Don′t Skip the Yearly Skin Checkup
Have your dermatologist check your skin once a year.
You need to keep on top of sun damage. Sun expo-
sure that you had when you were twelve years old
can come back to haunt you when you′re fifty.
– From The Little Book of Beauty Secrets by Mimi Morgan
Fish left the bar to try to get in touch with his former colleagues at the Durham PD to tell them about Chaz Putnam and the link to Jana′s carjacking. I wasn′t too sure they′d put much stock in information from ″a drunk and a psych case.″
So I started making some calls, too.
First I left a message on Luke′s cell phone. But because my own reputation with Luke was in the deep freeze, I didn′t expect to get much response from the homicide detective.
Then I called Evelyn.
″Where are you right now?″ I asked when she picked up. I could hear women talking in the background.
″I′m at Trish′s house,″ she said. ″A few of us are having a board meeting to follow up on-″
″You′re at Trish Putnam′s house? Where′s her son, Chaz?″
″Um, I don′t know,″ she said. ″He′s upstairs in his room, I guess. Want me to have Trish go find him?″
″No!″ Jesus. I might have actually made things worse by calling. If Chaz had anything to do with Jana′s carjacking, making him suspicious might put Evelyn and the other women in danger. Especially if Mad Dog was nearby.
″Look, Evelyn, forget that I called, okay?″ I said. ″Don′t tell Trish anything. Don′t even tell her that I called just now. And if you see Chaz, don′t tell him anything about anything. You understand? ″
″You sound weird, Kate,″ Evelyn said with a giggle. ″Have we been sipping some bubbly?″
″Don′t say my name again. Please, Evelyn-I′m incredibly serious. Just hang up.″
″Okay.″ She clicked off.
If there′d been wings bolted to the sides of my Z4, I would have gone airborne. That′s how fast I drove from Hail Mary′s bar to Trish′s house.
I was hoping to get stopped for speeding. But of course, there′s never a cop around when you really want one.
I wasn′t sure that it was a good idea to show up at Trish′s house. I simply had an overwhelming sense that the recent events were coming to a crisis point, and I wanted to move my friends out of harm′s way.
When I arrived at Trish′s colonial house, the porch lights were blazing. Several cars were parked at the curb. I recognized Evelyn′s pink Mini Cooper.
When I rang the doorbell, Trish answered and gave me a surprised smile.
″I didn′t know you could make it tonight, Kate-come on in,″ she said. ″We′re just finishing up some board business, but you′re welcome to join us.″
Taking a deep breath, I followed Trish into the living room.
Monique, Celia, Evelyn, and several other women were sprawled out on Trish′s pasha pillows.
″Actually, I′m sorry to bust in like this, but I heard a report at the studio,″ I announced. ″There′s been a gas leak in the neighborhood. You should all move to another location,″ I said.
″What?″ Trish′s eyes went extraround. ″Oh, my gosh. Let me go find Chaz.″
″Uh, wait a second, Trish-″
As soon as Trish disappeared, I faced the other women.
″You guys-I want you to get out of this house. Right now. Quietly. Please. I don′t have time to explain, but I think Chaz was behind Jana′s carjacking. Stay together and don′t be by yourself tonight. There was someone else involved, and he′s really dangerous.″
Everyone made shocked-sounding murmurs, but they started moving.
Except for Evelyn. She remained on her pasha pillow, staring at me.
″Are you sure about this, Kate?″ she said.
″Yes, Kate,″ a male voice said. ″Are you sure?″
I spun around.
Chaz was standing behind me.
I backed off. As I moved, I reached into my purse and extracted the stun gun. Just in case I needed it.
″Kate?″ Trish appeared next to Chaz. She had a carry-on bag slung over her shoulder.
With a confused-looking expression on her face, she said, ″Aren′t we leaving? What about the gas leak?″
″Trish, there actually isn′t a gas leak,″ I said. ″I came here to tell you some bad news about what Chaz has been up to.″
Turning to Chaz, I said, ″Why don′t you tell your mother about Mad Dog and your server farm and your pot deals. Then we′ll talk about Jana′s carjacking.″
Trish glared at Chaz. ″Pot?″ she said. ″You have marijuana in your room?″
As Chaz rolled his eyes, I heard a banging sound. It was coming from French doors that opened off one side of the living room.
A moment later the doors gave way. A tall, heavily built African-American male stepped into the room. I recognized him instantly from the picture that I′d seen at Violet Hurley′s house.
It was Mad Dog.
He was holding an AK- 47 in his hands.