a hook and some string.
'I think you need this more than I do.'
CHAPTER 17
Dinah and i decided we needed a girls' night out. Another Mr. Online had turned into Mr. Dud, and I wanted to get my mind off the fact that Detective Heather was still lurking around, trying to build a case against me. After CeeCee's meltdown during the group meeting, we figured she needed a night out, too, and we invitedher to join us. But by then she seemed to have gotten over whatever was bothering her, and said she was busy.
When Dinah arrived at my house, we both laughed. We'd changed into nicer clothes, but courtesy of our identicalchoice of black slacks, black turtlenecks and black jackets, we looked like the ninja Bobbsey Twins.
The Encino restaurant we chose for dinner was located in an upscale shopping center with two levels of stores around a large pond with a series of waterfalls. Once seated in the dark booth we threw our diets to the wind and had fettuccine Alfredo, garlic bread and Caesar salad. We ended by sharing a piece of cheesecake.
We had planned on a movie, too, but when we came out of the restaurant, we realized it had already started.
'We might as well walk a little of dinner off.' I pointed toward the walkway.
All during dinner, I'd managed not to talk about Ellen's murder, but as soon as we started walking, I couldn't help myself and brought up how we really hadn't gotten anywherein our attempt to investigate.
'Sorry I haven't been much help,' Dinah said. 'I don't have much experience beyond reading mysteries and watching
'They would have tied up this case by now for sure,' I said, thinking of the TV team. Half the time the pair caught the guilty party by talking his or her ear off, and the culprit confessed just to get them to be quiet. Unfortunately in real life it wasn't that easy.
The stores were still open, and I noticed a sign for a yarn shop. Through the window we could see several women sitting around a table in the center, knitting.
'What do you think?' Dinah said as we stood looking inside. We'd never been in a real yarn store. So far all of our supplies had come from the Super Craft Mart, where the 'always-friendly staff' knew nothing about yarn or hooks except where they were kept in the store.
All the yarn for the auction project had been purchased by Ellen and, since the bookstore was sponsoring it, paid for by Mrs. Shedd.
'Let's do it,' I said, opening the door. Inside, the walls were lined with cubbies full of yarn. The knitters looked up as we passed their table, and then they went back to their work.
'Adele would have a fit,' I said with a laugh. I watched their needles clack as they went back and forth on rows of knits and purls. It seemed boring compared to the excitement of going in a circle and then having spaces and yarn going around edges like I'd done in the granny square.
An older woman in a gorgeous heather blue sweater asked if she could help us.
I was going to say we were just looking, but before I knew it, I'd told her who we were.
'So you're part of the Tarzana Hookers,' she said, noddingwith recognition. 'I saw the article in the paper. Too bad about your leader.' The knitters looked up at us again. Was there just a note of superiority in their expressions?
'Crocheters are welcome here,' she said, gesturing towardthe cubbies full of yarn.
Dinah and I hesitated. 'We've only shopped at the Super Craft Mart,' I explained. Everyone in the place laughed.
'Comparing that place to here, it's like apples and oranges,' the woman in the sweater said, leading us toward the back. The selection was amazing, and so different from the craft superstore. We wanted everything, but finally narrowedit down to some merino wool. We both left with lovely little shopping bags holding yarn to make a long scarf with a ruffly edge.
I couldn't wait to go home and start crocheting. The owner had tucked in printed instructions which said the pattern was rated 'beginner.'
On the way back to my place, we passed the Sheridan house. The lights were on, and there was a car in the driveway.
'Lawrence has company,' I said. I couldn't tell what kind of car it was, but it appeared to be some type of small economy model. His Bentley was always parked in the garage. I pulled over to the curb and told Dinah how Natalie mentioned being in Ellen's closet. 'I wonder if it's her.'
The street was empty and quiet. The main foot traffic around here was pretty much restricted to the dog walkers in the morning, along with the joggers and the maids walking up from the bus stop. At night there was nobody beyond an occasional out-of-sync dog walker like me.
'I want to find out,' I said, cutting the lights.
Even in the dark, I could see Dinah's stunned expression.'You mean like creep around and look in the windows?'
I nodded.
'I hate to bring it up, but isn't that trespassing?' she said.
'Only if we get caught, and we won't.' I shrugged confidently,though I wasn't quite sure where the confidence was coming from. Dinah was usually the daring one.
'Okay, then, if you're in, so am I,' Dinah said, ever up for an adventure. 'I still can't believe he's already got anotherwoman. Ellen's barely cold. So, if we catch him with Natalie, what are we going to do with the information?'
This time I groaned. 'I haven't figured that part out yet.'
I moved the greenmobile farther up the street so there would be no chance Lawrence or his guest could look out the window and see it. We closed the doors with hardly a click and headed across the street.
We stopped outside the fence and looked in. All the curtainswere open, but the rooms appeared empty. I knew from being inside that we were facing the dining room, kitchen and two bedrooms, one of which was used as Ellen's crochet room and the other as the home office.
'We've got to get in the backyard. They're probably in the living room or den,' I said, crouching low and slipping around the side of the house.
'Or the master bedroom,' Dinah whispered, following me.
'I hope not. I don't think I'm ready for Lawrence in boxer shorts or less,' I said as we reached the gate.
It had a lock.
'Let's try the other side,' I whispered.
We stayed low and tried the gate by the garage, but it was locked, too.
'Well, I guess that's it,' Dinah said. We crept past the bushes and went back toward the street. My back said a big thank-you when I stood up. I gave it a few rubs as I looked back at the house.
'Didn't this sort of thing used to be easier?' I said.
Dinah laughed. 'You've done stuff like this before?' Dinah started toward the car, but I stayed put.
'I don't want to give up. I want to see who is with Lawrence.'
'I don't think there's a choice,' Dinah said, putting up her hands in capitulation.
Not making a move to leave, I surveyed the area. Then I smiled. I had a fabulous idea. 'We can get in through there,' I said, pointing at the property next door. When Dinahhesitated, I indicated the FOR SALE sign out front and explained that the house was empty. Dinah smiled, and she gave me a thumbs-up.
The gate to the yard was ajar, so there was no problem walking onto the property. The backyard was easily accessible,too. Everything had been left open to make it easy for prospective buyers to look around.
The backyard was big and dark. The border with the Sheridans' was thick with ivy and tall bushes, which were probably filled with spiders and other creepy things.
'There's a chain-link fence behind all the foliage, and there's probably a gate somewhere,' I told Dinah. 'When these houses were first built, this was out in the sticks, and nobody was all bent out of shape about security. All the fences had gates so the kids in the area could cut through yards. My house has the same kind of fence behind the bushes and ivy, and there's a gate somewhere on each side.'
I pushed behind the row of greenery until I touched metal. Dinah kept close behind me as I began to feel my
