Deadly Greetings (Book 2 in the Cardmaking Mysteries) (6 page)

“
Not you, too. I’m getting
enough of that from my siblings. Come on, you’ll like it here.
Trust me.”

He sneezed twice, then stared disdainfully
at me as I pulled him out. I swear, cats are crazier than people.
Nash’s expression probably reflected that exact sentiment in
reverse, but I chose to ignore it. While Oggie explored, Nash
leaped onto the top of an armoire, wedging himself in a place where
he could see just about everything going on inside the apartment
with barely a twitch of his neck.

“
They repainted the place,”
Bradford said as he carried the first box upstairs. “It looks
good.”

Sara Lynn followed closely behind him with
the remnants of my refrigerator. “Where do I put these? This
apartment does have a kitchen, doesn’t it?”

“
Of course it does,” I said
as I pointed to the corner where a scaled-down stove, refrigerator
and sink stood.

Sara Lynn snorted. “I can’t imagine you
actually cooking anything there more complicated than toast.”

“
Yeah, but I’m really good
at that, if I say so myself.”

Bradford looked at Sara Lynn and said, “Take
it easy, Sis. The deed is done, so let’s make the best of it.”

No one said a word about the suicide, though
I noticed that Sara Lynn detoured away from the bathroom whenever
she was within a yard of it. Bradford, who had every reason in the
world to avoid it, had no qualms about storing my towels and extra
sheets in the closet inside it. It would have taken me hours to
make the move myself, but with my brother and sister helping, we
had all the boxes upstairs in hardly any time at all. Like I said,
sometimes it was nice having family so close.

Bradford started to open one of the boxes.
“Let’s get this stuff put away. It’s my turn to tuck the kids in
tonight.” My brother was a devoted father, one of the things I
admired most about him.

“
Leave them. I’ll take care
of unpacking later. You’ve already done the hard part.”

“
I don’t mind hanging
around. I’ve got a little time before I need to get home,” he
said.

“
Nonsense, you’ve done more
than enough. Sara Lynn and I aren’t staying, either. We’re going
back to the old apartment in a few minutes.” I reached up and
kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Bradford, and not just for the
strong back.”

I didn’t have to tell him my added thanks
were for not mentioning his thoughts on my apartment choice, given
the circumstances. “Hey, you’ll be fine.” He leaned in closer and
whispered, “I’d get that lock changed, though. Would you like me to
call my guy? He can come by tonight if I ask him.”

“
I’m sure he would, but I’ll
be fine. I’ll call him myself when I get the chance.”

Bradford raised one eyebrow. “Jennifer, I’m
serious. You don’t have any idea how many copies of that key are
floating around.”

“
Come on, I’ve got my two
trained attack cats with me. What could happen?”

Sara Lynn said, “What are you two mumbling
about?”

Bradford winked at me, then said, “The ears
are the first to go. Next thing you know, we’ll have to shout at
her.”

Sara Lynn swatted him smartly. “Just because
you’re the sheriff doesn’t mean you’re safe from me, little
brother.”

“
Hey, if that’s the way
you’re going to be, I’m getting out of here.” Bradford hugged me,
then tickled Sara Lynn until she laughed. It felt good being with
them in my new place.

“
We’ll walk you out,” I
said. At the door, I saw that Nash was still at his post, while
Oggie had wormed his way inside one of my boxes. At least it wasn’t
one holding food. I silently thanked Sara Lynn for putting all of
that away. “See you soon. Try to stay out of trouble.”

They both ignored me completely, so at least
that was back to the status quo.

It took us until nearly midnight before Sara
Lynn pronounced my old apartment fit for its new tenant. I would
have left at ten and taken the hit on the deposit just so I could
take a long hot bath and go to bed, but my sister wouldn’t hear of
it. I knew I’d thank her when I got the check, but at the moment I
was tired, dirty and in no mood for company. As we carried the last
two bags to the Dumpster, she said, “Aren’t you going to miss this
place?”

“
I’m not the sentimental
type—you know that—at least not when it comes to apartments. Do you
want to know the truth? I enjoy moving around every now and then.
It keeps things fresh.”

