The Devil's Dwelling (15 page)

“I’ll dish up the cake for the boys.” Mona said heading back to the kitchen.

Kimberly got a call from her girlfriends and headed out for a night of partying.

Momma switched the light on at the top of the basement. We made our way through the spider webs to the basement.  Furniture was staked every where.

“Do you have a kitchen table and chairs?”  She poked her head around trying to see.

“Momma had a green chrome set from the fifties with four chairs. It’s in good condition.”

“Do you need a chest of drawers?”  Momma pointed to the corner of the room. There set Granny’s old chest of drawers made of walnut with a matching headboard and night stands.

“This is perfect. I’ll need to pick up a mattress and box springs.”

“Momma show her the leather sofa,”

Daddy said pointing to the back of the room. “There’s an end table and a coffee table to match.”

“I may have to get some of it later. I’m sure I don’t have enough money for all the stuff.” Mona said looking around at all the goodies.

“I don’t want anything for this stuff. It’s not doing me any good. You take it and enjoy  it. And there’s the double bed in the back bedroom you can have that too. I’ve been planning on getting the boys bunk beds. They always fight when they share the bed.”

“Thank you, Ms. ?” Mona said with her voice cracking. “I’m grateful for your generosity.”

I pushed number three on my speed dial. Hayden answered. “Hello Tiffany. What’s up?”  I need a favor. Do you think I could borrow one of your pick ups? Mona, my roomy got an apartment and we need a truck to haul her furniture to the apartment.”

“You got it. Where can I pick up the furniture?”

“At my parents house. Momma is giving Mona my Granny Wiggin’s furniture.”

“I have some time tomorrow morning. I’ll meet you and Mona at your parents house at ten. That gonna work for you?”

“Perfect. Thanks Hayden.”

“Don’t think this is free…”

The phone went dead. I knew exactly what he meant.

I drove up in front of my parents house at nine forty five. Daddy had the Brady twins carrying the furniture from the basement placing it on the driveway. 

“Look Mona most of the furniture is on the front driveway. The Brady twins are sometimes annoying but when someone needs some help they are always eager to help.”

Everything was in the driveway when Hayden drove up in his black Chevy Lightning pick up, a sleek sporty pick-up.

I met Hayden at the curb. Hayden was dressed in black jeans and a black tank top with Hayden‘s Store All across his back. A pair of black sun glasses hid his gorgeous blue eyes. He wore black boots with a two inch heel to compensate for his five foot ten stature.“ You brought your pride and joy. I’m afraid it might get scratched.”

“Don’t worry about it. I brought a tarp to cover the truck bed and if it gets scratched I can have Riley’s Body Shop repair it.”

Within a half hour the pick up was loaded and we were on our way to Mona’s new apartment. Bill and Will did the unloading and carried it to the second floor. Hayden helped Mona set the bed in place.

Hayden excused himself and headed out. I took Bill and Will by the ‘Burger in a Box’ drive through. The squawk box shouted out. “Can I take your order?”

“Two burgers, two large fries and two large cokes.” I shouted.

“Lady, I can hear you, you don’t have to shout in my ear.” 

“All I hear from you is spit and sputter.”

I pulled forward and saw the man that ran me out of the ‘Box’ last week standing behind the counter. I kept my face turned away when I handed the guy with the ‘Box’ on his head the money. He handed me the bags of food and the cokes. The guy behind the counter looked my way when I took the cokes.

“He began to rave. “You find another place to buy burgers. I don’t want to see you here again. You hear me?”

“Now that’s not nice I could bring you a lot of customer’s or I could tell a lot of people you throw tantrums when someone asked to have their table cleaned off.”

I put the Blazer in gear and headed out. Leaving him with his mouth open.

Bill asked. “Tiffany, what was that all about?”

“Mr. Box doesn’t keep his tables cleaned off.” I turned onto my parents street.

“I have to keep going. Thanks for helping us move the furniture.” I reached into my bag and brought out two twenty dollar bills. “Here’s your pay for a job well done.”

“Thank you, Tiffany.” They jumped from the Blazer with cokes and a bag of food. I headed out and looked back to see them racing to my parents house waving the money in the air.

I drove by the Martin’s place. The lawn was freshly mowed. I drove to the back parking lot and a truck and trailer filled with gardening equipment was pulling from the parking lot. I pulled in front of him. I jumped out of the Blazer and ran over to the gentleman. He had a big straw hat, a handkerchief around his neck and his brow was wet with sweat. His truck jumped as it idled.

“Senor, do you know anything about the Martin’s?”

He spoke to me in Spanish. My Spanish is limited to senor, senorita and gracious.

He shook his head. “No English.”  And drove off.

I wrote down the name of his company and phone number on the door of the truck. I’ll call the number later and hopefully someone can tell me how he gets paid for his labor.

My phone rang. I flipped it open. Randy’s name was on the screen. Modern day technology is wonderful. I thought to myself.

“Hi Randy, What’s up?”

“Why are you hanging out around the Martin house?”

“Where are you?”

“Look in your mirror.”

NINETEEN

I stopped off at the market and picked up a few items.  Cheez Whiz, bread, a trio of deli meat and cheeses, a box of Cheerios, a carton of milk, apples, bananas, a head of lettuce and a six pack of beer in case a gentleman friend stops by my apartment. I picked up a large bag of dog food and some chew treats for Bailey and a new ball for catch.

Mr. Sinclair was in the foyer when I got home.  The maroon Chrysler was leaving the parking lot in a hurry.  It was difficult to see the driver.  He was scrunched down in his seat looking through the steering wheel. 

