yarn we kept for such a purpose and laid it on the table. We both sat down together. She began to cast on some stitches while I tried to turn the conversation to the storage locker. There was no easy segue, so I finally just went at it straight on.
“I know where the gun that killed Kelly Donahue is,” I said and told her about the storage locker.
“The key was given to you?” she said with interest. “This could be good. If you let me in I wouldn’t need a warrant.” She wanted to go immediately. She talked to Mrs. Shedd and said she needed me on official police business.
It felt odd getting into her black Crown Victoria detective car and she was silent as I directed her to the storage facility. Even so, I could see a hint of excitement in her expression. The gun was just what she needed to tie the case up and get charges brought against Dan and prove she was right all along.
The storage place wasn’t nearly as creepy looking during the day. Though there still didn’t seem to be anyone around there. I had the invoice with the locker number and the key at the ready as we navigated through the low buildings. When I found the row Kelly’s was in, I felt my heart rate kick up. Detective Heather would have to say something like a thank-you when I handed her the missing clue in her case.
“What number did you say it was?” she asked as we walked past the row of blue metal doors. She was a few steps ahead and was clearly excited. I repeated the number and she stopped in front of a unit.
“Here it is,” she said. She motioned for me to open it. I held out the key and then noticed something alarming. There was no lock on it. Had I forgotten to replace it the night before? I swallowed hard and pulled up the metal door. And then we both looked in.
The locker was empty.
CHAPTER 29
Late in the day, the Hookers gathered at the back table for a group session. Whatever benefit I’d gotten from the few hours of sleep had worn off. The episode with Detective Heather hadn’t helped, either. I was on my third black eye of the day. Since it wasn’t exactly our finest hour, Adele, Dinah and I had agreed there was no reason to bring up our fiasco with North’s gun, but I told the group about Kelly’s storage locker.
“Are you sure you went to the right one?” Rhoda said. I nodded and said I’d checked over and over.
“That’s horrible. How’d Detective Heather take it?” Dinah asked, looking up from her work. I choked on a laugh.
“Not well. She said she should have known better than to get sucked into one of my schemes. She rushed off and I had to run to catch up with her or she would have just left me there without a ride.”
“What about getting Mason to back you up?” Sheila suggested.
“Like a cop is going to believe a lawyer,” Adele said with a snort. “Face it, Pink, there’s nothing you can do. You might as well just drop the whole thing and give up the amateur detective act. You’re not going to be able to solve this one. And I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. I’ve decided Eric is right after all. There is only room for one crime fighter in a couple.”
CeeCee interrupted and handed out some sheets of paper. “Since some people in the group seem determined to make cowls, I came up with a faster pattern.” She held up a sample she’d made before passing it around. Adele’s cowls were made of dense stitches, while CeeCee’s had lots of spaces. Adele seemed miffed when Rhoda said it seemed a lot more appropriate for summer.
When my workday ended, I practically crawled home from the bookstore. It wasn’t like the days when I was in college, when I could pull an all-nighter and still get through the day. I was walking across my yard, grateful that home was in sight when Peter called on my cell. My son wanted to know if I really did have the hots for North Adams. I could hear the relief in his voice when I told him I didn’t.
“But you won’t tell him that, will you?” Peter said with some discomfort in his tone. I assured my older son that I would be happy to play along