Trouble in a Big Box (A Kelly O'Connell Mystery) by Judy Alter Read Free Book Online Page A

We were spared that scene because the car wasn’t there, which of course set me to worrying about where it was. In front of our house? The school?
    When I revealed my promise not to show a house alone, they were in fast agreement and added further threats to those from Mike if I even thought about it. Keisha sensibly suggested I see if I could get a package deal from the alarm company and secure the office as well. I made a note.
    “You want me to move into the apartment?” she asked.
    I looked for signs of hesitation or reluctance, but Keisha had, as usual, put her own life on the back burner. First she moved in with Mom to protect her; now she was willing to move into our apartment. I owed her more than I could ever pay in salary—or repay in kindness.
    “No,” I said gently. “I want you to be free to come and go with José. You worry about me during work hours and that’s all. Boss’s orders.”
    “José?” Anthony asked. “Mother of God, what have I missed now?”
    Keisha told him about José, though she was almost coy and definitely understated in the telling.
    Anthony looked at me. “Miss Kelly, you approve?”
    I laughed. “Yes, Anthony, I do.”
    That satisfied him. As he left, he shook a fist and said, “Next time you see that car, call me right away. I come. And I tell Joe about this.”
    ****
    The green Nova didn’t follow me when I left the office to get the girls from school, but when I reached the school, there it was parked across the street—and empty. Usually I queue up in line with the other cars, waiting for the girls to come jump in, but this time I too parked and got out of the car to join the parents milling around in front of the school, waiting for their children. I scanned the crowd, looking for gimme caps—or, oh absurdity, men with cap lines in their hair. It’s not unusual for dads to pick kids up, so there were several men but no hat lines, and only one gimme cap—on a father I knew. I was so obvious that a few friends asked me who I was looking for.
    “Oh, just a new client. Not anyone you know.” I couldn’t exactly say “the person who’s stalking my family,” could I?
    The girls sensed my mood too. Em, ever perceptive, said, “Mom, what are you doing out of the car, and why are you looking around like that?”
    “Oh, it’s just such a pleasant day I thought I’d get out and enjoy the breeze.” I don’t lie well.
    “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” Maggie asked. “Is Mike okay?”
    “Mike’s fine. He’s waiting for you at home. Come on, let’s go.” I hurried them into the car which led Em to protest, “I thought you wanted to enjoy the breeze. Why are we hurrying?”
    The green car was gone.
    I arrived home with a bad case of the jitters, but I didn’t want to tell Mike. After he returned the girls’ hugs and promised to help each one with homework, he said to me, too casually, “Conroy’s coming by for a beer. He wants to talk about that green Nova.”
    I wondered if Mike would ever learn about little ears. Maggie immediately said, “What green Nova?”
    And Mike ever so calmly replied, “The one that’s been following your mom.”
    Maggie folded her arms across her chest and stared daggers at me. “I knew something was wrong. I want to know all about what’s going on.”
    “When Detective Conroy gets here, we’ll all talk about it.”
    All my hand signals and dramatic facial expressions did no good. Mike ignored me. The girls went to their rooms to change, and I clomped about the house seething with anger. Except I wasn’t sure what I was mad at—fate?
    Maggie went to walk Gus around the block, as she did every day after school, though I bit my tongue to keep from warning her about talking to strangers. Maybe she should have a whistle too. I fingered the one I now wore around my neck—such a decorative piece of jewelry.
    Within ten minutes, I thought she’d been gone too long and told Mike I was going to look for her.
    “Kelly,