Ladies' Circle of Murder (A Lacy Steele Mystery Book 8) (7 page)

He continued on for a while. Lacy zoned out.

“Got that?” he said.

“Yes, don’t get dead,” she said.

“Close enough. It doesn’t matter anyway because Travis is going to be there. He’s going to look out for you. It’s going to be fine,” he said.

“It’s going to be fine,” she repeated with no real conviction.

“Thanks for doing this. I know it’s not your thing,” he said.

“It’s no big deal. I’m glad to do it,” she said. She checked the sky to make sure lightning wasn’t about to strike her dead for the lies.

“You’re the best girlfriend ever,” he said.

“Are you wearing the t-shirt I bought you that says so?” she asked.

“Every day,” he said.

“How is it there? Are you learning a lot?”

“Almost too much. I’m afraid I won’t be able to remember it all. I’ve already filled a book with notes. The days start early and end late, but it’s good. There’s not much time to miss you.”

“Is there a communal shower?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Did you clean it?” she asked.

“Every day so far, but I wake up before everyone else, so my secret is safe,” he said. “I hate to cut this short, but I’m at the mess hall.”

“How’s the food?” she asked.

“Edible, but not fresh. I miss green lettuce. Here it’s white and wilted.”

“When you come home, I’ll make you a kale salad and let you organize my sweater drawers.”

“Stop it. Don’t talk like that when I’m too far away to do anything about it. Tease,” he accused.

“And people think I’m the weird one,” she said. “After this week is over, can we agree that we’ll never, ever, ever be apart again?”

“Sounds reasonable and healthy,” he said. “I have classes tonight, but text me and let me know how dodgeball goes.”

“Will do,” she promised.

“Good luck. You’re going to do great.”

“Every time you lie, a baby dove dies,” she said.

“Doves are basically pigeons, so my conscience is clear,” he said.

There was a lull, but the silence wasn’t awkward. Neither wanted to be the first to say goodbye.

“If I don’t go eat, all the good gruel is going to get taken,” Jason said.

“All right,” she said, but they still lingered.

“Never going to be apart after this again, right?” he said.

“Never, ever,” she promised.

“All right. I’ll call when I can. Love you.”

“Love you,” she said, and they hung up. There was no time to feel sad because she had to change for dodgeball. She had purposely cut it close so she wouldn’t have time to panic.

Travis met her on the court. “Nice face mask. Are you umping a baseball game after this?”

“Words hurt,” Lacy said, popping out her mouth guard so she could speak.

“Not as bad as that thing on your face, I bet. Did Jason go over the rules with you?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” she said.

“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” he asked.

“Absolutely not,” she said.

“It’s okay. Just stay by me,” he said.

The whistle blew to start the game. Lacy shoved her mouth guard in just in time. A ball whizzed at her and crashed hard against her ribs. She made an “oof” sound as the air whooshed out of her.

“Out!” the referee called and pointed to her.

She turned and made her way toward the edge of the court, relieved it was over so quickly.

A ball smacked the backs of her calves. She stumbled and quickened her step.

Another ball beaned her in the shoulder. Her trot turned into a jog.

Two more balls hit her in the back. She started to sprint.

As she reached the edge of the court, a ball smacked her in the back of the head so hard that she tumbled forward. Landing on her hands and knees, she started to crawl. It was apparent to her now that nowhere was safe in this game. Even if she made it off the court, the balls would find her. And probably kill her.

Ahead, she saw an opening behind the bleachers. It was like a dark beacon of hope. If she could make it there, she could hide until the rest of the game was over.

A ball pinged off the side of her thigh and her knee gave out. She dragged that leg behind her and continued forward.

The bleachers seemed forever away. Meanwhile the hits kept coming. Three in a row pelted her in the face. If not for her mouth guard, they might have loosened a few teeth.

At last she reached the opening of the bleachers and scuttled inside. Balls began to rebound off the bleachers—BAM! BAM! BAM! To Lacy, each hit felt personal, as if it had been meant for her. She closed her eyes, put her hands over her ears, and waited for it to be over.

Someone touched her arm. She screamed and dropped her mouth guard.

