I needed to know what Sally knew. I needed to know if I could trust her. But all I could think about were the spiders probably all over me. Every inch of my skin itched.
I leaned forward and strained to hear her conversation with Sally. My name was in both of their vile mouths. And when I concentrated on them talking instead of the spiders, I could just make out their words.
"Do you think that maybe Noah just...left?" Charlotte asked.
"I think it's possible," Sally replied. "But it's also possible that something happened to him. Something...bad."
I leaned through the foliage so I could stare daggers at her. What the hell, Sally? I thought she had my back.
Charlotte shook her head. "It's so frightening. What if she...what if she did something sinister to poor Noah?"
Poor Noah? He was a lying, stealing, cheat! What happened to women sticking together and all that bullshit? They should have my back. Not be gossiping behind it.
"We've known Ensley and Noah for a long time. Do you really think she'd be capable of hurting him?"
"I think that I don't trust anyone in this neighborhood anymore." Charlotte sighed. "Except you of course. And Phoenix and Rosie. And the other women in the book club."
That was pretty much every housewife in this neighborhood but me. Bitch.
"I've been talking to my husband, and I think we're going to bring up the possibility of a neighborhood watch at the next civic association meeting."
"What a wonderful idea," Sally said. "A proper lookout would certainly make me feel more comfortable."
That was the last thing I needed. A bunch of nosy neighbors snooping around...oh, wait. They already did that! This conversation was pointless. Neither of them knew anything. And honestly it didn't seem like either of them was necessarily out to get me. They just wanted new gossip. And it just so happened I was a hot topic right now.
I sighed and climbed out the back of the bushes, slapping my arms to remove any spiders. And then I started hitting my ass too as I stepped onto the sidewalk. That's when I knew I'd messed up. Not because I was smacking my ass in the middle of my neighborhood. But because Detective Torres was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face.
Shit. How long had he been watching me? I glanced behind me at the bush I'd just crawled out of. Was it at all possible he didn't see me come out of there? Based on the expression of his face...negative. I cleared my throat. "Hey, Detective Torres. How are you today?" Smooth.
"Ensley, do you want to tell me what you were doing hiding in your neighbor’s bushes?"
No, obviously not. "Hiding?" I laughed. "Whaaa..." I shook my head. "Oh, you thought?" I laughed harder. "I wasn't hiding. I'm not a peeping Tom." Don't give it a label!
He kept his arms folded across his chest and hardened his stare. "Then what were you doing?"
"Vandalism." Vandalism? What the ever-living fuck?
"Excuse me?"
"The annual Christmas light competition is tomorrow. And I...knew I couldn't win. So I was cutting some of the wires on Charlotte's lights. Snippety snip and victory will be mine."
"With what?"
"What now?"
"What were you cutting Charlotte's lights with? I don't see any scissors. Or wire cutters. Or a chainsaw. Nothing."
I pretended to gnaw through an imaginary wire. And then I laughed. And laughed some more. Trying to buy time. I slapped my leg. "Got you! Do I really look like someone interested in sabotage?" I laughed again. "You should see your face!"
He just stared at me. He did not find this funny. At all.
"Sabotage." I shook my head. "No. No. I...Snuggle Muffins got out!" Now that was a brilliant excuse. Too bad it came to me a few minutes too late. "And I thought I saw him go under these bushes. So I climbed in after him without thinking about the fact that I'm so much bigger. And then I kind of got caught." I twisted my body in the air and froze for effect. "And I couldn't get out. But then I fought through the devil hedge. And Snuggle Muffins wasn't there anymore. I can't lose him too." Cry. Force yourself to cry right this second. I wasn't sure if I looked sad or if I was grimacing, but his eyes softened.
"I'm sure he's here somewhere." He whistled. "Here, Snuggle Muffins! Here boy!"
Wow. Detective Torres was a certified idiot. "Snuggle Muffins!" I called.
"Is everything alright?" Charlotte asked