Instead of threshing this thing out in front of Chase and Uncle Alec, she ushered them into an empty office, and when they told her that Clarice had seen Rohanna drag the body of Paulo Frey into the cesspit that day, she had her confirmation. Now there was no doubt Rohanna Coral was the killer.
She hurried out of the office and told her uncle, “It’s Rohanna, all right. We have to get her before she destroys the evidence on that computer.”
“How…” asked Chase, a confused frown on his face.
“Like you said, I’m a cat lady,” she said. “Cats inspire me. Now are you coming or not?”
Without waiting for a response, she sprinted down the corridor to the vestibule, but Rohanna was nowhere to be found.
“Have you seen Rohanna?” she asked Dolores.
“Yeah, she left about twenty minutes ago,” said Dolores.
She quickly went in search of the cleaning trolley, and found it in the small room where they kept the cleaning supplies. The bucket was still filled with soapy water and she plunged her hands in. “Nothing,” she grunted. Of course. She looked up when Chase joined her. “She took the laptop.”
“Let’s go,” he said curtly.
“I’ll wait here, just in case she comes back,” her uncle said.
She and Chase flew out the front door, and ran for their cars. Only now did she remember she’d parked hers in front of the Gazette. She eyed Chase’s dilapidated truck a little uncertainly. “Does that thing drive?”
“Like the wind,” he assured her. “Hop in.”
“Hand me the keys. I’ll drive.”
He hesitated.
“I know where she lives.”
After a moment’s deliberation, he tossed her the keys. “You better not wreck my ride.”
“No much left to wreck,” she said, and got behind the wheel. Then, just when she was about to back out of the parking spot, Max and Dooley came running up. She quickly opened the door and they scooted in.
“You really are a cat lady,” said Chase with a shake of the head.
“I’ll just take that as a compliment,” she said, and then put the car in reverse and backed away from the curb, almost colliding with another car that was passing. “Oops,” she said, then punched the accelerator, and raced away, tires spinning for purchase and burning rubber.
Chase appeared a little startled. “Do you always drive like this?”
“Only when I’m trying to catch a killer,” she said through gritted teeth.
She raced Chase’s ride through town, running a red light, which caused the cop to give her a censorious look but no comment, then a second light, which caused him to say, “I knew I should never have given you those keys.”
They arrived at Rohanna’s place, and she jumped the curb, causing the underbody of the old truck to loudly grind in protest. Chase winced but said nothing, and they both hurried out and up the stairs. Rohanna lived on the second floor of a small housing project, and she quickly led the way.
Chase rang the bell and followed up with a good hammering of his fist on the flimsy door. “Hampton Cove Police, ma’am. Please open this door.”
When there was no response, he drew his weapon and motioned for Odelia to stand back. Then he placed his foot against the door and gave it a good shove. The wood around the lock splintered and the door caved and then they were racing inside, Chase the first one through.
It didn’t take him long to declare the place completely empty.
When they met at what was left of the front door, Odelia was thinking hard. Where could she have gone? It was hardly feasible she would have simply continued with her regular schedule. Or was it? In that case, she’d be cleaning her dad’s office right now. She glanced over at Chase.
“What?” he asked, holstering his gun. “Where is she?”
She shook her head. “My best guess is my dad’s office.”
Chase gave her a meaningful glance, and then they both raced back to the car. A couple of minutes and only one traffic violation later, she halted the car in front of the doctor’s office with screeching tires, causing Chase to wince yet again. You’d think the man would have gotten used to her driving style by now. Barging inside, they walked straight up to the counter, where they were met by a grinning Gran. She looked delighted at this surprise visit.
“Hey there, Detective Kingsley. The doctor is busy, but if you want you can go over to examination room number two, and he can squeeze you in.”
“Is Rohanna here?” asked Odelia, who had no time for this.
“Never saw her,” said Gran. “Not that I miss her. Who needs a singing cleaning lady that can’t clean? Or sing?” Turning to Chase, she plastered a smile on her wrinkled face. “Go on and strip down to your tighty whities. And if the doc can’t see you immediately I’m sure I can accommodate you.”
“In your dreams,” growled Chase, and waltzed out again.
“Was it something I said?” yelled Gran, leaning over the counter to stare at Chase’s retreating behind.
“Not now, Gran,” she called out, leaving the lady looking disappointed.
They both got back to the car, and Odelia saw that this time Chase was behind the wheel. When she glared at him, he said, “Hey, you got to drive the last time. Now it’s my turn. Besides, I don’t want anyone else to get killed.”
“I’ll have you know I’m a great driver,” she grumbled, getting into the passenger seat. She thought for a moment. Where would Rohanna take that laptop? She’d thought she’d hidden it in that cesspit, until a nosy writer had dug it out and uncovered a crime. Now she would have to put it where no one would ever look. And then suddenly she got it. “The graveyard,” she said.
He lifted an eyebrow. “The graveyard? Are you sure?”
“Trust me. Now just go!”
And go he did, at a surprising rate of speed. Following her instructions, it didn’t take him long to arrive at the small graveyard, and they both jumped out of the car, which Chase had parallel parked to perfection in front of the iron gates. The man had skills. If he didn’t make it as a detective in this town, he could always become a valet.
His strong arm held her back before she could rush into the graveyard.
“Let me go first,” he said, and took out his gun again.
She nodded her agreement. Never argue with a man with a gun.
“What are we looking for, exactly?” he asked.
“This is where Luke Coral was buried. I have a hunch it’s where Rohanna is going to bury that laptop.”
Chase gave her a curt nod of the head. “Stay behind me. This woman has killed once, she might do it again when cornered.”
“I doubt she has a gun, Detective.”
He gave her a grim look. “Better safe than sorry. You might be a pesky reporter and a cat lady, but that doesn’t mean I want to see you killed. And definitely not on my watch.”
“I think that’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“You’re welcome. Now let’s go!”
They moved stealthily through the wrought-iron gates and entered the graveyard, which consisted of gravestones dotting a smooth stretch of gently sloping lawn. Some of them were crooked and weathered with age, others looked newer. She hadn’t been here in a while, the last time when she’d accompanied her gran to put flowers on her granddad’s grave. When she heard plaintive mewls behind her, she saw that Max and Dooley had followed them into the graveyard. They didn’t look happy. This was not their favorite hangout, she suspected, and they’d rather be home right now. So would she.
Chase gave her a quick glance, and she gestured with her hand. She knew exactly where Rohanna’s boy was buried, as she’d attended his funeral. In fact most of Hampton Cove had. Luke had been a sweet kid and well-liked, and if not for those few bullies who’d made his life miserable, he might still be alive today. It was a tragedy, but that still didn’t give Rohanna the right to kill the man she held responsible. They approached the plot where Luke was buried, or Lucia, as he’d apparently been wanted to be known, and they had a clear view of his gravestone, but of Rohanna there was no trace.