Chapter 22 It’s the Grilled Cheese
It’s the Grilled Cheese
“Lula’s coming around,” Heidi said a few days later. “We’re going to walk around the park, maybe have a coffee at that cute place on Downing. Want to come?”
“I can’t.” Morgan looked up from her laptop. “I need to finish this.”
“Okay.” Heidi leaned against the back of the couch and crossed her ankles. “I’d say ‘have fun,’ but it’s work, so I’m sure you’ll suffer through it as we all do.”
The doorbell rang, and Heidi bounced up. “See you later.”
She pulled on her Nikes and greeted Lula with a hug. The previous night’s snowfall blanketed the path, a couple of inches of crunchy powder on the sidewalk. “I’ll have to shovel this when we get back.” She pushed her hands into the pockets of her jacket and adjusted her ear warmers.
“It might be gone when we get back,” Lula said.
“You optimist. Not a chance. It must be below freezing.”
They walked up Clearmont Street, turning east toward the park. It was blanketed in white, and dogs galloped off leash through the fresh snow.
“What are you doing for Thanksgiving next week?” Lula asked.
“Nothing.” Heidi hunched her shoulders against the cold, wishing she’d worn her beanie. “The Fly Inn is closed that day. You?”
“I’m working,” Lula said. “A sweet eight-hour shift with happy people’s Thanksgiving tips. My roommates are cooking dinner. Not a full turkey, a breast or something. We’ve got booze and edibles, and I hope they get dinner happening before they get into those. Do you want to come over?”
Did she? “Thank you, but honestly, I’ll stay home. Watch trashy space opera and have cheese on toast for dinner.”
“If you’re sure. But if you change your mind, let me know. Thanksgiving shouldn’t be grilled cheese.”
“I’ll put mustard in it.”
“Well, that makes all the difference.” Lula nudged her. “What about your uptight roommate?”
“I think she’s going home to New Jersey for a few days. She mentioned it a while back. I’ll have the house to myself, so I can have that schmancy cheese on toast without immediately cleaning up the kitchen.” She waggled her eyebrows.
“Peak living.” Lula nodded. “This is why we’re in Colorado. It’s not the altitude; it’s the grilled cheese.”
Heidi laughed. “I am planning a road trip, though.”
“You are? Where? When? If I’m not working, can I come?”
“If you want. I heard back from the private investigator. He’s found Serena.”
Lula stopped. “And I’m only hearing about this now? This news deserves beer. Where’s the nearest bar around here?”
“We can go to Oscar’s Tavern.” Heidi crossed through the trees to Downing Street. “Come on. It’ll be warmer there.”
Oscar’s had a muted buzz when they pushed open the door. They found a table in the corner and the same server as from Heidi and Morgan’s night out came across. “What can I get you ladies?”
“Two Coronas, please,” Heidi said. She pushed across her credit card.
“Want some wings?” Lula asked.
“Sure. Blue cheese dressing, please.”
“And ranch,” Lula added.
The server left, and Lula leaned across. “So, spill.”
“It took a bit to find her, apparently. Her license was still at the California address, but she wasn’t. Initially, Brandon could find no job, no rental, no voter enrollment. Then she applied for a rental in her name in….”
“Where? Baltimore? Portland? Truth or Consequences New Mexico?”
“That one’s the closest.”
The server brought the beers. Heidi waited until they’d both taken a couple of gulps.
“She’s in Colorado.”
“No fucking way!” Lula’s eyebrows did a little dance. “Does she know you’re here?”
“I don’t think so. But what would she care if she did? She obviously knows there’s nothing I can do to prove she stole my money.”
“Where in Colorado? Aspen, working the ski resorts? Telluride, cleaning chalets? What if she’s in Denver? We could go around tomorrow and beat her door down.”
“Steady on, bruiser. No violence. She’s in Leadville. It’s an old mining town in the mountains about three-and-a-bit hours from Denver. I’m not sure what she’s doing, but she’s rented a house for six months.”
“So, what would Serena be doing?”
“I don’t know. Brandon couldn’t find out anything. She’s worked different jobs—waitressing, bar, admin, and so on.”
Lula whipped out her phone. “Serena Poldemann, right?” At Heidi’s nod, she pressed enter. “Nothing shows up.” She put her phone down. “When are you going?”
“I thought after Thanksgiving. Serena may visit family for Thanksgiving, and, besides, if I have to stay over a night or two to find her, it will be cheaper after the long weekend.”
“Facts.”
“So, whenever I can get three days in a row off after that.”
“Let me know. I’ll see if I can swing it too. I want to see her face when you confront her. It’ll be better than clickbait.”
“Will your wreck of a car make it that far? I was going to hire a car, but if you drive, I’ll pay for the motel.”
“I don’t know if it’ll get us over Kenosha Pass—it’s over ten thousand feet. You could ask Morgan—she’s probably got a schmancy car.”
“If Morgan drives, would you still come? I already mentioned the possibility of a road trip to her in a jokey way, but she didn’t say yes or no.”
“Not sure she’d want me along.” Lula took a gulp of beer. “She doesn’t seem real friendly. Like she’s all judgy-princess.”
“Then I’ll hire a car.” She nudged Lula. “I want you along, if you can make it.”
Lula bumped fists with her. “You’re on. Let me know when.”
The server brought two baskets of wings and set them down. Heidi picked one up, dunked it in the blue cheese dressing. “Honestly, sometimes I think these are the best thing about America.”
Lula laughed. “You mean better than the screwy politics, the lack of health care, and all the guns?”
“Definitely. Sorry, America. I love you, but a lot of that is because of these babies.” She took a bite, scraping the meat from the bone with her teeth. “So fucking good.”
“What are you going to do when you find Serena?” Lula asked.
“I don’t know. I really have no idea. Ask nicely for my money back—”
“Like that will work.” Lula snorted.
“Fold my arms, look tough, and threaten to call the cops?”
“You’ll need more than that. It didn’t work the first time.”
“Vandalize her house until she returns my money?”
“That will get you arrested, not her.”
“Then I give up.” Heidi threw up her arms and pasted on a smile, even as her heart sank. She was so totally unprepared for this. So lacking in actual ideas that might work. “What would you do?”
“Do you have any skinny on her she wouldn’t want known? Know any of her friends or relatives?”
“I met her parents and some of her friends in California. Her parents hung up on me when I called asking where Serena was, and I don’t have any contacts for her friends. This obviously needs more thought.” Heidi rested her head on her folded arms.
“Right now, it sounds like you’re screwed, girlfriend. But we won’t give up. Have another wing. Might improve your brain power.”
“All the preservatives might kill it.”
“Well, seriously, you couldn’t be worse off.”