“
Jennifer, if I had to move
everything I own, I swear I’d be tempted to take a match to it all
and start over with the insurance check.”

My sister had to be at least as tired as I
was to say something like that. “Shh, somebody might hear you.”

“
So? I wouldn’t deny the
sentiment.”

“
Sara Lynn, with your luck,
there will be an electrical fire and Bradford will have to lock you
up for arson.”

She scoffed at the idea. “I’d like to see
him try to put handcuffs on me.”

“
You know what? I’d pay for
a front-row seat for that myself.”

After we tossed the last bags, I knocked on
the super’s door. No surprise, he wasn’t there, so I scrawled a
note explaining my departure; then I stuffed it in an envelope with
the keys and slipped it all into the super’s mail slot. We walked
back to our cars and I hugged my sister fiercely.

“
Jennifer, I can’t
breathe.”

“
Sorry,” I said as I eased
off a notch. “Sara Lynn, you were a lifesaver tonight. I mean it;
you were golden.”

My sister is not one to suffer compliments
well. “It wasn’t that much trouble. After all, I didn’t have
anything else to do.”

I kept hugging her as I said, “I’m not
letting go until you say ‘You’re welcome.’”

She struggled briefly, but I was a lot
stronger than she was, and besides, I had a better grip.

“
You’re welcome,” she
finally said, and I released her.

Sara Lynn looked up at me and said, “Are you
going to be all right at your new place? I could stay with you a
few days if you’d like.”

“
You’re welcome to visit,
but why don’t you wait until I get everything put away first?”
Before she could offer more help, I said, “If you help me get
settled, I’ll never be able to find anything. Good night,
Sis.”

It was a miracle, but she didn’t fight me on
it. Sara Lynn must have been every bit as exhausted as I was. “Good
night, Jennifer.”

I watched her drive away, then got into my
car and headed to my new place. I didn’t even look back at the old
apartment. It had been just another place to stay, no better or
worse than any of my other homes. As long as I had Oggie and Nash
with me, I could stay just about anywhere. I wondered what my
roommates were up to, and drove a little faster than I should have
getting back. My cats, regardless of their brave fronts, needed
time to get acclimated, and I knew the transition for them would be
easier if I was right there with them. I parked, walked in and
started up the stairs when I saw a stranger standing at my door
with something in his hands. He had a scowl on his face, and I
wondered what kind of trouble I’d gotten myself into this time.

HANDCRAFTED CARD TIP

Handmade cards were created in Victorian
times using paper “scrap,” tiny pieces of colorful die-cut paper
available for just pennies.

In that tradition, I like to take favorite
colors and textures of paper I’ve stumbled across over the years
and incorporate them into the cards I make. It’s my own way of
creating a little history.

Chapter 4

“
Can I help you?” I asked,
gripping my keys in my fist like a weapon. I’d teased Bradford
about his recent lessons in self-defense, but I wasn’t joking at
the moment. I had pepper spray too, but unfortunately it was on the
other side of the door, along with the baseball bat I liked to keep
around for protection wherever I lived. Still, with the keys
protruding between the fingers of my closed fist, I wasn’t entirely
defenseless.

“
You must be the new
tenant,” he said. “I’m Barrett Dawes. From downstairs,” he added,
gesturing to one of the doors below us.

Okay, so he wasn’t some crazy stalker. I
slid my keys out of my hands and tucked them into the front pocket
of my jeans.

I offered my hand. “I’m Jennifer Shane,” I
said.

He took it, and I felt a spark from static
electricity at his touch. At least I hoped that was what it was. He
wasn’t a pretty-boy kind of handsome, but he didn’t miss it by
much. A slightly broken nose and a faded scar on his chin kept him
from that status, but he was still one of the best-looking men I’d
ever met face-to-face. He ran a hand through his jet-black hair and
offered me my first look at his dimples. “Jennifer, it’s nice to
meet you.” He pulled his other arm from behind his back and
produced a nice bottle of wine. “Here, this is for you, a
housewarming present.”

“
Thanks,” I said as I took
it from him. “Your greeting is a lot more cordial than our other
neighbor’s.”

