“I'll do a quick search online,” he said. “Give me a few minutes.”
“Thanks, babe. You're the best. I'll see you later today.”
“Oh, by the way,” Carter said. “I spoke with Penny's parents this morning and we came to an agreement about the job. We'll cease the nightly stakeouts and they are going to pay us to install a state of the art security system in Penny's house.”
“That makes sense. Well, I gotta run. Try and get some more sleep.”
Chapter 19
When I arrived at Riverview Terrace I parked my car in the lot, noticing that Trent's pickup was still there. It had only been a few days since his death and his family probably hadn't had time to move it off the property.
As luck would have it, Marcy was home and she seemed pleasantly surprised to see me.
“Sarah, what're you doing here?” she asked, a big smile on her face. I got the sense that she didn't get many visitors if she was that happy to see me.
“Just wondering how Ralph is doing,” I teased.
She laughed. “Oh, he's fine. I gave him a bath so he smells much better.”
“I took a chance that you might be home but it looks like you're heading to work.” I gestured to her gray scrubs. “Are you in the medical field?”
“Yeah, sort of. I work for a veterinarian. I'm just filling in for someone today, a four-hour shift.” Her expression suddenly turned somber. “So, you must know about Trent, huh?”
“Yes. I'm truly sorry. I know you really cared about him.”
She nodded. “Yeah, he was one of the good ones. He's at peace now.”
“Look, I know you probably have to head out but I was hoping I could ask you a quick question. Remember how you told me you saw Penny kissing an older man at the Halloween party?”
“Yeah?”
I showed her my cell phone with an image of Mark Gibbs's face. “Does he look familiar to you?”
She took a few seconds to study it. “Don't think so. Who is he?”
“Do you remember seeing him at the party? Is he the guy you saw Penny kissing that night?”
She shook her head. “No, definitely not the same guy.”
“Are you sure?”
“I'm sure.” Marcy brushed her long bangs away from her face to look at me. “What's this about?”
I slipped the phone back into my purse and sighed. “We're still trying to find the person who is taunting Penny.”
“Ah, still haven't found those missing underpants?” she said, with a hint of spite.
“Nope. Still missing in action.”
She chuckled with an eye roll. “Well, maybe Penny deserves her bad karma. If she's going to screw with people's hearts, then someone should teach her a lesson, don't you think? Personally, I think it's awesome.”
I couldn't disagree but I decided to keep my opinions to myself. “Well, I should let you get going. Thanks again for your help.”
As I turned to leave, Marcy said, “Hey, did you hear about Trent's wake? It's tomorrow night from four to seven at McCarthy's Funeral Home, just in case you wanted to go.”
“Perhaps I will. You'll be there?”
“Of course,” she said.
I went back to my car and just sat there, staring out at the dreary parking lot.
My cell phone chirped and I noticed it was Penny.
“Hey Sarah,” she said. “Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. Your message sounded urgent. What's up?”
I wasn't going to say anything but, decided, why not? “You know Karen's husband left a few months ago, right?”
“Karen next door? Yeah, why?”
“Did you sleep with him?”
“What? No way. Why would you think that?”
“Just following up on a lead,” I said “which turned out to be a dead end.”
“A dead end?”
“Yep.” I didn't really feel like explaining it to her at this point. “Anyway, thanks for returning my call. I'll let you get back to work now.”
“Okay, I guess. So, are you guys watching the house again tonight?”
“No. Carter spoke with your parents and they decided a security system would be sufficient. Personally, I don't think you're in any real danger.”
“Well, I think you're wrong, Sarah. I guess I'll have to convince my mom to hire somebody else to protect me.”
“Okay,” I said. “Maybe you should do that.”
Ending the call, I realized that I had reached the point where I just didn't care anymore. I know that might sound harsh but I have a problem working for people I don't respect. This would be an easy case to walk away from and never look back.
Carter's and my obligation had been fulfilled. For two days and nights, we ensured Penny's safety - but now what? A perpetrator was still out there and I had no idea what he/she planned to do next. Unless, of course, there really was no perpetrator at all. Maybe Penny had staged the whole thing herself to collect sympathy and attention. Similar, in some ways, to Munchausen by proxy syndrome.
As I turned the key to start the engine, I noticed a woman standing near Trent's pickup with a plastic garbage bag in her hand. She opened the driver's side door and started cleaning out the trash. The forty-something woman appeared distraught as she kept pausing to wipe her eyes. Trent's mother? Or a close family member I guessed.
I couldn't even imagine the horror of losing a child, no matter how old. It made me think of Brian and how would I ever survive if I lost him? My heart went out to this woman and I felt compelled to approach her and convey my sympathy for her loss.
Instead, I just sat there and watched. At one point, she had to stop and blow her nose but she kept on working until her garbage bag overflowed.
She closed up the truck and began carrying the garbage across the lot toward a dumpster. Right before she got there, she must have slipped on a patch of ice because she landed square on her bottom, with the garbage spilling out onto the pavement. From inside my car, I could hear her cursing.
There was nobody else around that I could see. I got out of my car and rushed over. She was openly sobbing by the time I got there, making no effort to get to her feet.
