The Busy Woman's Guide to Murder (38 page)

“That’s hardly fair. You wouldn’t even know about the danger to Haley if I hadn’t told you. Haley would have been killed right here tonight. Mona told me what her intentions were for a reason. She wants to be stopped. She needs to be stopped.”

Pepper turned away and strode off. She hates it when I’m right.

It felt like days later when I emerged from the police station after yet another statement in yet another interview room. Of course, it was only about an hour. But time behaves differently inside the thick walls of the Woodbridge Police Station. Haley was also emerging at the same time, frowning as she sent a text.

She smiled wanly. “Brie must be frantic. I sent her a message.”

Haley looked a lot worse for wear. I probably did too, but at least I couldn’t see myself. Her bruises continued to emerge, the new ones like dirty smudges on her cheeks. Of course, the black eyes took your mind off that. They were getting worse with every hour. I gave her a hug.

“Why is this happening?” she said, her voice breaking.

I shrugged. “St. Jude’s. Symbolic for Mona of all the—”

She glanced at me, shame and guilt on her face. “Of course, I should have thought of that. All of this is my fault. Randy is dead because of me.”

She absentmindedly pushed a stray lock of hair and flicked a puff of dust from it. Haley was a mess. She needed to be home, in the shower, getting cleaned up, and then sleeping for however long it would take to get over this strange night.

She wrinkled her nose. “Little Mona, always such a . . . a mouse. How could she manage to kill everybody?”

“I can’t imagine,” I said. “Now, where did she go?”

“I’m not sure. She got into this little red car and drove off.” Haley pointed down Church Street. “She must have just turned the corner onto Hillside when all the cops showed up. I didn’t know what was going on. They gave me a real fright.”

Not as much as if Mona had stayed there
, I thought.

“Thank you for saving my life. I am sorry I fell for that trick. I have a lot on my mind. I still have to make all the arrangements for Randy’s . . .”

“And you have to be careful. Maybe you should take Brie and go somewhere to be safe until the police track down Mona.”

“I think I will, as soon as the funeral’s over.”

I put a steadying hand on her arm. I realized that she was alone dealing with the death of the man she’d loved since high school. Brie wouldn’t be much help. In fact, she’d most likely add to her mother’s grief.

“I’m okay,” she said.

“I am good at making arrangements and organizing things. Let me help.”

“Thanks. I will probably take you up on that as soon as I know exactly what to do. I have to meet with the funeral home tomorrow morning, even though it’s Sunday. Do you want to meet me there?”

“I’d be glad to.”

She flashed me a sad but luminous smile. “My appointment’s at McNally’s at nine thirty.”

Haley’s shoulders slumped as she headed toward an elderly black Honda Accord. She was still limping from the accident that killed Randy. How could anyone continue to function after what she’d been through? I walked slowly back to the Santa Fe, which was parked at the other end of the police station, shaking my head in astonishment at everything that had happened that day. I got into the car and spotted the black-and-white fudge in its attractive glossy box. I’d forgotten to give it to Haley earlier and now I’d missed another chance. Of course, it hadn’t exactly been a social event. I figured she could use it now, maybe share with Brie. I tooted the horn, but Haley obviously didn’t hear me. She pulled out of the lot. I felt a wave a fatigue sweep over me. Why not wait and give her the fudge some other time?

“Don’t put things off. You know better,” a voice in my head said.

Haley would be heading home to a house without the love of her life and with an angry teenager who held her responsible for her father’s death. I had to listen to that little voice.

I eased the Santa Fe out onto the road and followed her. I figured I’d have to be out of sight of the police station before I could speed to catch up. I wasn’t ready for a ticket on this night. I could still see the lights of Haley’s Honda up ahead. As long as I could get her attention before she got on the highway. I gunned the SUV. Haley was driving pretty fast too. As she neared the turnoff for the interstate, I figured I’d lost her. But she turned left instead of right. Maybe there was another way to her place. Whatever, that was good. I had a chance to catch up and do something nice for her. Five blocks later, I realized that Haley wasn’t heading for the country. She was driving back toward St. Jude’s. I thought I must be mistaken, but soon she was slowing near the school. The police had left the parking lot. They’d had plenty of time to clear the school while we were giving statements. I pulled over, cut the engine, and turned out the lights. What was going on? What was Haley doing? Had she forgotten something? Dropped something in the school yard? Received another call from Mona and been stupid enough to meet her? That did not make sense.

She was just far enough ahead for me to see her glance over her shoulder and drive into the school yard. She parked around the corner and soon emerged on foot and headed for the side door. I turned on the engine and inched forward. Haley seemed different somehow. Straighter, more determined. She checked around, but didn’t see me parked out on Church Street.

I forced myself to breathe deeply and think hard.

With a final glance over her shoulder, Haley bent forward. She opened the door and stepped in. I gasped. Why was the school unlocked in the night? Haley had mentioned that Office Cleaning Specialists did some work for St. Jude’s. She must have had a key. But why would she have it with her? This put a new spin on things. Why was she returning to St. Jude’s now?

