Elizabeth C. Main - Jane Serrano 02 - No Rest for the Wicked (19 page)

“
She’s supposed to be here.
”

Velda’s round face creased into a frown as she passed the central staircase and clattered down the hall to the telephone stand. Normally, she moved soundlessly in tennis shoes, but today she was wearing sling backs, no doubt in anticipation of her big outing.

“
I don’t ever leave Aunt Eleanor alone for more than a few minutes. Maria was due to arrive an hour ago.
”
She punched the answering machine button and listened to a message.

“
Maria’s car broke down. She’s not coming.
”

Velda threw the words over her shoulder as she hurried toward the back of the house and opened the last door on the left to look inside. We waited in the entryway until she pulled the bedroom door closed and returned.

“
Aunt Eleanor’s sleeping just fine, thank goodness. No harm done, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to go.
”
Her dejected posture described her disappointment.

“
Isn’t there someone else we can call?
”
Minnie wasn’t ready to give up.
“
You told me Alice used to clean
for you. Maybe she could come.
”

“
Y
es, Alice used to help out occasionally, but she wasn’t a very cheerful person to have around, always complaining about something.
Besides, now that she’s a suspect, I really wouldn’t feel right about leaving Aunt Eleanor with her. Maria has worked out much better, though she doesn’t speak a word of English. At least she smiles as she cooks and cleans, but … we’ll see
. Some things can’t be helped.
”

“
Bless you for an angel,
”
Minnie said, grasping both of Velda’s hands.
“
It’s a shame you have to miss our trip.
”

“
Don’t worry about me. Today’s mission is the important thing.
”
Velda spoke earnestly, but her lips trembled.

Releasing her hands from Minnie’s grip, she turned away to fumble for a handkerchief in the pocket of her shapeless sweater.

“
I could stay here with her,
”
I said. After just the short ride from town, I’d already had enough of this project.

“
Oh, no.
”
Velda looked aghast.
“
That would be asking too much.
”

“
I’d be happy to stay.
”
The more I thought about a peaceful day here, the better it sounded.

“
Really, Aunt Eleanor would be alarmed to find a strang
er here. I couldn’t have that.
”

“
But she knows me from Thornton’s. She used to shop there.
”

Velda shook her head vigorously.
“
No, no. That would be quite impossible. I insist that you and Minnie go on without me.
”

“
I
f you’re sure . .
.
”
I said. I’d always thought of Velda as Ms. Milquetoast, but clearly there was no budging her on this matter.

“
Can we do anything before we leave?
”
Minnie asked.
“
What if you have to lift her or something? Your back . .
.
”

“
I can manage.
”

Velda rarely mentioned her chronic back pain, so I tended to forget about it, but I doubted that she’d be able to move her aunt. However, her firmly lifted chin indicated that she’d do whatever was necessary. As I looked through the pocket doors to the gleaming table surface and polished floor of the dining room, I realized just how well this quiet, self-effacing young woman coped with a bleak situation.

“
Is Eleanor able to get around at all?
”
I asked as Velda opened the front door to see us on our way.
“
It’d be a shame if she couldn’
t enjoy such a beautiful home.
”

Velda gave a brave attempt at a smile.
“
Aunt Eleanor gets around well enough most of the time. She loves to knit, for example, though she can’t manage the elaborate patterns she used to before her stroke.
”

“
The Knit Wits are always on the lookout for new members,
”
Minnie said.
“
Maybe you could bring her sometime. We meet Monday nights in the church basement.
”

“
It’s kind of you to suggest it, but she stay
s
at home now,
”
Velda said.

Left unspoken was the impact her aunt’s preferences had on Velda’s own activities. No wonder chasing off to a smoky, loud casino today would have afforded welcome relief from her daily routine. I resolved to see what I could do to help Velda find respite care so she could get out more, even if she didn’t have money to pay for more help than was absolutely necessa
ry to ensure Eleanor’s comfort.

Judging from the way Minnie was patting Velda’s arm, she was having similar thoughts.
“
We’d better be going now, dear, but I’ll bring you some corn chowder later this evening and give you a full report then. Would that be all right?
”

Velda clutched Minnie’s hand as though it were a lifeline.
“
If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.
”

“
Nonsense. I’ll be here as soon as I can. Of course, we might have to chase Phil and Eileen to their hideout or s
omething. That could delay us.
”

At Minnie’s words, Velda perked up like Wendell at the sight of a dog bone.
“
That’s right. They could be planning a getaway. Promise me you won’t break off the chase just to bring me soup.
”

“
I promise.
”
Minnie gave Velda’s arm a final pat.
“
Come on, Jane. Let’
s bag ourselves some crooks.
”

Chapter 19

As we sped past the fragrant mint fields near Madras, Minnie read me portions of the book that purported to reveal surefire secrets for beating any casino system. I only half-listened to her wide-eyed recitation, suggesting once that the Native Americans operating this casino probably didn’t intend it to function as a charity for our financial benefit. Her shining eyes indicated she wasn’t listening to me any more than I was listening to her.