“Mr. Sinclair, who’s the guy in the Chrysler, new tenant?”

“No, he’s been in and out of the parking lot today.”  Mr. Sinclair went about his business.

I made two trips up the stairs carrying in my goodies from the market.  Bailey helped with the second load smelling and pawing at his bag of food while I tried to drag it up the stairs.

I put the frig items away, took the leash from the hook and hooked up Bailey. Stuffed his new ball in my jacket  pocket and my Glock in the other.  I put on my running shoes and grabbed a Country Living magazine on my way out the door. I like looking at the way normal people live.  Bailey practically dragged me to the park.  He was anxious to hike and poop.  I unhooked Bailey and he ran to greet the other dogs in the park. I took a Kleenex from my pocket and wiped off the damp bench the best I could. I set down, flipped the magazine open and began flipping pages.  I felt the bench lower a couple inches and looked to my side to see the big woman Bailey attacked setting at the other end of the bench. My heart raced. What is she doing here? She doesn’t have a dog to let run loose for pooping and hiking.  I nodded a polite hello and continued to read my magazine. My skin began to crawl. I got up, stuffed the magazine in my waist and called Bailey. Bailey was interested in a little poodle being led by an elderly woman. She picked up her dog and snuggly wrapped her arms around protecting him from Bailey.

“Bailey, I yelled sharply. Get over here.” Bailey fell to his belly and pulled himself toward me. I rolled him over and gave him a belly rub. Slapped my hands. “You wanna play catch?”  I took the ball from my pocket and tossed it in the air. Bailey looked at it like. What’s that? Again I threw it a short distance. Bailey again ignored it and rolled on his back for another belly rub. I fetched the ball and ran back to Bailey. This new toy was not going to work out for play time. I looked over my shoulder to get a look at the bench. The bench was empty. Thank goodness she’s gone.

A voice came from behind. The voice of the big woman. I stopped in my tracks, turned, annoyed I said. “What did you say?” 

“If you rub the ball on your body he will pick up your scent and chase it.” She said with her hands on her hips with a no it all attitude.

“Okay, I’ll try it.”  I rubbed the ball on my jeans and tossed it away from the woman.  Bailey chased it and I chased after him not waiting for him to fetch and bring it back to me.  I hooked up Bailey and we jogged home. I glanced over my shoulder a number of times to make sure we were not being followed.  Bailey was tired when we reached the apartment and plopped down in the foyer. I unhooked Bailey and double stepped it upstairs. Made my way to the bedroom to hang up my jacket. I glanced out the window and the Jeep I had seen days ago was turning around in the parking lot.  I ran to the door and called Bailey. He wasn’t at the bottom of the stairs.  I heard him barking.  I ran down the stairs. Bailey was barking at the Jeep heading out of the driveway.

“Bailey! Come Bailey, come!” I yelled. “Let’s go upstairs.”

Bailey ran back to the doorway and continued to bark. “Good boy Bailey, good boy.”  I knew I should heed Bailey’s warning. 

The phone was ringing. I looked at caller ID. It was Mona.

“Hi Mona, whatcha up to?”  I said pulling my running shoes off, stretching my legs out and twisting my feet in circles.

“I’m lonesome, thought you might like to come over and christen my apartment over a glass of wine and a pizza.”

“I’ll be right over. I’m spooked and need to get out of here. I‘ll pick up a pizza, pepperoni okay with you?” I was scurrying to the bedroom for my jacket, slipped on my boots, grabbed my Glock and dropped it in my bag and headed out.

“Pepperoni is fine with me. Why are you spooked?”

“We’ll talk about it when I get there.”

I started toward the door and Bailey blocked me. “What’s up Bailey? Can’t a girl go out for the evening?”

He looked up at me and barked, ran to the new bag of dog food.

“Bailey, I was so upset with the woman and the Jeep I forgot to feed you.”

I put the water dish in the sink and turned on the faucet. I put the food dish on the counter and open the large bag of dog food. The makers of the dog food furnished a big scoop. I filled it full a couple of times and filled Bailey’s dish. I threw a couple of chew treats on his big pillow in the living room. Set the dog food on the floor. Turned off the faucet, poured a little water from the water dish and set it on the floor. Bailey slurped a lot of water and started on the dog food.

“Looks like you are content. I’ll be back later. You guard the apartment.”

I grabbed my handbag, threw the strap over my shoulder and headed out the door. I locked the door behind me and headed down the stairs.  I ran to the Blazer, jumped in locked the doors and headed for the Mia’s Pizza. I pushed the appropriate number for Mia’s Pizza.

“Mia’s Pizza, can I help you?” A lovely young voice came over the air waves.

“Yes, I’d like a large pepperoni pizza.”

“Will there be anything else?”

“No, Thank you.”

The pizza was ready when I got to the parlor.  A nice young man took my money. Another open the pizza  oven and pulled out my pizza, put it in a box and slid it across the counter. I took the pizza and used my butt to open the swinging door.  The door opened wide causing me to almost drop the pizza. I was face to face with the big woman from the park. I wanted to ignore her but didn’t know how to be rude.

“Hello, we meet again.” She said with a smile as she held the door open.

“Yeah, we meet again.”

I continued to the car, pushed my fob unlocking the door. I opened the door and tossed the pizza to the passenger side of the Blazer. Hopped in the rig, inserted the key and looked up. The woman was standing at my door with my handbag in her hand.

“In your haste you forgot your handbag on the barstool.” I reluctantly pushed the button for the window to go down. I reached for my handbag, she pulled back on it.