Undercover in Six Inch Stilettos by Carolyn LaRoche Read Free Book Online Page B

ocean.”
    Angela was bundled up in a ski jacket, hat, scarf, and mittens. “You don’t have to tell me twice! I’ve been freezing since I woke up this morning. How long until summer?”
    “We are barely halfway through fall!”
    “Doesn’t get like this in Texas.”
    “Well, Toto, you aren’t in Texas anymore!”
    They dissolved in laughter. When the women finally pulled themselves together, they made their way to the alley behind Sugar Shakers. Cyndi tried hard not to let it show, but her ankle hurt. She limped a little, but refused to acknowledge it.
    “Hey, gimpy, you sure you are up for this?” Angela asked.
    Cyndi chucked her friend on the arm. “Who are you calling gimpy? I am just fine, thank you very much.”
    Angela shrugged. “Okay. What are we looking for?”
    They had reached the small space behind Sugar Shakers where most of the employees came and went at night. Cyndi tried the door, but it was locked. Across from the entranceway was a small trash dumpster with a few bags of discarded items piled in front of it. The lid was partly open.
    “Ang, help me open the top to this thing.”
    “Ew, Cyndi, it’s just garbage.”
    “It looks like just garbage…”
    Angela waved her hand in front of her face. “Yeah, and it smells like garbage too. Yuck.”
    “Come on, Angela. Where do they find all the best evidence on NCIS and Law and Order? In the dumpster! Now help me open it up, please.”
    “Fine. But I’m no rookie. I am not jumping in that thing.”
    “You watch too much TV. I am not making you go in there. I want to see if there is anything that might tell us what happened to Jade. Now will you help me lift the lid?” Cyndi had found an empty wooden crate to stand on. Her ankle throbbed, but she ignored the pain as she pulled herself up.
    “Didn’t the trash truck come in last week?”
    “Damn. I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t know. There is an awful lot of junk on the ground here, so maybe they missed a week.”
    Angela stepped up on the crate next to her and pushed up on the steel lid. “Ewww…it smells like rotten onions and spoiled milk in there.”
    Cyndi tried not to breathe too deeply, peering into the interior of the dumpster. Bags of trash, wet boxes, and broken booze bottles filled the can; nothing that could explain a missing teenage girl.
    Letting the lid drop, Angela helped Cyndi down from the wood crate. “I told you it was just trash, Cyn.”
    Ignoring her friend’s cynicism, Cyndi grabbed a corner of the dumpster and started pushing on it. “Help me move this over from the wall so I can look behind it.”
    “It’s a waste of our time.” Angela grunted as she shoved against the full dumpster.
    “Maybe.” The dumpster moved with a loud whine. “Or maybe not…” A shock of pink caught her attention from beneath the can. Cyndi pulled a pair of latex gloves out of her purse, thankful Jason always made her carry some, and reached for the item. A bright pink pocketbook slid out from under the trash receptacle. “Look what I found.”
    “It’s a purse.” Angela was obviously as surprised as she was.
    “It’s Jade’s purse.” Cyndi held the item at the corner, remembering the way Jade wore it with its long strap across her torso. The young dancer always had that purse with her.
    “Are you sure?” Angela asked.
    “I’m sure.” She flipped the little bag open and peered inside, in search of a wallet. A slim black case was all the purse held. Cyndi slipped it out and opened it. Staring back at her, from the teenager’s driver’s license, were Jade’s serious green eyes. She held the wallet out to Angela. “It’s her, see?”
    “She’s so young!”
    “I know,” Cyndi replied sadly as she turned the purse over in her hands. A dark stain colored the back of the fabric.
    “Is that blood?” Angela exhaled slowly.
    “I’m not sure. It could be mud or something.”
    “But you don’t really believe that, do you?”
    “No.”
    “Cyndi, you have to