I didn’t suggest a stop at the gigantic teepee housing the Native American museum as we swept by it. The sooner we executed Minnie’s
“
plan,
”
the sooner I could send her home to cook soup for Velda.
We turned onto the newly paved secondary road to Mystery River, which I hadn’t driven since the kids were small.

Tony and I had brought them up here to swim at the hot springs, so much more inviting to those shivering little bodies than the icy Deschutes River. Back then, we had camped in tents at this little-known destination, but the four-lane swath now winding through the sagebrush told me things had changed in recent years. If this highway was any indication, the casino had jumped
the region
to a whole new marketing level, easier access making it possible for eager gamblers to sweep in, lighten their wallets, and be home in time for dinner.

The stark beauty of the surrounding dry hills hadn’t changed over the years, nor had the condition of the occasional dilapidated house haphazardly located along the way. The wealth generated by the casino apparently hadn’t filtered down to improve the living conditions of everyone
on the reservation.

As we descended the final steep grade and turned into the area where the hot springs used to sit in dusty isolation, glossy signage assaulted us with information about where to find gambling, parking, swimming, golf, food, and lodging. This place had everything, in fact, except the solitude that used to draw us here. The enormous flashing arrow pointing to the casino sent today’s message loud and clear: No need to waste a minute ridding yourself of your money.

Minnie traded her usual black hat for a plain brown scarf and dark glasses. The expression of disbelief on my face caused her to set her jaw.

“
Disguise. No need to let the suspects spot us if we can help it. You can use the outfit I brought for Velda.
”
Reaching into the back seat, she produced an orange plastic sun hat and outsized green glasses.
“
Velda and I had this all planned out. Don’t you want to help Alix?
”

“
By being arrested for public lunacy?
”

“
I told Velda you wouldn’t like the disguises. Honestly, you’re almost as cynical as Alix.
”

“
Sometimes Alix makes good sense.
”

“
Huh! She’s the one with an ex-husband who got himself murdered. I’m going with my instinct.
”

Minnie discarded the scarf and grabbed the orange sun hat. After arranging it to her satisfaction, she snapped open the car door, quivering
with anticipation
.

When I didn’t move, she asked,
“
Are you coming?
”

“
Why don’t you slip in th
ere first, do a little recon?
”

Minnie brightened at the suggestion and saluted with more enthusiasm than skill, knocking her hat askew in the process.
“
Yes,
m
a’am. I’ll get the lay of the land without blowing our cover.
”

“
Roger that.
”
I settled low in the seat to emphasize the need for stealth in our covert operation.

Minnie took a couple of steps toward the casino before wheeling and scuttling around to my window.
“
What’s the name of our op? Missions always have names.
”

“
Guess ‘Operation Phil and Eileen’ doesn’t have much of a ring to it,
”
I said.

I was contemplating
“
Operation Wild Goose Chase
”
when Minnie clapped her hands together.

“
I’ve got it: ‘Operation Hollow Feather
.
’ It says it all … the setting, the betrayal, the corruption. What do you think?
”

What did I think? For starters, I thought that all feathers were hollow. More to the point, I wondered how Phil and Eileen had fallen so far so fast. A week ago they were esteemed members of the Save Our Seniors group and now they had become evil incarnate. Still, if it made Minnie happy, who was I to quibble?

“
Perfect.
”

My half-doze in the sunshine was interrupted by a timid knock on the car window a few minutes later. Startled, I turned to find a young woman holding up a piece of paper. Her fly-away red hair was bound by a multicolored headband, and she wore a glossy turquoise Mystery River Casino blouse with
“
Betsy
”
stitched in red over the pocket. I fumbled with the window and finally opened the door when I realized I couldn’t roll it down without turning on the engine.

“
For you.
”
She smiled impishly.
“
From the lady in the orange hat.
”

“
Thank you.
”

Minnie had used the back of a discarded Keno slip to write
a
cryptic message.

The young woman was already making her way back inside by the time I deciphered the clues and called out to her.
“
Excuse me. Which entrance is closest to the salmon waterfall?
”

“
That one.
”
She pointed toward the far end of the long, low building.
“
It’s awesome, worth seeing.
”

“
I’m sure it is.
”
I reread the scrawled words.
“
Come see birds in the trees near pool where something often served with lemon-dill sauce might try to climb while homeward bound.
”

I glanced at the brown scarf. No way. If my unwillingness to dress like a Russian peasant compromised Operation Hollow Feather, so be it.

As my eyes adjusted to the casino’s lighting, I blinked at the fog of cigarette smoke that obscured the waterfall before me
.
Oregon’s smoke
-
free regulations for public places didn’t extend to Native American casinos. Too bad.

