CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE #2
With that, Kelisha opened her office door.
Both of us froze when we saw Nora Hart standing outside the door, her hand poised to knock.
Nora didn’t look surprised when she saw me, and that was concerning. Had she heard what we were talking about? How long had she been standing there?
“Hey there, bestie,” she said, not even bothering to hide the sarcasm in her voice. Monty had clearly told her I knew they’d hired a private investigator to follow Edward.
I ignored her. I didn’t know what to say anyway. I was too taken aback by her sudden presence. Lord. Kelisha had been standing at the door as she told me the worst parts of what was going on. This wasn’t good.
If the Harts were the kind of people who would make the master electrician ‘disappear,’ this was far more serious than I’d originally thought.
Kelisha and I exchanged a quick look before she took things over.
“It seems I’m overwhelmed with dancers today. Nora,” she said, “how can I help you this afternoon?” she asked smoothly.
I ducked out without saying a word to Nora, though I felt her dark eyes on me, and hurried out to the parking lot where Edward was finishing up putting the last of the boxes from my dressing room in my car. I looked around on my way, afraid I might see Monty or Eric Hightower watching me.
“Let’s go,” I said, as soon as I got in the car.
Edward didn’t hesitate. He started the car and pulled out quickly as I buckled my seat belt. He didn’t say anything until we’d pulled into traffic and turned toward my townhouse.
“How did that go?” He kept casting glances my way while trying to stay aware of the surrounding cars.
It was a busy time of day. People were starting to get off work and make their way home.
I couldn’t believe how fast the day had gone by.
I had wanted to leave Charleston today, but I was starting to wonder if Edward and I could make that happen.
“Nora was there. She was standing right outside the door while I talked to Kelisha.” I told him everything Kelisha told me, and he began to look more and more overwhelmed. When I got to the part about the master electrician being missing, his face went pale.
His eyes widened. “Did Nora hear what y’all were talking about?”
“I’d like to think she didn’t, but I don’t see how she wouldn’t have. We weren’t being quiet, and she was standing on the other side of the door where we were standing and talking. Kelisha opened the door, and she was right there. It startled both of us.” I shivered.
“Do you think Kelisha will tell Nora what y’all talked about?”
“No. She seems even more scared of the Harts than we are.”
“At least she’s standing up to them so far,” he said as he pulled into my spot in front of the row of townhouses. “We need people on our side. The Harts are all over this town.”
“Literally.” I pointed to a new building going up down the road. “That’s going to be another location of Hart Family Farmers Markets,” I said.
“Of course it is,” Edward grumbled. “Come on. Let’s start getting you packed so we can get out of here.” He glanced at his watch. “We’re already a lot later getting started than I’d hoped we’d be.” He looked concerned.
We spent the next couple of hours packing hurriedly. I packed suitcases full of clothes, makeup, toiletries, and other necessities that I’d be taking with me.
I put Edward to work packing special things carefully in boxes. “What’s so important that you have to take it with you now? Besides clothes and things?”
“Mementos. Irreplaceable things. Pictures, Granny Hargrave’s jewelry and dishes, my ballet awards…” I trailed off. I was sure he got the picture.
“Gotcha,” he nodded and got to work.
It seemed like no time had passed before he declared it was time to pack the car.
“Besides, that’s all I’ve got,” Edward finally said before throwing himself down on the couch. “I’m exhausted.”
Surprised, I looked up to see that it was close to dark outside. “Oh. I didn’t realize it was so late.” I looked at my phone and frowned.
“Time kind of slipped away from me, too,” he admitted. “I still want to get out of here today, though. Don’t you?”
I taped the box he’d been working on closed and blew some hair out of my face.
“Yes. I guess I didn’t realize how long it would take to get things together.
” I bit my lip. “Now I wish I’d just packed the bare minimum and left everything else for later.
I’m not sure we should leave this late when we’re already so tired.
Leaving in the morning should be fine. Right? ”
I was looking for reassurance, but Edward looked nervous. “I’m not so sure.”
I looked up from the floor where I was taping boxes shut. “I have a theory.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Let’s hear it.”
“If Nora overheard me and Kelisha, then she knows I’m leaving. So, am I still in danger anymore?”
“What about from Monty?” Edward asked. “Knowing he’s about to lose you for good could cause him to do something rash…”
“He pitched a fit and threw omelets at my door. Not exactly scary stuff, you know?”
“But he tried to force his way in,” Edward reminded me.
I frowned. That was true. And he’d looked scary while he was doing it. I hadn’t liked the look on Nora’s face when she’d seen me this afternoon, either. “Maybe you’re right.” I looked at my watch. “If we leave in the next hour, we’ll make it home by midnight or one.”
