Euphoria Lane (23 page)

Back at Euphoria, Andi had just asked Luke to drop her off at the mailboxes when they spotted Meg and Roxie engrossed in conversation.

“What’s up?” Andi asked the founders of the anti-board.

“We were discussing Harry and Valerie,” Meg shared.

One of the women in Valerie’s water aerobics class approached with a mail key in her grip.

“We should take this conversation inside,” Roxie announced after blowing a series of smoke rings. “Let’s go to Andi’s. I assume you have refreshments.”

Refreshments?
She imagined Roxie ate whatever the local bars served. “We have chips and sodas. And maybe some peanuts.”

“Sounds good to me.” Meg bounced ahead, greeting Valerie’s friend along the way. The other woman snubbed her with a lift of her chin into the air. The rumor mill must have blamed the anti-board for the destruction of Valerie’s marriage.

Andi stepped around Roxie to avoid a similar encounter with the woman. She rummaged through her purse for her key as they strolled along the private street that circled the property. Reaching the path to her front door, she spotted an object hanging from the knob. “What in the . . .”

Meg grabbed her shoulders. “Don’t touch it. It could be a bomb.”

Cautiously, Andi stepped closer. A Suzie-Pees-and-Spits doll hung from a noose tied to the doorknob. Red liquid oozed from the rope tied around her neck, down her yellow pajamas, and onto the cement. A note printed on plain white paper stuck to her lace collar with the help of a straight pin.

Roxie marched past the women in her neon pink spandex jumpsuit and bent to read the note. “Stop investigating or else.”

“Or else what?” Meg asked.

Andi looked at her in disbelief. “Or else I’ll be the one peeing and spitting.”

“Oh.” Meg tightened her grip on Andi’s arm.

Andi stared at the Suzie doll dangling from the front doorknob with drool collecting in its plastic mouth. Her stomach lurched. “I guess I should call the police.”

She scanned the area for any sign of the psycho who had left the message. Not seeing anyone, she inserted her house key into the knob, doing her best not to touch the doll.

Meg turned to Roxie. “Get your Taser ready. The killer could be hiding inside.”

Andi pictured a dark-dressed man jumping at her in the foyer with a rope gripped tight in his hands. “Maybe we should stay put. We can call the police from out here on a cell phone.”

Roxie held her Taser high. “Don’t be a chicken. I’ve gotcha covered.”

Andi recognized the look in Roxie’s eyes. That woman was going inside if she had to shove Andi out of the way.

“Okay. You two stand back.” Andi turned the knob while waiting for Meg to find cover behind bushes. She kicked the door open and yelled, “Private detective! You’re under citizen’s arrest!” She jumped sideways, out of firing range, and waited.

Meg giggled a whisper. “That should scare him.”

Seconds ticked by and Roxie grew more impatient. “If you’re inside, you better show yourself!”

“Yeah!” Meg yelled. “I have a screwdriver and I’m not afraid to use it!”

Nothing. Not even the sound of a ticking clock.

Roxie barged in, Taser first.

Meg stuck close to Andi as she searched the main living quarters, the bedrooms, bathrooms, and then finally, the garage.

No one lurked inside. No one besides the three of them. Andi suddenly realized her childhood dream had come true. They were Charlie’s Angels. It didn’t matter that Roxie was one drink away from a nursing home for the bizarrely dressed and criminally insane. Nor did it matter that Meg was a stress-eating Chihuahua. Nor did it matter that Andi herself was a cookie-baking, part-time detective who was bad at lying. They were three women investigating a murder. Life was good—at least for the moment.

Roxie placed her Taser on the kitchen counter. To keep the good guys safe, Andi snatched the Taser and hid it in the china cabinet before calling 911.

After the police took their report and left, Andi opened the freezer door to make lunch for her friends. The threat left by the killer had taken at least five years off her life. Eating would help her think and settle her nerves. Now she understood Meg’s stress eating.

It was only a matter of time before Jessie heard about the threat. Her friends at the police station would make it their business to make sure she knew. Andi wasn’t looking forward to finally confessing that Doctor Owens had hired them either. That conversation would prove interesting.

Surprise! You have another case I didn’t tell you about
.

