A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1) - Darynda Jones Page 0,99
her chair. “Really?”
“Yeah. I told Aunt Mari I’d clear the limbs that had fallen in her yard after a storm here in Chicago. She gave me forty bucks.”
“Sweet.”
“Right? I went over there and started picking up branches so I could rake, and this guy walked up. He said he was with the gas company. He had a clipboard and a uniform with his name embroidered on it, so I believed him. But he started asking me all these questions about my aunt and uncle. When they moved. Where they went. Stuff like that.”
“And if he was with the gas company,” Auri said, “he should have had that information already.”
“Exactly. So, I started getting suspicious, especially when he walked up to their house and looked in the windows. Almost like he didn’t believe me.”
“Did you get his name?” Auri asked, not really hopeful. If it was their guy, any name he would’ve given would probably have been fake.
“I did, and that’s when I got even more suspicious.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. The name on his shirt read Penny. When I asked him about it, he said it was his last name. John Penny.”
“Sure it was. Did you tell your aunt and uncle?”
“I did. I called Aunt Mari, but she didn’t seem concerned. She said it was probably innocent and it would only fuel Sybil’s fears, so I didn’t say anything to Sybil. I didn’t want to stress her out, you know?”
“I do. Can you describe the guy?”
“He was pretty unremarkable. Average height. Fairly fit. Brown hair and glasses. But I don’t think I could pick him out of a lineup if you paid me to. And I’ll pretty much do anything for money. But this happened months ago.”
“That’s okay, Mads. You have been so helpful. Did my number come up on your cell?”
“Yep.”
“Can you call me if you remember anything else? Anything at all?”
“Of course. Can you keep me updated? Please? My family is . . . difficult.”
“Absolutely.”
When she took her phone off Do Not Disturb, her mom had texted her again.
“You know I was kidding, right?”
“About what?” she asked, giggling just a little. Then she texted, “He may have been keeping an eye on Sybil in Chicago. If so, he’s average height, semi-fit, brown hair, and glasses.”
Her mom texted back. “How did you—? Never mind. She didn’t mention that in the letter or her journal.”
“This is from a cousin in Chicago. He always believed her.”
“At least someone did. How many laws did you break getting this information?”
“How many are there?”
When her mom texted back, “Aurora Dawn Vicram,” Auri fought a giggle before hopping up and running into the kitchen.
“Hey, Gran, I need to make a quick run to the apartment.”
“Okay, sweetheart. I made tortillas and green chile stew.”
Auri’s mouth watered instantly. “It smells divine. I’ll be right back. Don’t start without me!”
She threw on her jacket and hurried across the backyard to the new apartment. The one she loved and had planned on spending the rest of her life in. She’d never felt home, really home, until they’d moved back to Del Sol. Like it had been calling to her. Waiting for her.
Then Lynelle Amaia happened.
She punched in the combination to unlock the door right as a hand closed over her mouth.
20
Caller reported man at Del Sol Lake
forcibly baptizing the children swimming there.
—DEL SOL POLICE BLOTTER
Sun drove back to the station still trembling. Not from Clay’s attempts at intimidation. That pervert couldn’t make her tremble if he rented a tree shaker.
Nope. Levi Ravinder had been making her tremble in her boots since they were kids, but they’d had a rough history and were having an even rougher present.
While he’d never been what one would call flirtatious, they did have a moment in high school. Sun, a freshman at the time, had snuck out for the first time in her life. She and Quincy wanted to go to their first high school party. They’d talked about it all through middle school, but by the end of the night, all Quincy had was a raging headache and all Sun had was a memory of Levi Ravinder she would cherish forever.
They’d walked into the clearing, thrilled by all the upperclassmen and the bonfire and the red Solo cups full of any number of alcoholic beverages.
Someone handed her a cup of beer. Since she hated the stuff, she only pretended to drink. Quincy, however, did not pretend. He would later come to regret that decision.
As she wandered around, taking in all the playful flirtations and heated flirtations and