Chapter 32
When I reached Prescott, I went straight to Valerie’s building. I found Lidia’s car in the parking lot and immediately located the window cling I’d remembered from my ride with her. My eyes practically crossed as I stared at the backwards numbers written on the oil change reminder. Didn’t they date those three months out? I smiled as I realized my memory was correct and her oil had been changed on Thursday—the day before the wedding rehearsal. Unfortunately, the car had a digital odometer so I couldn’t see how many miles she’d driven, but maybe with the information I had, Detective Tingey could check on it. I reached for my cell phone.
I heard a voice call my name and looked over, finding Lidia sitting on her doorstep in the dusk. I couldn’t walk away now. I waved and approached, trying to pretend nothing was wrong.
Lidia was drinking a glass of soda with ice while Dahlia snuggled a doll beside her on the sidewalk, talking to it. Dahlia looked up and grinned at me. “Hi, Miss Tess. How are you?”
“I’m fine, kiddo. What’s your baby’s name?” I did my best to be nonchalant.
“Her name’s Vanessa,” Dahlia answered. “It starts with a V, like my mommy’s name.”
I glanced at Lidia out of the corner of my eye and saw her knuckles go white on the glass. I wondered how it must have felt for her, having her daughter refer to someone else as her mommy. The fact that she wanted children and hadn’t been able to conceive with her husband must have been painful. “Yes, that’s a pretty name. How long have you had Vanessa?”
“Two days. Auntie Lidia said she is going to be my new mommy and we’re moving to the ocean. She said I can call her Mommy if I want.”
“That sounds like fun. I love the ocean.”
“What brings you here tonight?” Lidia asked. “I heard they arrested Millie.”
“Yeah, who knew she had such a vicious streak? It’s crazy.” I had to stop my hands from fluttering at my side. “I was feeling restless, I guess. Went for a ride and realized how close I was to you, so I popped by. How is the packing going?”
“It’s coming along. I hope to have everything worth keeping either in storage or shipped by Wednesday so we can go home to Long Beach.”
I would take whatever opening I could get, so I could read her response. “I hear you’ve made that trip a few times. You must be getting used to it.”
Her eyes grew sharp, assessing. “Why do you say that?”
I leaned back against the porch railing. “No reason—Tad just mentioned you’d been here to visit your sister. That’s quite a drive, but the way should be familiar by now.”
Her wary gaze softened, as if trying to dispel any idea I might have that her question had meant anything. “Of course. You’ve been talking to Tad?”
“Yes. He said you’ve been friends for years. Six or more. I had no idea you’d known each other before last weekend.”
“Sounds like he’s been very forthcoming.” Her voice was even, but her eyes grew sharp.
I shrugged. “Yes and no. Unfortunately, he still has no idea who might have—” My eyes cut to Dahlia, then back, “—visited your sister that night. It doesn’t seem like Millie’s nature to do something like that for a few baubles, but I don’t really know her—and she does have the necklace.”
“That’s true, but if it’s not her, my bet’s on Tad. Who else had the opportunity?”
Strange how I hadn’t mentioned before that Tad had seen Valerie that night, and yet, Lidia took it as if she’d already known. I remembered that all the entrances to the hotel had cameras on them, unless there was a secret entrance through the kitchens that they didn’t bother to film. And if Lidia had thought to use that way . . . Now that Deputy Tingey knew who to look for, maybe he’d be able to prove Lidia had been in the hotel after all. That, coupled with the odometer readings, might be enough to get Millie free and Lidia where she belonged.
My head was still reeling, thinking about this woman possibly being a murderer.
“Did Tad have anything interesting to say?” Lidia took another sip of her drink. She seemed so calm until you noticed her hand shaking the glass, pale face and determined eyes.
“Just old news. From when you first met. Nothing important.” I pulled away from the railing, hoping to head back to my car. I yawned to give myself an excuse to leave.
She stood and stretched, smiling at her daughter as spoke to her. “Hey there, baby. It’s getting late. How about if you go change into your jammies for me?” she asked Dahlia.
“Not yet!” Dahlia wailed. “And you promised I could sleep over at Jenny’s tonight.”
She brushed a hand down Dahlia’s hair and a sweet smile popped onto her face as she looked at her daughter, her eyes glowing with love. “So I did, and if you change into your jammies, you can go over. Do you want me to time you to see how fast you can do it?”
“Yeah!” Dahlia jumped up and ran into the apartment, her doll tucked under her arm.
Lidia watched her until she was out of sight, then stepped closer to me, her voice lowering. “If you think you can threaten me like this, you’ll soon find out how wrong you are.”
“You and Tad made a one-night mistake. It’s really none of my business, and what matters now is Dahlia’s happiness.”
A long moment of silence ensued as Lidia studied me, then she nodded. “You have it exactly. I want to take my daughter home with me, like I should’ve done in the first place. I made a mistake and I’ve lost out on years of time with her.” Her eyes were hard and dark.
I hadn’t felt menaced by her before. In fact, I hadn’t felt like she could be the least intimidating or dangerous, but now I wondered. This was a woman who would do anything to get her child back. Even murder her own sister. I inched farther away.
Dahlia ran back out, breathing heavy with her pajama top on backward and her feet bare. “I’m ready. Was I fast?”
“Oh my goodness, I think you were faster than lightning,” Lidia said as she scooped up her daughter and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“Now can I go to Jenny’s?” Dahlia asked, giggling, but pushing away from Lidia.
“Yes, you can.” Though Lidia smiled, she looked a little disappointed as she set down Dahlia. “Run along.” She watched as Dahlia scampered to the apartment four doors away and rang the bell.
I continued to inch away. But didn’t want to turn and flat out run.
When the door opened, Dahlia said something fast and excited and went inside. A dark-haired woman stepped out and waved to us. “Thanks. I’ll call you if she gets scared, but they’ll have a great time.”
“I know they will,” Lidia said with an answering wave. As the door shut, she stepped closer to me.
I moved into the parking lot. “I guess that’s my cue to leave.”
“Yes, but not like you think.” She reached into a concealed holster behind her and pulled out a tiny black derringer. “I hoped to distract you, send you off in the wrong direction, but you wouldn’t stop or go away. I tried to scare you off the search, but that didn’t happen, even when your fiancé left that love note on your window.”
“My ex-fiancé,” I corrected for what seemed the thousandth time since his arrival in town. She ignored it and gestured for me to head toward her car. I don’t like guns, never did, and having one pointed at me freaked me out. I had to talk my way out of this somehow. “Look, right now all I know is that you’re happy you get to take your baby home.”
“If Tad doesn’t put up a fuss, and I just bet he will. But either way, I can’t have you running around looking for answers. You’re far too nosey for your own good.”
I took a couple of hesitant steps, keeping my eyes on the gun, which she had tucked up close to her body so no one would notice it. “I don’t think you want to do this.”
“I didn’t want to kill Valerie, either, but she didn’t leave me much choice.” Lidia opened the car door with a beep of her keychain and gestured for me to climb in. I did so against my better judgment and planned to jump out again before we left the parking lot.
She seemed to guess my plan, because when she got in beside me, she reached over and squeezed a spot on my shoulder. Her training as a masseuse must have paid off because the last thing I remember was her saying that I should have a nice catnap.