Chapter 27
“Our first step is to set the stage for relaxation.” Eleanor hummed under her breath while unrolling an array of neon colored yoga mats.
Liz watched her space them evenly along the wall. “How many people are going to be relaxing?”
“I have one for each of us.” Eleanor counted heads.
“I’m in pretty good shape.” Ruth rolled her neck. “I find surveillance and sleuthing to be relaxing.”
“Not me,” Dot said. “My stomach is always in knots.”
Liz gave her a thumbs up. “We’re kindred spirits, Dot. I’m a nervous wreck.”
“I can always use some stress relief,” Gloria said. “Besides, Lucy swears by some of your new classes and I’ve been meaning to give at least one of them a try.”
“It certainly won’t hurt.” Eleanor stepped over the mats. “We need to set the mood with music. I find classical works best.”
“I have an Alexa over by my desk.” Liz turned it on and asked her to play classical music.
“Perfect. It’s precisely what I was looking for. Let’s get to it.” Eleanor settled onto the mat so that she was facing the others. “This is all about relaxation, relieving stress and focusing on tranquil, peaceful thoughts.”
Liz eased onto an empty mat, carefully placing her bag of ice on her ankle. “Even if this doesn’t work, thank you for trying, Eleanor.”
“You’re welcome.” Eleanor tapped the side of her forehead. “I believe most of what ails humans is linked to the brain. I have several techniques. The PMR method might work best for today’s session.”
“PMR,” Ruth echoed. “Progressive muscle relaxation.”
“Correct. An American physician introduced it back in the thirties. The idea is to alternate between relaxation and tension in each of the major muscle groups. I even had one of my attendees fall asleep during the class.”
“I could use a nap.” Lucy stifled a yawn. “I have a bad habit of falling asleep in front of the television. When I finally decide it’s time to get ready for bed, I’m wide awake.”
“Same here,” Margaret said. “I’ve been catching up on old episodes of the Love Boat.”
“I remember watching that show.” Dot stretched her legs. “I was in love with Doc.”
“I had a crush on Gopher,” Gloria said. “He was a real ladies’ man.”
“What about the captain?” Lucy asked. “I mean, who doesn’t love a ship’s captain?”
“Speaking of ship’s captain, I chatted with my cousin Millie the other day. She loves her job as cruise director.”
“Millie is living the dream,” Rose said. “Handsome husband, a dream job, cruising all over the world visiting exotic locations.”
“And not shoveling snow,” Ruth added. “A cruise sounds good right about now.”
Eleanor clapped her hands. “We’re getting sidetracked, however, you can hold that thought. If cruising sounds relaxing, focus your thoughts on ocean breezes and golden sandy beaches.” She began by having the women work their biceps and triceps.
Sure enough, Liz could feel herself relax, and the pain in her ankle lessened. The soothing music, focusing on her breathing, envisioning lounging on a beach, soaking up the sun, and listening to the waves roll onshore, was working its magic.
Maybe what she needed was a vacation. Working on the home’s renovations was a major undertaking, with workers showing up at all hours. It had been a long haul, yet worth every moment of organized chaos.
But it was over now and time to enjoy their many blessings. What better way to do it than to set sail on the open ocean?
Before she knew it, the class ended, and Liz’s body felt like warm pudding. “Your session was wonderful. Thank you. I feel so much more relaxed.”
Eleanor beamed. “I’m happy I could help.”
Liz slowly stood and put a small amount of pressure on her foot. Although it still hurt, her ankle was no longer throbbing. “My ankle feels better.”
“It’s amazing what the mind and body can do when you focus your energy in a positive direction.”
The women rolled the mats up and set them on the back porch.
Liz slowly made her way to the desk and pulled out her checkbook. “How much do you charge for one of these classes?”
“Forty dollars per person, but they’re an hour and a half long,” Eleanor said. “You got the condensed version.”
“So, a class of this length would be…”
“Maybe twenty-five bucks.”
“Sounds like a bargain.” Liz calculated the number of attendees and multiplied it by twenty-five. She finished writing the check and held it out. “This is for you.”
“I don’t want to take your money.” Eleanor shook her head. “I did it to help a friend.”
“And I appreciate it more than you know. However, you should be paid for your services. In fact, it’s probably not enough considering you gave us a private session.”
Eleanor hesitated.
“Go on,” Gloria said. “Take the check. Liz can afford it. You helped her. This is her way of saying thanks.”
“Liz is loaded,” Lucy chimed in. “I’m sure the check won’t bounce.”
“Very funny.” Liz grinned. “Please…take the check.”
Eleanor took it from her. “I’m glad I could help.”
“I’m glad you could too.”
While the women talked, Ruth settled in at the bar. “Everything is ready to roll. When do you want to get this mission underway?”
“The sooner the better,” Liz said. “I still need to come up with a plan about how I’m going to get Christi to come over here.”
Gloria pointed at her sister’s ankle. “You need help.”
“True. I could ask for her help.” Liz limped toward the window. “Is she still home?”
“Her minivan has been parked in the same spot since she almost caught us trying to sneak into her shed earlier,” Gloria said.
“She’s in for the long haul,” Liz sighed. “I’ll call her as soon as everyone is in position.”
Ruth shut her laptop and slid it into her backpack. “It’ll take ten minutes for us to skedaddle. It’ll be another ten for me to get everything set up and the drone ready for takeoff.”
“What if she spots the drone?” Liz asked.
“Hopefully, she doesn’t grab a gun and shoot it down,” Ruth joked. “I paid a pretty penny for that thing and I didn’t buy the extended warranty.”
“I’m not sure someone shooting it down would be covered under warranty,” Lucy said.
“True.” Ruth lifted her backpack and slid it on her shoulders. “If the drone gets damaged, I’m sure Liz will reimburse me.”
“How much was it?”
“Two and some change.”
“Two hundred dollars?”
“Thousand.”
Liz made a choking sound. “You paid two thousand dollars for it?”
“Yeah, and so far I haven’t regretted my investment.” Ruth tightened the backpack’s shoulder straps. “You won’t have to worry about it getting damaged if you keep Christi inside your house and away from hers.”
Margaret reached for her car keys. “How long will Liz need to keep her here?”
“I would say half an hour,” Gloria said. “If Lucy doesn’t have too much difficulty getting us inside the storage shed.”
“Do you remember what kind of lock it had?” Lucy asked.
Gloria and Liz exchanged a glance.
“I think it was a combination lock,” Liz said. “Although I can’t be certain.”
“It was,” Gloria confirmed. “I remember thinking there was no way I would be able to figure out the combination.”
Dot tapped Lucy’s arm. “Is it doable?”
“It is, but I’ll need a strong magnet, about five inches in diameter.”
“I might have one.” Ruth told them to hang on. She hurried out of the house and returned, waving a magnet in the air. “Will this work?”
Lucy turned it over in her hand. “Yes. I believe this will do the trick.”
“Let’s stay in communication, everyone except for Liz,” Ruth said.
“I’ll need some sort of confirmation when the coast is clear,” Liz said.
“Keep your phone handy.” Gloria patted her pocket. “I’ll send you a text when Lucy and I have cleared the area.”
“Okay.” Liz sucked in a breath. “Let me know when you’re ready for me to lure her over here.”
The women traipsed out of the house. Liz stood in the doorway, her anxiety ramping back up as the others climbed into their vehicles and drove off. What could possibly go wrong?