Nina on the phone! She killed some guy!"
I hung up, turned the ringer off before I got the Grand Inquisition from my cousin.
Slowly, I walked back to Kevin, whose eyes had a glazed appearance. After two seconds I knew why.
"And the Sheefers? Well, they had a Fourth of July block party one year and Russ called the police every time a firecracker went off. And the Marabellis? Well, every time they leave their kids alone, he calls Children and Family Services."
"How old are the kids?" he asked.
"Fourteen and sixteen."
Kevin sighed, held up a hand. "Thanks for your help, Mrs. Adams."
"It's Miss," she said, batting short eyelashes.
Jeez. Eww.
"Good to know," Kevin said, leading me down toward where the body had laid.
I got the shivvies again as I looked at the spot. Russ Grabinsky's body shape was still indented in the dirt.
"How'd you end up here?" Kevin asked.
"I was hired to redo this backyard. I was misled into believing it was the backyard of my client."
"Why would they mislead you?"
"Beats me."
"So you didn't have permission to work here?"
"Um, that would be no. Now Mrs. Grabinsky is threatening to sue me."
"Ouch."
"Tell me about it. She actually has a case."
"Who hired you?" he asked. "I need to talk to them."
I motioned with my head toward Lindsey Lockhart, who was standing on her driveway, her husband Bill's arms around her.
Bill, who must have known about the makeover all along.
I'd been played. I just didn't know why.
Kevin's eyes rounded. "You're kidding."
"Nope. It was your former in-laws who caused this mess."
Seven
I finally headed back to the office around six. It had been a long afternoon, and as I pulled into the TBS lot I figured by the looks of things it was about to get longer.
There were six cars in the lot, five I didn't recognize and one I did. Ana's SUV.
Let the inquisition begin.
After I parked in an open spot near the garage, I sat there thinking about how a teary Lindsey had apologized over and over for her deception.
I hadn't decided whether or not to accept the apology yet.
I leaned toward o r not.
The air conditioner blew cold air in my face and "Rockin' Robin" played on the Oldies station as I sat in my truck trying to sort the story out.
Russ Grabinsky had a passion for healthy eating. He had the desire but not the know-how to open his own restaurant. That's where Bill had come in. Bill managed restaurants for a living and jumped at the chance to co-own one with Russ.
The two next door neighbors had banded together to create Growl. Healthy fast dining, affordable prices.
Bill and Russ had become business partners, whereas Greta
and Lindsey had become friends. According to the Lockharts, Lindsey and Bill felt just horrible over what was happening with the homeowners' association, especially since Russ hadn't put much credence into the HOA's power. Finally Bill and Lindsey decided they'd needed to step in and do something drastic to help Greta, before she lost her home. And apparently they'd had to do it on the sly because they knew that Russ was too prideful to accept help from anyone, and Greta was too reticent to go against Russ.
So they contacted me. And lied. Outright duped me, figuring no trouble would come of it because they "just knew" Greta and Russ would love the makeover once they saw it done.
Only Russ came down with the flu that was going around and went home early. And died.
And Greta, grief-stricken, lashed out.
The logistics of it all amazed me. Like how had they gotten Russ and Greta out of the house for the whole day? Turns out Russ and Greta went to the gym together every Thursday morning, and Russ went straight to work afterward. Greta, after swimming her laps, usually went home, but today had made plans to meet with Lindsey Lockhart to do a little shopping, go to lunch. Apparently a rare treat.
They'd been together when I called Lindsey, left the message about the dead guy in her yard.
Sitting in the truck, I ran my thumb over the pewter
I hung up, turned the ringer off before I got the Grand Inquisition from my cousin.
Slowly, I walked back to Kevin, whose eyes had a glazed appearance. After two seconds I knew why.
"And the Sheefers? Well, they had a Fourth of July block party one year and Russ called the police every time a firecracker went off. And the Marabellis? Well, every time they leave their kids alone, he calls Children and Family Services."
"How old are the kids?" he asked.
"Fourteen and sixteen."
Kevin sighed, held up a hand. "Thanks for your help, Mrs. Adams."
"It's Miss," she said, batting short eyelashes.
Jeez. Eww.
"Good to know," Kevin said, leading me down toward where the body had laid.
I got the shivvies again as I looked at the spot. Russ Grabinsky's body shape was still indented in the dirt.
"How'd you end up here?" Kevin asked.
"I was hired to redo this backyard. I was misled into believing it was the backyard of my client."
"Why would they mislead you?"
"Beats me."
"So you didn't have permission to work here?"
"Um, that would be no. Now Mrs. Grabinsky is threatening to sue me."
"Ouch."
"Tell me about it. She actually has a case."
"Who hired you?" he asked. "I need to talk to them."
I motioned with my head toward Lindsey Lockhart, who was standing on her driveway, her husband Bill's arms around her.
Bill, who must have known about the makeover all along.
I'd been played. I just didn't know why.
Kevin's eyes rounded. "You're kidding."
"Nope. It was your former in-laws who caused this mess."
Seven
I finally headed back to the office around six. It had been a long afternoon, and as I pulled into the TBS lot I figured by the looks of things it was about to get longer.
There were six cars in the lot, five I didn't recognize and one I did. Ana's SUV.
Let the inquisition begin.
After I parked in an open spot near the garage, I sat there thinking about how a teary Lindsey had apologized over and over for her deception.
I hadn't decided whether or not to accept the apology yet.
I leaned toward o r not.
The air conditioner blew cold air in my face and "Rockin' Robin" played on the Oldies station as I sat in my truck trying to sort the story out.
Russ Grabinsky had a passion for healthy eating. He had the desire but not the know-how to open his own restaurant. That's where Bill had come in. Bill managed restaurants for a living and jumped at the chance to co-own one with Russ.
The two next door neighbors had banded together to create Growl. Healthy fast dining, affordable prices.
Bill and Russ had become business partners, whereas Greta
and Lindsey had become friends. According to the Lockharts, Lindsey and Bill felt just horrible over what was happening with the homeowners' association, especially since Russ hadn't put much credence into the HOA's power. Finally Bill and Lindsey decided they'd needed to step in and do something drastic to help Greta, before she lost her home. And apparently they'd had to do it on the sly because they knew that Russ was too prideful to accept help from anyone, and Greta was too reticent to go against Russ.
So they contacted me. And lied. Outright duped me, figuring no trouble would come of it because they "just knew" Greta and Russ would love the makeover once they saw it done.
Only Russ came down with the flu that was going around and went home early. And died.
And Greta, grief-stricken, lashed out.
The logistics of it all amazed me. Like how had they gotten Russ and Greta out of the house for the whole day? Turns out Russ and Greta went to the gym together every Thursday morning, and Russ went straight to work afterward. Greta, after swimming her laps, usually went home, but today had made plans to meet with Lindsey Lockhart to do a little shopping, go to lunch. Apparently a rare treat.
They'd been together when I called Lindsey, left the message about the dead guy in her yard.
Sitting in the truck, I ran my thumb over the pewter
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