“Lacy, it’s me, it’s Travis.” He shook her. She opened her eyes and blinked at him. She could barely make out his outline in the darkness.

“Travis? What are you doing here?”

“It’s over.”

“The game is over?”

“It’s been over for a while, but it took some time to find you,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, why?”

“You’re in the fetal position with your hands up. You look like a praying mantis,” he said.

“Would you believe me if I said I was doing yoga?” she said.

“Would you want me to?  Because, I gotta tell you, it’s not exactly normal to be doing yoga under the bleachers in the middle of a dodgeball game,” he returned.

“You have a point there. Can we not tell Jason about this?” she said.

“It depends. What will you give me?”

“What do you want?” she said.

“I have a date next weekend. I need help getting ready for it,” he said.

“What kind of help?” she asked. The last time he went on a date, he ended up losing his lunch in her bushes.

“I need you to help me pick out an outfit and do a dry run to settle my nerves,” he said.

“All right. Who’s the girl?”

“You don’t know her.”

“That’s cagey,” Lacy said.

“
I
don’t know her. I met her online on one of those dating sights. It’s sort of humiliating,” he said.

“Why? It’s not like our cup runneth over with available singles in this town. Sometimes you have to outsource. There’s no shame in that,” she said.

“If you say so. Are you ready to leave your bunker?”

“I suppose. Did we win?”

“Barely,” he said. “And good thing because Jason wouldn’t forgive me if I let you get pegged and lost the game.”

“I think Jason is realistic about my chances of survival, even with your help,” she said.

“Jason’s not realistic about anything when it comes to you. And now you’re doing that goofy grin thing. I hope I’m not as gag-worthy as you guys are if I ever fall in love.”

“Don’t say ‘if.’ Say ‘when.’ It’s going to happen for you. You’re too good of a guy to fall through the cracks,” she said.

“Maybe you should write my dating profile,” he said.

“I’d be happy to.” She emerged blinking into the fluorescent semi-brightness of the gym. The rest of the team was still there, chatting in a circle and swigging sports drinks.

“Why does everyone get so sweaty and dehydrated in this game?” she asked.

“Because they stick around to play it,” he said. “Are you ready to go? I’ll give you a ride home.”

“I should say hi to our teammates,” she said.

“Why?” he said.

“To be polite,” she said.

“No, really, why?” he said.

“Just come on,” she said. She advanced across the court and approached the circle that Dan, Marcia, and Celia had created.

“I didn’t think you were here tonight, although I guess they wouldn’t have let us play if you weren’t. I didn’t see you at all, though,” Marcia said.

“I got tagged out early,” Lacy explained.

“And you didn’t come back in for the next round?” Dan said.

There was more than one round? Lacy looked to Travis for guidance. He nodded and mouthed, “Nine.”

Nine rounds? No wonder everyone is so drenched
, she thought
.
“I took it pretty hard when I got out,” Lacy said. “I needed some time to cool off. I’m so competitive at sportsing. I’ll work on that. Good game, though.”

“It was a tough one, but we pulled it out,” Dan said.

“When does Jason come back?” Celia asked. Lacy knew that was code for,
We need our star player, stat!

“He’ll be here for Monday’s game,” she said.

“Not Thursday’s?” Celia said, clearly disappointed.

“No, but I’ll be sure to bring my A-game,” Lacy said. Celia nodded, looking less than reassured. No one mentioned Bob or his ex-wife Deb, as Lacy had hoped they might. She was helpless to know how to bring it up casually.
So, that guy who got crushed by his lift, let’s talk about him,
didn’t exactly roll off the tongue.

“We should probably get going,” Travis said.

“You’re riding with him?” Marcia asked. Her glance slid back and forth between Lacy and Travis. Was she searching for hints of romance? Did she not remember that Lacy was dating Jason? Could she not tell that Travis was six years younger and like a little brother?

“I usually walk everywhere, but I’m sure Jason made him promise to take me home,” Lacy said, although why she felt the need to explain herself to a nosy stranger was beyond her.

“You don’t have a car?” Dan said, and he was practically salivating. “You should come by the dealership. I could hook you up.”