“Are you okay?” I asked. “I saw you go down hard. Here let me help you up.” I reached down to offer my hand.
She looked up at me with red swollen eyes and blinked at me as if I were an apparition. “Oh, thanks.” She took my hand and I hoisted her up. I didn't let go of her hand.
“I noticed you were cleaning out Trent's pickup. Are you related to him?”
She nodded and swallowed hard. “I'm his mother - Jane Olson. Do you live here?”
“I'm Sarah Woods and, no, I don't live here.”
She slowly let go of my hand. “Your name sounds familiar. Wait, you're the one who found my son, aren't you? The police officer mentioned your name.”
“Yes.”
An awkward silence followed before she cleared her throat and made an effort to smile. “Well, thank you for being there and calling for help. It's nice to know that his final moments weren't spent alone.”
Her words struck me to the core. If she only knew. “Ms. Olson, I'm going to level with you. I had never actually met your son before that day. I had stopped by to ask him a few questions pertaining to a case. I'm a private investigator.”
“Oh, I see,” she said, yet her confusion was obvious. “Gosh, I hope Trent wasn't in any kind of trouble.”
I shook my head. No point in giving her the sordid details.
She let out a sigh as she looked down at the mess. “Well, I should get this cleaned up.”
I helped her gather the scattered trash and together we managed to discard the load into the dumpster.
“Thanks for your help,” she said. “I have a long day ahead of me. The property manager wants me to have Trent's apartment cleaned out by the end of the week.”
“That's not much time. Don't you have anyone to help you?”
She shrugged. “A friend promised to meet
me here but she just called to apologize. Something came up and, although Trent's father is flying out for the funeral, he's already made it clear that he can't stay for more than a day. His new wife is eight months pregnant.”
Why did life have to be so cruel sometimes? “Hey, you know what? I have the afternoon free.”
Her eyebrows rose up in astonishment. “You have?”
“Sure. I'd love to help.”
She smiled appreciatively. “Well, to be honest, I could really use it.”
Chapter 20
Jane stepped into her son's apartment, took one look around and then covered her face with her hands as she wept.
There are no words one can offer in a time like this. I've found that it's best to just be present; to let the person know that he/she is not alone and, then there are times when a little privacy is all that is needed.
I went to the kitchen and opened a cupboard, in hopes of finding coffee or tea. I found a can of instant coffee. I boiled some water and filled two coffee mugs.
When I joined her in the TV room, Jane was sitting on the floor, looking through her son's collection of music CD's.
She looked up at me and accepted the coffee mug. “How did you know this is what I needed?”
“I've found that coffee is a cure for many maladies. It also helps a broken heart.”
She smiled at that. “Thanks, Sarah.”
I joined her on the floor and we sipped from our mugs while she talked about her son.
“Trent was always an intense kid,” she said. “I wished he could be more carefree, let his demons go. He had the potential for great things. I'd hoped someday he'd meet the right girl and she'd be patient enough to deal with his dark side. However, he scared girls away usually before they got the chance to know him.”
I decided not to bring up the issue of Penny. This grieving mother didn't need to know that her son had not chosen the right girl to see past his dark side.
I let Jane ramble on and on to her heart's content, knowing how therapeutic it must be to vent. Sometimes talking to a stranger is best because judgment by an outsider is of little or no importance.
“Have you ever met Marcy, the girl who lives upstairs?” I asked. “She's the one who's taking care of Trent's guinea pig.”
“Trent told me about her. She's a very close friend, apparently but, no, we haven't met, yet. I'll probably see her at the wake tomorrow night.”
Jane checked her watch and gasped. “Oh dear. Time's a-wasting. I should start the packing. Sorry to talk your ear off.”
“No problem,” I said. “Just tell me what you want me to do?”
“Let's start with his bedroom. Grab a few boxes and you can tackle the closet while I go through his drawers. Most of his things will be donated to Goodwill but I intend to keep his CD collection.”
When we walked into his bedroom together, she stood still for a few seconds while taking in the sight before her. She whistled low. “He sure was a slob, wasn't he?”
Her comment caught me completely off guard but, when she burst out laughing, I couldn't help but giggle along with her. We both needed that moment of levity.
“Well,” she said, with arms outstretched. “If you see anything you like, feel free to take it, okay?”
“Thanks anyway. I'm trying to downsize.”
She nodded. “Me too. Although, if you come across his digital camera, I'd like to keep that. I gave it to him for his birthday last year.”
Jane began to gather dirty clothes and towels and stuffed them into the hamper. I got to work inside the closet, emptying the shelves and piling everything in boxes.
When I came out to grab another box, I noticed Jane had begun to strip the bed sheets but, for some reason, she had stopped. Her expression was one of complete puzzlement.
Then I noticed why. Silky undergarments were scattered across the bed. It looked like a Victoria's Secret rummage sale.
Jane's face turned bright pink. “I have no idea what to make of this. Why would he have these stashed here?”
