Part 22 (1/2)

As soon as our suspect pulled out of the parking lot, we followed. Darby's economical sporty compact car followed Gia's eighty-thousand-dollar Lexus SUV up Laguna Canyon Road.

”Don't get too close,” I said in a harsh whisper.

Darby shot me a funny look. ”Don't be a backseat driver. Besides, her truck is so big, she probably can't even see us.”

”Sorry. I'm a little caught up in the moment. Where do you think she's headed?”

Darby chewed her bottom lip contemplating the question. ”To dispose of the murder weapon.”

I blinked. ”That's entirely possible. I should call Malone.” I reached for my cell, but my pocket was empty. ”Shoot. I left my phone in the Jeep. Do you have Malone's number?”

”Why would I have his number?” Her voice rose a couple of octaves.

”Well, you've found almost as many dead bodies as I have. Plus you were a prime suspect in a murder investigation.”

Darby fixed me with a look that said I was two sandwiches short of picnic. ”All the more reason to not have his number on speed dial. If I need to report an emergency, I'll call 911 like everyone else.”

She had a point. I guess I had an unresolved need to solve crime.

We continued to follow Gia out of town. She hung a right on El Toro Road heading toward Laguna Hills. The brown rustic canyon slowly transformed into green trees and modern neighborhoods. Traffic was typical stop and go, but Darby never let Gia out of sight. The big SUV turned left at a mall, then sped up and cut a sharp right at a gas station and headed down a side street. Darby stayed on her tail.

”Hang back.” I reached out for Darby's arm. ”We need to keep some distance. There's not enough traffic here.”

Darby eased up on the gas, allowing more s.p.a.ce between us. Palm trees and security bushes lined the streets. Color-coordinated retail businesses were replaced with boring dreary warehouses.

”This is an industrial area,” Darby said.

We continued a few more blocks when she made a left. All of a sudden, we had our answer. Gia turned her giant SUV into a rental storage business. Darby drifted to the side of the road, out of sight. We watched Gia pull up to the black wrought-iron security gate. She rolled down her window, then punched a code into a keypad. The gate pulled back, granting her entrance.

”Now what?” Darby asked.

”Park. We have to climb over and go on foot.” Bless her heart, she didn't balk at the idea of climbing the gate.

She shut off the ignition and pocketed the key. ”I haven't climbed a fence since I was a teenager.”

We got out of the car. Darby pressed the b.u.t.ton on her key fob. The car beeped, confirming it had locked remotely.

”We've broken onto a boat at the Dana Point Marina, how difficult can it be to climb the fence?”

”Well, the last time, I ripped my jeans.” She flashed a self-conscious smile as we ran across the street.

I laughed. ”I can't guarantee that won't happen again. Look, if we catch her red-handed with anything incriminating, we call Malone.”

We'd reached the fence just as a large moving truck pulled into the drive. Darby and I exchanged a ”it's-our-lucky-day” look. I waved them past us, and we quickly followed them inside the storage area.

We raced in the direction where we'd last seen Gia's vehicle. We jogged side by side down the middle alleyway; Darby watched the left, and I watched the right. We found Gia five rows down. Darby and I were both out of breath and a sweaty mess. We hid behind a tan concrete wall.

Darby peeked around the corner.

”Do you see her?” I asked.

”Shh.” Darby slapped my leg.

Since I was taller, I peered over her head. We were looking at one of the largest units on the lot.

”How big do you think that is?” I whispered.

”Bigger than the shed my dad built in our backyard in Nebraska. And that was huge. Dad stored a riding lawn mower, snow blower, a couple of bikes, gardening supplies, and camping equipment and still had plenty of s.p.a.ce to walk around without touching a single item.”

I frowned. ”I was thinking more like actual dimensions. I'd say ten feet by twenty-five feet.”

Darby looked up at me and frowned. ”I have no idea how big that is.”

Gia and Zippy were out of the SUV. Zippy was off his leash, distracted by unfamiliar smells.

”Don't you worry, boy,” she cooed. ”They won't get away with disqualifying you. You're a champion.”

I wished I could see her face as she repeatedly worked the combination lock.

”Why isn't this working?” Gia shouted, yanking on the lock. ”Aaarg.” She stomped her foot like a preschooler.

”Careful, princess, you'll break a nail.” I chuckled softly. Darby shushed me again.

Gia wiped her palms on her jeans. ”d.a.m.n it!” She tried again. ”Six. Twenty-eight. Three.” She tugged on the lock, and it released. ”Finally.”

This was it. My heart raced as the orange door rolled up. We sucked in our breath in antic.i.p.ation.

”h.e.l.ls bells. There's no way you're walking around in there.” I wasn't sure if I was horrified or impressed.

From floor to ceiling, the unit was packed with furniture, cardboard boxes, trunks, and plastic totes. Some items were still in their store bags. If I had to make a guess, the tags were probably still attached. I was shocked. Was this why the Eriksens were broke? Not because of Richard's therapy, but because of Gia's shopping addictions? By the amount of possessions in the unit, she was a shopaholic h.o.a.rder. It didn't look like she'd thrown anything away. Ever.

”Now, where did I put that?” Head down, she tossed aside one mangled box for a st.u.r.dy one. She clumsily maneuvered though the storage room, tottering over boxes and plastic bags, almost landing on an outdoor metal b.u.t.terfly chair. Sadly, she had good taste. I'd happily take the huge b.u.t.terfly chair off her hands.

”What do you think she's looking for?” Darby asked in a hushed voice.

”Who knows? You'd need a treasure map to find anything in there,” I whispered.

Zippy charged deeper inside. He rooted around while Gia frantically searched. The dog ran toward the front, nose to the ground, sniffing whatever his nose could touch. Something had caught his attention. He whined as he pawed at a water-stained cardboard box toward the door, only a few feet from where Gia stood.

”What did you find, Zippy?” Gia inspected the worn box.

”Give me your cell.” I patted Darby's shoulder.

Darby coughed up her phone without question. Unless you counted her arched eyebrows as a question. I did not.

”I think I can remember Malone's number by the pattern.” I concentrated on the key pad, practicing what I thought the configuration could be. ”I didn't always have him programmed, you know.”