Almost Dead (Lizzy Gardner #5)(20)

“You know, taking someone’s clothes while they’re in the shower or taking the older kids’ keys and moving their car to a spot a few blocks away. Things like that.”

Lizzy was making notes. When she looked up, Melony was chewing on her bottom lip.

“There’s more, isn’t there?”

“I wasn’t involved, but two of the guys and Rachel did kidnap a girl once and take her on a ride.”

Lizzy tried to remain calm. “What was the girl’s name?”

“I don’t know. I was going to ask Rachel when we met up, but like I said, she was dead by morning.”

“Do you know what happened to the girl you’re talking about?”

“I just know it was bad.”

Lovely. “Anything else?”

“It all happened so long ago. I’m sure there were other incidents, but I’ll have to think some more.”

“You do that. As things stand right now, if someone really is causing these accidents, from what you said it could be almost anybody.”

Melony pointed at the notebook next to Lizzy. “I also included a list of students who I believe were picked on the most, including people I consider to be unstable, based on things I’ve heard.”

Melony disappeared for the second time. This time she returned with an envelope and handed it to Lizzy.

“What’s this?”

“A thousand dollars. A deposit. If my douche bag of an ex-husband wasn’t hiding all of his earnings, I would be able to give you more up front. As it is, I was planning on remodeling the kitchen, but that will have to wait. For now, I’ll have to set my budget at ten thousand dollars.”

Lizzy held up the notebook. “You’ve given me a long list of names of people who were affected by the Ambassador Club’s tormenting. This could take forever and a day to reach out to all of these people, let alone narrow the list of suspects down to ten . . . or one. In two or three months’ time, your money could be spent and you might not be any closer to the truth than you are right now.”

“Are you saying you won’t take the job?”

“No. I’m just letting you know that you might be better off spending that money on security around here. An alarm, perhaps a camera installed outside. Keep your car in the garage. Be vigilant about locking your doors and windows.”

“I could move in with the chief of police and I still wouldn’t feel safe. I need to know who’s behind these killings. I need you to say yes. If you agree to do this, I’ll feel safer knowing that every time we take someone off the list of suspects, we’ll be one step closer to finding the person responsible.”

Lizzy stood and gathered her things. She held up the envelope. “I’ll get started right away.”

“I appreciate it.”

Lizzy shook her hand. It was a done deal.

She disliked Melony Reed, and she wasn’t sure she even wanted to take on the job, but the idea that Detective Chase was responsible for this woman coming to her for help spurred Lizzy onward.

Somehow, someway, she’d make the big man eat crow. Again.





CHAPTER 14

Eighty-year-old Donna Kingsbury talked faster than an auctioneer on speed. And louder, too, although she needed to talk loudly if she wanted to be heard over the television blasting in the other room. Mrs. Kingsbury stood in the middle of the kitchen in her trailer home wearing a flowery muumuu, nylon knee-highs, and slippers. The place smelled like old dishrags and cat pee, which made sense when an orange-and-white cat appeared from the other room and began to weave around her thick ankles, its tail curling around her calves.

Hayley had been listening to her talk for ten minutes nonstop. Her cavernous mouth just kept running like a faucet that couldn’t be turned off.

She couldn’t remember it ever being so difficult to get information out of someone. Adoption searches were usually easy. Hayley could do them with her eyes closed. But getting anything useful out of this crazy lady felt never ending.

The good news was Donna Kingsbury lived in Citrus Heights. At least she hadn’t had to drive too far.

Kitally and Hayley had learned from their short visit with Dan Blatt that he’d been unable to handle all the grief stemming from the death of his first wife and had asked his mother-in-law, now ex-mother-in-law, to take care of his daughter for a few weeks. A few weeks turned into a few months and a few months turned into years. At least, that’s what Mr. Blatt had told them. The man was slime. How could you give away your daughter as if she were a cat or dog and then never look back?

“That child was the devil’s offspring,” the old woman assured her. “I always wondered if Barbara and Dan made a trade with some new-aged gypsies.”

Hayley opened her mouth to speak, but she wasn’t fast enough.

“I don’t have too many good things to say about Dan, either, you understand. That man couldn’t take care of a cactus, let alone his own wife and daughter. My Barbara deserved better. She would probably still be alive if it weren’t for that man taking advantage of her, forcing her to slave over him day and night.

“As Mrs. Kinsbury droned on, Hayley found herself wishing she’d waited for Kitally to return from her morning surveillance, another workers’ comp claimant with an alleged neck injury. Kitally had patience, and she knew how to handle people like Mrs. Kingsbury.