display, though, and there had been something odd about it.
What was it?
She closed her eyes and focused on the bag. Suddenly it came to her. “She got a call while we were at the bar...from a pay phone.” She closed her eyes again and tried to see the little silver flip-phone. The blue digital numbers appeared on the screen…
“Mol, you couldn’t have known it was a pay phone unless you
knew
the number.”
She looked up and cracked a grin. “Good work, detective. That’s right. I knew the number.”
“There aren’t a lot of pay phones left in Phoenix. Where do you go that has one?”
She sighed as the pieces came together. “Hideaway itself. That’s why I knew it. Whoever was calling was probably watching us. Maybe she or he was coaching Lola, but I’m guessing it was a woman. Men stick out whenever they’re there.”
He sighed heavily. “Damn it. Most likely she has an accomplice. We’re not looking for just one woman. We’re looking for
two
.”
Chapter Seven
How people spent their Sundays said a lot about their priorities. Biz remembered many stakeouts where the mark never got out of bed before noon, and she’d had trouble tailing others who were obsessed with getting twenty errands done before the weekend was officially over. So she had been somewhat impressed when Wanda strolled into Uptown Fitness at five o’clock for her kickboxing class. Anyone who made exercise a priority on the day of rest must have a few good qualities.
She checked her watch and extended the old Subaru’s bucket seat. For stakeouts she’d acquired an old Impreza that few people noticed. Her customary Mustang would’ve stood out immediately, as well as her sleek Harley. She had an hour to kill before the gym closed and Wanda left.
She had met her in that same class and recognized her strong focus coupled with flimsy morals—exactly the kind of person who would do anything for the right price. She needed to learn more about Wanda’s daily routines before she decided how to handle the situation. They’d always met in the locker room or the parking lot, so what Biz knew of the woman’s life was limited to a few offhanded comments she’d made about her girlfriends and her love of cocaine. Biz found it supremely ironic that someone so committed to physical health would throw it away on drugs.
She scrolled through the photos on her phone and found one of her with Ari on the day she moved into her new house. They were standing at the front door, and while she wore a gigantic smile, Ari’s expression was tentative and unsure. Biz constantly viewed the photo to remind herself of Ari’s fragility. While she desperately wanted to fold her in her arms and carry her off to bed—a fantasy that occurred frequently in her dreams—Ari wasn’t ready. Maybe solving the murder in Laguna would bring them a step closer to the fantasy. Until then there was always video chatting.
She pulled up Ari’s contact and waited for her beautiful face to appear on the screen.
“Hey,” Ari said in a loud voice.
They were apparently driving with Jane singing “My Sharona” in the background. Ari gave Jane a look and reached over from the passenger seat to silence the soundtrack.
“How’s it going? Have you learned anything so far?”
“Quite a bit actually. We found Nina’s journal and this.” She shuffled through a bag and held up a key. “What do you think this fits?”
Biz studied it carefully, noting the teeth and size. “It’s not a safety deposit box key and it’s not small enough to fit a padlock. My best guess would be a locker.”
“That’s what I was thinking. The only question is where?”
“I’d start with the area around her house. People like security, but they don’t like inconvenience if they need the items frequently. Look for a storage facility or if there’s a bus depot in the vicinity, anything like that.”
Ari nodded. “Good idea.”
“So what are you ladies doing for the rest of the
What was it?
She closed her eyes and focused on the bag. Suddenly it came to her. “She got a call while we were at the bar...from a pay phone.” She closed her eyes again and tried to see the little silver flip-phone. The blue digital numbers appeared on the screen…
“Mol, you couldn’t have known it was a pay phone unless you
knew
the number.”
She looked up and cracked a grin. “Good work, detective. That’s right. I knew the number.”
“There aren’t a lot of pay phones left in Phoenix. Where do you go that has one?”
She sighed as the pieces came together. “Hideaway itself. That’s why I knew it. Whoever was calling was probably watching us. Maybe she or he was coaching Lola, but I’m guessing it was a woman. Men stick out whenever they’re there.”
He sighed heavily. “Damn it. Most likely she has an accomplice. We’re not looking for just one woman. We’re looking for
two
.”
Chapter Seven
How people spent their Sundays said a lot about their priorities. Biz remembered many stakeouts where the mark never got out of bed before noon, and she’d had trouble tailing others who were obsessed with getting twenty errands done before the weekend was officially over. So she had been somewhat impressed when Wanda strolled into Uptown Fitness at five o’clock for her kickboxing class. Anyone who made exercise a priority on the day of rest must have a few good qualities.
She checked her watch and extended the old Subaru’s bucket seat. For stakeouts she’d acquired an old Impreza that few people noticed. Her customary Mustang would’ve stood out immediately, as well as her sleek Harley. She had an hour to kill before the gym closed and Wanda left.
She had met her in that same class and recognized her strong focus coupled with flimsy morals—exactly the kind of person who would do anything for the right price. She needed to learn more about Wanda’s daily routines before she decided how to handle the situation. They’d always met in the locker room or the parking lot, so what Biz knew of the woman’s life was limited to a few offhanded comments she’d made about her girlfriends and her love of cocaine. Biz found it supremely ironic that someone so committed to physical health would throw it away on drugs.
She scrolled through the photos on her phone and found one of her with Ari on the day she moved into her new house. They were standing at the front door, and while she wore a gigantic smile, Ari’s expression was tentative and unsure. Biz constantly viewed the photo to remind herself of Ari’s fragility. While she desperately wanted to fold her in her arms and carry her off to bed—a fantasy that occurred frequently in her dreams—Ari wasn’t ready. Maybe solving the murder in Laguna would bring them a step closer to the fantasy. Until then there was always video chatting.
She pulled up Ari’s contact and waited for her beautiful face to appear on the screen.
“Hey,” Ari said in a loud voice.
They were apparently driving with Jane singing “My Sharona” in the background. Ari gave Jane a look and reached over from the passenger seat to silence the soundtrack.
“How’s it going? Have you learned anything so far?”
“Quite a bit actually. We found Nina’s journal and this.” She shuffled through a bag and held up a key. “What do you think this fits?”
Biz studied it carefully, noting the teeth and size. “It’s not a safety deposit box key and it’s not small enough to fit a padlock. My best guess would be a locker.”
“That’s what I was thinking. The only question is where?”
“I’d start with the area around her house. People like security, but they don’t like inconvenience if they need the items frequently. Look for a storage facility or if there’s a bus depot in the vicinity, anything like that.”
Ari nodded. “Good idea.”
“So what are you ladies doing for the rest of the
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