wasn’t even wearing a bra in 1940,” Gertie protested.
“You’re not wearing a bra now,” Ida Belle said.
“I have this heat rash—”
“No one wants to hear about your heat rash,” Ida Belle interrupted. “The point is, Fortune is a genius. Carter and Walter won’t dare ask about your underwear, so we won’t be asked to prove anything.”
Ida Belle exited for Liam’s neighborhood and pulled into the Laundromat parking lot. As predicted, an enormous pickup truck with tires the height of Gertie was parked close to the end. There was a shrub on the other side, so the only thing visible would be the back end of the SUV. Perfect.
I grabbed the parabolic microphone from the back of the SUV and Ida Belle handled the suitcase with the receiver. Gertie peered around the gigantic pickup truck and declared us clear, so we set off down the side of the building for the woods. I scanned the back of the building as we went and was relieved to see only one door and no windows. No one would see us pass.
We hiked it through the woods parallel to the road until we reached the point across from Liam’s house. Ida Belle indicated which one it was, and I recognized the truck from behind the butcher shop as the one in the driveway.
“At least he’s home,” I said.
“Alone, though,” Gertie said. “So unless he’s talking to himself, we’re not likely to get anything.”
I pulled out the receiver and got it all attached to the microphone, then slipped on the headphones and pointed it at the big window on the front of the house to see if we were close enough to get anything. The signal crackled a bit at first, then I could hear a television playing car racing.
“I can hear the television,” I said and pulled the headphone off one ear. “If he takes a phone call in the front room, we might be able to get something.”
Gertie located a tree stump and plopped down, then opened her handbag and pulled out a sub sandwich. “Roast chicken, anyone? I also have peanut butter and jelly.”
“That sounds good but not without something to drink,” I said.
Gertie stared. “What am I—an amateur?”
She hauled a soda out of the bag and passed it to me.
“I have another soda, water, orange juice, and some mini vodka shooters,” Gertie said to Ida Belle.
“Water please,” Ida Belle said. “You know that’s why your shoulder always hurts. Between ammo and half your kitchen, that thing probably weighs thirty pounds.”
I propped the microphone up against a log and made sure it was pointed in the right direction. Since the television was still coming through loud and clear, we were good. I was just about to ask for that peanut butter sandwich when a truck pulled up in Liam’s driveway. I lifted my binoculars.
“That’s Judith,” I said.
“I’m glad she’s finally visiting Liam,” Gertie said. “She always had a soft spot for the boy, and you could tell he really liked her.”
“Should we be listening in on their private moment?” I asked.
“Absolutely.”
“Heck yeah.”
“Alrighty then,” I said. “Just thought I’d ask.”
I didn’t figure there would be anything to learn in a conversation between Liam and Judith but I suppose it didn’t hurt to maintain position. It wasn’t like they were going to have sexy-time or anything. But I’d really been hoping that Tiffany would show up, even though I knew it would have been the dumbest thing ever. Still, criminals often indulged me.
“Judith,” Liam said when he opened the door, and I could tell he was surprised.
“Hi, Liam,” Judith said. “I’ve been meaning to come by since…well, since everything, but I chickened out every time because I didn’t know what to say.”
Liam reached out and hugged Judith and she wrapped her arms around him.
“Please come in,” Liam said when he broke the hug. “You know you’re always welcome here.”
Judith went in and he shut the door behind her. Now, as long as they stayed in the front of the house, I could continue to pick up what they were saying. I filled Ida Belle and Gertie in on what was said so far, then I heard Liam offer Judith some iced tea, then silence. If he went to get the iced tea and served it in the living room, we were still in business.
It wasn’t long before I heard Judith thank him for the glass. There was a long silence and for a minute, I thought they’d moved to the back of the house,