Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear (15 page)

“I like your smile.” Xabier pulled the cap down so it covered more of his face. “Are you having any luck finding what you need there, pretty lady?”

He had changed his voice, making it more gravelly with just a hint of redneck. Kindra leaned a little closer. “You’re really getting into this, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I guess, but this isn’t how I planned to use my theater degree.” He pushed up the volume on his voice. “I’m partial to this green flannel myself.”

She caught herself about to say his name and glanced around the store again.

He leaned closer to her and whispered, “I need you to find my mom. I can’t risk them connecting her with me. They might put pressure on her. But I got to take some action, get this thing to move forward. She’s not strong … physically. Her name is Gloria.”

“I know who she is. My friends have met her.”

“Tell her I’m okay.” He turned slightly, pulling on the sleeve of a flannel shirt. He pressed his lips together. “Tell her not to worry.”

It was nice to meet a guy who cared about his mother’s feelings. She touched his hand. “We’ll get this worked out.”

“One more thing. You said that I should do that visualization thing. The agreement they showed me had the name at the top. It was Eternal something or Infinite something.”

“Something to do with things going on forever?”

“Yeah. Maybe Dustin had some record of it in his files. I was thinking maybe you and my mom could look for it together. That would help us figure out who these guys are.”

“We have to go to the police at some point.”

Xabier arched his back. “I told you. I don’t trust cops.”

She tried a different tactic. “Where are you staying?” Maybe if she hit him with the reality of how being a fugitive forced him to live, he’d be more inclined to go to the police.

“I’m moving around a lot. I haven’t been back to the room Dustin gave me to live in accept to grab a few things real quick. I know they’re watching that. There are storage closets on almost every floor; most of them have one of those fold-down beds in them.”

“That can’t be fun.”

“Hopefully, it won’t last much longer. Find my mom and tell her what is going on. She’ll know how to handle it.”

“Take care of yourself.” She swallowed to keep from saying his name. His gaze made her heart beat faster than the prospect of a half price sale on shoes.

His hand grazed over hers, sending tingles up her arm. She leaned close and kissed him on his fake stubble. “You go out now and catch some big fish.”

He whispered in her ear, “Turn your back and I’ll be gone.”

She pivoted pretending to be fascinated by fly fishing poles. His hand brushed over her hair, with a gossamer touch. When she turned back around, there was no sign of him.

Stay safe, Xabier, stay safe
.

Ginger stared at the hotel room phone.

“That won’t make it ring sooner.” Arleta played with the zipper on her purple, sequined, satin jacket, turning side to side in front of the mirror.

Suzanne rested on the bed, legs crossed at the ankles, flipping through a magazine. “It’s only been like twenty minutes since you called the station house.”

Half an hour ago, Ginger had walked into her hotel room to find two members of the BHN. They had greeted her with long hugs, and she had shared the ordeal of the night before. Something Earl hadn’t even asked her about.

Suzanne tossed her magazine on the bed. “You left your cell number with the police, didn’t you?”

“I lost my cell when I lost my purse. I gave him your number.”

“Why don’t we go out and do something fun to get your mind off of this?” Suzanne swung her feet to the floor. “Detective Mallory can just get hold of me.”

“I want to get this resolved, so they can find who hit me in the head.” Ginger rose to her feet, crossing and uncrossing her arms. “The stolen jewelry might have something to do with Dustin’s death. I’m sure that was the bear costume he was killed in. How many bear costumes can there be?”

A phone buzzed. Ginger jumped. Hope that the call was for her vaporized when Suzanne flipped it open and checked the screen. Her face brightened. “My kids.” She chimed into the phone, “Hey, sweet baby. How’s Mamas girl?” She meandered toward the bathroom.

“Maybe I should just go down to the station house.” Ginger’s finger tapped the table.

“That sounds like a time waster. You would just be waiting at the station house instead of waiting here. What if she’s here at the hotel investigating?” Arleta plunked down on the bed. “I’m sure she checks in for messages, and the station probably can reach her on her cell.”

She hated not being able to do anything. Waiting was the worst. What to do? Her feet sunk into the plush carpet as she paced.

Arleta propped a pillow against the wall, leaned back against it, and closed her eyes. Her hand fluttered to her forehead. Skin, tissue-paper thin, revealed blue veins. Age spots occupied more territory than clear skin.

She’d never thought of Arleta as old, but now … She noticed the slight shaking when she held her hands up. “That jacket suits you.” Ginger sat back down in the chair. “It brightens you up. Brings out the color in your eyes.”

“I need brightening, do I?” The older woman opened her eyes and smoothed the jacket over her flat stomach. “I think I’m dressing in these flashy things because I want to feel less close to dying.”

Ginger blinked several times. What a shocking thing to hear her robust friend say. “Arleta, you’re in great health. You’ve got twenty years ahead of you.”

“It’s just that I met that Gloria Clydell the night her ex-husband was killed. She could die anytime. Yet, she was happy. I suddenly saw my own life in perspective.” She patted her chest. “This old ticker is going to stop sooner or later.”

