Killer Con Fuego Read online

  Dave poured another tumblerful of rum. This time he sipped his drink. “Scooby was in the office.” Dave pointed toward the ajar office door, with his back toward Lydia.

  Lydia scooted to the doors and took a full look inside the kitchen. In a few hurried seconds, she surmised the office interior. All the drawers were pulled out of the desk and chunked onto the floor. Upside down, on top of the desk, rested the office rolling chair.

  “It looked like he’d been in there for some time,” Maude said. Lydia had thought the same. Maude didn’t even turn toward the office. She set her eyes on Dave, giving him her full attention.

  Dave sighed sadly. “I tried to stop him, but ... he was wild.” Dave trembled with, what appeared to be, a swallowed bout of crying. “I begged him to tell me what was going on. He said something about needing the money and needing to get away before the police returned. He was crazy.”

  Maude kept a cushion between her and Dave. She reached out a hand of understanding and squeezed Dave’s hand. He visibly squeezed her back and looked lovingly into Maude’s eyes.

  Lydia shivered. It wasn’t an appropriate employee level of love. Dave’s eyes shimmied with hope and begged for understanding, deeper than made sense. Maude retrieved her hand and Dave’s mask fell back into place. Lydia had seen drugs and drinks do odd things to people. Maybe Dave was drunker than she had thought.

  “Then he started getting violent. I didn’t think the little squirt had it in him, but he attacked me,” Dave said.

  “With what?” Maude looked around her for a discarded weapon.

  JOAN WRAPPED A TOWEL around her head. She looked funny in her dad’s oversized sleepwear. Ivy vigorously punched numbers into her phone. The ringing on the other end went unanswered. “Grab your coat,” Ivy commanded. She reached for Joan with her injured hand and immediately dropped back to the bed with the surprise of pain.

  “What is it,” Joan said. “Do you think it’s broken?”

  Ivy shook her head and waved her good hand in the hair. “No. No.” She grunted through clenched teeth. “Your mom. She’s in trouble.”

  LYDIA’S POCKET VIBRATED. She jumped. Her bum knocked into the kitchen door. She stabilized it, with a flat hand, before Dave noticed. Her spooky senses were tingling. Something was not right. Something about Dave. The shaking in her pocket stopped and restarted.

  All talking in the kitchen ceased. Lydia held her breath. Had Dave noticed the kitchen door move? Immediately, she chided her fear. What did it matter if he had? Sure she was kind of snooping, but it was by invitation.

  Besides, weren’t Maude and her there to collect Scooby. Their main objectives had been to find the boy, make sure he was safe, and get him to turn himself in. Even if Lydia’s gut told her the young man was innocent, Scooby needed to see the police while still on their good side. This made the entire situation simpler for all parties involved.

  Still, Maude had asked Lydia to stay hidden and observe. So Lydia complied. She hoped she hadn’t given anything else away.

  Lydia’s phone danced once more. This time she slid over to her right and leaned against the solid wall. She drew her digital rectangle out of her pocket and scrolled through the text messages. All from Ivy.

  Lydia knew a simple response would not suffice. She dropped to her hands and knees and crawled out of the hall and into the lounge area. Hiding felt silly. But then again, she’d done weirder things solving a murder.

  She propped her back against the lounge couch, before remembering it had been Vikki’s death bed. Lydia squelched a scream. Again, she felt ridiculous.

  No one from the kitchen would be able to spot her from where she stood, she thought as she rose to her feet. Gingerly she drew the phone closer to her face and tapped the screen. She turned down the volume, pressed speaker call, and slid the phone into her bra strap. It wasn’t the most elegant of phone holders, but it helped keep her hands free. She was about to command her phone to call Ivy when the world went fuzzy.

  Lydia fell to her knees. She felt the ground hit her forty-year-old knee caps with a jarring thwack, but it didn’t seem to hurt. Lydia wondered why. And then her eyes shut.

  Chapter 41

  IVY STABBED LYDIA’S face on her contacts page. Again and again, the phone call was sent straight to voicemail. Ivy paced the entry of the hotel. She wondered if she was doing the right thing. Everything within her wanted to run straight to Lydia and help her. Just as Lydia had done when Ivy was in trouble. But common sense, amplified by the voices of Thaddeus Miller, Kevin Brandes, and Flora, had told her to find Ethan before taking matters into her own hands.