Barrett smiled, his pale green eyes
flashing. “So you’ve met Jeffrey. Don’t mind him; he hates
everyone.”

“
Even you?” I asked.
Jennifer, get a hold of yourself. I swear, it was all I could do
not to giggle like a girl in junior high school.

“
We had a rough patch at
first, but Jeffrey and I get along fine right now.” He gestured to
my door. “I won’t keep you; I know you just moved in. I just wanted
to say ‘Welcome to the building.’”

“
Thanks,” I said. “I’d
invite you in, but . . .”

“
No, please, I understand.
We’ll have a proper drink once you’re settled. Good
night.”

“
Good night,” I said as he
headed down the stairs. I unlocked the apartment door, stepped
inside, then slipped the dead bolt in place and, after a few
moments’ thought, wedged a heavy chair under the knob.

“
Guys, are you hungry?” I
didn’t expect Oggie and Nash to greet me with enthusiasm—there was
no mistaking them for dogs in any way, shape or form—but I didn’t
think they’d hide from me either. The new apartment wasn’t all that
big, so where could the rascals be? I walked to the bed, expecting
to find them curled up on my pillow like they always were, but
neither one of them was there. There was only one more place I
could look, and I’d avoided the bathroom so far. Taking a deep
breath, I pushed the door open and looked inside, but there wasn’t
a cat in sight. Now it was time to panic. “Oggie! Nash!”

Then I heard a low, frightened mew. “Guys,
where are you?”

I heard the sound of their whimpers again,
and I knew where they were. Huddled inside their cat carriers, both
of my roommates were staring out at me. “Oggie, Nash, what’s wrong,
you two?”

I had a tough time coaxing them out of their
carriers, which was a first. Why had they ended up back inside,
when they had an entire apartment to explore? They’d both already
eaten, but tonight was an exception. I dug through two of the boxes
until I found my electric can opener and got out some canned
salmon, their utmost number one favorite treat. As they dug into
the windfall, I stroked their backs and cooed softly to them. By
the time they were finished, it appeared my old friends were back
in their true form. Nash favored me with a nuzzle, and his whiskers
tickled my nose. “Okay, salmon breath, I’m glad everything’s fine
now. What happened? Did something spook you two?”

I swear, sometimes I wished they could talk.
I got out my comforter and spread it out on the bed. Before I could
straighten it, both cats had pounced and were curling up on it. I
didn’t know how I was going to fit on the bed with them, but
tonight I wouldn’t have evicted them for anything in the world. I
needed their proximity every bit as much as they seemed to need
mine. I stared at the boxes by the front door, knowing that I
should start unpacking, so there was really only one solution. I
turned my back so I wouldn’t have to look at them. I’d have enough
time to unpack when I wasn’t so exhausted. I’d worked hard enough
that in day, it was late, and I had to get up early for work. I
shucked off my clothes and slipped into my pajamas, which I had,
quite by accident, rolled up inside the comforter. I didn’t even
wash my face or brush t my teeth, a rare event for me.

Then, in the middle of a deep and sound
sleep, I swear I heard something moving around in my apartment.

The first thing I did was check on the cats.
They were both sound asleep on my pillow, and for a second I
regretted not having a nice pit bull or Rottweiler it as a pet. I
might as well have wished for wings. I tried to find a light, but
it was hopeless. My eyes were adjusting a little to the darkness,
and as far as I could tell, there wasn’t a single whisker twitch
from my roommates. Blast it all, I couldn’t remember where I’d put
my baseball bat. In desperation I took the drawer out of the
nightstand, determined to whack the intruder over the head with it
if I could. It felt good having something in my hands.

I would have loved to have had a flashlight,
the heavy kind I’d seen in Bradford’s patrol car, but I didn’t even
have a lighter. As I scanned the room, I thought I saw someone
frozen in place near one of the windows, though I could barely see
his outline. What was he doing? Holding the drawer like a weapon, I
crept up on him and swung at his head. There’d be plenty of time to
ask questions later after he woke up. There was a loud crash as I
swung, and, I knew he wasn’t getting up any time soon. I searched I
frantically for a light switch so I could find the telephone to
call Bradford. Finally, my fingers brushed against the switch and I
flipped it up.