She could already see the look of disapproval on her sister’s face. It would resemble the one her father had given her on many occasions.

Jessie would waste no time yanking her off both cases. When she moved to Euphoria, all she had wanted was to teach and bake cookies.

How did I get dragged into the middle of a murder mystery? Oh yeah, I threw the trash out and found a dead body, that’s how. And Lenny sold Jessie the agency sooner than expected and she didn’t have the time to work cases with her undercover assignment in full swing.

Andi felt sorry for Reverend Nichols. And Doctor Owens was willing to pay a huge reward for finding his wife and his money. One thing had led to the next. Now Jessie would ban her from agency work and her life would go back to normal. Regret spread throughout Andi’s chest and her shoulders drooped.

She realized she enjoyed playing part-time detective. Her blood pressure couldn’t handle it as a full-time gig, but she wouldn’t have minded doing a bit of undercover work during school breaks. Just enough to pay for a vacation every once in a while. Now she doubted her sister would even let her file paperwork.

With her thoughts back on lunch, she moved a container of leftovers aside in the freezer and a pack of hot dogs fell out. They landed on the tile with a clack. Staring down at the flesh-colored links, she was reminded of the sausages littering the vet’s garage. She couldn’t shake the feeling that both the freezer and the bleach were important clues.

Could Tess have killed Bernice in the garage, hidden the body in the freezer, and then dragged it over to the house after everyone had gone to sleep?

After speaking to the Owens’ former neighbor and seeing the house burned to the ground, Andi had a list of questions to ask the veterinarian. Correction, she used to have a list. She would never get to ask her questions because Jessie was sure to pull her from the case.

Andi shoved the hot dog package back in the freezer and grabbed a bag of frozen chicken nuggets.

“So,” Meg began, “you must be getting close to figuring things out. The killer wouldn’t be threatening you unless you’ve scared him.”

“Or her.” Roxie opened the refrigerator and scanned the contents. “You going to hang up your microscope?”

“Magnifying glass,” Meg corrected. “Sherlock Holmes had a magnifying glass.”

“I don’t think I have a choice,” Andi interjected, pushing the “Preheat” button on the oven. She still couldn’t tell them Jessie owned the agency. “I suppose Lenny will pull me off the case now that there’s been a threat made on my life.” She dumped the frozen nuggets on a cookie sheet. “I hate just sitting around when I could be helping.”

“Better than being dead.” Meg opened the drawers until she found the one where the napkins were stored and headed to the dining room table with a handful. “But . . .” she called over her shoulder, “if you insist on living dangerously, there has to be a way you can continue your investigation without the killer finding out. Or your boss.”

“You’re both wimps.” Roxie shook her head in disgust. “Find the killer and Lenny will have to give you a big raise. I’ll help. You only live once. Make it a life worth living and do it with a great hairdo.” She nudged her teased hair with her fingers.

Meg returned to the kitchen. “I’m in. No spitting and peeing doll is going to scare me off. Besides—we’re a great team.” She sent Andi a hesitant smile. “But it is your life. It’s your choice. We’ll respect your wishes.”

“No. If you don’t stay on the job, I’ll lose all respect for you.” Roxie leaned against the kitchen counter and glanced from one woman to the other. “Now let me tell you about the treasure I found.”

Andi placed the chicken in the oven and set the timer. “Do tell.”

Smirking, Roxie reached into her cleavage with her hot pink press-on nails and pulled out a small pastel-pink piece of note paper. “I wrote down this number last night.”

Andi stepped closer and read. “Ear pieces. 1-800―”

“They’re for eavesdropping,” Roxie explained.

“I saw that commercial,” Meg chimed in. “You can hear conversations from down the street.”

Andi grinned. The possibilities for such a device were endless.

“That’s it! You are off the case!” Jessie jumped up from the living room sofa.

“That’s what the killer wants,” Andi argued.

“And that’s what the killer is going to get.” Jessie marched over to the phone. “Owens must have told his wife that he hired you.”

“So you think Tess killed Bernice?”

“Yes, but the detectives in charge still think they can pin it on the reverend.” She picked up the receiver. “He had the strongest motive. He inherits over a million dollars between life insurance policies and her assets. Bernice owned five rental homes.”

“Who are you calling?”

“Dad.”