“True,” Edward leaned back and stretched. “I don’t like getting in so late, but I like staying here even less. Especially after what Kelisha told you today and Nora possibly overhearing all of it.”
He was right. We needed to leave. “Okay, that’s the last box that I have to take with me. We’re finally done.”
“Hungry?”
“Yes. Lord, yes.” I put my hand over my abdomen as my stomach let out an angry growl. “I think we worked right through lunch.”
Edward walked over and kissed me on the top of my head.
“Look, I know you don’t want to eat fast food on the way out of town.
I’ll pick up dinner from our favorite Italian place.
I’ll go down to the corner store and get some Cokes for the road, too.
We’re going to need the caffeine. Why don’t you call Olivia and give her an update about everything that happened today? ”
“Good idea.” I waved at him as he walked out. Almost immediately, I hurried after him. I opened the door.
“Edward!” I called after his retreating figure.
He turned around, and the remnants of the sunset caught the blond highlights in his hair.
I leaned against the iron railing on the side of my stoop.
“Can you get healthy snacks for the road, too?” I called.
The thought occurred to me that if I was really quitting my performing career, I didn’t have to be quite so careful about what I ate. “And some chocolate?”
He gave me a thumbs-up, smiled, and turned to walk to the store. I watched him get smaller as he walked down the sidewalk, crossed the street, and disappeared around the corner at the far end of my block.
Movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I turned to look on the other side of my townhouse. There was nothing there. I narrowed my eyes. I could have sworn I saw something.
I scanned my surroundings for a moment, before deciding I was seeing things.
Besides, it would be more noteworthy if I didn’t notice movement.
I lived on the other end of the block from where Edward had just gone.
Mine was the first in the long row of townhomes, and there was usually a steady stream of cars going by on the side street next to my building.
I smiled as I looked around. I would miss this place.
I’d always thought mine was the best location on the block.
Instead of bordering another townhome, I had a big sugar maple on one side of me.
It was close enough that I could reach out and touch the leaves if I wanted to.
There weren’t many left now, and the few that remained had curled up and turned mostly brown.
A row of equally tall maples lined the sidewalk all the way down the block.
They’d lost most of their fall color, but city workers had already wrapped their trunks and bare branches with sparkling white lights for the upcoming holiday season.
I descended the stairs, running my hand along the wrought-iron railing all the way down.
It was cold to the touch instead of burning my fingers like it did most of the year.
I walked down to the mailbox right in front of the curb that dipped down to the street.
As I checked it, my phone rang. Thinking it was Edward, I answered without looking at the screen.
“Hey, babe.”
“Well, hey to you, too, babe,” Olivia laughed, using a fake deep voice. She quickly turned serious when I filled her in on everything that had happened. From the peephole and Monty’s omelet incident, to Nora overhearing my conversation with Kelisha.
She sucked in a breath. “Y’all are about to get out of there, right?” She sounded worried.
“We are. Edward just went to grab some food, then we’re going to pack the car and get on the road.
I think we’ll be home between midnight and two depending on traffic and how often we have to stop.
” I pulled the mail out of my box and closed it up tight.
I walked back towards the steps. I noticed Mrs. Rivera out on her front stoop drinking a glass of wine and talking with her neighbor. I waved and smiled.
They waved back, looking at me with curiosity.
I didn’t blame them. I’d been a mostly boring neighbor until recently, what with Monty throwing omelets at my door and Edward showing up today yelling on my doorstep.
They were probably only outside with the hopes of figuring out what was going on with me.
I bet Mrs. Rivera was having a field day with all the gossip about me lately.
I heard a beeping coming from her open window, and I heard her say something about having pumpkin bread in the oven. She hurriedly said goodbye to the other woman and went into her apartment. Her entertainment gone, the other woman disappeared into her own home.
“Well, while you’re waiting on Edward, I might as well tell you. I’m working on getting a true crime podcast off the ground,” Livy said, bringing my attention back to her. “I’m beyond excited about it. If it works out like I think it’s going to, I think I might have found my calling.”
I opened my mouth to say what a great idea I thought it was, but that’s when I saw a dark figure running towards me… fast. I stepped to the side to get out of the person’s way.
They stepped the same way.
It took me too long to realize what was about to happen, and when I did—it was too late.
“Oh no. Livy…” I gasped as I dropped my mail and phone.
The next things happened in slow motion. A man fully emerged from the shadows, there was a flash of color, and then pain… so much pain.
I screamed, and I could hear Olivia calling my name from a distance.
I looked for her, confused, to tell her I was in pain.
And then everything went black.