Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Rosa felt like absolute shit.
She’d closed the bookshop at five, ordered takeout for dinner, and faked her way through most of the meal with Jenna.
If not for the meeting with her besties, she’d have gone to bed and called it a night.
But Bonnie had the code for the dead man’s phone, and they had to be together to see what was on it.
She put on a double-breasted wool jacket in houndstooth, charcoal and white, and pulled on a white knitted hat. The evenings were still cold the first week in April, and it seemed like she felt it more lately than she ever had before.
Bonnie’s son Sam and his kids were looking at another house tonight, so Bonnie’s place would be empty for a few hours, and since Bonnie didn’t drive—could, just didn’t—it made sense for the others to go to her.
Rosa went out the back door and started up her trusty old brown Volvo.
It coughed a little, sending a ripple of fear through her, because she could not afford major auto repairs, much less a replacement.
But it started up, and she sighed in relief, deciding the car was just cold, like she was.
She turned on the heat, but not the fan.
Not till it warmed up. Then she backed out the driveway, turned right on Main, and headed for Bonnie’s cute little fairytale of a house, fifteen minutes from downtown.
Harry was sitting on the foot of the bed while Diane chose a long sweater from the closet and put it on in front of the full-length mirror.
“You really have to go?” Harry asked. “It’s nighttime, babe.” Usually seven was when they settled onto the sofa for an evening movie. They were always in bed by nine. Lately, not much had been happening from nine p.m. on.
“I know, hon,” she said. “But my friends need me.”
He frowned at her. His face was starting to droop like the human version of a basset hound. She loved every wrinkle and every sag, and she ran her hand over his cheek, then kissed it to tell him so.
“Bonnie again?” he asked.
“Bonnie, and Christine, and Rosa, too.” She took off the sweater and pulled on a wrap that was more like a sleeved cloak. Green with a leaf pattern, heavy silk, super warm. “She has something going on with her health, I think.”
“Rosa does?” Harry looked worried.
“Yes, and she’s lying to us about it, which worries me even more. Jenna asked us to try to find out what’s going on, but Rosa’s being evasive.”
“Maybe…it’s something embarrassing,” Harry said. She raised her eyebrows, met his eyes in the mirror, but he shifted them away. “She’ll tell you when she’s ready, I imagine. Might need some patience.”
She looked at him slowly. Was he giving her a clue about his own reluctance to talk about why he was avoiding her in bed? Was he embarrassed? Probably. Would he tell her when he was ready? Most likely that was exactly it.
Okay, patience, then.
She nodded in approval of her wrap, and then took a well-worn brown felt bucket hat from her closet shelf and dropped it on her head. Its brim almost touched the tops of her glasses. Spinning around and leaning down, she kissed Harry full on the mouth. “I love you, you know.”
He smiled crookedly. She adored Harry’s crooked smile. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she said. “And I think you’re right about Rosa. She’ll tell us when she’s ready. After all, if she can’t trust the people who love her most, who can she trust? Right?”
“Right,” he said, but he averted his eyes again. “So where are you all meeting?”
“Bonnie’s house. Sam’s out viewing another property so we’ll have the place to ourselves.”
“You could have this place to yourselves if you wanted. I could go putter in the workshop.”
“Or go see the boys for some evening golf,” she suggested. “You haven’t been in a couple of days, have you?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Haven’t felt like it.”
He sounded a little bit off, like a kid who didn’t get invited to the party everyone else was about to attend. “I’m sorry I have to go,” she said. “It shouldn’t be long.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “Have fun. I’ll leave the lights on for you.”
“You’d better, or I’ll trip in the dark and break a hip!” She kissed him again, and headed downstairs.
Christine got into the Beamer. Jeff had taken his phone with him for once.
He’d texted her to let her know he’d be home right after a few last-minute things at the office, and asking if she’d like him to pick up anything on the way.
She didn’t even tell him she was going out.
Let him be the one to worry about what she was up to for a change.
