She was turning the cigarette pack over and over. “Then what? This guy picks me up over there?”
“That’s right.”
“But he won’t know me, and Jimmy could be-”
“I’ve got my gun in my car. I’ll walk with you. My friend’s name is Jeff, and he can take you to his place.”
She stared at me while she considered this. It seemed as if shadows had formed under eyes in the last few minutes. With her too-thin face, the uniform hanging off her like she was a kid wearing her mother’s dress and those dark circles, she looked like she belonged in a concentration camp. But then, maybe that was what her whole life had been like.
Her gaze returned to the window, and she started pacing again. “I’ve had hundreds of strange men use me, and you want me to go ride off with another one to God knows where?” She’d gotten a cigarette out of the pack and was rolling it between thumb and index finger. “I don’t like this.”
“It won’t be just you two. His sister lives with him. She’ll come with him to get you.”
She bit the side of her lip. “For real?”
“For real. Now let me make the call, okay?”
She carefully returned the cigarette to the pack and looked at me. “Guess I have no choice. But don’t bother getting your gun. I’m taking mine.”
24
When Loreen went to her bedroom to pack a bag, I called Jeff and explained the situation, emphasizing that Loreen did not know he was a cop and would probably shut down on me if she found out. Without asking any questions aside from directions, he said he was on the way. Bless the man. He was as reliable as the sunrise.
Once Loreen was ready, we went through her tiny, immaculate kitchen and out the back door. I’d noticed the shuttered windows and understood even better how paranoid Loreen was about her past being exposed or Jimmy showing up on her doorstep.
I took the overnight bag and she held the gun. It was a Smith & Wesson.22-very much like my own.38 Lady Smith. By the way she’d checked the ammo and handled the small handgun, I figured she knew how to use it.
It was dark when we left the house. I used the flashlight on my key chain to guide us through several yards to the next street over. I heard nothing except a few cooing doves and the distant sound of an ambulance, but Loreen looked over her shoulder and whispered, “Did you hear that?” over and over.
We reached the sidewalk without drawing attention, and I searched for Jeffs car. I spotted his sea green Altima parked at the end of the block. We hurried to the car and I opened the back door, since Doris was sitting next to Jeff. Loreen climbed in and I breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t balked, as I thought she might. Maybe she was too scared.
“Hi, Abby. Jeffy says we’re having Pizza Hut pizza when we get home. Get in quick.”
“I have my own car, Doris. I’ll be there in a little while. This is my friend Loreen. She’ll ride with you.”
“Hi, Loreen. Jeffy already has Abby for a girlfriend, and you know what that means.” Doris smiled.
Loreen actually returned the smile. “I do know what that means. I’ll be very careful.” She looked at Jeff then. “Where are we going?”
He gave her the general location of his apartment, then looked at me. “Abby, remember that problem with your bumper the other day? I know you got it fixed, but check it again before you drive through traffic. I don’t trust that body shop you used.”
I hadn’t thought to check for another GPS device. “I’ll do that. Now you guys get going. I’ll catch up with you at the apartment.”
Loreen handed me her gun. “Take this. You shouldn’t walk back to your car without protection. I know Jimmy’s out there.”
I started to protest, but she insisted.
I was surprised she didn’t want to keep the gun, since she wasn’t exactly thrilled about this whole arrangement. Must be that some part of her trusted us, and that was a good sign. I stepped back, closed the car door and watched Jeff drive away.
Rather than take the shorter route through the grass, I chose to stay on the sidewalk to go around the block. I kept the gun tucked into my waistband. Loreen’s paranoia seemed to be contagious, and I stayed alert for any indication that someone was watching or following.
I made it to the Camry without any trouble. But when I checked under the bumper, I kept the gun ready in my right hand.
A minute later, damned if I didn’t find another little black box, this time stuck beneath my front bumper. It was different from the other one. Smaller. I wanted to stomp on the thing, smash it into a million pieces, mostly because I’d been played for a fool again. Guess I’d have to put a mirror on a stick and check under my car every time I went anywhere. At least I’d partially learned my lesson by sneaking Loreen out the back way. Good thing I had Jeff thinking for me, since I’d totally screwed up.
Still steamed, I got into the Camry, locked up and removed the GPS device’s batteries. When I turned the ignition I decided that beating myself up wouldn’t help. I took a few deep breaths and pulled away from the curb. Time to see if I’d learned my lesson about dumping a tail. It would be side streets and running every yellow light for this trip. I wasn’t about to lead a killer to another victim.
On the way to Jeff’s apartment, I pushed my anger about the tracking devices as far to the back of my mind as possible. I had no clue who had put them on my car, and until I knew, they were only a distraction. Instead, I thought about what I’d learned from Loreen and what it could mean. Where had the extra money for Christine’s trip to Vegas come from? A baby sale? Probably.
The other money, the cash Christine always seemed to have to buy booze, most likely came from Gloria Wilks-money intended for Emma. But it wasn’t enough to start a new business. Christine had probably gone to whoever took the child she’d given up and asked for the start-up money for the cleaning business. What if that person figured out her requests would never end and killed her? A child you’d raised, probably loved with all your heart, would be a powerful motivator, especially if the child had no idea she was bought or adopted.
Then there was the infant found under the house. An exchange had obviously been made. But how had this deal been brokered? I didn’t know the answer. I was hoping Loreen had more to share about her relationship with Christine O’Meara, some small something that would piece all this together.
I arrived at Jeff’s apartment about thirty minutes later than if I’d taken the freeway. Good thing I knew Houston streets. I rapped on the door and Jeff let me in. The smell of pepperoni and pizza crust filled the apartment.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see a pizza box in my life.” We joined Loreen and Doris at the card table.
Loreen had changed out of her uniform into jeans and a T-shirt, Doris had pizza sauce at both corners of her mouth and Jeff must have finished eating, because he was chewing gum.
I took the GPS device out of my purse and showed Jeff. “DeShay has another toy to play with.”
“What kind of toy?” Doris said. “Can I see it?”
“No, Doris, it’s not that kind of toy,” Jeff said. “After Abby’s done eating, we can set up that jigsaw puzzle we bought today.”
I picked up one of the three slices left in the box and took a bite.
“What is that thing?” Loreen nodded at my purse, where I’d returned the GPS device.
“A piece of equipment our friend DeShay-”
“I know Jeff is a cop.” She glanced at him. “An ex-pro like me can smell a cop a mile away. What is that?”
“You can smell Jeffy because he smells nice,” Doris said. “He smells like our dad.”
We all had to smile, and I said, “He does clean up good.”
“Loreen has a pretty smile like yours, Abby. She said she had a friend like me when she was in school a long time ago. Can you be my friend now, Loreen?”