“I just don't and Florida is a big state, without having any idea what you’re looking for.”
“It's in our best interest for me to go. You can't withhold information from me.”
“Hold me in contempt of court.”
It riled me because there was absolutely nothing I could do. “If I don't get to kill this guy before I leave, I'll be killing you in his place.”
“You're perfectly welcome to try.” He smiled at me, practically daring me to do it.
I made a half groan, half scream of frustration as we pulled up to the front door and he got out. On the slim chance that perhaps whatever he needed to handle would be done quickly, I followed Fate to the second floor.
I barely got to read the door plaque—Mother's Landscaping—before we entered. What could be happening at a landscaping business that would cause us to have to run over here and not continue to search out who the murderer was? But nothing was what it seemed here, which meant Mother wasn't really a landscaper.
The reception area was similar to our own office, but with images of beautifully manicured lawns scattered throughout. A young guy sat behind the desk, giving me a skeptical look.
“Tommy, let us in,” Fate said when he stopped at the locked inner door
“Who's she?”
“Karma.”
“Why's she seem different?” His head tilted to the side, as if a different perspective would help answer the question.
“Because I'm a transfer. Okay?” I blurted out before Fate could answer.
Tommy made an “oh” face, and nodded, as if it all made sense now.
“Tommy. The door?”
“Oh yeah, sorry, Fate.”
I heard the wailing and screaming as soon as it swung open, so when I walked in behind Fate, I wasn't surprised at the chaos before me.
Clusters of people in jeans and t-shirts were everywhere, arguing loudly. If I had seen any of them working on a lawn, while driving down a residential street, I wouldn't have taken a second look.
They were all in heated groups, some screaming to let her do it, some screaming no. A little pixie of a woman was at the center of the chaos, being trailed by several brawny young men, as she paced around the room. Thick dark brown curls framed a peaches and cream complexion, which the blue of her suit complimented.
Her eyes lit as she saw us—or more precisely, Fate.
“Darling! You've come to visit me?” Her voice was so sweet it gave me a sugar high, but the kind that made you nauseous and turned you off chocolate bars for a year.
“I came as soon as I heard you were upset.” He took her hands in his as he greeted her with a kiss on each cheek.
My head snapped back and forth between the two of them. Where had Fate gone? Who was this well-mannered guy? And why did it seem like he was nice to everyone but me?
The entire room seemed to cease all other activity as everyone watched their conversation, including me. Fate took one of her hands and laid it on the crook of his arm and strolled with her through the room.
“What has you so upset?”
“I want a blizzard and they all keep arguing with me! I don't care if it's spring. I'm in charge. Why do they all bother me with these ridiculous details?”
“Now, you know we've talked about this before,” he said as he patted the hand resting on his arm.
My eyes went to Fate's hand as it then moved to rest on her lower back. He steered her toward what looked like an office and I watched the door close on the two of them.
As soon as the door shut, I was the point of focus.
“Who are you?” the group of fifteen or so landscaper-looking people asked, eying me up from the top of my pony tail, down along my sun dress to my sandals.
“Who are you?” I asked, throwing the question back at them. Most of them looked like normal men, but there were four who definitely weren’t human. They looked like they could’ve been the original models for the garden gnomes.
“We're her Gardeners,” one replied.
“We heard there was a transfer,” the guy on his right said.
They were circling me in an uncomfortable fashion.
“Yes, well I'm it. If you don't mind, I'll just go have a seat over there and wait for Fate.”
I moved away from the crowd. Only one followed me over. I sat down and eyed the office up, wondering what exactly Fate’s relationship was with Mother.
“It's not like that,” the guy who followed me said.
“Like what?” I replied, feigning disinterest.
He let out a chuckle. “You know what I'm talking about. What, you think you're the only one hot to trot with Fate? He doesn't dabble with coworkers.”
“I'm not hot for anything.” What was wrong with me? Was I broadcasting every thought in my head these days?
“I'm not blind. I saw how you watched him with Mother.”
Him wiggling his eyebrows was my last straw. I got up and left the office, his chuckles taunting me as I closed the door. I wanted to go back to the cafe and watch Charlie, as sick and masochistic as that might have been. I wanted something I knew just for a while, a small taste of normal to keep me going. But the chance that Fate might finish sooner rather than later stayed me from walking out of the building. Instead, I went to go and sit at my table.
I was surprised at how many people were in the office when I got there. I grabbed a newspaper and went to the corner, as I normally did.
About fifteen minutes later, Kitty the cat herder walked over and stopped in front of me. It was the first time she'd ever approached me. As far as Kitty went, though, she didn't seem to talk to anyone too much, so it wasn't that insulting.
The black cat weaving in between her legs nailed me with a stare, jerked its chin up slightly in what looked to be a greeting and then went back to rubbing its head along Kitty's leg.
I found Kitty to be slightly scary. It wasn't because she was large and intimidating; she was actually quite frail looking. It was the crazy that scared me. She looked like she'd just been let out of the mental ward for good behavior, but you weren't sure how long the sane spell would last.
I looked up, not exactly sure what to do with her. Didn't these people understand I'd already reached my crazy quota for the year?
“I sent you many cats.”
Her flat, monotone voice didn't offer any hints to whether that was supposed to have been a good thing or a bad thing. Yep, this was definitely going to put me over the top.
“Uh, thank you? Are they at my apartment?” I wondered if I should go run over and see if this woman had shoved a herd of cats into my condo. How many were we talking about?
“No, before you died. I sent you cats. Many cats.”
“That was you?” The hair on my arms stood up. I remembered them. I'd even mentioned to Charlie how I kept seeing black cats everywhere I went. I'd thought I was crazy.
She leaned in closer, her palms on the table. “You didn't have to die.”
“What do you mean?”
“I only send cats when it's something that can be avoided. I knew what was coming, but it didn't have to be. You had a choice. You've had more choices than anyone.”
“I don’t understand.”
She stood up straight and started walking away.
I grabbed her arm to stop her. “Please, I need to know what you mean.”
“I don't know anything else.” She pulled away, finishing a conversation that was sure to haunt me for the rest of my time here.
I could've avoided this?
Chapter Seventeen
When Fate didn't come back to the office by six, I gave up. Hank gave me a ride back to my Honda, which was still sitting on the street outside the luncheonette and miraculously didn't have a ticket.
We'd lost our chance at figuring out who the Bad Guy was for today, but Fate would get another lead. He’d better, after he blew this one on us. But who was Bad Guy after? And why?
I didn't know how long Fate would be helping Mother, so I decided to swing by the grocery store. I’d pick up a couple of things for my place and have a quiet night out on the balcony, overlooking the ocean. I didn't expect to see old guy perusing the produce when I got there, his Fedora sitting low on his brow.
I pushed my carriage over to where he was picking through some fruit mounds.