Chapter 29
Jolene helped me down the stairs—muttering something about how angry Dr. Longo would be if she knew I wasn’t on the couch with my foot elevated—while Sarah carried my crutches.
We were leaving later than planned because I’d needed to change out of my pajamas and it had taken longer than anticipated to get a brush through my hair.
I’d feigned surprise when the brush got stuck for the third time, and Jolene had commented that it didn’t look like my hair had been brushed in days.
Jolene opened the rear passenger-side door for me. I looked into the open door and spotted a large cardboard box with untaped flaps resting on the seat next to the opposite window. “What’s that?” I asked.
She followed my gaze. “Oh, right. I forgot that was there. I can bring it upstairs if you like, but I think the backseat’s big enough for both of you.”
“Don’t worry about it. There’s plenty of room, and it gives me something to lean against.” I crawled headfirst into the backseat and made myself comfortable, with my leg propped up along the seat.
The seat belts in the back had long since disappeared into the crevice at the rear of the seat, and I didn’t have a door handle to hold on to. I just kept reminding myself that I was in a steel tank, and that because of the holiday there were fewer people on the road for Jolene to hit.
During the drive, Jolene shared stories from her visit to Mississippi, and she even sprinkled Jaxson’s name in several times.
She seemed her usual bright and cheerful self instead of the heartbroken mess I’d half expected to see.
She didn’t mention Carly and Jaxson’s engagement party, either, and I certainly wasn’t going to bring it up and spoil her mood.
When she took a sharp turn, I heard the sound of multiple objects shifting in the box behind my back. “Hey, Jolene—what’s in the box? And if it’s from your grandmother’s funeral home, I don’t want to know.”
“It’s actually from Trevor. He gave it to me before we left for Thanksgiving. He asked me to keep it in my car for safekeeping and said that he’d get it back from me when I returned.”
“Like, specifically in your car? Did he tell you what was in it?”
“Yes—he didn’t want me to go to the trouble of bringing it up to the apartment, and he said it would be fine in the backseat.
And he didn’t say what was in it, just that it’s odds and ends from the storeroom at the Past Is Never Past. He’s tired of straightening the shelves and then seeing the next day that Henry has gone in and made a mess and poor Trevor can’t find anything and Christopher blames it on Trevor—at least that’s what Trevor thinks.
So he decided to mess with Henry by taking some of the personal items that Henry has left in the storeroom and in the desk and putting them in a place where Henry will never find them. ”
I grinned. “Trevor is a genius. Bubba is the perfect hiding place, since Trevor knew you’d be driving to Mississippi for Thanksgiving. So, what’s next? The stuff magically reappears and sends Henry over the edge?”
“That’s the plan.” Jolene glanced over her shoulder at me. “We shouldn’t be laughing, but it is funny. Henry does seem to enjoy antagonizing poor Trevor. I don’t blame the boy for wanting a little mild-mannered revenge on his tormentor.”
“Just as long as Henry doesn’t find out who’s behind it. I think he has a mean streak, and I wouldn’t want to see Trevor hurt in any way.”
Jolene bumped over the curb in front of Honey and Joan’s house. “We’re here.” After exiting the car, she retrieved my crutches from the cavernous trunk before opening my door.
“Hey, look.” Sarah pointed out a gray Honda sedan pulling away from the opposite curb two houses down. “They’ve got South Carolina plates. Do you think Mom and Dad are keeping tabs on us?”
The car passed us, traveling slowly enough that I recognized the two occupants I’d spotted when Cooper and I had been looking at the house. “Not unless you let slip that you weren’t in Mississippi,” I said as Jolene handed me my crutches.
As I watched the car continue down the street, I felt sure that it was the same gray Honda I’d seen before.
“You look like someone just walked over your grave,” Jolene said.
“I have no idea what that means.” I indicated the moving car. “Have you seen that car before?”
She peered after it, squinting her eyes to see it better before shaking her head. “I could have, but it’s not that memorable, you know? Not like a red 1967 Ford Mustang. Now, that’s a car people remember.”
“Speaking of which, can we talk about that? I’ve had a lot of time to think since my accident, and I don’t think I’m ready for a car of any kind, much less a classic like—”
“Oh, look.” Jolene waved in the direction of the house. “Honey’s at the door. Let’s not keep her waiting. It’s getting chilly.” She gave an exaggerated shiver, then led the way to the front walk.