I couldn't be certain but I had a hunch they were Penny's missing underwear. I had never thought to look under his bed sheets when searching for the items Sunday afternoon. All this time, I was convinced that Trent hadn't stolen them, simply because of the photos of Penny that were delivered the morning after he died; that continued to be a mystery.
Jane gathered the undergarments together and placed them in a box. “These might belong to his ex-girlfriend. I have no idea why she'd give them to him.”
I didn't have the heart to remind her that Trent had been a disturbed young man with obsessive tendencies. No woman would ever willingly give away an expensive collection of underwear like this. “If you want me to, I'll return them to their rightful owner. You shouldn't have to worry about this.”
She seemed relieved to be absolved of the responsibility. “If you don't mind, I'd appreciate that very much.”
By three o'clock, we had loaded ten boxes into Jane's car and she was ready to call it a day. Before we parted ways, we exchanged numbers and I told her I'd stop by the wake to pay my respects.
I placed the box of underwear in my trunk and then went back inside the apartment building. My work wasn't done yet.
I had no idea what time Marcy would be home from work, but I figured an hour would provide me with enough time to search through her apartment. I had a strong feeling in my gut that she had Trent’s digital camera.
Chapter 21
I don't make a habit of breaking into people's private spaces but I am able to justify it from time to time. Getting inside Marcy's apartment was a breeze as my lock picking skills have improved. I set the timer on my watch for twenty minutes. I tend to lose track of time when I'm on a mission to find something.
Trent's digital camera his mother had been searching for had never turned up in his apartment. I had a feeling, however, I'd find it in Marcy's.
Upon entering her bedroom, I heard Ralph munching on something inside his cage by Marcy's bed. He looked fat and happy with his chubby cheeks. I was relieved to find she'd been taking good care of him or, at least, feeding him well.
I sat down at her computer desk and opened the laptop. She'd neglected to close out the last site she'd been on.
When I read the title of the blog she'd been reading, my chest tightened. Then I realized what Marcy had been planning to do.
Next to the laptop was a printer with a digital camera attached by the cord. I switched the camera on and looked through the photos. Must have been hundreds of them, mostly images of Penny in various places. Some of them were taken from outside Penny's bedroom window.
When my watch timer beeped, I knew my time had run out. If I lingered any longer, I'd be pressing my luck. I just needed a few more minutes.
It's so easy to lose track of time when I'm absorbed in a case; eager to find that one defining clue that will explain everything; the missing link that ties the whole case together. Sometimes, it just isn't there and I'm left to fill in the blanks. The only thing I knew for certain was that Marcy had evil intentions and that Penny was in danger.
I grabbed my cell phone and dialed Officer Bouchard's number. I asked him to meet me at Riverside Terrace apartments as soon as he could.
“What's going on, Sarah?”
“It's Marcy Thayer, Trent's friend, with whom we spoke right after Trent overdosed. I believe she blames Penny for Trent's death and is planning to get revenge. As it turns out, Trent was the one who stole Penny's underwear. I was helping his mother pack his things up, and she found them in his apartment, underneath his bed sheets. I never thought to look there. Anyway, I'm inside Marcy's apartment now. You won't believe this website she's been reading.”
“So you broke into her place? You know that's illegal, right?”
“Of course I do, but this is serious. Marcy is planning something.”
“Okay,” he said. “I can bring her in for questioning, but I won't be able to hold her for long. Any evidence you
have will be inadmissible, since you unlawfully entered her premises, you understand?”
“Yes - but if she knows we're on to her, maybe she will let this go.”
At the sound of a key in lock, I sat up straight. “Oh, shit. I think she's home. I gotta go.”
“Wait---”
I ended the call and stood up, my heart beating frantically. My first instinct was to find a place to hide. I ran to the closet and got inside, making sure my cell phone was silenced just in case Officer Bouchard tried to call me back. Hopefully, he was already on his way over and I wouldn't have to be stuck in the closet for very long.
…and then I remembered I'd left the bedroom light on.
I could hear Marcy's footsteps on the carpeting as she entered the room and then stop. I couldn't see her but I could picture her standing there, wondering if she'd forgotten to turn the bedroom light off before she'd left for work.
Inside my small, dark space, I held my breath and prayed that Officer Bouchard was en route and would be knocking on her door any minute.
My heart was beating so loudly in my chest, I was certain she'd be able to hear it; but then the light went out and I could hear her footsteps walking away.
I let out a long breath of relief when I heard the sound of the shower running. Thank God. I'd give her a minute to get into the shower and then make a run for the door.
As I stepped out of the closet, I quietly padded across the bedroom and peeked out into the hallway. All seemed clear. I continued on toward the door, already congratulating myself for the easy escape. When a sound to my right caused me to freeze in mid step.
“I knew you just wouldn't let it go, Sarah.”
I turned my head slightly to get a visual. Marcy was standing in the kitchen with a gun in her hand. Pointed at me.
I slowly raised my arms in the air. “I get it, you know. I understand what's going on. You blame Penny for his death, and you want her to pay for that.”
Marcy shook her head as her eyes filled with tears. “Why did you have to come back here and ruin everything? I really liked you.”
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