“Oh, Dan, not tonight,” Marcia said, laughing. She laid a possessive hand on Dan’s arm. Clearly the woman had problems if she viewed Lacy as a threat to her husband. Lacy wanted no part of that scenario, either Marcia’s jealousy or Dan’s salesmanship. But Dan had worked with Bob Hoskins, and Lacy needed an opening to talk to him about that.

“Maybe I’ll do that,” she said.

“Excellent,” Dan said. He didn’t rub his hands together in anticipatory glee, but Lacy could tell he wanted to.

Travis put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. She said goodbye to the group and followed Travis out of the gym. “You’re awfully anxious to get out of here,” Lacy told him.

“I have to work tonight,” he said.

“Oh, I’m sorry. You should have said something.”

“It’s okay. I slept today, but I need to grab a shower and some supper before I go in,” he said.

“Sure,” she said, hurrying now. She remembered from Jason’s days working patrol how exhausting it was to work the late shift. Poor Travis. She had been neglecting her friendship with him since she and Jason started dating. She should do something nice for him. Maybe in the morning she would take him breakfast. He still lived with his mom, and she saw that he ate well, but a meal at work was always a good thing.

“I know what you’re doing, and I want you to stop!” The voice came out of nowhere, as did the finger in her face.

“Whoa, Detective, take it easy,” Travis said. He stepped closer to Lacy, inserting himself between her and the big, angry man.

Detective Arroyo was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. A towel was draped around his neck as if he had just worked out. He must have spotted them on his way out of the Y. He turned his rage toward Travis. “Easy yourself, Deputy, or I’ll knock your career back so far you’ll be coming out of your mother’s womb.”

He would do it, too, Lacy knew. He was the vindictive type. “Travis has nothing to do with this,” she said. She put on a hand on his chest and gave him a push out of the line of fire.

“He’d better not,” the detective said, but his wrath was directed back at her now. “And if you try to insinuate yourself in my investigation, you’ll find yourself in a cell. I mean it.”

“Put me in a cell, and I’ll sue you for impinging on my first amendment rights as a member of the press,” she said. “I haven’t done one thing to step over the line as a reporter, and you know it. But while I have you here, let me ask you a question for the record: Do you find it suspicious that the lift control was by Bob Hoskins’ right hand when he was left-handed?”

His finger was still in her face. It shook and turned purple with rage as he tried not to deck her. “Stay out of my investigation.”

“So you admit there is an investigation,” she said.

“There’s always an investigation when someone dies in unusual circumstances, but as soon as we inventory the cars on his lot, it’s going to be over. And you can put that on the record because I’m not going to be the one who looks like a moron when all of this is over,” he said. He spun and stormed away.

“You have a way with men,” Travis said.

“I’m sorry about that,” she said.

“Don’t sweat it. What are you up to?”

“I thought it would be fun to get back to some writing. I’m covering a death for the paper,” she said.

“And getting under the good detective’s skin in the process,” he said.

“That’s an added bonus,” she said.

“What does Jason think about this?”

“Jason supports me in whatever I choose to do,” she said.

“In other words, he doesn’t know,” Travis said.

“And you can’t tell him,” she said.

“As if I would want to get in the middle of that,” he said. He walked to his car and opened her door.

“On second thought, I think I’ll walk,” she said.

“I promised to take you home,” he said.

“I won’t tell if you won’t, plus I need to cool off. That confrontation will keep me awake tonight if I don’t,” she said.

He wavered.

“Give in because you won’t win. Be done with me. Go home and vegetate awhile before work. You have my blessing.” She waved her hand dismissively toward the car.

“As you wish, your majesty,” he said. He closed the door, went to his side of the car, waved, and drove away.

Lacy waited to make sure he was really gone before she turned and went in the opposite direction. There was something she needed to do, and no one would approve of it.
Then maybe you shouldn’t do it,
said a little voice that sounded a whole lot like Jason’s. She tuned it out and walked faster.

Chapter 7

Bob Hoskins’ repair shop had floodlights and razor wire. He must have been paranoid that people would break in. Lacy cursed his paranoia as she stood outside and tried to figure out how to break in.