Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter
Thirty-Three
Theo knocked on the door to Minnie and Yolanda’s second-floor apartment.
“What’s the plan?” I whispered.
“Just follow my lead,” she said.
I sent an uneasy glance at Jemma, but she appeared unconcerned.
The door opened before I had a chance to voice any misgivings.
“Yes?” Yolanda took in the sight of the three of us.
She was a tall and wiry woman with fair but weathered skin, short brown hair, and brown eyes.
She didn’t smile at us, but I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen her smile.
While Minnie was friendly and talkative, Yolanda—in my experience—liked to keep to herself.
I forced a smile and tried to come up with a greeting, but whatever words I might have settled on dried up in my throat. There was something about Yolanda’s penetrating stare that I found intimidating.
“Hi, Yolanda,” Theo said, sounding completely natural and casual. “Is Minnie in?”
“Not right now,” she replied, her words clipped.
“Do you know where we can find her?”
Yolanda’s eyes narrowed. “What’s this about?”
“We have some questions about art,” Theo said.
“On Livy’s behalf,” I said at the same time that Theo added, “I’m writing a paper on art history.”
I bit my lip as Theo flicked a glare in my direction.
She melded our lies together. “I’m writing a paper on art history, and Livy is working on a multimedia project. We were hoping Minnie could give us some ideas.”
Yolanda’s gaze slid to Jemma.
“I’m just along for the ride,” my bestie said with a smile.
Yolanda stared at the three of us for another two seconds before speaking again. “She’s at the gym. She won’t be home until this evening.”
“Emersyn’s thinking of joining a gym,” Jemma piped up.
“I am?”
My friend discreetly jabbed an elbow into my ribs.
“Yes,” I amended quickly. “I am.”
“Which gym does Minnie use?” Jemma asked.
Yolanda’s eye twitched. “Ultimate Beast.”
Jemma nudged my arm. “I’ve heard good things. You should try it, Emersyn.”
“Ha!” I cut off my burst of laughter and tried to adopt a serious expression. “Right. Maybe I will.”
“Thanks, Yolanda,” Theo said.
Yolanda appraised us with her brown eyes once again before shutting the door.
“So, I guess we wait till this evening to talk to Minnie,” I said as we headed for the elevator.
“Where’s your sense of urgency?” Theo asked. “Do you want to end up in jail?”
“Minnie’s not here,” I reminded her.
“So go to her.” She said it like it was the most obvious idea in the world.
To me, it seemed like a flawed plan. “Wouldn’t it be weird for me to track her down at her gym and start grilling her?”
“Not if it seems like you’re there for another reason,” Jemma said, earning a nod from Theo.
“What reason would I possibly have for showing up at a gym called Ultimate Beast?” I asked as we reached the elevator.
Jemma and Theo exchanged a look before fixing their eyes on me.
“Oh, no. No way!” I crossed my arms over my chest, taking a firm stand. “I am absolutely not going to work out at Ultimate Beast.”
Unleash Your Inner Beast Mode!
The slogan plastered across the front window of the fitness center practically screamed at me as I stood on the sidewalk staring at the gym’s facade.
“This is a bad idea,” I said to Jemma.
She took me by the elbow and dragged me toward the gym’s front door. “Get a move on. Mrs. Nagy can only babysit Livy for another two hours.”
“But how can you work out with me when you don’t have any gear?”
I’d only agreed to the plan—if caving to Theo and Jemma’s combined pressure could be considered agreeing—because Jemma promised to come with me.
She’d raided my closet before leaving the Mirage and had cajoled me into changing into burgundy leggings with a matching burgundy-and-pink sports bra that I’d bought more than a year ago when I thought I’d give yoga a try.
I lasted exactly one class and hadn’t worn the clothes since.
Now I stood shivering, huddled in the cute but inadequate jacket I wore over the outfit.
Jemma waved off my question with a flick of her hand. “I can buy something to wear. These places always sell branded clothing and fitness accessories.”
As soon as we stepped into the lobby, I saw that she was right.
To our left was a small store area with everything from T-shirts and leggings to water bottles and resistance bands.
Straight ahead, a highly toned and perky woman with flawless sienna skin and a swishy black ponytail stood behind a sleek desk, wearing a wireless earpiece with a small microphone attached.
Emblazoned on the wall behind her was the slogan Train Like a Beast. Become the Ultimate You.
“I so do not belong here,” I whispered to Jemma.
The perky woman smiled at us as Jemma pushed me forward. “Welcome to Ultimate Beast. Can I help you with anything?”
I took a step backward. “Actually, we’re in the wrong—”
Jemma took my arm and propelled me closer to the desk, speaking over me. “We’re interested in becoming members, but we want to try things out first.”
“Of course!” The name tag on the woman’s hot-pink sports bra said Jazz. “We have guest passes available. For one day, one week, or one month.”
“Let’s start with one day,” Jemma said. “Do you have any brochures?”
“Right here.” Jazz gestured at a display of brochures like she was channeling Vanna White.
Jemma snatched one up. “I’ll take a quick look.”
As she opened the shiny pamphlet—adorned with fit, toned people with gleaming white smiles—she wandered away.
A hallway led deeper into the building, and in the lobby there were two large interior windows, one looking into a weight room and another with a view of a large area filled with stationary bikes.
A dozen or so sweaty but gorgeous men and women were in the middle of a spin class.
Every single one of them could have worked as a fitness model. Maybe some of them did.
I really didn’t belong here.
“I’ll need you to fill out a form.” Jazz tapped a small sign. “If you scan this QR code, the form will come up on your phone. Otherwise, I can get you a paper one.”
“Digital is fine.” I scanned the code and glanced over at Jemma as I filled out the form on my phone.
She’d wandered first into the store area, but now she stood by the window with a view of the weight room.
The phone on the desk rang, so Jazz excused herself and answered it.
With the form half filled out, I crossed the lobby to join Jemma.
“You need to get in the weight room,” she whispered. “Isn’t that Minnie over there?”
I took a closer look. Sure enough, my petite neighbor was working out on one of the rowing machines, clad in baby blue leggings and a matching racerback tank top.
“Why don’t we wait until she’s on her way out?” I suggested, loving the idea. “We can say we’re just arriving.”
“But who knows how long she’s going to be working out for? Time is ticking.” Jemma nodded at my phone. “Have you got that filled out yet?”
I went back to adding all my information.
Meanwhile, Jemma returned to the desk, where Jazz had finished her phone call.
When I’d completed the form, I hit the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
Jemma and Jazz were deep in conversation, and I wondered if it was a good idea to let my best friend speak with the woman alone. I hurried over that way.
To my relief, they were talking about their favorite nail salons.
“You’re all set,” Jazz said to me when I joined them.
“I am?” I looked to Jemma. “What about you?”
She gestured at her outfit of snug black pants, an equally snug top, and three-inch heels. “I can’t work out in these clothes.”
I took her arm and pulled her a few feet away from the desk. “You were going to buy an outfit,” I reminded her.
“Have you seen the prices on their stuff?” She slid my jacket off my shoulders.
I clutched her arm. “Jemma, you cannot abandon me.”
“I’d never do that.” She peeled my fingers from her arm. “I’ll be here cheering you on the whole time.”
“That’s not—”
“You’ll do great.” She spoke over me in what I guessed was meant to be an encouraging voice.
To me, her words sounded like a death knell.
She freed her arm from my trembling grip and whispered, “Go get ’em, Sherlock.”
Then she shoved me toward the Hallway of Doom.