Lib Novel Page 7
“That right-hand stripe isn’t as distinct as the other. It’s now red. There’s a sunburn there now because you’ve recently been walking your other dog, but no longer carrying a leash in your right hand.”
“Yes.” She managed a smile. “You’re absolutely right. Bruno died just last month. He was a good boy.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, this just shows that the stories about you are true. Will you consider helping me find Chloe and Sloane?”
Kendra thought for a moment. Bill was now trying his damndest to look like he didn’t care either way, but she knew better. “I’m not sure what help I can be, but of course I’ll look into it.”
Paula smiled. “Thank you, Dr. Michaels. That’s all I can ask. Where would you like to begin?”
“You said it yourself.” Kendra motioned toward the stacked boxes. “With those. I’ll see where they take me and get back to you.”
“Sir, can I help you?”
Rod Wallace was standing on the far side of the parking lot, watching Kendra Michaels load the three file boxes into her Toyota 4Runner. He’d considered snapping her neck and seizing them when a muscular man in a red Pacific Villas polo shirt approached from seemingly nowhere. He was obviously an employee.
“Can I help you?” the employee repeated.
“Uh, yeah.” Wallace glanced around. “I’m thinking of bringing my dad here. He’s not crazy about the idea of moving to a retirement community, but this place looks… nice.”
“It is. But you’ll need to go to the welcome desk and get a visitor’s badge. Did you make an appointment, sir?”
“No. Is that really necessary?”
“I’m afraid so. But if you’d like to follow me, I can take you to someone who can set up a time for a tour. Maybe your dad can come with you.”
Wallace looked out of the corner of his eye and saw that Kendra Michaels had climbed into her car and started it. Dammit. Now he wanted to snap this employee’s thick neck.
Patience.
He couldn’t risk tipping his hand now. He had come too far.
“Thanks,” he told the man. “But I’d better check my schedule. I’ll call this afternoon. Thanks.”
Wallace turned and walked away.
Patience.
He’d been following that retired detective, but when she handed off that stack of files, he now had two people to be concerned about. Dammit. Either of those women could now be a danger to him.
He would have his turn with the Michaels woman yet.
All things came to people who were willing to wait…
CHAPTER
2
Stop!” Kendra shouted across her condo living room.
Olivia Moore froze in the main doorway. “Jeez, Kendra. You sure know how to make a girl feel welcome.” She pocketed her key. “Should I just go?”
“Of course not. But you’re about to run smack-dab into a four-foot tower of file boxes. Three steps to your left will give you a clear path in.”
“Thanks.”
Kendra stood to greet her friend and downstairs neighbor. As children, she and Olivia had attended a school for the blind, and their friendship had only deepened in the years since Kendra gained her sight. Olivia had never shown the tiniest bit of jealousy at Kendra’s good fortune, though she still hoped she would one day reclaim the sight that had been taken from her in a childhood car accident.