“I know you,” she said. The words sounded like an accusation.
“Yes, ma’am.” Leroy began mildly enough. “I was here some months back lookin’ for a little runaway gal.” He mechanically flashed the photo of Hannah before pocketing it. He noticed the woman’s name tag this time.
“Miz Rhonda, is it?” He continued. “I thought I might check again to see if I could jog your memory a tad more.”
The shopkeeper scowled at him. “As I told you last time, I sent her away and haven’t seen her since.”
Leroy rested his hands on the edge of the plate glass counter and leaned forward. His bland expression never changed. “Funny thing about that,” he drawled. “I tracked little Miss Hannah all the way to your dead partner’s apartment.”
“You did what?” She grew pale.
“And while I was there, I found out that our gal sat outside waitin’ for somebody to show up. I recollect you tellin’ me Miss Cassie wasn’t around no more. So, why would Miss Hannah bide there like she was expectin’ to meet somebody?” Leroy made an elaborate show of rubbing his forehead in puzzlement. “It don’t hardly add up.”
“How am I supposed to know why she went there? I told her Cassie had gone missing. That’s all I know.” The woman started flipping through store receipts, trying to avoid eye contact.
“It’s a brain-teaser for sure,” Leroy continued conversationally. “And you ain’t gonna believe what happened after that.”
Miz Rhonda stopped thumbing through her papers. “What?” she asked tensely without raising her head.
“Turns out one of the neighbors heard the little gal talkin’ to somebody in the hall. Then a week later, the apartment got cleaned out. Movers toted all Miz Sybil’s stuff away and Miss Hannah with it for all I know. Have you ever heard the like?”
She raised her head and glared at him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
“That’s just the thing, ma’am.” Hunt gave her a lazy smile. “I think you know all about it. Why don’t you take a couple days to think it over and maybe you’ll remember? When I come back next time, we can have a nice long chin wag.”
Rhonda leaned toward him until they were practically nose-to-nose. “You listen to me. If I ever see you in this shop again, I’ll call the police!”
Leroy turned on his heel and ambled toward the door. Over his shoulder, he said, “No need to worry about that none. You won’t see me less’n I want you to. And by then it’ll be too late.” He tipped his hat. “Have a nice evenin’, ma’am.”
As the door shut behind him, Leroy couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. He knew he’d rattled Miz Rhonda good and proper, just as he’d intended. She was so worked up she hadn’t noticed the bug he planted under the lip of the display case while they were talking. His threats had put such a flea in her ear that she was bound to send up a distress signal to somebody. And when she did, Leroy would be sure to hear who answered the call.
Chapter 32—The Lady Banishes
Rhonda scurried into her apartment building lobby. After her frightening conversation with the man in the cowboy hat, she’d been looking over her shoulder all the way home. Cassie had warned her about him, but Rhonda hadn’t believed he would come right out and threaten her. He was probably the same man who had killed Sybil. Would she be next?
She smiled with relief at the sight of the security guard seated at his console. Thank God, she lived in a safe building. At least she felt protected here. She took the elevator up to her flat on the ninth floor. Her hand was trembling as she fitted the key into the lock. What was she going to do? There was no way to reach Cassie. The police wouldn’t believe her if she reported the incident. She couldn’t remember the man’s name. How could she convince the authorities that he wasn’t a figment of her imagination?
Still lost in thought, she entered her apartment and mechanically switched on a table lamp. A dark shape was seated in one of her easy chairs out of the range of the light.
Rhonda’s hand flew to her mouth to stifle a scream.
“Whoa, take it easy. I’m a friend of Cassie’s,” the shadowy figure said.
At the mention of the name, Rhonda almost sobbed with relief. Could it be she wasn’t alone in this, after all?
The dark shape flew out of the chair. “You need to sit down before you pass out. I’ll get you some water.”
Rhonda collapsed in a heap on the couch until the stranger returned and handed her a glass.
“Drink all of it,” the voice instructed.
She obeyed. By the time she finished, her breathing had returned to normal. She sat back and eyed the stranger who was now sitting beside her on the couch. It was a woman. A very large woman with olive skin and jet-black eyes. Her hair was a mass of frizz dyed a burgundy shade of red. When she took the empty glass out of Rhonda’s hands, the shopkeeper noticed her nails. They were long and sharp as an eagle’s talons. Like her hair, they were red.
“My name is Maddie,” the stranger said. “I’m here to help you.”
“You are?” Rhonda asked weakly. “How did you get in here?”
“We’ve got our ways,” the woman replied mysteriously.
“But how did you know I needed help?”
Maddie gave an arch smile. “Cassie told me to keep an eye on you. She was afraid Leroy Hunt might come around to pester you. I’ve had a team watching your shop since last October.”
Rhonda rubbed her temples wearily.
“Do you want me to get you an
