“He’s not married,” they all said at once.
Lydia shook her head again. “There are a million women he could ask out. Women without children.”
“It’s the age of enlightenment,” Sally pointed out. “You can go to the police station with a plate of those fabulous cookies you make and talk to him about the break-ins and how we’re all so nervous. That should do it. During the conversation, find out if he’s single, if that worries you. Then just ask him out.”
Lydia looked as if she might faint. “I’m not going to the police station to ask him out. Oh my God. You all have lost your minds.”
Rory couldn’t help but laugh with the others again. “Lydia, we’re teasing you. We know you’re not going to the police station with a plate of cookies, although your cookies would have most of the cops coming around making certain no one is breaking into our apartments and trashing them.”
Everyone nodded.
“Yours are the best,” Janice confirmed. “We wouldn’t have to worry if we started bribing the cops to take shifts guarding the place.”
Rory noticed that Cindy laughed with them, but she seemedintrospective. Now she had a strange look on her face. “What do you think about all of us looking for a different apartment building together? This one doesn’t feel safe anymore. Itclearlyisn’t safe anymore.”
There was instant silence. Rory didn’t want to move. The building was close to work. Close to Gideon. Very convenient for her. If she was leaving it, she should be going away for good. This was probably the best time for her to go. Her furniture was gone. Her things were gone. Her nebulizer was still intact, but even that had been flung on the rooftop floor.
She could understand why Cindy would want to take her boys and find another place to live. The children were traumatized by finding a dead man in the garbage chute. There had been a policeman killed in a shootout in the apartment building. Another man had been found dead in his apartment. Now four of their places had been broken into. Their homes had gone from feeling safe to feeling scary dangerous. If she had children, she would consider moving too.
Lydia wrapped her arms around Ellen and pulled her into her lap. The little girl had been coloring quietly, and she appeared startled, but she didn’t squirm. She just looked up at her mother as if Lydia did this often.
“Honestly, I can’t afford to move, Cindy. It would be first and last month’s rent and a cleaning deposit. I signed a lease here. Even if I could eventually break it, that would take time and probably going to court to do it. I’m just not up to that. I’ll admit all this scares me, but I’m barely getting by. That’s why I’ve been trying to learn bartending. I thought maybe I could earn extra income to help offset some of the bills.”
Cindy nodded. “I understand. It was just a thought. I love this complex and all of you, but I can’t keep my sons here when things like this keep happening. It isn’t fair to them. I do have theresources to leave. My family would lose their minds if they knew everything going on here. Thankfully, they tend to be above paying attention to what goes on with us mere mortals. All the boys’ things were trashed. Their beds and toys were broken. They would have been devastated if they had seen the damage.”
“I thought about moving the moment I saw my apartment was trashed,” Janice said. “I have renter’s insurance, but it was frightening to know someone has been inside my home. Then I got mad. I’m not going to let the owners of these apartments get away with false advertising. They told us we would be safe here. We were charged more money to live here. I’m expecting them to keep their word. I’ve already drafted a letter to them and hope all of you sign it. I’m going around to the other tenants as well to try to get them to sign it.”
Pam nodded. “I can’t afford to move either, Cindy. I don’t want to see you go. Would you be willing to wait long enough to see if the owners are willing to do something about our safety?”
Cindy pushed both hands through her hair. “I don’t know. I’ve got the boys seeing a doctor next week. Let me talk to him first before I make any decisions. They’re staying with my parents at the moment, and after the cops okay it, I’m having cleaners come and get everything out of the apartment. I want it put right before they’re back. I must do what’s right for them. If the doctor thinks it’s best to get them away from here, we’ll move. He might say they need to face the reality of what happened to them.”
The door opened, and Rory couldn’t help but look at Lydia. Maybe all of them did. The man striding into the room with such confidence was Detective Warren Larrsen. He wore a dark gray suit that fit his wide shoulders. His chestnut hair gleamed under the lights and his dark eyes immediately sought out Lydia, confirming the collective opinions of the women that he was interested in her.
“Ladies. I’m looking for Janice DeWitt.”
Janice reluctantly held up her hand. “That would be me.”
“I’m Detective Larrsen. We met the other day under unfortunate circumstances. It seems we’re destined to do the same again.”
“Would you care for coffee?” Sally asked.
“Thanks, I could really use a cup.” He indicated a small table a short distance from the others. “We could talk over there before I take a look at your apartment.”
“We have cookies too,” Sally offered. “Lydia made them, and no one can bake the way she does.”
Larrsen sent Lydia a dazzling smile. It was so gorgeous that even Rory had to admit it made him attractive as all get out. “I have to admit, I have a weakness for cookies. I’ll have to try them to see if they’re as good as your friends say.”
Lydia groaned and turned a cute blushing shade of rose. “Don’t listen to them. They always say that, and it isn’t true.”
When he smiled, Rory noted Larrsen had a hint of an intriguing dimple. “I’m going to see for myself, Ms.Sawyer.”
Rory nudged Lydia. Detective Larrsen remembered Lydia’s name.
“I’ll talk to Ms.DeWitt first and then Pam Williams.” Detective Larrsen looked around at the women in the room until he settled on Pam. She nodded, lifting her hand. He gave her a brief smile. “Ms.Atler?” He clearly knew who Cindy Atler was. Her husband had been a firefighter who had died fighting a fire. She came from an extremely wealthy and powerful family. Detective Larrsen must have found it strange that she was living in the same apartments and was friends with them.Goodfriends with them. “I’ll interview you after Ms.Williams. And, Ms.Chappel, if you don’t mind waiting, I’ll take you last.”
Rory sighed. “Sure, no problem.”
He clearly heard the hint of defensiveness she didn’t bother tokeep from her voice. The other women were no longer looking at Warren Larrsen as if he were their knight in shining armor. He had suddenly become the enemy.
