Chapter 10 #2
Bonnie had draped old sheets from a center point in the miniature rafters and pulled them outward to cover the interior walls in draping white fabric.
Four odd table lamps occupied makeshift stands made of upturned milk crates and five-gallon buckets.
There were four mismatched patio chairs Christine recognized from various periods of Bonnie’s deck decor.
In the center, a round coffee table held a laptop, a stack of notepads, and a cupful of pens.
Against the left wall, a tray-table bore a coffeemaker with a fresh pot, that looked way too heavy for it.
A matching tray table held a lovely looking charcuterie board, a platter of fruit and crackers, and a stack of paper plates.
A corkboard hung on the back wall over the sheets.
It was covered in pushpins with brightly colored heads.
On the board was a photo of a pig labeled with a T right in the center—Mr. Terrence, no doubt.
Ten photos of question marks surrounded the pig, each attached with a length of red yarn. One of them was marked “Phone guy.”
Christine nodded at Bonnie. “She-shed meets murder lair. I approve.”
“I heard from him,” Bonnie said. “Look, look at this!” She handed over her phone. Christine frowned at it and tapped the play icon. The message played again. Diane leaned in to listen, then watched the video.
The audio ended. Christine scrolled down the remaining messages where Bonnie said she’d just realized and would return the phone, followed by his ominous reply. Too late.
“I don’t like that Rosa’s not here yet,” Bonnie said. “Remember how she got up in his face and kind of threatened him before she smashed the camera? What’s taking her so long?”
Diane shook her head, then stopped and looked up. “I hear a car,” Diane said. “That’s probably her.”
The three of them exited the shed and walked back around the house to the front, because Rosa wouldn’t know where to look for them. They walked across the green lawn, past the brick patio, and alongside the flowerbed border that surrounded the place, all cheerful with crocuses and snowdrops.
It wasn’t Rosa’s brown station wagon in the driveway, though. It was Sam’s big black SUV. Marina was with him and no one else.
“Where are the kids?” Bonnie asked. “Why are you back so soon?”
“Kids are fine, Mom,” Sam said.
Christine didn’t like the look in his eyes, and shifted her own to Marina, who gave an “it’s not good” shake of her head.
Sam took his mom’s hands and said, “Rosa’s been in an accident.”
“What?”
“Where is she?” Christine barked. “Is she alive?”
“Oh my gosh,” Diane cried, “we have to get hold of Jenna.”
Sam said, “Jenna’s being notified by another deputy. Rosa’s in the E.R.”
“I’m texting Jenna right now,” Diane said. Her thumbs were flying, and her phone whooshed.
Christine looked at her phone over her shoulder.
Diane: We’re on our way to pick you up. Do not drive by yourself.
Jenna: WTF are you talking about?
Jenna: Wait, a cop just came in. Why is there a cop here?
Diane: We’re on our way. We love you.
She pocketed the phone. “We can take my car. Go together.”
“Are you sure you’re okay to drive, Diane?” Sam asked.
“I’m so sorry, Bonnie,” Marina said. “And I’m sorry we haven’t talked. We need to.” That with a critical look at Sam. “I’d be happy to drive you.”
“No,” Bonnie said. And she’d said it too fast.
Diane closed a hand around Bonnie’s and sent Marina an apologetic look. “It has to be just us,” she said, and she was already turning and starting toward her crossover.
“I’ll bring my own car and get Jenna on the way,” Christine said. “I’m not sure we should all be in the same vehicle right now.”
Bonnie’s eyes widened, then shot to Sam’s. “What happened? What exactly happened to Rosa, Sam?”
“A truck ran a red light and T-boned her,” he said. “We just happened to be passing the same way as the EMTs arrived, and I recognized the car. I don’t know how badly she was hurt.”
Bonnie closed her eyes. Diane pulled her into motion. “Come on. We’re going. Now.” They hurried to the crossover and took off.
Christine looked at Sam. “Which side?”
“What?” he asked.
“She was T-boned. Which side of Rosa’s car did the bastard hit?”
“Driver’s side,” Sam said, lowering his eyes.
Christine swore a blue streak. “All right, go on, go do whatever you were doing.”
“I’ll get the kids,” Marina said. “You obviously need to get on this case for your mother, Sam. Find out whatever you can for her.”
“Yeah, yeah, I will. Thanks.”
“I’ll lock up the house,” Christine said.
“Thanks,” Sam replied. “I appreciate it.”
The two of them left. Christine walked around to the back yard and into Bonnie’s she-shed. She took the laptop and the dead man’s phone off the table, then switched off the power strip, closed the door, and replaced the padlock.
She went inside to lock Bonnie’s house before she started her drive to the hospital. When she came back outside, Jenna was getting out of a Lyft at the end of Bonnie’s driveway.
“I couldn’t wait,” Jenna said, and she ran straight into Christine’s arms.
“I’m glad.” Christine hugged the girl she loved like her own. “Come on, no time to dawdle.” And they went to Christine’s car.