I gulped and poured quite a bit more Baileys into my cup.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Turns out it was a busy night. Brody hung around for about an hour and sat on the couch with me, watching the end of Castle. Only when it was finished did he declare he had an early start in the morning and head home. I watched his back disappear into the night and closed the door behind him. I had only just clicked the lock into place when the doorbell rang. I smiled.
"What did you forget?" I asked, opening the door, expecting to see Brody standing there. Only it wasn't Brody. It was Becky.
It was eleven o'clock at night, and she stood in front of me in mini shorts, showing her tanned legs off to perfection, and a T-shirt pulled tight across her boobs. Her hair was immaculately braided, and her makeup was perfect. I pulled at the hemline of my camisole, attempting to get it to meet the top of my boxers.
"Becky?" I said, surprised. She looked at me and smiled.
"Hi, Chloe, I was wondering if we could have a chat?" she asked, stepping up to the threshold and pushing her way in through the door. Too bad if I'd said no.
"Umm, sure," I said, moving aside and out of her way. The smell of Euphoria followed her as she stood in my entryway and turned to me.
"Well, I just wanted to talk to you about Brody. I'm a bit worried for you actually." A small frown formed, creasing her perfectly smooth brow. "You see, I know how much time the two of you have been spending together, and I know you. You'll fall for him soon. So I just wanted to clarify that Brody and I are a couple. He's very sweet and charming, and I know he wouldn't want to hurt you. So even though he can see that you may be falling for him, he would never tell you that he only sees you as a friend." She stood back and flicked her long, brown braid over her shoulder. She batted her thick eyelashes and looked at me wide-eyed.
"I just don't want you to get hurt, Chloe, but I think I'm falling in love with him," she said, her hand on her chest, her smile getting larger by the second.
"Oh okay." I felt my heart squeeze.
She looked down at me, and her smile disappeared. "I only came here to tell you because I'm worried about you," she said, placing her hand on my shoulder, her eyes huge. "But please understand…Brody's mine."
I swallowed hard. "Umm…okay," I stammered, unable to think of anything else to say.
"You understand I'm not trying to hurt you, don't you?"
I nodded, bitterness rising in my throat.
"That's good," she sighed. "I know I'm just being silly because he told me you were just friends, but I felt like I should tell you myself," she explained.
I felt the lump in my throat and nodded. Of course he was hers. I could see exactly what Brody saw in her. She was beautiful, and it killed me to admit it.
"Oh I'm sorry, please don't cry," she said.
I looked back at her and swallowed the emotion sitting in my throat. "No, no, I'm fine. Of course Brody and I are just friends. I knew that," I babbled, wishing she would turn and leave as quickly as she had arrived.
"I just thought you should know so you don't get false hope that Brody may fall for you."
"No, no. He wouldn't," I agreed, hurriedly. "You don't have to worry about a thing."
I turned and put my hand on the door handle, hinting she should leave. No need for me to worry though, as Theo padded down the stairs wondering what all the fuss was about and why we weren't curled up together asleep.
"Ooh, what a cutie," she cooed, leaning down, ready to give him a pat.
Theo trotted over, his tail held high. He stopped next to Becky and sniffed her leg. Great, even my dog loved her. Then he lifted his back leg and peed all over her shoe. I watched with glee as she squealed and gagged, but didn't offer her the use of my bathroom to clean up.
Theo moved to me, and as I picked him up, Becky ran past me and into the night. I gave Theo a pat, closed the door, and headed to the kitchen to get him another treat.
* * *
The next day work dragged on forever. All my deliveries, like my mood, were either heavy or huge, so by the time I got home my mood was downright dangerous. I'd made a quick stop at the grocery store, and along with a few obligatory pieces of fruit, the main items on my list seemed to be chocolate and Nutella. Who needed vegetables at a time like this?
The first thing I noticed when I drove onto my street was the police cars outside the corner shop. Now things around here had been very strange lately, but most of it I thought was in my imagination. Police cars were real. I made a mental note to ask Isaac if he knew what had happened. It was probably kids stealing Mars Bars again, but the unease I felt last night crept right back up my spine.
