Pia was already telling her version of the story. And, like in a game of telephone, it had already changed. Pia claimed the body had rolled down the stairs as we were on our way up. “Like it was some kind of zombie,” she said with a shiver.
Before I could correct her, I was distracted by a sports car that turned onto the street and pulled up to the curb next to us. The door opened, and Kelsey made a move toward the man who got out. I had only seen Evan Willis a few times at school events and some business things with Charlie, and that had been years ago, but I recognized him right away. As hegot closer, I could see that although his wife had been able to hide the passage of time with a trendy hairstyle and probably facial injections, he hadn’t been so successful.
It wasn’t that he had a lot of lines on his face or that his hair was thinning—to the contrary, it was mostly dark, and the combed-back style seemed almost luxuriant. I think it was the expression of his dark eyes. They seemed strained, but I suppose years of being an executive at a studio would do that to you.
“Evan, there’s a dead body at CeeCee Collins’s house.” Kelsey waved her arm in my direction. “Polly here almost got hit by the body as it rolled down the stairs.”
“What?” The tired look left his eyes, and he gave his head a short shake, as if trying to clear it. “A body rolling down the stairs? Are the cops there?”
I stepped forward. “It’s Molly,” I corrected. “Molly Pink. You worked on some projects with my husband, Charlie.”
It took a moment for what I said to sink in, and his face grew serious. “Sure, I remember Charlie Pink. We did work on a number of things together. I was sorry to hear about his death. He was a good man.”
I always felt awkward at moments like this. It had been a few years, and while I would never stop missing Charlie, I had learned to accept the situation. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to say beyond agreeing, so I just nodded.
Kelsey and Pia were fidgeting, impatient with the attention Evan was giving me and being left out of the conversation.
“Should we do something?” Kelsey said. “The cops are there, aren’t they?” She looked at me and Babs for reassurance.
“Do you know what happened and who it is?” Evan asked. “Should we be worried that there’s a killer on the loose?”
I began by giving him the real story. There was no body rolling down the stairs. I mentioned the heat, the carbonmonoxide alarm and the condition of the body. Kelsey and Pia looked a little green in the face when I got to the part about the smell.
Evan let out an understanding grunt and started to herd the women out of the street. “Other than the annoyance of the helicopters, I don’t think it’s our concern.” He looked back at me as he went to his car. “I’m sorry you had to see that. It must have been very upsetting.”
I accepted his words with another nod, and he got in his car and continued up his driveway to the garage. Kelsey returned to their house as well, and Pia took off down the street in her SUV.
Babs had been very quiet during the whole exchange. When they were gone, she turned to me. “They’re not very neighborly. In Iowa City, we always bring over something tasty when someone has troubles. I’m going to take a casserole over to CeeCee’s as soon as the cops leave.”
Babs couldn’t see it, but I made a face imagining how welcome her visit would be. Though if she brought food, CeeCee probably would let her in. “You might want to bring her some more of your brownies. I heard they were a big hit.”
Even though she said I didn’t have to, I walked her the rest of the way to her son’s house, which was a few houses down from Pia’s. Like the others, it had a big fence and an electric gate. She punched some numbers into a keypad, and the gate slid open. I followed her in. Since I’d come this far, I might as well go all the way.
Plus, I was curious to see
Before I could correct her, I was distracted by a sports car that turned onto the street and pulled up to the curb next to us. The door opened, and Kelsey made a move toward the man who got out. I had only seen Evan Willis a few times at school events and some business things with Charlie, and that had been years ago, but I recognized him right away. As hegot closer, I could see that although his wife had been able to hide the passage of time with a trendy hairstyle and probably facial injections, he hadn’t been so successful.
It wasn’t that he had a lot of lines on his face or that his hair was thinning—to the contrary, it was mostly dark, and the combed-back style seemed almost luxuriant. I think it was the expression of his dark eyes. They seemed strained, but I suppose years of being an executive at a studio would do that to you.
“Evan, there’s a dead body at CeeCee Collins’s house.” Kelsey waved her arm in my direction. “Polly here almost got hit by the body as it rolled down the stairs.”
“What?” The tired look left his eyes, and he gave his head a short shake, as if trying to clear it. “A body rolling down the stairs? Are the cops there?”
I stepped forward. “It’s Molly,” I corrected. “Molly Pink. You worked on some projects with my husband, Charlie.”
It took a moment for what I said to sink in, and his face grew serious. “Sure, I remember Charlie Pink. We did work on a number of things together. I was sorry to hear about his death. He was a good man.”
I always felt awkward at moments like this. It had been a few years, and while I would never stop missing Charlie, I had learned to accept the situation. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to say beyond agreeing, so I just nodded.
Kelsey and Pia were fidgeting, impatient with the attention Evan was giving me and being left out of the conversation.
“Should we do something?” Kelsey said. “The cops are there, aren’t they?” She looked at me and Babs for reassurance.
“Do you know what happened and who it is?” Evan asked. “Should we be worried that there’s a killer on the loose?”
I began by giving him the real story. There was no body rolling down the stairs. I mentioned the heat, the carbonmonoxide alarm and the condition of the body. Kelsey and Pia looked a little green in the face when I got to the part about the smell.
Evan let out an understanding grunt and started to herd the women out of the street. “Other than the annoyance of the helicopters, I don’t think it’s our concern.” He looked back at me as he went to his car. “I’m sorry you had to see that. It must have been very upsetting.”
I accepted his words with another nod, and he got in his car and continued up his driveway to the garage. Kelsey returned to their house as well, and Pia took off down the street in her SUV.
Babs had been very quiet during the whole exchange. When they were gone, she turned to me. “They’re not very neighborly. In Iowa City, we always bring over something tasty when someone has troubles. I’m going to take a casserole over to CeeCee’s as soon as the cops leave.”
Babs couldn’t see it, but I made a face imagining how welcome her visit would be. Though if she brought food, CeeCee probably would let her in. “You might want to bring her some more of your brownies. I heard they were a big hit.”
Even though she said I didn’t have to, I walked her the rest of the way to her son’s house, which was a few houses down from Pia’s. Like the others, it had a big fence and an electric gate. She punched some numbers into a keypad, and the gate slid open. I followed her in. Since I’d come this far, I might as well go all the way.
Plus, I was curious to see
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