonight. Volmer pulled the same disappearing act on Monday.”
“What do you mean, disappearing act?”
“Just what I said. Gone. Poof. No call. Nothing. He didn’t report for work and no one knows where he is. I knew those two were trouble. I should never have hired them. Look, I really have to go.”
From her shuttered look, he’d gotten as much as he was going to tonight.
“Thank you, Ms. Teller. Come on, Jackie.”
“But…” Jackie swallowed back her protest “Okay. Thanks for your time.”
With a curt nod, Susan Teller followed them to the door, clicking the lock shut behind them and quickly turning the sign to Closed.
Sleet battered the street. J.D. would have sworn the temperature had dropped another several degrees. He turned to see Jackie’s excited expression.
“Did you hear what she said? Brad’s been missing since Monday. The day I saw the body on the bed! And she wants their elf costumes back!”
“Whoa, don’t go jumping to any conclusions.”
“What do you mean? Donnie and Oggie are dead and Brad and Steve are missing. Brad has to be the dead elf.”
J.D. pulled his coat more tightly around his body as wind ripped at him. “Jackie, if you know them, why didn’t you recognize the body?”
“I don’t know them. I only met them once, at the funeral, and my attention centered on Bessie, not the mourners. But Bessie used to talk about Donnie’s ‘gang.’ Don’t you see, J.D.? We finally have some proof. The elves do exist and two of them are missing. It’s enough to take to Thompkins, isn’t it?”
His mind was still reeling, trying to sort through the surprising information. “Yeah. We’ll tell Ben.”
Jackie’s crutch skidded on a patch of hidden ice and she nearly fell.
“Hey, easy. You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Look, I’m parked clear around the corner. Why don’t you wait here and let me get the car? The sidewalk is too slippery with you on crutches.”
“I’ll be fine, J.D.” And she slid, dropping the crutch and grabbing for the light pole in an effort to keep from falling.
“Yeah, right.” Retrieving the crutch she dropped, J.D. slid as well. “Wait here. Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
“Good idea.”
She offered up a tremulous smile and J.D. found himself grinning back before picking his way carefully down the sidewalk. Now, of course, there were parking spots galore. The street was as empty as a dawn morning. He only hoped the street wasn’t as icy as the sidewalks.
JACKIE STOOD WHERE he left her, fighting a building cloud of euphoria. They finally had something to take to the police. The elves not only existed but Brad’s disappearance coincided with the body on her bed.
But would the police believe she didn’t recognize them? Even now, she only had a dim recollection of meeting the three young men, and that image kept being superimposed by a face badly distorted in death.
Jackie shuddered. The young men, and Donnie, had all been of a size and shape. Tall, lean, dark haired—indistinguishable in her memory. If one of them had had bright blue eyes, she hadn’t noticed at the time.
Snowflakes began to flay her bared face. Jackie grimaced and huddled more tightly into her coat. She wished J.D. would hurry. All of a sudden she felt dangerously exposed and vulnerable on the darkened sidewalk. Nothing moved except traffic on Main Street, half a block away, but she couldn’t shake her sense of unease.
What did Donnie’s friends have to do with her? They couldn’t have anything in common with her ex-husband, yet this wasn’t a coincidence, either.
One of them could have sent the Christmas card. For certain, at least two of them had been inside her house after Donnie died. But how would they know the significance of a yellow teddy bear or a Chinese menu?
Bessie.
Jackie shook her head at the answer, but her heart pounded quickly. Bessie knew a lot about Jackie’s former life. And Bessie had lied about the key to the basement.
“No,” she whispered to the falling snowflakes. Bessie was her friend. Besides, Bessie wouldn’t have access to her former wedding rings or a picture of Larry.
None of this made any sense.
Jackie stared at the deserted street while the wind tore between the buildings to tug at her clothing. Where was J.D.? Her breath formed a mist, which
the wind instantly whisked away. She was freezing.
Running footsteps brought her head back around in time to see a dark figure plunge out of the alley. He ran straight at her. Before she could move, a gloved hand snaked out to yank her purse from her shoulder. A burly body smashed against her left side. Jackie toppled back against the fire hydrant and tripped.
A belated scream wrenched from her throat. She tried to use her crutches to maintain her balance, but the right crutch slipped off the edge of the curb. She fell in slow motion, helpless to stop herself.
She caught a heart-stopping glimpse of a taxi cab barreling down the street. The vehicle suddenly spun sideways as the driver made a desperate effort to stop. Then the pavement rushed up to meet her, knocking the air from her lungs. A loud bang shattered the quiet night. Water exploded, cascading over her with terrible force.
SHE WASN’T DEAD.
It took her stunned mind several seconds to absorb that fact. From somewhere, she found the strength to open her eyes. The force of the geyser blurred her vision. The fire hydrant, she realized. The cab had taken out the fire hydrant instead of her.
“Jackie! Don’t move. Can you hear me? Where are you hurt?”
“J.D.?” Jackie struggled to sit up.
“Don’t move.” He pressed her into stillness against the cold, wet street, unmindful that he was getting soaked himself. “Where are you hurt?”
“I’m not.” She realized that was mostly true. “Except maybe my ankle. It’s really throbbing”
“Okay. Stay still while I call an ambulance.”
“I already had the dispatcher call one,” the cabbie announced, running up to them. “How bad is she hurt?”
“I’m not hurt,” Jackie told him. She strained against J.D.’s hands, trying to get out of the path of the water. “I don’t need an ambulance.”
“It wasn’t my fault,” the driver said. “I tried to stop. She just fell right in front of me.”
“I’m fine,” she said, trying to reassure both of them. “Just help me up. Where’s my other crutch?”
“Don’t move until the paramedics get here,” J.D. insisted. He cradled her head tenderly, bending over her body to shield her from the water.
Better Watch Out Page 16