right.”
Chapter Six
I CALLED OLIVIA, the client I’d been supposed to meet, and apologized. She was very understanding and more than willing to reschedule. I was relieved because having a guy walk out of a wall unexpectedly had thrown me for a loop, and then my interaction with Jake and Cash’s neighbor had heaped on more unease. At the moment I was having trouble keeping my mind in the game.
After dropping Toria off at my house and taking Dogbert for a short walk, I felt a little more composed. I picked up my to-do list and my bag. I hoped I’d be able to concentrate once I got to the office.
My stomach growled as I drove past Green’s Deli, and I took that as a signal I should turn in. You’d think all the stress of the past two days would have caused me to lose my appetite, but it doesn’t work that way with me.
A parking spot opened up in front of the deli, and I parked and grabbed my handbag. They had the best pastrami sandwiches in miles, and while I’m partial to a chocolate éclair from C’est la Vie when I’m stressed, Green’s pastrami was a close second.
As I reached the deli’s entrance, I could almost taste the Swiss cheese and peppery-rub combination that made the sandwich special. Suddenly the glass-plated door opened and Heidi Sussman stepped out. Dressed in her usual pseudo-surfer-girl couture, she held a deli sack and a drink.
“Hello, Heidi.” I couldn’t imagine. In the space of one day, to have someone you were close to die and, on top of it, someone you cared about missing and under suspicion for the friend’s death. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay.” Her brightly colored tropical sundress set off her petite stature, her blond hair, and her trim figure. “How about you?”
“Well, since you ask.” I blew out a breath. “I have to tell you I’ve just had quite a scare.”
“What do you mean?” She took a big gulp from the open energy drink can she held.
“I’m really glad I ran into you.” We stepped to the side so others could enter the deli. “I’d like to ask you about a couple of things.”
“Me, really? What about?”
“I was at Cash and Jake’s house today to get some of Toria’s things.”
“I thought no one was allowed in there,” she interrupted.
“I had permission from the police, and an officer went with me,” I explained. “While I was there, this guy appeared from a hidden space in the turret room.”
“I thought you were just there to get stuff for the cat?”
“I was, but I had Toria with me and she got loose and I had to find her.” It seemed to me Heidi was distracted. “Do you know anything about this hidden room?”
“No, they were both pretty secretive about their work though.”
I hadn’t said it had anything to do with their work, but okay.
“So you didn’t know about it?”
“No.” She moved to leave. “I have to get back to work.”
“One more thing. When I left, the next-door neighbor was outside. Tall and thin, I didn’t catch his name, but he sure wasn’t very friendly.”
“No, he’s a kook. He claimed Cash’s cat was vicious and got into his yard and bit him.”
“I can’t imagine Toria doing that.”
So the unfriendly neighbor I’d talked to was also the person who had accused Toria of bad behavior.
“No, neither could Cash. He hardly ever lets the cat out of the house. Maybe out on the patio but that’s all. The weirdo set up video surveillance to catch Toria supposedly in his yard and brought a video over to show Cash. There was a cat in it, but it was impossible to see whether it was Toria or not.”
“Okay, thanks Heidi.” I looked around for her car. “Do you need a lift?”
“No, I’m walking.” She shifted the deli bag to her other hand. “Just grabbing some lunch.”
“Where do you work?” I looked around. The area was full of shops of all kinds.
“Just down the street at Flirts.” She pointed. “It’s a small shop, but we have a lot of cute
Chapter Six
I CALLED OLIVIA, the client I’d been supposed to meet, and apologized. She was very understanding and more than willing to reschedule. I was relieved because having a guy walk out of a wall unexpectedly had thrown me for a loop, and then my interaction with Jake and Cash’s neighbor had heaped on more unease. At the moment I was having trouble keeping my mind in the game.
After dropping Toria off at my house and taking Dogbert for a short walk, I felt a little more composed. I picked up my to-do list and my bag. I hoped I’d be able to concentrate once I got to the office.
My stomach growled as I drove past Green’s Deli, and I took that as a signal I should turn in. You’d think all the stress of the past two days would have caused me to lose my appetite, but it doesn’t work that way with me.
A parking spot opened up in front of the deli, and I parked and grabbed my handbag. They had the best pastrami sandwiches in miles, and while I’m partial to a chocolate éclair from C’est la Vie when I’m stressed, Green’s pastrami was a close second.
As I reached the deli’s entrance, I could almost taste the Swiss cheese and peppery-rub combination that made the sandwich special. Suddenly the glass-plated door opened and Heidi Sussman stepped out. Dressed in her usual pseudo-surfer-girl couture, she held a deli sack and a drink.
“Hello, Heidi.” I couldn’t imagine. In the space of one day, to have someone you were close to die and, on top of it, someone you cared about missing and under suspicion for the friend’s death. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay.” Her brightly colored tropical sundress set off her petite stature, her blond hair, and her trim figure. “How about you?”
“Well, since you ask.” I blew out a breath. “I have to tell you I’ve just had quite a scare.”
“What do you mean?” She took a big gulp from the open energy drink can she held.
“I’m really glad I ran into you.” We stepped to the side so others could enter the deli. “I’d like to ask you about a couple of things.”
“Me, really? What about?”
“I was at Cash and Jake’s house today to get some of Toria’s things.”
“I thought no one was allowed in there,” she interrupted.
“I had permission from the police, and an officer went with me,” I explained. “While I was there, this guy appeared from a hidden space in the turret room.”
“I thought you were just there to get stuff for the cat?”
“I was, but I had Toria with me and she got loose and I had to find her.” It seemed to me Heidi was distracted. “Do you know anything about this hidden room?”
“No, they were both pretty secretive about their work though.”
I hadn’t said it had anything to do with their work, but okay.
“So you didn’t know about it?”
“No.” She moved to leave. “I have to get back to work.”
“One more thing. When I left, the next-door neighbor was outside. Tall and thin, I didn’t catch his name, but he sure wasn’t very friendly.”
“No, he’s a kook. He claimed Cash’s cat was vicious and got into his yard and bit him.”
“I can’t imagine Toria doing that.”
So the unfriendly neighbor I’d talked to was also the person who had accused Toria of bad behavior.
“No, neither could Cash. He hardly ever lets the cat out of the house. Maybe out on the patio but that’s all. The weirdo set up video surveillance to catch Toria supposedly in his yard and brought a video over to show Cash. There was a cat in it, but it was impossible to see whether it was Toria or not.”
“Okay, thanks Heidi.” I looked around for her car. “Do you need a lift?”
“No, I’m walking.” She shifted the deli bag to her other hand. “Just grabbing some lunch.”
“Where do you work?” I looked around. The area was full of shops of all kinds.
“Just down the street at Flirts.” She pointed. “It’s a small shop, but we have a lot of cute
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