Part 25 (1/2)

”About a letter she wrote a while back, to Kendra Ad-dison's parents.”

Roy tipped his head back and scratched under his chin. ”You mean the blonde babe who hung out with Carol? Jeez, I don't know why she'd write a letter to them. May-beth's no letter writer. You sure?”

I produced the dirty envelope from my handbag and pointed to the return address. ”Are you sure you don't know anything about this?”

”h.e.l.l, no,” Roy said emphatically. ”Weird.” He stood up, clutching his beer bottle by the neck. ”Let me see if Maybeth's awake.”

She was. Much to Vida's displeasure, only I was allowed to go into the bedroom. I figured that was because I drank beer and Vida didn't. It made me one of the gang.

Maybeth was cowering under a quilt, looking terrified. ”What is it?” she asked hoa.r.s.ely.

The only place to sit was on the double bed. I still had the envelope in my hand. ”What was in this?” I inquired calmly.

Maybeth, who had started to sit up, fell back against the pillow. ”Jesus! Where'd you get that?”

”At the Addison house,” I replied, still calm. ”Why did you write to them? Was it about Carol? Or Kendra?”

Maybeth rolled over, buried her face in the pillow, and began shrieking. Roy came charging into the room.

”What's going on?” He grabbed me by the shoulder. ”What did you do to her? Get the h.e.l.l out!”

I was yanked off the bed and shoved in the direction of the door. Tripping over my own feet, I fell flat on my face. Vida jumped up from her chair and rushed to my side. Roy was somewhere behind me, fussing over Maybeth.

”Emma!” Vida cried. ”What's this? Are you all right?”

Both knees hurt, as did one of my elbows. ”I'm okay,” I gasped, struggling to get up.

Carefully, Vida pulled me to my feet. Maybeth was still shrieking and Roy was trying to calm her.

”Get the h.e.l.l out!” Roy shouted at us as he gave May-beth a little shake. ”Get out before I throw you out!”

Vida had turned mulish, but I steered her toward the front door. ”Come on,” I said, limping a bit. ”Give it up. We lost that round.”

”Oooh...” Vida swiveled this way and that, heard Roy yell at us again, and finally followed me outside. ”I hate to let a bully tell me what to do,” she said angrily.

”I've been thrown out of better places lately,” I muttered. ”Like Darryl's condo in Magnolia.”

”Yes,” Vida began, then stopped as Tony Rojas came out from 1-A, Henrietta's unit.

”You again?” he said, obviously not pleased.

Vida's arm shot out in the direction of 1-C. ”Have you interrogated the occupants in this apartment?”

”Why do you ask?” There was a weary note in Rojas's voice.

”Ms. Swafford knows more than she's letting on,” Vida retorted, jerking away the envelope I'd managed to hold on to despite my tumble. ”Here, ask her about this. It was sent to the adoptive parents of Carol Stokes's daughter.”

Rojas eyed the envelope dubiously. ”So? Maybe the Swafford woman knows the Addisons.”

”She doesn't.” Vida actually stamped her foot. ”That is, not in a social context. I'm quite certain this has something to do with Carol's murder. Maybeth Swafford is absolutely terrified. I'm sure she believes she'll be the next victim.”

”Really.” Rojas put the envelope in his inside pocket. Apparently, he didn't think it was serious evidence or he would have been more careful. ”Where'd you get this anyway?”

I explained.

Rojas slapped his hand against his forehead. ”Christ! Who are you? Hanging out in alleys and going through the garbage-aren't you two a little old for Nancy Drew?”

”I told you,” I said between clenched teeth, ”I'm trying to help clear my cousin of a murder charge. What's so weird about that?”

Rojas sighed. ”Ever hear of private detectives? That's what most people do when they want a secondary investigation. All this amateur sleuthing c.r.a.p can get you into big trouble.”

I feigned contrition, which wasn't too difficult since my knees hurt like h.e.l.l and I felt sorry for myself. ”You're right, but somebody had to help Ronnie. He's pretty much alone in the world. Are you going to talk to May-beth and her boyfriend?”

Rojas glanced at the door to 1-C. ”I stopped by there about an hour ago, but n.o.body answered.” He paused, perhaps trying to figure out if I was a serious menace or just a b.u.mbling idiot. ”Yeah, I'll talk to them.”

”You better hurry,” Vida put in. ”They're moving out. That's how frightened Maybeth is.”

”Hunh.” Rojas glanced at 1-C again. ”Okay, if it makes you feel any better, I'll go talk to them now.”

We stood on the walkway while the detective buzzed Maybeth and Roy. Nothing happened. Rojas buzzed again. Still nothing. Then he hammered on the door and shouted, ”Police!”

From where we were standing, I couldn't hear what was being said from inside the apartment. Rojas could, though, because he was leaning down, listening through the door.

”If that's the way you want it,” he said at last, ”that's the way we'll do it.” Rojas started back down the walk. ”The guy in there says no dice unless we come back with a warrant.”

”Why,” Vida demanded, ”don't you arrest him for withholding evidence?”

Rojas laughed and tapped his suit jacket where the envelope reposed. ”On this? Not a prayer. Still, I want to ask them some questions, even though I don't think they were around today when the murder occurred.”

”They weren't,” I said, then added, ”that I know of.”

Rojas gave single nod. ”Okay. Now run along. And stay out of trouble. We're handling this just fine.”

I didn't ask him why Ronnie was still in jail.

I'd turned to leave when Vida let out a sudden yelp. ”Oh! I forgot my asthma medicine!” She caught Rojas by the sleeve. ”Do you mind? I believe I left it in Henrietta's bathroom.”

Rojas grimaced. ”What does it look like?”

”It's blue,” she said. ”No, it's green. Or did the doctor give me the maroon one this time? My, my-I'm not sure.”

”What is it?” Rojas asked, impatience showing on his face. ”Pills? A bottle?”

”No,” Vida responded vaguely. ”It's one of those... oh, you must know what I mean.” She made some indecipherable gestures with her hands. ”It's a whatchamacallit.”

I watched the little scene with amus.e.m.e.nt, knowing that Vida didn't have asthma and therefore didn't have any asthma medicine. Finally, Rojas relented.

”I'll have to go in with you,” he said, then held up a hand to me. ”Stay put. This can't take long. I've got personnel working inside.”