Andi unplugged the phone cord from the jack in the wall. “Don’t! Please.”

Jessie snatched her cell phone off the dining room table. “You’re my sister. I’m not going to put your life at risk. You’re staying with Mom and Dad until this is over. I can’t
believe
you promised Doctor Owens you’d find his wife.”

“I am
not
going home.” Andi knocked the phone out of her sister’s hand and caught it high in the air. She was not going to hide out in her old bedroom, hugging her Bon Jovi pillow for comfort. She had to think fast. “Compromise: I’ll quit working for Doctor Owens
after
I ask him a few more questions, then you can take over. Those questions will help prove Tess’s innocence or guilt. And I won’t be able to think about anything else until I have the answers.”

“
I’ll
ask the questions,” Jessie stated, ignoring the fact she didn’t have extra time to investigate another case.

“You can’t, you’re undercover. Besides, I’m not afraid,” Andi lied.

“You’ve been afraid to throw the trash in the dumpster since you found that woman’s body.”

“Oh yeah?” Andi pocketed the phone, strode to the kitchen trashcan, and yanked out the bag. Fear rose into her chest, but she refused to let it take control. This time, determination was going to beat her trepidation.

She pulled open the door and stomped to the dumpster.

I will do this. No stupid metal box is going to defeat me.

Reaching the gate, she unlocked the door and swung it open. Shaking with fear, she quickly pushed open the lid and tossed the bag inside. Wasting no time, she returned to the condo. Her sister was waiting outside the door.

“Happy? I threw the trash out. Now let me do this one thing. You owe me. I was there when you needed me.”

“I’m sorry. I’m interrupting.” Luke stepped out of the shadows.

She’d been so intent on proving she wasn’t afraid, she failed to notice his arrival.

Jessie planted her hands on her hips. “You can talk to Doctor Owens one last time, to wrap this up,
if
you take Luke with you, but then you’re telling
Lenny
that you’re quitting your job. Deal?”

She shot Luke a warning look. He could not reveal the fact he knew Jessie was the current Lenny. Luke rubbed his chin, obviously annoyed that Andi was now keeping secrets from her sister.

Andi rolled her eyes. Why couldn’t her sister let her finish what she started without bringing Luke into the mix?

“Deal.”

Luke persisted as he walked beside Andi. “I heard about the doll. It sounds like Tess may be watching you.”

“I started this investigation. I want to finish it.” Andi quickened her steps, keeping her notebook close to her side. “Besides, despite popular opinion, I
can
take care of myself.”

“You are up against a crazed murderer. It would be prudent on your part to keep your friends close.”

“You mean the crazy anti-board?” She slanted a look his way.

“I would put my money on Roxie over Tess any day.” He continuously scanned the landscape, searching for signs of Tess. “Are you going to keep your promise to your sister and stop investigating after you speak to Doctor Owens?”

“I’ll stop hunting for Tess,” she said matter-of-factly.

“What aren’t you saying? I remember that look. You have something up your sleeve.”

“Nothing,” she claimed, not so innocently. “I just plan to keep my eyes open for the reverend’s sake. He’s innocent.”

Luke knew keeping her eyes open would lead to trouble. He stopped and waited for her to turn around. “Andi, please be careful. I just found you again. I don’t want to lose you.”

She pressed her hand against his chest, then leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “Thank you for caring.”

He stood, stunned, watching her march on. He would not allow anyone to harm the woman he loved. Realizing he still loved her revitalized him. He jogged to catch up with her. They exchanged warm smiles that promised more kisses in their future.

Luke pressed the doorbell, and they waited impatiently.

Doctor Owens opened the door a few inches—with the chain still attached. “Miss Stevenson? I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon.” He made quick work of removing the chain. “Did you find Tess?”

“Not yet. I’m here because I need to speak with you.” She rubbed her temple as if she debated whether she should tell him about the Suzy-Pees-and-Spits hanging from a noose. “Mr. Ryder here was walking the premises and asked to join me.”

She shot Luke a look that said, “Don’t interfere.”

“I wanted to see how you were doing,” Luke explained, wondering how long the doctor planned to keep them waiting outside.

“Did something happen?” Doctor Owens motioned them inside, ignoring Luke’s comment.