  Joan rushed down the stairs and straight for Maude’s house when Ivy had explained her findings. She stood at the door and waited for Kat to answer. Thaddeus put on proper clothing and met her at the Santiago residence.

  Joan didn’t want to wait for him. She stood with a towel still in her hair, in the pouring rain, hoping that Kat Miller hadn’t fallen asleep. Joan patted down her thighs and bum. Of course, she thought. She’d left her phone next to the shower in the master suite. She hadn’t anticipated life changing as rapidly as it had. Joan rubbed her arms and swayed to keep herself warm.

  Finally, Kat opened the door. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stared exhausted into Joan’s frantic face. “She’s in trouble, already?” Joan nodded. “Get in here,” Kat said and guided the dripping girl into the Santiago kitchen.

  LYDIA’S HEAD SWIRLED. Her stomach followed the suggestion. A cold but tender hand brushed the side of Lydia’s temple. A quiet voice calmed itself while trying to comfort Lydia’s confused mind.

  “What’s going on?” Lydia tried to whisper, but her voice only cracked. Her throat felt as dry as sand. She could really use a coffee. With that thought, her stomach revolted. She rolled over and yacked all over the concrete floor.

  ETHAN EVERETT HAD OBVIOUSLY been talking all night. He and Harrison trudged into the hotel lobby as if awakening from a spell. Their faces were still young, if only slightly creased. But their eyes were tired with the weight of the past few days and months. Ivy felt sorry for them. She was about to add fear to the mixture of tumult.

  “Sorry if I woke you,” Ivy said.

  Harrison and Ethan chuckled without strength. “You wish,” Ethan said. “What’s up? Why the cryptic message?” Ivy had texted Ethan on her run over to find him.

  “What else could it be,” Harrison said. “Lydia must be up to something.” Ethan’s eyes sparked as if he’d just fully stepped into the sunlight.

  “I found something. Well, actually, I think I’ve figured something out. I’m not sure it’s right. But if it is, Lydia’s going to need you both.” Ivy didn’t explain any further. She led both men around the back of the hotel, through the alleyway, and to Maude’s front door.

  LYDIA SHIVERED HERSELF back awake. The same tender hand caressed her forehead. “You’re okay,” Maude said. Lydia didn’t believe her. “Scooby, get her something to drink.”

  “Like what, Maudie?” Lydia was relieved to hear Scooby’s voice. He sounded worn but no worse for wear. Lydia silently thanked God for his mercy on Scooby and Maude.

  “I’m fine,” Lydia said. “I’ll put some coffee on.”

  Scooby laughed. “She’s wild.”

  Lydia heard a catch in Scooby’s breath and a scratch of metal. He sounded like he was doing minor construction. The keening sent needles through Lydia’s neck.

  Maude’s muscles tightened. Lydia figured she must be lying on Maude’s lap. But she couldn’t figure out why. “That’s hurting her, Scooby,” Maude chided.

  “We don’t have a lot of time.” His voice was annoyed but gentle.

  “I know.” Maude’s voice vibrated through her stomach. “Just one minute. Can we give her that?”

  “I’ll try to be quieter,” Scooby said.

  “WHOA, WHOA!” ETHAN’S loving timber evaporated. His voice became all cop. This subtle but solid shift gave Ivy and Joan a burst of faith. Separately, they re
lished in their confident captain’s cool collected courage. Ethan was solid. A great safety net from which to brave the world. Energy pumped through both girls.

  Ivy found it hard to slow her explanation. Time was slipping further away. “Vikki Winters was a con-woman.”

  “This we know,” Santi said.

  His hair, fluffed from sleep, trembled even after he stopped nodding his head. Kat felt horrible for the introverted chef. Thad had awakened him, the moment he arrived. As soon as Santi’s foot hit the first-floor landing, his front door opened and in ran a wet mess of frenzied people shouting and deliberating.

  Santi had responded with a hearty hello. He’d asked where his wife had gone and then immediately started making coffee. He caught on quickly but was slower to interject than the rest of the group. “I’ve figured out that much. Scooby escaped her. Just barely. This makes him a prime suspect.”

