Chapter 28 They’re Multiplying
They’re Multiplying
Havoc
My body protests as I make my way to the kitchen in search of coffee. This was night two of almost no sleep. Between that woman next door and these drug dealers, I’m going to need so much coffee today.
“Morning, Dad.” Creed is way too cheerful this morning.
“Mornin’.”
“Rough night?”
I yawn.
“Coffee is made. I’ll make us some breakfast.”
“How did I get such a good kid?”
Creed shrugs. “Don’t know. Ask Bishop. He taught me to make coffee.”
“Very funny.” I fill my mug up and take a seat at the island.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Did you try talking to Greer yesterday?”
That boy isn’t going to leave the topic of the hot neighbor alone. “No. Yesterday was a busy day.”
Creed starts cracking eggs with one hand like a trained chef. He did learn that from Bishop. I still use two hands to break them.
“Can I ask you something?”
If it’s about Greer, no. “Sure.”
“There was something odd Greer asked me the other day, and it got me thinking.”
I so don’t want to know. “What?” This coffee needs to work faster.
“She asked if my school had a lot of formal dances.”
That is strange.
“The thing is, we don’t. Prom is about the only school dance of the year. And that is only for juniors and seniors.”
“You’ll get there soon.”
Creed shakes his head and stirs the eggs up. “It’s not that. Other high schools have a ton of dances. We have none.”
And? What is he getting at? I wait for Creed to figure out his thoughts.
“Dances are a quintessential high school experience. Just like sports. We’re missing out on that.”
They’re also the cause of most teen pregnancies and the spread of STDs. “Do you want that to change?”
Creed stops and turns to me. “I think so. It’s not like I have anyone to go with. But still, I think we should have the option to go.”
The boy is right. School dances weren’t my favorite part of high school—that was shop class—but I didn’t hate them either. “I’ll have a conversation with your principal.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
I nod and go back to staring at my coffee mug. Why did Greer ask that? And why didn’t I notice that before?
“Dad, whatever it is, you should go talk to her about it.” Creed scoops scrambled eggs onto two plates. “She’s a really nice woman. I’m sure you can work whatever it is out.”
For a nice woman, she sounded pretty determined. “That’s not an option.”
The silent alarm goes off. There’s a car outside. I jump on any distraction from this train of conversation and flip on the security cameras.
There isn’t one car. There are two limos and a town car standing in front of Greer's house.
“What do you think is going on there?” Creed stares at the screen.
“No idea.”
Drivers—at least I think they’re drivers, a couple of them look like they’re packing—get out and open the backseat doors.
A woman steps out of each of the limos. One is dressed like a CEO who’s bored with the world. The other is in jeans, a t-shirt, and a pair of high-top sneakers. The women walk up to each other, chatting away as the door to the sedan behind them opens, and a woman in a 50s-style dress steps out.
She feels oddly familiar.
“Isn’t that The Cake Lady?”
That’s how I know her. “It is.”
“What’s she doing at Greer’s house?”
“No idea.” Maybe Greer is throwing a party.
One of the drivers hands a huge basket to the CEO as The Cake Lady bends over and takes a huge box out of the backseat of her car.
“It looks like they’re getting ready for a party.” Creed’s right. “It’s the middle of the week. And none of those people look cheerful or happy.”
“Whatever’s happening, it’s none of our business.” A cop car pulls up as I’m about to turn the screen off.
“Why’d a cop from Urbium drive all the way out here?”
That’s a really good question. “Don’t know.” But my eyes are glued to the screen like I was watching an alien landing on Earth for the first time.
Out of the driver’s side steps a long, lean woman in a pair of jeans with an okay-ish blouse—it flatters her figure but doesn’t look like she sold a kidney for it—and a lightweight jacket.
If I were a gambler, I’d bet she was a detective.
Instead of walking over to the other women, she loops around the car and reaches into the passenger seat.
“Are those bagels?” Creed spears his eggs with his fork but doesn’t take his eyes from the screen.
“They sure are.” This is nonsense. I click the screen off. “Whatever is happening is none of our business.”
“Well, that’s no fun.” He shoves the eggs into his mouth.
It isn’t, but it’s true. I don’t need to be wondering if those women are Greer’s friends. Nor do I need to wonder why they’re visiting her this morning. Was it a planned visit? Or did they just show up?
They have packages. There must have been some element of planning.
I stab my fork into my eggs, and the tines clink on the plate. Eggs that I have no interest in eating.
All signs lead me to believe Greer has female friends. As in plural.
Which is yet another thing I judged her wrongly for.
There’s a knock on my front door.
Creed raises an eyebrow at me. “I didn’t call anyone. Though we really shouldn’t keep all these hot women from the club.”
That boy is hilarious. Not.
Though Fly probably wouldn’t complain about a call. I flip on the front door camera.
Maddox!
I hop up and rush to the door. “Is something wrong?”
Maddox shakes his head. “No. Sorry. Mindy told me she was going to visit her friend this morning, and I insisted on driving her. I didn’t know you live next door to one of Mindy’s best friends.”
Best friends? Greer is best friends with Mindy?
“Hey, Maddox. It’s nice to see you.” Creed steps in. “Would you like some breakfast?”
“Nah, I already ate. But I’d love a drink.”
“How long has Mindy known Greer?” Creed asks as he pours Maddox some coffee.
“Since they were kids. They went to the same private school.”
“Your eggs are getting cold, Dad.”
Creed’s words pull me out of whatever that was. “That’s a long time for women.”
“Yeah, right. Those women are tight. Like ride or die. When Mindy was hurt, they all turned up. I don’t mean they sent flowers and visited her.
Those women dropped everything to get to her, then took care of her every step of the way.
Even with as rich as most of them are, they didn’t just hire a nurse and walk away.
They were by her side every step of the way.
Caring for her and making sure I stayed in line.
Winnie is the scary one of the bunch, but Greer…
there was something about her. This subtle power.
Like she was watching, and if I slipped up once with Mindy, she’d go feral. ”
Loyal.
Loving.
What did I do? “Why are they visiting Greer?”
“No idea. Mindy wouldn’t say. But I got the impression it was something really important.”
It’s not like I can just walk over and ask. Even after they leave.
Greer hates me.
My eyes move over to Creed. She loves Creed.
Creed looks up and meets my eyes. “Why don’t I go and ask?”
“That might not be the best idea. Women don’t usually like men interfering with get-togethers.”
“Good thing I’m not a man.” Creed hops up and walks out of the house.
Without hesitating, I flip on the security cameras.
“Nice setup.” Maddox’s eyes go to the screen.
“Thanks.”
“Do you always watch your neighbor’s house?”
And that just got weird. “I moved the cameras in that direction when the place was empty. Since she’s living there alone now…I…um…just like to make sure she’s safe over there.”
Maddox nods. “I watch Mindy too.”
Um, what? He thinks I like—“It’s not like that.”
Maddox smiles but doesn’t say a word.