Strung Out to Die (16 page)

Wow, how life seems to come full circle. I picked up the key, remembering I had it made at Sloan’s Hardware, and Doug was the one who was working that day.

I held the key tight and squeezed my eyes closed. I prayed Sean hadn’t changed the locks.

I slipped the key in and like magic, the lock turned.

I flicked on the light, and found the usual bachelor pad squalor Sean had turned the joint into. Empty pizza boxes, knocked over Bud Lights, and the chandelier still in the box.

“I knew it!” I screamed running over to the box.

Carefully I looked in and the chandelier was still there, right where Sean keeps it. There was definitely something fishy. There was no way Sean would leave town without this precious heirloom. Or as he said, “Over my dead body.”

I shivered.

“Sean, please don’t be dead.” I whispered into the air, and began to look around the family room and then into the kitchen for any clues to where he might be.

I searched for a note, anything with a scribble, a business card, anything. I even looked at his phone to see who the last person was he called…me. There was a pink piece of paper that looked to be a carbon copy from a doctor’s office.

I folded it and tucked it and the key in my pants pocket. I wasn’t comfortable being here, and if he was missing, they could be watching me.

I grabbed the chandelier box, because I didn’t want anyone to steal it from him, and backed my way out of the house. With the door shut tight, I twisted the knob to make sure it was locked, and then turned to get in my car.

“What do we have here?” Noah stood in the grass with his hand rested on his holster.

“Hey, Noah.” I nonchalantly continued to my car.

“Is Sean home?” Noah craned his neck to get a peek inside the box. I held it closer to me “What’s in the box?”

“Just my chandelier that Sean was keeping for me until I was ready to put it up in the shop,” I lied.

Noah looked past me at the house.

“So, Sean’s home?” He walked around me toward the door.

“Well, no. Good seeing you.” I quickly walked ahead, only to be stopped.

“Wait. Sean’s not here. You are. You have a key?” Noah face changed as if he was thinking.

“I did live here, Noah.” I hoped he’d fall for it, but I was wrong.

“You and I both know Sean doesn’t want you in that house when he’s not here. So what are you hiding, Holly?” Noah crossed his arms. “Sean? Are you hiding Sean?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Noah.” I laughed out loud hoping to throw him off track, but it came out as nervous laughter. “Hiding Sean? You know I would’ve done that a long time ago if I could.”

I tucked the box under my arm while getting my keys ready to unlock my car.

“And you think you are just going to get in your car without answering some questions first?” Noah asked.

I opened the passenger door and carefully sat the box in the seat. If there was ever going to be a time that I would be able to get that chandelier, this was it, and no one was going to stop me.

I shut the door and walked back toward Noah, who was writing in that damn notebook again.

“Listen, I don’t know what you write in that little pad of paper you got there, but I do know that I don’t know where Sean is. I’m not his keeper.” I put my hands on my hips. “I’m leaving. You don’t have any type of warrant to keep me here. I also didn’t kill Doug or Sean, for that matter.”

I stomped back to the car. Before I could get in, Noah cleared his throat. I looked back at him.

“Holly, I never said anything about killing Doug or Sean.” A smile crept across his face like he knew something I didn’t. “You can be sure I’ll be stopping by to see you real soon.”

He nodded, tilting his hat towards me as if he was being a gentleman.

I rolled my eyes at his not-so-subtle threat and got into my car. I had to get back to the shop before anyone else began to suspect that I was up to something.

Chapter Twenty-three

Marlene was putting away the new shipment that had come in overnight. After finding Sean’s truck and things just not adding up, I had to ask Marlene about the women, the notes, and the pier.

“Marlene, last week I was…” I couldn’t tell the whole truth, “walking around the lake and saw you talking to a couple women by the pier.”

Her mouth opened, and then she closed it shut. Tight.

“I yelled your name, but you didn’t hear me.” I picked up the pencil and pretended to jot down a few notes on the cash receipts by the register.

“I was meeting someone. I forgot about you living way out there.” She was checking off items on the inventory sheet. “Shh, I can’t count with all this talking.”