  Harrison, who sat at the kitchen counter, took a deep breath. “He’s not the only one,” he said.

  It was odd discussing the second life of his deceased fiancée. She was so far from who Harrison thought she had been. It was like talking about a stranger. Harrison wished she had been a stranger. He wouldn’t feel so guilty for his odd mix of grief and hostility toward Vikki Winters. A split second of understanding passed between the men. It melted any unsettled awkwardness.

  “She was good at what she did,” Ethan said. “Ivy, continue.”

  THE THIRD TIME LYDIA woke up, she instantly wished she hadn’t. Her head screamed. Her neck refused to hold it steady. Maude helped Lydia come to a sitting position. She kept a hand on her back until Lydia’s equilibrium returned.

  Slowly, Lydia opened her eyes. Where was she? Metro racks and empty plastic bins sat in front of her.

  Maude stood up. “Take it easy,” she told Lydia. I’m just going to see if I can help Scooby.”

  “Help Scooby?” Lydia whispered, still hazed by confusion. That’s why she was there, to help Scooby. Careful not to move her head more than necessary, Lydia raised shakily to her feet. Lydia’s vision cleared for a second. She spotted the boy in the lime green hoodie. “Scooby’s safe? That’s so nice,” she said. Lydia struggled to get her feet to move. The ground was slippery and cold. Getting her body moving was impossible.

  “Please, don’t rush yourself.” Maude placed her frosty hands on Lydia’s shoulders. Lydia wiggled from the chill. Then it hit her. They were in the walk-in freezer. And by the look on Maude’s face, they didn’t have a way to get out.

  “SO, THAT’S THE LIST of Vikki’s ex victims.” Ivy pointed at the board as if her discovery was obvious to everyone else. “And there it is, Dale Evergreen.”

  “And?” Ethan spoke.

  “Dave Pines,” Santi said.

  “Exactly.” Ivy clapped and then instantly yelped. Her injury to her hand was quite annoying. Her ice pack was warming but still helped the overall sting of the pain.

  “How did you figure it out,” Ethan asked.

  Joan giggled. “She smashed the Clue board.”

  “So, Dale Evergreen was the one who got away,” Ethan thought aloud. “But how did he and Scooby end up at the same spot at the same time? And how did Vikki happen to find them?”

  Santi frowned. “Dave didn’t say anything. He didn’t even act any differently. There was no way of knowing that he recognized her. Now, Scooby, he did. He was a mess. Maude had to take him out of the kitchen.”

  Ethan’s phone rang at the same moment Santi’s jangled on the entryway table. They both answered. Santi made the announcement. “The police patrol is at Con Fuego, right now. He says there’s nothing there.”

  “Nothing? No Lydia? No Maude and Scooby,” Kat said.

  “That’s what he said.” Ethan confirmed Santi’s statement.

  “Where could they be?” Joan asked.

  Chapter 42

  MAUDE LINKED ARMS WITH Lydia and paced her around the freezer. Scooby continued to work at the door hinges. He glanced out the window from time to time and reported back to Maude. “He’s still in the office.”

  “Who?”

  Maude patted Lydia’s hand. “Dave,” she said. “He’s wandering around the kitchen talking to himself. Dave ducks ever so often. We think that must be when the patrol comes by.”

  “Hopefully, he’ll be more thorough next time. I’m not sure how long we have,” Scooby said, then ducked. A projectile smacked the freezer window from the other side of the door.

  “You’re not getting out!” Dave’s voice was feral. “You’re going to die inside that freezer and then you and Alex or Denise or Vikki,” Dave said, sneering with the last name. “You can finally be together. Just the way she wanted you to be! Forever.”

  Lydia’s head swished. She dropped her head and took three cleansing breaths. Her eyes focused on where her boots used to be. “Where are my shoes?”

  Maude chuckled sarcastically. “Dave took all our shoes and our jackets. He believes we’ll freeze faster without them.” Scooby responded with a bitter chortle. “He left Scooby with his hoodie. We’ve been taking turns with it. In fact, it’s your turn. Scooby?”

  “Righto.” Scooby shed his lime green hoodie and wrapped it around Lydia. He gently slid her arms through the holes and gingerly fastened the hood around her head.

