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Authors: Terri L. Austin
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ton more than waitressing. Who knew? A white leather sofa and love seat were arranged in the small living room. Crystal decorated for the holidays with a mini tree on her coffee table. She forewent the traditional ornaments and draped the whole thing in ropes of fake diamonds. At least I assumed they were fake.
“Do you want to start in here, Rox? Remember to lift the cushions and check the vents.”
“You’re telling me the drill?”
I left her to it and hit the kitchen. I thought about all those places they say thieves look, like the flour canister—she didn’t have one. The freezer—three Lean Cuisines and four bottles of flavored vodka (cotton candy, bacon, whipped cream, and cookie dough). Ugh. I methodically, but quickly, went through every cupboard, her oven, and drawers. The missing money wasn’t hiding in her kitchen and I didn’t find any evidence she’d bashed in Asshat’s head. A written confession would have been nice.
I met Roxy in the hallway. “Nothing. You?”
She shook her head. “You want the bedroom or the bathroom?”
“Bed.” I moved down the short hall.
Crystal had one bedroom and it was très cheesy. Black wallpaper with pictures of diamonds covered one wall, the rest were painted eye-popping pink. The bed was a mass of black and pink satin.
I picked up one of the silver frames on the mirrored bedside table. She had a lot of photos of herself, but only one of a tall blond guy with lots of muscles. I studied the photo and put it back where I found it. He didn’t look like a sugar daddy.
I yanked open the shallow drawer and found condoms and sex toys and a day planner. Hello, Gorgeous. I stuck the planner in my purse to peruse later at my leisure.
I moved to the bed and lifted the mattress, checked the pillows and beneath the satin dust ruffle. Nothing. The dresser held a profusion of nasty underwear.
I had just started to rifle through an alarming amount of shelf bras when I heard a key slide into the front door. Shit.
“Roxy,” I whispered.
She sped into the bedroom and we glanced around for a place to hide. She finally grabbed me and hauled me to the bed and we slid underneath.
My heart beat double time and it seemed like my breathing was really loud. Cold sweat trickled down my forehead. What if Crystal called the police? What if she had a gun?
I heard shuffling, then creaks from the leather furniture in the living room. Footsteps down the hall. Someone entered the room.
“I haven’t found it.” This had to be Crystal. I assumed she was talking on the phone and not to herself. Her voice was high-pitched and a little squeaky. The closet door opened and closed. “Of course I’ve looked.” She sat on the bed.
I held my breath and prayed she wouldn’t look underneath for any reason.
“I know. Okay, bye.”
Something thumped against the wall and my whole body tensed. Then she moved off the bed and wandered around the room. I heard drawers opening and closing. I hoped she didn’t need her day planner.
After a few minutes, she left the room and the shower turned on. I reached out and squeezed Roxy’s hand. She squeezed back.
I lifted the dust ruffle and peeked out from beneath the bed, relieved to see she wasn’t in the room. Straining my ears, I listened for any movement other than the water. It was now or never. I scampered from beneath the bed, Roxy right behind me.
We quietly made our way to the bedroom door and I poked my head into the hall. Around the corner, I spotted Crystal’s silhouette through the opaque shower door. I nodded at Roxy and we fled the condo, running through the building and out into the parking lot.
With fumbling fingers, I shoved the key into the ignition, and raced off. My heart didn’t stop pounding until we were a mile away, parked in a convenience store parking lot.
I glanced over at Roxy. “That was close.”
“Way too close.”
I jerked my purse onto my lap and dug out the day planner. I paged through it, but there
“Do you want to start in here, Rox? Remember to lift the cushions and check the vents.”
“You’re telling me the drill?”
I left her to it and hit the kitchen. I thought about all those places they say thieves look, like the flour canister—she didn’t have one. The freezer—three Lean Cuisines and four bottles of flavored vodka (cotton candy, bacon, whipped cream, and cookie dough). Ugh. I methodically, but quickly, went through every cupboard, her oven, and drawers. The missing money wasn’t hiding in her kitchen and I didn’t find any evidence she’d bashed in Asshat’s head. A written confession would have been nice.
I met Roxy in the hallway. “Nothing. You?”
She shook her head. “You want the bedroom or the bathroom?”
“Bed.” I moved down the short hall.
Crystal had one bedroom and it was très cheesy. Black wallpaper with pictures of diamonds covered one wall, the rest were painted eye-popping pink. The bed was a mass of black and pink satin.
I picked up one of the silver frames on the mirrored bedside table. She had a lot of photos of herself, but only one of a tall blond guy with lots of muscles. I studied the photo and put it back where I found it. He didn’t look like a sugar daddy.
I yanked open the shallow drawer and found condoms and sex toys and a day planner. Hello, Gorgeous. I stuck the planner in my purse to peruse later at my leisure.
I moved to the bed and lifted the mattress, checked the pillows and beneath the satin dust ruffle. Nothing. The dresser held a profusion of nasty underwear.
I had just started to rifle through an alarming amount of shelf bras when I heard a key slide into the front door. Shit.
“Roxy,” I whispered.
She sped into the bedroom and we glanced around for a place to hide. She finally grabbed me and hauled me to the bed and we slid underneath.
My heart beat double time and it seemed like my breathing was really loud. Cold sweat trickled down my forehead. What if Crystal called the police? What if she had a gun?
I heard shuffling, then creaks from the leather furniture in the living room. Footsteps down the hall. Someone entered the room.
“I haven’t found it.” This had to be Crystal. I assumed she was talking on the phone and not to herself. Her voice was high-pitched and a little squeaky. The closet door opened and closed. “Of course I’ve looked.” She sat on the bed.
I held my breath and prayed she wouldn’t look underneath for any reason.
“I know. Okay, bye.”
Something thumped against the wall and my whole body tensed. Then she moved off the bed and wandered around the room. I heard drawers opening and closing. I hoped she didn’t need her day planner.
After a few minutes, she left the room and the shower turned on. I reached out and squeezed Roxy’s hand. She squeezed back.
I lifted the dust ruffle and peeked out from beneath the bed, relieved to see she wasn’t in the room. Straining my ears, I listened for any movement other than the water. It was now or never. I scampered from beneath the bed, Roxy right behind me.
We quietly made our way to the bedroom door and I poked my head into the hall. Around the corner, I spotted Crystal’s silhouette through the opaque shower door. I nodded at Roxy and we fled the condo, running through the building and out into the parking lot.
With fumbling fingers, I shoved the key into the ignition, and raced off. My heart didn’t stop pounding until we were a mile away, parked in a convenience store parking lot.
I glanced over at Roxy. “That was close.”
“Way too close.”
I jerked my purse onto my lap and dug out the day planner. I paged through it, but there
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