Nothing made sense. Sean seemed to have skipped town, leaving me to take the blame. Marlene leaves me a couple of crazy notes and then doesn’t act any different toward me or the Divas.

The silence was broken by the ringing of the bell above the shop door.

“Hi, Jim.” Marlene chomped away. “You in here to get something for Ginger?”

Jim was shy. He never said much around the Divas. Probably in fear we’d knock him down with the ex’s.

“I came to talk to Holly about some video cameras.” He held up some equipment.

I’d completely forgotten that I had told Ginger to send Jim over. There was a time when no one in Swanee needed video cameras to keep an eye on their belongings or a keep one eye open at night out of fear they were going to get murdered.

“Holly, I asked Sean to stop by the lumber yard for a few new material quotes, and he never showed.” Jim sat the cameras on the counter. “Do you know how I can get in touch with him? It sounded pretty urgent when he called.”

The last thing Sean would do would take charity from the Sloan’s. And if he really did skip town, he wouldn’t have put an order in for new materials.

“Nope, haven’t seen or heard from him,” I said, making a mental note on why Sean would need charity. “And I probably won’t. Alimony time.”

Alimony was becoming a good excuse for everyone.

Marlene cackled. “Maybe he won’t be back.”

I shot her a look. Why would she say that? Did she really know he was gone somewhere?

Jim rolled his eyes. I’m sure Ginger has told him all about Marlene. I smiled and blew her off. After all, it was Marlene.

“We can go in the back.” I didn’t want to disturb all the customers who were sitting down to quietly bead. “Follow me.”

Week, week, week
, Willow squealed when I pushed her off the loveseat. She loved lying in the patch of the sunshine. She snorted a few times and sat by Jim’s feet. She nudged him like he was supposed to be petting her.

He complied.

“I sure do hate what happened to Doug.” I felt like I needed to apologize for finding him in my shop. “I mean, I didn’t do it.”

Jim shook his head and bit his bottom lip.

I’d never seen a grown man cry, and I didn’t want to then.

“We know it wasn’t you. That’d be a little too obvious. And I know a lot of people didn’t like Doug, but deep down, he was really a good kid.” He held back tears. “He didn’t deserve to die. No one does.”

I agreed, in spite of all the problems he’d caused for Ginger and Jim. No matter how many times Doug messed up, Jim always came to his rescue. Jim even sent “hush” work Sean’s way.

Of course, Sean never told me, but Ginger did. She would secretly complain about Doug.

Jim showed me several camera options, but I needed something on the cheaper end of the spectrum. Two cameras placed strategically in the shop would be sufficient. I decided on the cheapest service option also. Jim’s company would host the feed; therefore, I wouldn’t have any of the recording equipment in the shop. If something funny happened or the shop got broken into again, the police could get the footage from Jim’s company directly.

I signed up for a three-month trial. Hopefully, by the end of that time, I could cancel because Sean would be back, and Doug’s killer would be behind bars.

“Bye, Jim.” Marlene leaned over the counter.

Jim blushed. Marlene’s low-cut top showed more than anyone wanted to see, but Marlene didn’t care.

“He told Agnes that everyone has been calling him. Seems like the whole town is afraid they’re going to be next.” Marlene dragged her long fingernail across her throat as if she was slitting it.

“I have to go to self-defense class.” I looked her square in the eyes. “I’m not done talking with you about that night at the pier. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt, but some people in town think you are suspicious.”

It was time I gave it Marlene straight. There were questions that needed to be answered and I was tired of tiptoeing around her.

“There is a logical explanation for everything. I promise.” There was a terrified look on her face. “I didn’t have anything to do with Doug’s death, or Sean going missing. I don’t know anything about that.”

“For some strange reason, I believe you. But I don’t understand these.” I pulled the notes out of the counter drawer where I had been hiding them.

She read them carefully, taking big gulps the whole time.

“Please just give me one more day. I promise I will tell you everything.” She put her hands together as if she was begging.

“Fine.” I held my finger up in the air before leaving for my self-defense class. “One more day.”

I trotted down the steps and jumped into the car to head to the Moose.