My car space was thankfully free, so grabbing my shopping bags, I slammed the car door behind me, beeped it locked, and stomped to my front door. Opening it, I heard voices coming from the rear and wondered what the hell was going on. Unexpected voices in my house were not welcome at the best of times, but right now they scared the bejesus out of me.
I bent down and retrieved a tin of beetroot from my bag, ready to use it as a weapon, but Theo came trotting up to me as I quietly closed the door, so I knew all must be okay. Then I heard Isaac's voice.
Grocery bags hanging on my arm, my tin of beetroot in my hand, just in case, I worked my way towards the kitchen. What I didn't expect to find was Isaac standing with his back to the sink, talking to Betty.
"Oh," I said, my heart returning to a steady beat. "Betty! How are you?" I asked, dropping the groceries as I moved to give her a hug.
Betty gave really good hugs, just like my grandma did. Today, she wore her favorite purple pants, a sequined top, and her short, grey hair nicely blow-waved.
"Yes, well I thought I'd pay you a visit and see how you are. I see you kept Theodore." She smiled, but something about her smile was wrong.
"I didn't have it in me to hand him over. I hope you don't mind?" I asked, feeling like I was about to be reprimanded.
"Well, I had organized for him to go to the shelter," she said, snappily.
Turning to look at the animal in question, I found him sitting on the grocery bags, waiting for me to pull out his packet of treats. He was addicted.
"I do look after him, I promise." I smiled uncertainly. It was at that moment Theo chose to pull his treats out of the bag himself and drop them at my feet. "Yes, they are your treats, aren't they?" I trilled, bending to pick them up.
Theo's eyes were bright, thinking he was about to get one, and normally he would have, but I felt I had to prove to Betty I was a good dog owner and deserved to have him. I'm just not sure why, since she was prepared for him to be handed over to complete strangers.
"You can have one of those after dinner." I smiled and gave Theo a pat. He looked bewildered. I placed the treats on the counter and moved toward Isaac, who had not said a word. "What are you doing here, Isaac?" I asked, hoping to take the attention off of Theo.
"Oh, you know. Just catching up." Okay, something was wrong there as well. Isaac looked a bit uncomfortable, and I wondered why both he and Betty were standing in my kitchen. "I was just making an Earl Grey when Betty knocked on the door. I thought what a lovely surprise!"
"Oh, so you were already here?" I asked.
"Yes. I know where you keep your spare key to the back door." Okay, note to selffind a new hiding place for the key. "Is that a problem?" he asked snippily.
"No, no problem. Just wondered." Geez, I thought I was in a bad mood. "Hey, do either of you know what's happening down at the corner shop? There were a heap of police cars parked outside it when I drove past." I asked, hoping to alleviate some of the tension in the air.
"Mr. Wilks is dead," answered Isaac, his voice devoid of emotion.
"What? How did he die?" I asked, shocked at the news.
"Well, I don't know do I?" snapped Isaac. "I just know Dorothy White found him on the floor behind the counter. She called for an ambulance, but the poor bugger was already dead."
"Oh my God! That's awful," I sai
d, thinking how grateful I was I wasn't the one who found him.
I turned to Betty, gauging her reaction, but she too seemed devoid of emotion over Mr. Wilks's departure. Well, I guessed we wouldn't all be queuing up to get into his funeral.
Silence filled the room, as all of us seemed lost in thought over Mr. Wilks, until Adam stormed in the back door. It looked like bad moods were popular today.
Adam was about five feet nine, had the sweetest, most innocent face you have ever seen, and dressed like an old man. Grey trousers, slightly on the big side, and a shirt buttoned all the way to the collar. Apparently this look was trendy, but I think Adam may have been getting fashion tips from Mr. Wilks. Today his blond hair was messed, and he had dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept. Something told me all was not well in the Isaac-Adam household.
"Isaac, please come home so we can talk," he said, his voice soft.