  “Thanks.” She shivered in gratitude. Her eyes watered. She rubbed at them, but the action only made the itching amplify. “I thought you were allergic to cologne,” Lydia said to Scooby.

  “I am.” He pulled down the collar of his thermal sweater. Red, raised bumps smattered his caramel-colored skin. He demonstrated the same bumps, only more irritated, on his wrists. “It hasn’t done much for my hay fever, either.”

  Maude released her hold of Lydia and went to Scooby. “It’s the one good thing about being locked in a freezer. The cold staves off allergies.” Scooby’s eyebrows raised, and his face softened. Lydia believed she was about to hear the abused boy laugh. The moment fell short.

  Lydia put her back against a rack. The frosty chill stung her skin through her clothes. She needed bolstering. Her mind caught up with her circumstances. “Dave broke in, wearing Scooby’s hoodie,and attacked Mr. Sky?”

  Scooby nodded. He smiled in happy shock at Maude. “I told you she’d believe you. She’s on your side,” Maude said. Scooby’s eyes watered, either from allergies or relief. Lydia took it as a vote of confidence.

  “What was he looking for?” she asked.

  Maude gazed proudly up at her tall thin foster son. “Check Scooby’s pocket.”

  “SANTI, HARRISON,” ETHAN said. “I would feel much better if you both went together to the police station. Tell Ashton PD about your findings and your suspicions. Tell them you believe you found Dale Evergreen and who you think he is.”

  The men nodded. Santi fled upstairs and was back down within five minutes, wearing more acceptable clothing. He snatched his coat on the way out. When Harrison passed Ethan, the worried off duty Sheriff grabbed his brother-in-law’s arm.

  “Yes,” Harrison said.

  “Please, text me updates. Let me know if you see Lydia.”

  “Of course.” Harrison patted Ethan’s shoulder and left behind Santi.

  Thaddeus cleared his throat. “Are we supposed to sit here, in Santi’s house, and wait?”

  Kat spoke up. “I’ve got to. Lydia and Maude know I’m here. I’m sure they’ll check in soon. I need to be where they can find me. Besides, someone needs to be here if Scooby comes back. Not that he’ll recognize me or trust me. But it’s the best we could do for the moment.”

  Joan interrupted. “I’ll stay.”

  “So, will I,” Ivy said. “Scooby knows us. We’ll check in if anything happens.”

  Thaddeus smiled. “Then we’ll head back,” he said. He wanted to get back to the vacation house before the kids woke up. With the kind of weekend they’d been treated to, he had no idea when that would be.

  Kat needed rest, and he was positive there was nothing else tha
t could be done. Kat wanted to object. She wanted to argue loudly. But she knew her husband was right. There was nothing more to do until Lydia checked in.

  “Kat,” Ivy called. “Will you watch out for Scout?”

  “Of course,” Kat said. “I’ll call you when she wakes up, and I’ll feed her breakfast.”

  “Thanks.” Ivy relaxed.

  She couldn’t leave her foster family when they needed her. But she also wouldn’t abandon her baby without a second thought, even for a moment. Ivy’s friends treated her like family. They treated her daughter like a small woodland princess. It was a blessing beyond measure.

  Ethan paced the small kitchen. He was tough but was having a hard time containing his anxiety for his wife. He wasn’t complaining. Joan was surprised. He wasn’t blaming her mother for disappearing unannounced. Joan thought that was the first thing he was going to do. It was amazing that he didn’t.

  “Did Mom tell you where she was going?” Joan couldn’t resist her own family mystery. Her dad was so worried and yet calm.

  Ethan shook his head. “But she did text me that she was going out with Maude to look for Scooby. I didn’t ask where.”

  Ivy picked up a whiteboard eraser and doodled on the whiteboard to clear her mind. “She was going to go to the restaurant. Dave called and said he was with Scooby, there. Lydia didn’t want Maude to go alone, just in case Scooby was unstable. I don’t think they figured Dave was a threat.”

  THE FIRST POCKET LYDIA dove into was empty. In the second pocket, nested a cell phone. She pulled it out and stared blankly at the screen.

  “It’s Vikki’s phone,” Maude said.

  The lock screen pictured Vikki and Harrison. By the deep glow of Vikki’s tan, Lydia suspected it was taken late summer. Perhaps it was taken the first time they’d met.