It was a pleasant surprise to see Cheri, Flora, and Bernadine in the front of the class. I went to the bathroom and quickly changed into my yoga pants.

Ouch.
Something had poked me. I checked the small pocket on the inside of my pants where I had forgotten I put Sean’s extra house key and the pink paper that reminded me of the doctor’s office. I didn’t wash my pants every time I wear them. This kept them stretched out, making me feel like I’d lost more inches than I really had.

“What are y’all doing here?” I pulled my arms over my head like I was an old pro at stretching out.

“Living alone with a killer on the loose? It’s a no brainer for me.” Flora said.

She did live alone in an upscale condominium complex on the east side of town, but she was surrounded by plenty of men who could help protect her.

“Hey, where is your phone?” I put my hand on my heart as if I was going to have a heart attack.

“Funny, Holly.” Flora rolled her eyes and did a few squats.

“Where have you been?” I asked Bernadine. “Willow and I have missed you on our walks.”

“I had to run a few errands. And I didn’t want to bother your little visit with Marlene.” She tried to do a few toe touches, but could only make it to her knees.

“Marlene?” I questioned her.

“I saw Marlene over at your place yesterday.” Bernadine took a couple deep breathes before plunging back down towards her toes.

No matter how much Bernadine huffed and puffed, she could only reach her knees.

What on earth was she talking about? Marlene hadn’t been to my house in weeks, that I could remember, unless you want to count the night at the pier.

Marlene was working for me yesterday. I had to think back to what the schedule was. It seemed that Marlene was working a lot for me at that time. I’d rather have her at work so I could keep an eye her, because something wasn’t right with her, just like something wasn’t right with Sean.

“Oh, yeah.” I lied to the Divas, and stretched my arms behind me. “Come to think of it, she did stop by for a few minutes.”

Cheri sat on the floor with her legs in a “v” formation and stretched to each side. We all stopped and stared at her in amazement. I don’t think any of us could touch our knees with our noses.

“What did she want?” Cheri asked, looking up and resting her ear on her knee. “Did she mention anything about the other night at the pier?”

Ah, to be young and thin…

“Um, she wanted to know when she worked next.” I did a few squats, and pretended to keep my eyes on my shoes.

I didn’t want to look at any of them for fear my face would give me away. I was getting pretty good at lying. I crossed my fingers behind my back.

“That’s weird that your shop wasn’t open.” Flora rolled her body around in circles while keeping her feet planted on the floor. “Besides, doesn’t she just work when you call her?”

“Noah had to look at something, so the shop was closed for a bit.” Technically that wasn’t a lie. Noah did close the shop for a little bit, just a few days earlier.

I had to get out of this line of questioning before they caught me in a lie. I could tell they were already suspicious by their questions.

“I’ve got to pee.” I jogged off, acting like I was really into the class, but truth be told, I’d rather have been on my futon watching Veronica Mars.

Hopefully, by the time I got back, Mancho Man would have started the class, and the Divas would be too busy learning defense moves to even think about Marlene.

“Whoa!” A voice boomed, and two strong hands gripped the sides of my arms to stop me from colliding with the person they were attached to.

Only it was too late. My face had already planted into Mancho Man’s pecs.

“I, um, I’m sorry.” I could feel my face flush.

“What was the first think I taught you last week?” His six foot four inch frame towered over me. He was standing with his arms crossed.

“Keys!” I snapped my fingers Ha! I did listen.

“No, Holly, not keys.” There was disappointment in his brown eyes. “Be aware of your surroundings at all times.”

I smacked my forehead. Hell, if I couldn’t do that, how was I going to do something as simple as find Sean or something as difficult as exonerating both of us of Doug’s murder?

“Sorry, I need to pee.” I lied…again.

“Hurry up. I’m about to start class, and I don’t want you to miss the robber hold.” He pointed me in the direction of the bathroom. “Holly?”

I crossed my legs like I had to pee, and did a little bouncing up and down.

“Yes?” I realized I didn’t know his name.

“I’d be happy to give you private classes since you are having all this trouble lately.” He smiled, which he should do more off. “Cheri told me about all the break-ins.”