Chapter 18
Liz popped the SUV’s rear hatch and carefully set Sunny the evil bunny on the ground.
Duchess, eager to escape her crate, scrambled out as soon as Liz opened the door. She gently placed her in the grass, staying close by while the small pup explored her new surroundings and future home. A light breeze cooled the morning air, ruffling the tufts of fur atop her head.
“Do you like farm life?” Liz grinned. “I figured you would be more of a city girl, Park Avenue, boutique shops, sidewalk cafés kinda pup.”
Duchess dashed forward and toppled over in a tuft of weeds. Unscathed and unfazed, she continued exploring, with Liz trailing behind.
They reached the corner of the house and Liz’s scalp tingled, a sure sign they were being watched. Her eyes were drawn to the small farm across the street and the minivan that was parked in the driveway. Christi was home.
The Shih Tzu circled around and stopped when she reached the bottom step.
“It’s a long way up for such a pint-sized pup.” Liz scooped her up, carried her to the top and set her back down.
While Duchess explored the landing, Liz hurried back to the SUV to grab Sunny. She slung her purse over her shoulder and wrapped both arms around the bunny’s base. It was heavier than she remembered.
She reached the landing and placed the bunny next to the front door. Fiddling with her phone, she pulled up the surveillance app Ruth had installed. It took several minor adjustments before Liz was satisfied with the position, making sure her nosy neighbor’s house was front and center .
She herded Duchess inside, where the fresh scent of Pine-Sol greeted them. Liz lingered in the doorway, reminding herself to focus on her blessings. Yes, the chateau needed a ton of work. Yes, it was a massive project, but it was her project. She could do whatever she wanted with it.
Toot. Toot.
Liz peered out the window and watched as Echo’s four-door sedan pulled into the driveway. Not stopping at the main house, she turned right and drove toward the mobile home.
She had finished filling Duchess’s food and water dishes when Echo and Teddy appeared on the back step. In fact, the pup was the first to notice them. She ran toward the door, pawing at Echo’s shoe until she set Teddy, Duchess’s sibling, on the kitchen floor.
“Isn’t that so sweet?” Liz’s throat clogged at their reunion, both barking and prancing excitedly .
“Just think,” Echo said, “Duchess and Teddy will be neighbors.”
Teddy caught sight of his sister’s food dish and made a beeline for it.
Liz added another handful of food and set the bag on the counter. “Did you finish your shift at the farm?”
“Yeah. I’ve been shopping,” Echo said. “I’m grateful for Paige’s generosity in letting me stay with her, but I’m ready to get out of her hair and move into my own place.”
“I don’t blame you. Floyd is installing surveillance cameras. In the meantime, I have my own.” Liz led Echo through the house to the front landing. She stopped in front of Sunny the evil bunny. “This is it.”
Echo wrinkled her nose. “This is your surveillance camera? ”
“I bought it from Ruth Carpenter, the one who installed your new door locks. She specializes in surveillance yard art.”
Echo leaned forward to study the bunny’s face. “His eyes are glowing green.”
“Don’t stare at them too long. Ruth said they’ll make you see double.”
Echo promptly looked away. She ran a light hand over the rabbit’s ear. “I never would’ve guessed.” She glanced over her shoulder and grinned. “You’re monitoring the neighbor’s house across the street.”
“I am. Ms. I’m-into-bird-watching-as-well-as-neighbor-watching is getting a taste of her own medicine. I’m sure she’ll figure out soon enough she’s being watched.”
“How does it work?”
Liz gave her a brief rundown and showed her the app.
“I have to admit, this is slick. ”
“And worth every penny if it works.”
Paige’s hippy van appeared. She honked her horn as she continued driving toward the mobile home. “Paige and I found some decent furniture at Thelma’s Thrift Shop in downtown Belhaven. She offered to drop it off.”
“That’s wonderful Echo. I’m happy for you.”
“I’m ready to move in today.”
“But…”
Echo lifted a hand. “I appreciate your concern and understand that if someone was shooting at the homeless people, it’s something I shouldn’t take lightly. I’ve dealt with my share of indigents living in Detroit. Sometimes those situations are self-imposed.”
“Meaning one or more of them may have been arguing, and the shooter was someone who was part of the group,” Liz guessed .