"I'm done talking, Adam! I cannot live with someone who doesn't value me," yelled Isaac. I did hear the hitch in his voice though. "Now go and leave me alone!"
"I do value you. Please just let me explain," he begged.
"Whatever you have to say to me can be said here, in front of witnesses," sulked Isaac. It was at this point Adam noticed Betty and I standing in the room.
"Oh!" he said. "Hi, Chloe, Betty, how are you both?" he asked, surprised.
"Fine, thanks, Adam," I replied. Actually, I was anything but fine, but now didn't feel like the right time to bring that up.
Betty didn't answer. She just looked at Theo, then at the windows, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she did so. Maybe it was the vibes this house was putting out lately, but everybody seemed antsy.
"I hate you, Adam!" yelled Isaac. It was such a sudden outburst that Betty jumped and spilt her tea all over her hand.
"Ah, that's hot!" she cried. I rushed over to her and pulled her towards the sink, placing her hand under the tap and turning the cold water on as I did so. The last thing I needed was to be sued for my tea being too hot.
"Well, I don't hate you!" Adam yelled back.
This was the first time I'd ever heard Adam raise his voice, and my attention strayed from the injured Betty to the argument starting in front of me. As both Adam and Isaac yelled at each other, Betty and I stood silently watching, our heads moving from one to the other as if watching a game of tennis.
As the argument reached its climax, Isaac threw what I thought was his teacup at Adam. I closed my eyes and waited for the smashing sound, hoping nobody got cut. If they did, they could get in the lawsuit queue that seemed to be developing in my kitchen today.
When I opened my eyes, to my surprise, Isaac still held the cup, but my kitchen hadn't fared so well. Tea was running down the walls towards the floor, pooling at the bottom. Adam silently turned and left, slamming my door behind him. I cringed as the glass rattled. Silence filled the room, none of us quite sure what to do next.
Betty was the first to move. "I'm going," she stated, and walked out the door, also slamming it behind her.
It's funny, but I didn't remember her being that strange. Maybe Mr. Wilks was right about her. I turned to look at Isaac.
"What, you only threw the tea?" I asked, eyebrows raised.
"I really like this cup," he replied. "It's the only nice one you own."
I sighed and walked back towards the sink, grabbing the cloth, ready to clean up, when I saw my neighbor Rick peering over my fence. Seeing me, he jumped down out of sight. I guess I couldn't blame him for eavesdropping, but at least I did it discreetly.
.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
First on Theo's list of favorite things was his walk in the afternoon. Well, it was actually his second favorite. I'm pretty sure he would give up his walk in a heartbeat if a treat was on offer. We always walked the same route, down the road towards the dog park where he got to run around for half an hour with his favorite friend, a little Shih Tzu named Mindy. She was very cute, and Theo was not at all prejudiced about her being almost twice his size. He loved her just the same.
Mindy's owner was named Kathy. Kathy was about my age, worked for the local bank, and was very chatty. Most days I didn't mind this. Today wasn't one of them. There was too much going on in my head.
I had no idea why Betty had shown up or why she was acting so shifty. She didn't even stay around long enough for me to ask how she was or how she was enjoying the retirement village.
Then there were the weird happenings in the neighborhood lately. Mr. Wilks was old, so his death shouldn't have been a shock, but the last time I'd seen him he looked to be in good health. The two break-ins at my house still had me freaked, and I wasn't really enjoying having my pervert neighbor watching me over the fence. Then there was Brody. I thought over Becky's visit the night before, and my heart ached. I really wished things were different.
Isaac had decided to join us on our walk today, and I will praise him for his silence. So far he had yet to say a word.
The park was really busy. I thought that with the drizzly rain people would have stayed at home, but maybe, like me, they needed some fresh air to clear their minds.
Turns out, no. It was more like they needed to give their kids a run too. Looking around me, I quickly realized it was a school holiday, and as Theo was the cutest dog in the park, they all seemed to want to chase him.