I’d reached the front steps before I realized that Sarah wasn’t with us. I turned to find her tapping her fingers against the peacock brooch on her sweater while staring at a window on the left side of the house. “Are you okay?”
She was humming a familiar tune, ABBA’s “Fernando,” her lower lip clenched between her teeth. Slowly, her eyes drifted down to meet mine. “Sure. But let’s not stay too long, okay?”
“You got it. This should be quick, but just in case, give me a signal if you need to leave. I’ll say my ankle’s hurting or something and we need to go, all right?”
Honey met us at the door, yellow and green paint drops in her hair and on her oversized shirt.
A finger smear of orange paint blazed across one cheek, and Zeus perched on her shoulder, his dark eyes watching us calmly.
“Come in, come in. I’m sorry that you just missed Joan.
She has a standing appointment at the beauty parlor every other Friday so she couldn’t stay. ”
“No worries. We won’t stay long.” I turned and pointed to the house where we’d spotted the car pulling away from the curb. “Do you by chance know anyone on the street who owns a gray Honda sedan? Maybe new neighbors from South Carolina?”
“A gray Honda?” She shook her head. “Not that I know of. Besides, isn’t Honda the most popular car brand in America? You probably see them everywhere.”
“Probably. Just thought I’d ask. I’ve seen what I think is the same car enough times to notice.”
“It’s just coincidence,” Honey said, her smile cracking the dried paint on her cheek.
Sarah and I looked at each other, raising our eyebrows like our dad did whenever someone brought up a coincidence.
Honey opened the door wider and stepped back into the foyer so my crutches and I would fit. I introduced Honey to Sarah and Jolene before indicating the bird on Honey’s shoulder. “And this is Zeus. I don’t think you’ve met him before, either.”
Sarah eyed Zeus warily, as if he were a copperhead instead of a harmless avian.
“Right,” I said, staring at the bird with apprehension. I remembered him going into attack mode when Beau had taken Annabelle from my backpack during our visit.
Honey smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sarah. And, Nola, I’m so glad you reached out. I initially thought it was to tell us about the doll.”
“Excuse me?”
“Lynda’s baby doll. We’ve been hoping to hear if Mimi had had a chance to examine it yet.” Honey closed the door behind us.
I exchanged a glance with Jolene. “She’s, um, not done examining it yet. Her daughter-in-law’s funeral was the day before yesterday.”
“Of course. I did read about that in the paper. I hope they find out who was responsible so the family can get some closure. Joan and I know exactly how that feels, of course. An unsolved murder and missing loved ones are difficult burdens, aren’t they?
And here you are, in the middle of both.
I suppose there’s some sort of reason for that, don’t you? ”
“Probably,” Sarah said at the same time I said, “I doubt it.”
“Your house is lovely.” Jolene began walking toward the living room with the large picture window, its wide sill covered with framed family photographs.
“Is your Beau not with you today?” Honey asked, following Jolene.
“He’s not my Beau,” I clarified. “And no, it’s just us today.”
“Well, that’s a relief, because I’m not dressed for male company. Joan doesn’t approve of my artistic endeavors, so I choose times when she’s not here to work in peace. May I offer you anything to eat or drink?”
“No, but thanks. I promise we won’t keep you. As Sarah mentioned on the phone, we’re on our way to the house on Esplanade, so we won’t stay long. This could have been a quick phone conversation, but if you don’t mind, I also want to look at your framed photos again.”
“Of course,” she said. She fluffed a cushion on the couch and gestured for me to sit. “Sarah told me about your ankle, and I’m so sorry. And I’m sure your doctor has told you that you should be keeping it raised as much as possible.”
“It’s more trouble to get up than to sit down, so if it’s all right with you, I’ll remain standing so I can make my way around the room.”
Jolene shook her head and wore her bless your heart expression. “Just in case you couldn’t tell, Nola has terrible listening skills, but we love her anyway.”
Honey laughed. “I believe my sister shares the same affliction.”
My phone beeped with a text from Beau. We need to talk.
I closed my screen without responding and placed my phone in my back pocket. Hobbling over to the windowsill, I said, “I don’t know if you’ve been told yet, but the coroner’s office has had a chance to investigate the bloodstain found under the rug in the upstairs room.”
Honey clutched a strand of chunky turquoise stones at her neck. “Yes. They let us know that it was too old to be useful to the investigation.”