Ginger leaned back in the hotel chair, allowing herself one more glance at the phone. “We’re all going to die … sooner or later.”

“But you’re going to go to heaven.” Arleta picked microscopic fuzz off her jacket.

Ginger stared at the senior member of the Bargain Hunters. She sat up a little straighten They didn’t talk that much about their faith. But something they did or said had impacted Arleta. Ginger opened her mouth to speak. The important moment was interrupted by Suzanne yelping from the bathroom and emerging holding her phone.

Ginger squeezed Arleta’s hand. “We need to finish this conversation. It’s important.”

Suzanne trotted back into the room waving her phone. “Ginger, your cyber stalker is getting quite hostile. You’ve got like ten e-mails forwarded from the address we set up for the blog.” Suzanne read: “‘Where are you? You are the only one who can help me. My spending is out of control. Please help me. Why aren’t you posting? I live for those blog entries.’ She or he signs it Crazy in Calamity.”

Ginger’s thoughts tangled. She rested her head on the table. “I’m not going to post, and I’m not going to respond to that terrible person. I have bigger fish to fry. My cat is still missing. I need to clear mine and Earl’s name.”
And … my husband and I are on two separate planets
. Ginger rose to her feet.

Suzanne shut her phone. “We will think of Crazy in Calamity no more.”

Arleta threw her hands up. “We can’t just sit here. Ginger will go insane. We have to do something. I’m with Suzanne. Why don’t we go out and visit the garage sales? That’s one of the reasons we came to this town anyway.”

Suzanne bumped Ginger’s shoulder. “Come on, you love garage sales, and this is the world’s largest. It’ll get your mind off of things, and then before you know it, that detective will call you back.”

Ginger nodded, taking note that maybe God would open up an opportunity to talk more to Arleta about heaven while they were shopping. “Okay, let’s go bargain hunting.”

“Mr. Salinski, I thought you said you were bringing your wife with you.” Fiona Truman, Shopping Channel sweetheart, wore no makeup. The dark circles under her eyes and the sagginess of her skin were no longer hidden. Even the bright pink of her workout suit didn’t hide her fatigue as they stood outside the door that led to the Wind-Up’s spa and gym.

Earl hung his head. “She doesn’t want to come … yet. If you’ll just give me another chance to audition, I promise I will have better stage presence this time.” His chances were slipping away. He had to make this happen.

“Stage presence isn’t something you acquire like life insurance. It’s something you either have or don’t have. You said your wife, what was her name, Ginger, would be here.”

Why was Fiona constantly reminding him of his failure to get Ginger to rally for him?
I’m such a loser
. “Why does it have to be my wife?” He grabbed her arm and squeezed it. “I can do this.” He pounded out each word.

Fiona pulled away and stepped back. “Mr. Salinski, please don’t pull on my arm like that.” She massaged the spot on her bicep where he had pressed.

The shock on Fiona’s face mortified him. He hadn’t meant to be so forceful. He just wanted her to see how badly he wanted this. “I’m … I’m so sorry.” He reached toward her and then let his arms fall at his side when she jerked away. “I have two daughters your age. I would never hurt a woman.” He shook his hands. There was no excuse for what he had just done.

“I was trying to help you.” She opened the spa door and stepped behind it so it functioned as a shield between her and Earl.

“At least take one of the Pepper Lights. Maybe you can show it to your producers and they’ll have some marketing ideas.” His need to push for the success of the Pepper Light was almost involuntary. He couldn’t stop.
I don’t like myself right now
.

She took the Pepper Light, unzipped her gym bag, and dropped it in. “Sure, okay.”

Her hand shook when she unzipped her bag. He’d really scared her. He had never felt so ashamed in his life.

“Maybe I can still talk Ginger into it.” He didn’t want to believe that his wife had lost faith in him. What was the point in going on if that were true? Then again, look at what his need to make the dream happen had done. He had lost his wife and scared a stranger.

Fiona spoke rapidly, slipping behind the door even more. She was trying to be polite, but she didn’t want to talk to him. “I have to leave for the airport on Sunday around five. I would really love to meet your wife, see how she is on camera.” Fiona pushed the spa door open wider. A cacophony of banging weight machines and groans spilled into the hallway. “But no promises.” She stepped inside, door easing shut behind her.

Earl wandered out of the hotel to the boardwalk by the lake. He gazed out at the rippling water. Boats buzzed and sputtered in the distance. Chatter and laughter spilled out from the Little Italy terrace. A crew blew up an inflatable pool on the dock. According to the sign, Binky would be water-skiing in less than an hour.

Everything, everyone seemed distant. At the periphery of his understanding, a faint prayer formed.
Oh, God, I’m so sorry
.

Ginger’s words came back to him. This dream was consuming him. He had been so focused on getting the next thing done for the invention, he hadn’t been able to hear what she said to him. He slumped down onto the bench.
If I ever stop listening to my wife, I am doomed. She’s the smart one
.