Overwhelmed by the group that gathered around us, I sacrificed Theo and let him off his leash. He immediately ran. I felt bad for the little guy, but within seconds I could see his happy, little face and figured he was enjoying it as much as they were.
I leaned back against the fence and took some deep breaths. I still had a lot on my mind to figure out, but watching these kids, I remembered what it felt like to be that young, without a worry in the world. Who said growing up would be fun? Personally, I found it to be bloody hard work.
"Hey, lady" called one of the kids, running up to me. "Someone just tried to grab your little dog!"
"What? Where?" I yelled, my adrenalin kicking in as my heart rate increased.
"Over there. Look, he's running." I looked over to where Theo had been playing and saw a lady, hidden under a wide brimmed hat, running in the opposite direction.
"Theo!" I yelled, running towards him. People in the park had stopped their conversations and were all looking at me, caught up in the excitement. "Theo! Come here," I yelled.
Thankfully, he decided today was a listening day, and he ran towards my outstretched arms. Bending down and scooping him up, another kid called out.
"She's getting away! Do you want us to chase her?" he asked with excitement.
To these kids this was all a game and a good story to tell their other mates, but not to me. This was my life being messed with.
I looked at the back fence and saw the woman escape through the gate and into a waiting car. Starting the motor of a silver Toyota, she spun the wheels in her hurry to get away. I didn't need the kids' help. The purple pants told me exactly who she was.
* * *
"Do you want me to make some coffee?" Isaac asked quietly as we entered my house. It felt like a sanctuary after the noise of the park.
"No. I need something much stronger," I said, walking to the pantry and opening it in search of alcohol. I soon realized I had none. Even the Baileys was empty.
"Isaac, do you feel like getting out of here and going for a drink?" I asked, turning back towards Isaac. I watched as he thought it through.
"Yes. I do. One night of drowning my sorrows isn't going to do any harm, is it?"
"Nope, my thoughts exactly. Meet you back here in twenty minutes," I said, turning on my heel and heading for the shower.
Okay, I took slightly longer than twenty minutes, but I was happy in the knowledge I had beaten Isaac. My mood had marginally improved with my outfit, which I will happily say was my favorite little, red dress and heels. I accessorized with sparkly jewelry and smoky eyes. I didn't want to leave Theo alone, so I picked him up and walked
across the road to Brody. I felt my head swell just a little bit when Brody opened the door and I saw the look of admiration in his eyes.
"Hi, Chloe, what are you doing here?" he asked.
I noticed his damp hair and thought he must have just got out of the shower. "Umm…I have a bit of a favor to ask." I smiled. "I'm going out tonight, and after the events of this afternoon, I don't want to leave Theo at home. Would you mind having him for me?" I deliberately left out the fact I was going out with Isaac. Two can play at the dating game, I thought.
"Of course, but what happened this afternoon?"
I quickly brought Brody up-to-date on Betty's visit and her attempted abduction at the park.
"What I don't understand is, if she wanted Theo back, why didn't she ask me for him," I pondered. Brody reached out and took Theo from me. As he stepped into my air space, the smell of shampoo and soap filled my nostrils. I loved the smell of Brody when he wore aftershave, but a freshly showered man was as erotic as it gets in my book.
"I don't know, Chloe. Too many strange things are happening around here lately. I caught Rick and Joy in my back garden this afternoon. When I questioned them about it, they said they were looking for Kitty the cat." He shrugged. "Cat's sure love my house."
"They have a cat named Kitty?" I asked, alarm bells ringing in my ears.
"Apparently. What a coincidence. Both your neighbors have a cat with the same name." I was pretty sure Brody knew Isaac didn't have a cat named Kitty, or anything else for that matter, but I was unsure about Rick and Joy. "Why aren't you leaving Theo with Isaac?"
Shit.
"Oh, umm…he's going out too. Anyway, thanks for having Theo. Got to go!"
I quickly gave Theo a little kiss on top of his head, told him to be a good boy, and bolted back across the road before Brody could ask me any more questions.
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