Elizabeth C. Main - Jane Serrano 02 - No Rest for the Wicked by Elizabeth C. Main Page A
Authors: Elizabeth C. Main
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considerably by guaranteeing that we’d finally get some time alone. Was I ready for that?
A glance at my watch reminded me that, once again, I’d have to put off thinking about Nick until later. The Save Our Seniors meeting would start any minute at Thornton’s, and Bianca shouldn’t be left on her own to introduce the speaker.
I had my hand on the car’s door handle when , out of the corner of my eye , I registered a blur of movement down the block. Was that Tyler’s blond head peeking out of the alley? Impossible. He was scheduled to open the store ten minutes ago. I swung into the driver’s seat, keeping watch ahead of me as I buckled my seat belt. Sure enough, a head emerged again from between two brick buildings like a turtle venturing out of its shell. The face was turned away, but I recognized the mop of hair. I was right. It was Tyler. Sighing, I got out of the car.
Chapter 7
I didn’t have time for this nonsense. Reaching the alley with a few quick strides , I said, “ Dr. Livingston, I presume . ”
Tyler did a comic crow hop before whirling to face me. “ What are you doing here? ”
I shook my head. “ That’s not the question. What are you doing here ? You’re supposed to open Thornton’s. What about the SOS meeting? ” T he stench from a nearby dumpster hit me. “ Phew. Remind me not to eat at the Thai Treasure again. Taken up dumpster-diving, have you? ”
“ Quick! He’ll see. ” Tyler grabbed my arm and pulled me into the alley. Gasping for breath , he leaned back against the warm bricks. “ Ran all the way from the store, after the phone call. Look, Grandpa’ll be along any minute. This time I’m gonna catch him. ”
“ Catch him doing what? What phone call? ”
“ I’ll explain later. Peek out carefully . Is he at Liberty Bank yet? ”
I took a cautious step forward, happy to move away from the dumpster, and scanned the deserted sidewalk down the block to the right. Then I look ed left, almost bumping into a young woman propelling a double stroller as I did so.
“ Sorry. ” I tried to sound harmless, but apparently didn’t succeed. The woman gave the alley a wide berth and watch ed to make sure I wasn’t following. I resisted a sudden urge to chase her. Ducking back into the alley, I said, “ Your grandfather isn’t out there, but I scared some young wom an. That what you had in mind? ”
“ Not exactly. Maybe this’ll work better. ” I watched in amazement as Tyler crouched close to the alley entrance and positioned a mirror to view the sidewalk. “ If that lady comes back, she’ll really freak at this. ”
I could see his point. The mirror he was holding formed the top half of a hot pink compact that I usually stashed along with some lipstick at Thornton’s for quick touchups during the day.
“ Have you been reading private eye novels when you’re supposed to be working? ” I asked. “ Speaking of which— ”
“ There he is. Look. ”
I rolled my eyes at the mirror Tyler offered and poked my head carefully around the corner. Sure enough, Laurence had arrived in front of the bank. He leaned heavily on the cane he usually insisted he didn’t need, looking up and down the street .
I pulled back fast , bumping into Tyler crowd ed up behind me, his gaze pinned on his grandfather. H is eyes widened and he dropped into a crouch, ostensibly to retie the laces of his running shoes. They looked fine to me.
The overpowering odor of cheap cologne stung my nostrils . S omeone swept by on the sidewalk, heading in Laurence’s direction. The lingering smell was a step up from the odor of rotting shrimp emanating from the dumpster, but not much of one.
Tyler edged the mirror into position again. “ Okay, they’re talking. See? They’re talking. ”
“ Isn’t that wonderful? Let’s try that ourselves, on the way to the store. No one can get in until one of us opens the door. ” It was beyond me why Laurence’s errand to the bank, or his encounter with
A glance at my watch reminded me that, once again, I’d have to put off thinking about Nick until later. The Save Our Seniors meeting would start any minute at Thornton’s, and Bianca shouldn’t be left on her own to introduce the speaker.
I had my hand on the car’s door handle when , out of the corner of my eye , I registered a blur of movement down the block. Was that Tyler’s blond head peeking out of the alley? Impossible. He was scheduled to open the store ten minutes ago. I swung into the driver’s seat, keeping watch ahead of me as I buckled my seat belt. Sure enough, a head emerged again from between two brick buildings like a turtle venturing out of its shell. The face was turned away, but I recognized the mop of hair. I was right. It was Tyler. Sighing, I got out of the car.
Chapter 7
I didn’t have time for this nonsense. Reaching the alley with a few quick strides , I said, “ Dr. Livingston, I presume . ”
Tyler did a comic crow hop before whirling to face me. “ What are you doing here? ”
I shook my head. “ That’s not the question. What are you doing here ? You’re supposed to open Thornton’s. What about the SOS meeting? ” T he stench from a nearby dumpster hit me. “ Phew. Remind me not to eat at the Thai Treasure again. Taken up dumpster-diving, have you? ”
“ Quick! He’ll see. ” Tyler grabbed my arm and pulled me into the alley. Gasping for breath , he leaned back against the warm bricks. “ Ran all the way from the store, after the phone call. Look, Grandpa’ll be along any minute. This time I’m gonna catch him. ”
“ Catch him doing what? What phone call? ”
“ I’ll explain later. Peek out carefully . Is he at Liberty Bank yet? ”
I took a cautious step forward, happy to move away from the dumpster, and scanned the deserted sidewalk down the block to the right. Then I look ed left, almost bumping into a young woman propelling a double stroller as I did so.
“ Sorry. ” I tried to sound harmless, but apparently didn’t succeed. The woman gave the alley a wide berth and watch ed to make sure I wasn’t following. I resisted a sudden urge to chase her. Ducking back into the alley, I said, “ Your grandfather isn’t out there, but I scared some young wom an. That what you had in mind? ”
“ Not exactly. Maybe this’ll work better. ” I watched in amazement as Tyler crouched close to the alley entrance and positioned a mirror to view the sidewalk. “ If that lady comes back, she’ll really freak at this. ”
I could see his point. The mirror he was holding formed the top half of a hot pink compact that I usually stashed along with some lipstick at Thornton’s for quick touchups during the day.
“ Have you been reading private eye novels when you’re supposed to be working? ” I asked. “ Speaking of which— ”
“ There he is. Look. ”
I rolled my eyes at the mirror Tyler offered and poked my head carefully around the corner. Sure enough, Laurence had arrived in front of the bank. He leaned heavily on the cane he usually insisted he didn’t need, looking up and down the street .
I pulled back fast , bumping into Tyler crowd ed up behind me, his gaze pinned on his grandfather. H is eyes widened and he dropped into a crouch, ostensibly to retie the laces of his running shoes. They looked fine to me.
The overpowering odor of cheap cologne stung my nostrils . S omeone swept by on the sidewalk, heading in Laurence’s direction. The lingering smell was a step up from the odor of rotting shrimp emanating from the dumpster, but not much of one.
Tyler edged the mirror into position again. “ Okay, they’re talking. See? They’re talking. ”
“ Isn’t that wonderful? Let’s try that ourselves, on the way to the store. No one can get in until one of us opens the door. ” It was beyond me why Laurence’s errand to the bank, or his encounter with
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