Flowers for Her Grave

Chapter Thirteen

Casey did, in the end, forget to set her alarm, and woke up only because someone was banging on her door. She rolled out of bed and stumbled to her living room, her right leg asleep from the awkward position she’d lain in.

“I thought you might be here.” It was Sissy. Her nose was red, and her eyes swollen, which seemed to have become the uniform look around the building. She wore a subdued maroon pantsuit and clasped a well-used handkerchief in her hands.

Casey rubbed her eyes, not really awake. “What is it?”

“It’s two-o’clock.”

“Two—” Casey shot a look at the clock. “I’m missing water aerobics.” She turned to get her swimsuit, but Sissy grabbed her arm.

“I told the class all sessions would be canceled today, even though the pool is open.”

“I missed some personal training appointments, too.” Casey groaned and sagged onto a chair. “I’m sorry. First day on the job and I’m letting you down.”

“No, no.” Sissy shut the door and sat down across the table from Casey. “I should be apologizing to you. You came here and got dragged into something awful that had nothing to do with you.” She pierced Casey with a look. “Right?”

Casey closed her eyes, trying to make sense of what Sissy was saying. “Right what?”

“She wants to know if you had anything to do with Andrea’s death, or know anything about it.” Death sat on the sofa in an outfit the same color as Sissy’s, with the addition of a jaunty hat. “She doesn’t want to admit she might’ve made a mistake hiring you, but she doesn’t completely trust you, either.”

Casey snapped her head toward Sissy. “I had nothing to do with Andrea’s murder. You can ask the detective. She’s already ruled me out.”

“I know she has. But some of our residents are inquiring. You show up, and immediately one of our people is dead. It’s my duty to check in with you.”

Casey felt sick. “I understand they might be wondering. But tell them to ask the cops if they doubt me. The police can prove it wasn’t me.”

“Can they prove you don’t know anything about it? That you weren’t a part of it at all?”

“A part of— Look. I’m sorry you don’t trust me. I’m sorry I didn’t have references.” She was, in fact, sorry she’d ever even considered coming to Florida, let alone the Flamingo. “But I knew none of these people before coming here, or anyone associated with them. And I don’t know anything about who it could have been last night. I certainly didn’t see them, or I would have said something by now.” She rubbed her forehead. “Believe me, I would leave right now if it would make everyone feel better, but there’s no way the cops will let me go before they’re done investigating.”

“Because they still think you did it?”

“No! Because I’m the one who found Andrea. Remember? I tried to save her?”

Sissy looked down at the handkerchief she was twisting in her hands. “I know. I know you tried.” She wiped her nose. “It’s just…I’ve made some bad decisions. I want people to know that this time the bad things didn’t happen because I hired you.”

Casey reached across the table and laid her hand on Sissy’s. “It wasn’t me. You can stop worrying about that.”

“Just…be careful, okay? Some of them are angry. They’re sending a petition around to have you kicked out.”

“Who is?”

She hesitated. “Krystal.”

“I knew she was trouble,” Death sighed, “from the moment I first saw her luscious bod.”

“She’s in shock,” Casey said. “She just lost her best friend.”

“Still,” Sissy said. “It’s awful.”

“It’s a way for her to deal with her grief.” Not a good way, or productive, but Casey really couldn’t blame her. “Are many people signing it?”

“That’s the thing. They aren’t. Those who took your classes yesterday don’t believe you would’ve done it, and those who didn’t meet you won’t sign it without knowing more. I mean, sure, she’s gotten a few dozen signatures, but those are mostly from the retirees who live in the other two buildings and wouldn’t set foot in an exercise class to save their lives. They just want a scandal. It’s why they moved to Florida, really, besides the beach and the eternal summer.”

“Not eternal,” Death said. “Poor choice of words. Perpetual summer. That would be better.”

“So what about the rest of the day?” Casey said. “Do I stay holed up in here?”

“It’s up to you. It might be good to show your face around a bit, so people see you have nothing to feel guilty about. If they know your face, they can’t just blame some anonymous person. But…” She hesitated.

“What?”

“I don’t want to put you in danger. What if…someone comes after you?”

“Would Krystal do that?”

“There’s no telling. She’s never gone after anyone before—physically, that is. I mean, she has physically, but not violently. I mean…Oh! I’m saying this all wrong.”

Death snorted. “She’s saying Krystal might bed you, but probably won’t kill you.”

“I think I understand.”

“Good,” Sissy and Death both said.

Sissy got up and pushed her chair in. “I suppose I need to get some things done. Andrea’s family is flying in from Oregon. They can’t take her…her body away, of course, until the investigation is done, but they feel they should be here, and they’ll be packing up her apartment.”

“Of course.” Casey walked Sissy to the door. “Have you canceled my personal training sessions for the afternoon?”

“Oh!” Sissy’s hand flew to her mouth. “I forgot about that. I had Maria put a note on the aerobics door, but not on the one to the weight room. I’ll have her do it right now.”

“No, actually, I would like to keep the appointments. Can I do that?”

“To show your face around?”

“Partly. And to give me something else to think about.” There was no way she’d be able to go back to sleep now.

“Well, that’s fine, I guess. Just…watch out for yourself, okay?”

“Okay. Thanks, Sissy.” Casey shut the door behind her.

“So I’m not sure what all that was,” Death said. “Accusation or warning?”

“Both.” Casey stood in the mouth of the hallway leading back to her bedroom. “She doesn’t really think I did it, but she’s feeling anxious because she made those bad hiring decisions in the past. She doesn’t want to get blamed for a resident’s death. Especially since she was letting Andrea use the exercise rooms after hours.”

“But she also doesn’t want you getting blamed for something you didn’t do.”

“Or getting hurt. I appreciate that.”

“If she knew your record with thugs, she might not worry so much.”

Casey shook her head. “Do you remember what my face looked like a week ago?”

“Oh. Right. I was going to call you Hamburger Face, but you were in such a bad mood I decided not to. Where are you going?”

“To take a shower.”

“Before your appointments? Won’t you just get all smelly again?”

“They’re the ones who will be doing the sweating. Not me. And until I shower I’ll still feel like I have Andrea’s blood on me.”

“I don’t see any. You changed your clothes, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but I still feel dirty. It’s not a good feeling.”

“Right. You want to be clean when you face everybody who’s after you.”

“Thanks. That’s very reassuring.”

“I do my best.”

Casey went into the bathroom and shut the door.

And locked it.