Uh huh. “Take care, Sheila.”
Roxy stood next to me chomping her gum as she filled the coffee pot with water.
“I’m going to follow Packard tonight, want to come?”
She shrugged. “Sure.”
“Where are you going?” Ma sat at the counter, sipping her coffee.
Ray came out of the kitchen with my omelet in one hand, Roxy’s cinnamon roll in the other. “Thanks, Ray.”
“Son, the biscuits were too salty this morning,” Ma said to Ray’s retreating back. She looked at me. “What’s going on tonight?”
“We’re going to follow Packard. He told Sheila he’s going to a city council meeting, but I think he’s lying.”
“Ooooh, that sounds like fun. Just like a television show.” She looked at me expectantly. When I said nothing, her face dropped. “Well. You girls have a good time.” I knew she wanted to come, but I wasn’t sure if that was such a good idea. It could be dangerous. And the woman was almost eighty, for crying out loud.
“Don’t you have bingo or dominoes or bridge club tonight?” I asked.
“No, bunko got canceled. The woman hosting it had a stroke.”
“Oh Ma, I’m sorry.”
“Is she going to be okay?” Roxy asked.
“Oh, sure, it was a mild one. Hey, at our age, stuff like that happens.”
That’s what I was afraid of. “Well,” I said, frowning, “you probably don’t want to go with—”
“I’d love to.” She giggled like a schoolgirl. “This is going to be such a kick.”
I wished I shared her enthusiasm.
Chapter 19
When I got to Roxy’s apartment later that night, I was surprised to see her dressed in normal clothes. Well, normal for her. True, the crotch of her black slacks hung to her knees and the hood of her furry coat had bear ears, but the t-shirt and ballet flats were perfectly normal.
The rain had finally stopped, but the air was still damp and cold. I parked in front of Ma’s blue and white Victorian house. I still thought Ma coming had bad idea written all over it, but I didn’t want to disappoint her.
I hopped out of the car, ran up the front stairs, and knocked. Ma stepped onto the porch, handing me a thermos and a plastic grocery sack. “I’m so excited. Do we need a camera, because I’ve got one in my purse, just in case.”
“I don’t think so.” I followed her down the steps. “In fact, I think it’s going to be pretty boring.”
She brushed me off as she walked to the car. “Don’t be such a downer, Rose.”
Roxy climbed into the back seat so Ma could sit shotgun. “I brought snacks,” Ma said. “And hot chocolate.”
We drove to Packard’s subdivision and I parked at the end of the cul-de-sac. I cut the headlights, but left the car running.
Ma skillfully poured hot chocolate into cups she’d pilfered from the diner, the ones with a lid and sleeve around it so we wouldn’t burn our hands. She reached back into the plastic bag and pulled out a container. “Who wants Chex mix?”
We waited about forty-five minutes before Packard came out of the house and got into his SUV. I followed him from a discreet distance keeping my headlights off until we turned onto a main thoroughfare. He led us through town before taking the highway.
“Where do you think he’s going?” Ma yelled. She had to if she wanted to be heard over the thwapping noise of the plastic bag window.
“It’s not City Hall, that’s for sure,” I said.
“Crap,” Roxy said from the backseat.
“What’s wrong?”
“I only have two pieces of gum left.”
Ma twisted in her seat to look at Roxy. “What about that patch? How’s that working?”
“I hate that stupid patch. And I hate this sucky gum. I want a cigarette. Argh!” She sounded like a pirate.
“Feel better?” My gaze met hers in the rearview mirror.
She shrugged. “A little.”
Packard pulled onto the Crabtree Avenue exit. We were officially out of Huntingford and into country territory. He drove another fifteen minutes to a deserted highway. When he turned right, I turned left, then doubled back and cut my headlights once again, letting him get far ahead of me. We pulled into a long gravel drive that led to a two-story brick building.
“This used to be a school, I think,” said Ma. “The country kids went here.”
“I’m assuming this is a bar, right? What else would be out here?” I asked.
“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” Ma put the snacks back in the plastic sack at her feet.
Packard parked in front of the building with about seventy-five other cars. Every light in the place was on.
When he walked in, I drove the rest of the way down the long drive and parked in the last row, as far from Pack’s car as I could get. I switched off the ignition and turned in my seat. “What are we going to do? We can’t just march in there.”
“Pull around back,” Roxy said.
I restarted the engine and did as she asked. There were cars parked behind the building as well, but I found a space near the back entrance. “Now what?”
“Now we do reconnaissance.” She shrugged out of her jacket. “Will you be all right here, Ma?”
“Of course.”
“I’ll leave the car running,” I said. “It’s extra chilly because of the busted window.”
“Go on, girls. Call if you get into trouble.” She waved her phone at us.
I shrugged out of my coat and left it with Ma, just in case she needed it. Roxy and I walked toward the building. “Okay, Rox, what’s your big plan?”
“This is it. Reconnaissance.”
I stopped and stared at her. “You don’t have a plan?”
“I can’t do everything, Rose.” She huffed and stomped toward the building.
Good God.
When she got to the door, she waited for me to do the honors. With a deep breath I twisted the knob and opened it. Clinking plates and noisy chatter filled a professional stainless steel kitchen. Steam smacked me in the face and the briny smell of shrimp made my stomach growl. I glanced back at her. “At least we’re in familiar territory.”
I walked in with Roxy behind me. Men and women dressed in black slacks, white dress shirts, and black bow ties hustled around the kitchen. Now this I could do.
A woman with oversized black eyeglasses and a clipboard strode toward us. “Who are you? What are you doing in my kitchen?”
I smiled. “We’re new. NorthStar sent us.” I held my smile as she looked from me to Roxy, taking in her blue hair and baggy pants.
“I wasn’t told about this. Where are your uniforms?”
Roxy smacked her gum. “They said you had ’em.”
The woman put her palm up to Roxy’s mouth. “Spit.”
“Huh?”
“Gum is not allowed. Now spit.”
Roxy looked slightly panicked, but spit the gum into the woman’s hand.
Alice, as marked on a very large nametag pinned to her shirt, looked disgusted as she marched to the other side of the room and threw the gum in the trash. She briskly walked back to us. “That blue hair has got to go. It’s not regulation. You can work in the kitchen tonight.” She turned toward me. “You, come with me.”
I glanced over as Roxy flipped off Alice behind her back.
“I have a few extra uniforms. What’s your name?”
“Uh, Sue.” Damn, why didn’t I ever have a good answer for that question?
In a little cloak room off the kitchen, several uniforms hung on a rolling rack. She grabbed one and thrust it at me. “I have very strict standards. Follow them and we’ll get along just fine. Get dressed. Then grab a tray of shrimp puffs and take it out.” She left the room and I locked the door behind her.