Of course, I reminded myself that she wasn’t just visiting; she was trespassing. That didn’t make any sense at all. But then, so much didn’t make sense. There were so many small oddities. I had believed Haley. The police believed her too. I felt the first glimmer of an idea that I should have had much earlier.
Of course
everyone had believed Haley. She was very credible. And she had been when we were in high school too. Pretty, popular, and bright. No one in authority had ever been convinced that she was also cruel. People like Mona didn’t even bother to try anymore. Naturally, no one had paid any attention when Mona had tried to explain her situation. Everyone had believed the girls who were tormenting her. Had I missed the boat completely? Fallen for a ploy again? I’d sworn I wouldn’t abandon Mona this time, despite her bizarre behavior, but I’d fallen for it. I’d wanted to help Haley make amends. But what was going on? A number of small discrepancies clicked in my brain. For one thing, Mona’s so-called message to Haley, about my new cell phone not working. Mona didn’t know I had already replaced my cell phone, but Haley did. Another thing: Why had Haley’s face been dirty? And what about the clump of dust in her hair? She hadn’t mentioned a scuffle. The police certainly hadn’t tackled her. A vision of Haley struggling with Mona flashed through my brain. Sometimes, your subconscious is smarter than the rest of your brain.

Then I knew. Every small niggling worry I’d had about Haley began to surface. I could see how I’d been tricked yet again. Mona wasn’t stalking Haley. Instead, Haley had plans for Mona. But why Mona? If Haley wanted to torment people, she could find lots of potential victims. No, Mona was special for some reason. And I knew intuitively that Mona had to be in that building. I just didn’t know why. I did know this was all about Haley and Mona.

Jack’s cell phone went right to message yet again. I figured the police would not be happy to hear from me, but what choice did I have?

I called Pepper. Of course, that also went to message.

“Pepper, please listen to this. Haley has just returned to the school. She unlocked the door and went in. She must have a key. I’ve misjudged the situation and misled you. There’s something not right about Haley. She’d been in a struggle. There’s no sign of Mona being here. No other car or anything, but I’m worried. Please call me back. I’m phoning 911 in case.”

Brian was still on duty. He sighed and said, “They are treating you as a nutcase and I am telling you that as your friend.”

I wasn’t so sure that Brian was my friend, but I had to admit he had a point about my reputation with the cops.

I said, “I can deal with them. It’s good that Mona isn’t the villain of this piece, but it will be very bad news if Haley gets to have her way.”

“Sorry. Nothing I can do.” Brian broke the connection.

I was alone in the parking lot. If Mona was in the building, where was her vehicle? How had she gotten there if not by car?

I called Jack once more. No answer. I left a message for him to call me.

No sooner had I hung up than my phone vibrated. Jack. A text.

But I was already at the school and Jack was . . . Where? I glanced around, but there was no sign of him. The Mini certainly wasn’t in sight. The parking lot at St. Jude’s was empty, except for Haley’s Honda in the shadows. I edged the Santa Fe toward it and locked the doors, as it definitely felt creepy. It was hard to be inconspicuous in it. Had Jack gone into the school with Haley? Why would either of them enter the building in the first place? I cruised carefully around the perimeter of the school searching for something that would shed a bit of light on this. Nothing. There was, however, a sliver of light shining from one of the windows. It hadn’t been there earlier.

I got out of the SUV and walked to the nearest window. The gravel crunched under my shoes. I stood on my tiptoes and tried to peer through the window, but the light seemed to be coming from the corridor beyond the class. No one was visible in the room. The door was closed and I couldn’t see anyone passing by the interior window. What to do?

I found Jack’s Mini on the far side of the school. I touched the hood. The engine was still warm. Why would he go to the school alone? I thought back to the evening years ago when he’d returned and found Mona a prisoner in the locker. Was he trying to rescue Mona again? But how would he know that Haley was here? Had she contacted him? How? Of course she had. In a moment of sympathy, he had given her his number. Somehow she’d tricked him into meeting her.

I proceeded to the side door and clicked the latch. Haley had left it unlocked. I swung the door open and listened for voices. But all I heard was silence. I stuck my nose inside. Where would Jack go? Inside? Had I missed him when I was searching for his car? Where would Haley be? Was Mona there too?

Empty schools are among the creepiest places on earth if you ask me, but at least I could see a bit because there were lights on in the next corridor. I wished I hadn’t seen the dark spots on the shining tiled floors. Red? I bent forward and touched the first bloody puddle with the tip of my finger. Wet. I sniffed my finger and recognized the metallic smell of blood. Someone had been injured, just inside the school by the door. Who? Was it my imagination or was the blood still warm to the touch? I stared around. What looked like a spray of blood had dotted the institutional green walls. My heart thundered for Jack. Had I brought him into danger yet again? The trail of drops zigzagged toward the double door leading into the next corridor. I tried to remember the layout of my old school. If you walked through those wide doors and turned, you’d pass the science labs. Around the next corner were classrooms and the banks of lockers we’d all used. That was where the light was coming from. I stared down at the tiles and followed the drops. They’d turned into streaks as though someone had been dragged.