“It’s possible, and I’m willing to take my chances. The home has new door locks, thanks to Ruth. I have mace and a handgun, registered, permitted and all. I’m confident I can protect myself if I need to. Besides…” Echo motioned toward the neighbor’s house. “If Kravitz is comfortable strolling around your property when no one is home, then I would say I’m fairly safe.”
Echo had a point. The neighbor didn’t seem to mind living in the middle of nowhere while her husband traveled. She was an adult and fully able to decide about her own safety. “All right. You argue a strong case.”
“Hey, Liz.” A beaming Paige bounded up the steps and gave her a warm hug. “Oh, no.” She started giggling. “Please tell me you didn’t inherit Ruth’s evil surveillance bunny.”
“I didn’t inherit it. I bought it.”
“That thing gives me the creep-olas. ”
“It is…disturbing. I think it’s the nose, or perhaps it’s the beady green eyes. Either way, Sunny is going to keep an eye on the place,” Liz said. “Echo was telling me you picked some things up at Thelma’s Thrift Shop.”
“We did. She got some great deals on furniture. You should see what we found.” Paige and Echo led Liz to the van, crammed top to bottom with furniture.
A small dresser, faux leather futon, and folding table and chairs were in the back. Tucked along the sides was a decorative mirror and several pieces of wall art. “Echo snagged all of this for less than a couple hundred bucks.”
“I have some stuff in the basement I’m no longer using and was considering donating,” Liz said.
“I’m in pretty good shape, although I could use a few lamps and small appliances like a toaster and coffeemaker,” Echo said .
“Both of which I can confirm I have.” Liz offered to keep Teddy at the house while the women unloaded the furniture. Back inside, she found the pups cuddled together on Duchess’s doggie bed, both sound asleep.
Liz tiptoed closer, quietly snapping a picture of them before placing her phone on the counter.
Up first on her to-do list was to tackle cleaning the downstairs half bath, just off the formal living room. The porcelain pedestal sink was filthy, but in excellent condition. The toilet, sporting a cracked lid, was another story.
While Liz worked, she thought about the state police officer’s early morning surprise visit. Floyd never mentioned he’d been in contact with Deanna Andretti several times prior to her showing up at the house to discuss renovations.
Was there more to her husband and the dead woman’s relationship than Floyd was letting on ?
Even though they were newlyweds, Liz believed she knew her husband well enough to know if he was sneaking around behind her back. If he had wanted Deanna Andretti, he could’ve had her. Why bother marrying Liz if he was in love with another woman?
Perhaps Floyd had been the one to pursue, and Deanna hadn’t been interested. Liz quickly dismissed the idea. She had openly flirted with Floyd, right in front of Liz. No, the woman had been hot after her husband.
According to the officer, at least one of Deanna’s colleagues claimed Liz had threatened her. Telling the woman she wouldn’t know the difference between frumpy and chic if it punched her in the face was not a threat. Granted, it probably wasn’t the wisest thing to say, but she’d said it in a moment of anger.
Why would the colleagues tell the investigators that, unless one or more of them was trying to deflect suspicion away from themselves ?
Gloria and her friends were experts at digging in and getting to the bottom of mysteries, which made her wonder if Lucy and Margaret were having any luck with Tammi.
A nagging concern flitted through Liz’s mind. Was she making a mistake by entertaining the idea of hiring Becky Kiefer? What if she was the one who had strangled Deanna? She had motive and opportunity.
But then, so did Tammi if she was actually a partner, although as far as she knew, that wasn’t the case. There was still the mysterious third “colleague,” Carol Wright, who was flying under the radar. Whatever the case, Deanna had angered someone enough to kill her. The woman’s death was a sobering reminder no one knew how much time they had left on earth.
Ting…tingle. Liz’s cell phone alerted her to the surveillance camera’s activity. She sprang to her feet and ran toward the side of the house, thinking it was probably Paige or Echo .
Agh! A woman’s shrill scream filled the air.
Liz changed directions and made a mad dash down the long hall. She flew through the foyer and flung the front door open, her eyes darting back and forth, envisioning either Paige or Echo being attacked by a wild animal.
A sudden movement close to the drainage ditch that ran along the front of the property caught her eye. A woman with short blond hair was sprawled out on the ground. A pair of binoculars were wrapped around her neck.