He had been attentive last night, though. He’d even seemed genuinely remorseful. Maybe he hadn’t been having an affair, after all. Or maybe he had, and had broken it off, and was trying to make up for it now. She didn’t know what to think.
He had been sweet to her, though. Brought home her favorite chocolates last night.
Had them hidden in his briefcase and presented them to her at bedtime.
And then he’d fed them to her one by one and turned the whole thing into a seduction.
They’d made love like they used to, when it was new, nineteen years ago.
Maybe they were going to be okay.
She hit the highway and headed north toward Bonnie’s place on the outskirts of Cortland proper. She was kind of excited. Bonnie had the code. They were getting into that phone tonight.
Bonnie stared in shock at the blackmailer’s dire message on her phone’s screen. Too late.
Fifteen-year-old Sadie came out the front door, ran to her, and said, “Gram, what’s wrong?”
“Ah-oh, uh, nothing. Scammers. You know.” She slid her thumb up the screen to shut it off. “Also, I’m panicking. The girls are coming over and I didn’t make any snacks.”
“Shoot, Grams, I can have some snacks here for you in no time. What’d you have in mind?” Sadie started flipping apps on her phone as she spoke, then looked up, thumb poised for action. “Pizza and wings?” she offered.
“How about a charcuterie board? Heavy on the veggies.”
Sally had joined them by then. She said, “See what DoorDash can find, Sade. It’s time we switched our location on there anyway.” Then, with a smile at Bonnie, “We’re new in town, you know.”
“My favorite new residents of Cortland,” Bonnie said. She fished a credit card from the wallet in the depths of her beach bag and handed it over. “I trust you completely. But aren’t you leaving to see another house soon?”
“Half-hour,” Sally said.
“Is your mom here?”
“Oh, um…yeah. Hang on, Gram, I gotta help Sadie finish your order.”
Sadie just kept tapping, but she turned and wandered back inside with her twin.
From the back, Bonnie couldn’t tell them apart.
They were petite cinnamon-brunettes with long, wavy hair.
From the front it was easy, though. Identical twins, yes, but Sally’s features were softer, more rounded, where Sadie’s were a bit more angular and defined.
Bonnie followed the kids inside.
“By the way,” Sadie said as she finished her grandma’s order, and handed back her card. “Dad says we’re leaving early to grab food on the way so you don’t have to worry about dinner. Have fun with your girlfriends, Grams.”
Sally said, “I think you hang out with your friends as much as I did with mine.”
“Aww. You miss them, I bet,” Bonnie said, and her heart hurt because her grandchild’s did, and that was how it worked.
“Yeah, but I still see ’em online and—shoot, Dad’s calling.” She turned and ran up the stairs. Sadie smiled and followed behind at a slower pace.
What the heck was going on with this family?
Rosa was driving along, only five miles to go. The radio was playing a song she loved, and she was doing a little of what she called “car dancing,” just bopping in her seat, and singing along, waiting for the light to change. It turned green, and she hit the gas.
Something appeared in her peripheral and she glanced left as she passed through the intersection.
The truck hit her broadside, right in the driver’s door.
There was a terrified instant when she knew it was going to but she never experienced it, just a burst of pain like white lightning exploding behind her eyes.
Christine said, “What the hell?” as Bonnie led her and Diane around her house and into the back yard, rather than letting them in the front door.
“There’s just no privacy in the house,” Bonnie said. “Not till Sam and the kids find a place.”
She stopped at her pretty little garden shed, red with white trim. It had a padlock on its door, and Bonnie unlocked it with a key she wore around her neck. “So I’ve been making us a spot out here. I told the family it was my personal space and strictly off limits. Keeping it locked as backup.”
Bonnie sounded funny, Christine thought.
Her voice wasn’t as soft as usual, but rather forceful.
The padlock sprang open and she removed it and swung the door outward.
Then she stepped on the switch in a power strip on the floor.
Every outlet was filled. The shed lit up, and Christine looked around, impressed.