Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies
Page 70

“Beats me. I ran her off and told her to keep her worthless messages to herself. I can’t very well go ask her to give me a better explanation. Especially after we were in her apartment.” Then a fresh wave of horror washed over me. “Oh! Neely Kate! The wrench!”
“What about—” Her eyes turned into silver dollars. “Oh, my word. We forgot it. I didn’t give the owner a chance to ask for it. I just slapped the key on the counter and told her I wasn’t interested in the apartment.”
“What are you all talkin’ about?” Bruce Wayne asked.
Neely Kate told him about how we’d schemed our way into the apartment and then left the wrench on the kitchen counter.
“I didn’t fix the faucet,” I said, getting scared. “She’s gonna ask her landlord why the wrench is there, and that woman’s gonna describe us down to a T, especially since she was so suspicious. And if Kate has any doubts, she’ll remember seeing you out front. What are we gonna do?”
Bruce Wayne looked worried. “I’d suggest going to the police and tellin’ them what you found, but who are you gonna tell? The Henryetta police are gonna bungle it, and they hate you to boot. They’re more likely to arrest you for breakin’ and enterin’ than they are to help.”
“And the sheriff’s out,” Neely Kate said. “For obvious reasons. Maybe we should tell Carter.”
I shook my head. “No. I’ll tell Mason and let him decide what to do. He’s workin’ with a state police detective. Maybe he can get them to look into it.”
“Good idea,” Neely Kate said.
“I’m glad you’re plannin’ to stay in with Maeve tonight. No one will look for you there.”
Bruce Wayne’s face puckered with confusion. “Why’re ya stayin’ with Maeve?”
Neely Kate sighed. “It’s a long story.”
I gave Bruce Wayne a look that said we’d fill him when there was time.
“The next question is what is Kate capable of? If she hired Sam Teagen as the middleman to hire Eric to run Mason off the road and steal his phone, did she also have him killed? I found a gun in her bag.”
Neely Kate gave Bruce Wayne a pointed look. “And not just any gun. A Sig Sauer.”
Bruce Wayne whistled. “She ain’t playin’.”
“We know she’s dangerous, but what’s she going to do to us?” I gasped as a new thought occurred to me. “Did she leave those notes on my car? The ones that warned me to stay out of other people’s business? Did she have someone run me off the road?”
Fear filled Neely Kate’s eyes. “I don’t think it’s safe for you to be alone.”
“If she really posted my bail, she’s not gonna kill me. She could have left me in jail.”
Neely Kate didn’t look any more relieved about that.
“I need to get home. Mason’s gonna beat me there at this rate.”
Neely Kate stood. “My car’s still over at Merilee’s from yesterday. I can drive myself to Maeve’s.”
“But your stuff’s still at my house.”
She shrugged. “I’ll figure it out.”
“Call me when you get to Maeve’s, okay? I’m worried about you.”
“You’re in more danger, Rose. You call me too.”
Bruce Wayne grabbed his coat. “I’m following you home, Rose.”
I almost told him it wasn’t necessary, but two things stopped me. One, I’d hurt his feelings earlier. I wanted him to feel needed and trusted. And two, I really was worried about being out by myself.
I wrapped my arms around him. “Thank you. I’m sorry I hurt you this morning. You have to know I don’t think those hurtful things. I never have.”
He patted my back, then pulled loose, keeping his eyes on the floor. “I do. But I was hurt. And I still think you and Neely Kate are playing with fire, but I also think you might be able to accomplish something meetin’ with those guys.”
“Thanks, Bruce Wayne. That means a lot to me.”
We all walked out the front door together, and Bruce Wayne locked up behind us. I looked around to see if anyone suspicious was lingering nearby, but it was a bare early February afternoon in Henryetta. Hardly anyone was out and about, so anyone watching us would have stuck out like a sore thumb. But as I made my way to my truck, I couldn’t help but look up at Kate’s apartment windows. She stood in front of the glass, looking down at me.
She lifted her hand and waggled her fingers, a huge smile spreading across her face.
Chapter 20
The house was empty when I got home. Bruce Wayne followed me all the way to my front door and then insisted on checking the house before he left me there. He gave me a confrontational look, but I didn’t say a word. I just turned off the alarm and followed him around like a lost puppy. When he declared it safe, he looked around. “Where’s Muffy?”
“Mason’s takin’ me out to dinner tonight, so I left her at Maeve’s for the night.” I pulled my phone out. “And Neely Kate’s there too.” I sent her a quick text to let her know I was home, then looked up at him. “Everyone’s safe and sound.”
“Well, I better be goin’. Be careful, and let me know if you need anything.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
I watched him leave, then locked the door and turned the dreaded alarm back on. Then I dug in my purse and pulled out my burner phone.