The cascade was indeed stunning as it picked its way through basalt columns to the pool below. In a mountain setting it would have induced feelings of awe and tranquility; here, its grandeur was overwhelmed by the plethora of orange and purple lights flashing nearby. Mist bathed my face as I moved close to the pool for a better view, but the music pouring from speakers in the ceiling assaulted my ears with such force that I quickly moved on to find Minnie. Even a five-minute stay in this room would leave my ears ringing
,
and my clothes in need of a good airing to rid them of the stench of cigarette
smoke
.

What sounded like a New Year’s Eve celebration broke out somewhere in the room as I considered my options. Apparently at least one happy customer had beaten the odds, but sounds bounced around the cavern in such a way that I had no idea where the lucky machine was located. Brightly
lit alleys stretched before me in all directions. How could
Minnie
hope to sneak up on Phil and Eileen, much less figure out what they were doing?
The mirrored ceilings might provide some help, but
we’d
look pretty silly gawking upward at every corner. What I really needed was Tyler’s homemade periscope.

Skulking along between double rows of slot machines, I found no need to pretend I knew what I was doing because the people seated at the machines took no notice of me. They punched buttons and waited, punched and waited, as the bright colors of the slots whizzed by and clunked into place. Try again. Clunk. Try again. How often did the machines pay off?
In front of me a skinny woman with long arms encircled her slot machine like a vine. I wondered whether they pruned customers occasionally t
o keep them from taking root.

I reached the end of one row and surveyed the green
felt-
covered tables in the open room ahead. Since I didn’t know enough about craps or blackjack or whatever to hide among the players, I melted back into the slot machine jungle.

Just then my old friend Betsy glided by carrying a tray of soft drinks. As our eyes met, she
altered course to intersect my path.
“
Something to drink?
”

I backed away.
“
No thanks.
”

“
Are you sure?
”
Betsy turned the tray so the one glass resting on a napkin was closest to me. Again came that mischievous smile.
“
It’s especially for you.
”

“
Thank you.
”

I pulled the frosty glass and its accompanying napkin off the tray. The underside of the napkin contained a picture, which I turned this way and that. A diseased pine tree? A shedding dog? An arrow pointed to a stick figure next to a rectangle. Minnie and I would make terrible partners at Pictionary.

Apparently Betsy had anticipated my difficulty. A moment later, carrying a now-empty tray toward the kitchen, she paused by my side.
“
She wants you to go out the side door.
”

“
Ahh.
”
So I was the stick figure that the arrow was pushing toward the rectangle representing a door. Easy enough now to see it, though the mangy dog remained a mystery.
“
Did she go out that way?
”
Probably cheating to ask, but I didn’t care.

“
No. She’s collecting her winnings.
”

I didn’t bother asking for more information. With most activities involving Minnie, I’d found it best not to probe. Nodding my thanks, I found my way to the newly
identified rectangle and exited into bright sunshine. While enjoying gulps of
fresh air, I took my bearings.

Uh
oh. Thirty feet before me Phil and Eileen Hedstrom supported a ragged young man as he moved unsteadily along the sidewalk. I whirled to re-enter the casino, but the door was locked from this side, so I dived behind a nearby potentilla. The young man was much taller than either Phil or Eileen, so they looked like two sturdy tugs maneuvering a freighter through a narrow channel. From their gestures and stiff posture
,
I guessed there was an argument raging, and at one point the stranger half-fell to the ground. Phil glanced around him before he hauled the young man upright again, and I pulled further into the protection of the bush. When I peered out again, the three of them had rounded the corner of the building. Follow them
,
or find Minnie?

My question was answered when Minnie popped out of the door behind me, stuffing wads of money into her tote bag.
“
Which way?
”

“
Toward the parking lot. They had—
”

“
Quick! They’ll get away.
”
Minnie scuttled down the sidewalk, trailing stray
dollar bills as she went.

Scooping them up, I followed her. When we reached the car, I thrust the money at her so I could retrieve my car keys. We were hardly settled in our seats before I gunned the engine. An instant later
,
I stamped on the brakes as a family ambled into the crosswalk directly in our path, making their leisurely way to the casino. The young mother was juggling a stroller and diaper bag, while the dad held the hands of two toddlers in swimsuits and
flip-
flops. Grandma and Grandpa brought up the rear at a speed just slightly faster than the setting of cement. I stifled an urge to jump out and tell them they should be going to the hot springs for some outdoor exercise.

Minnie pounded on the dashboard.
“
Do something. We’re going to lose them.
”

“
Should I just run these people down?
”

“
O
f course not.
”
But she practically quivered in her seat.

Minnie’s excitement infected me. Swept up into the mood of Operation Hollow Feather
, I shot onto the main road
as soon as the crosswalk cleared
, slamming Minnie against the back of the seat. She pulled her hat down over her ears and braced for a rough ride. No cars visible either way ahead of us at the T-intersection, but Minnie gestured left, so I spun the wheel and pushed the car up the looping grade that wound from the river to the plateau above. Minnie’s muffled squeal as we slid around the first bend reminded me that I was no NASCAR driver, so I slowed to a more reasonable speed.