Viv stood in front of her house. They'd finished an our walk in record time. "Want to come in?"
"Thought you'd never ask." With Kevin at his heels, they walked through the open door. Kevin began sniffing the living area. "So what does your day look like?" Rex began.
"I want to shower and then get back to work. I'm prepping for my next online class. People have already signed up," Viv said.
"And I need to move forward with the investigation," he said. "I wanted to find out more about our victim."
Viv thought for a moment. "Maybe after lunch…"
"That's perfect. I'll text later and we can head over together to check out Carmine's Fluff and Fold. Do you have any laundry we can take with us? Then we'll look like regular customers."
"So we're going incognito?" Viv smiled.
"Very clandestine. Just like a military op." Switching gears, he called out, "Kevin." The dog came from around the corner. He'd drifted down the hall and disappeared. "Meow," came a call from Miss Kitty.
"See you later. Come on, buddy." He took up the leash and opened the door.
After her phone call and shower, Viv sat outside. She liked to dry her hair naturally. Plus the warmth of the sun felt good on her skin. The clean smell of bromine wafted from the pool, accompanied by the sound of shuffling sprinklers wafting over the landscaping on the other side of the fence.
Her dermatologist told her early morning before ten o'clock was the best time to get some vitamin D without fear of the UV rays. Viv sighed, remembering her feelings of frustration as she’d left the doctor's office. When I was younger my health seemed less significant. But now every little ache and pain reminds me that I have to be careful about yet another thing I used to take for granted.
Sitting by the pool, she let her thoughts wander to Carmine Nelson. He'd looked almost content, lying in bed with the expensive sheets carefully tucked under his folded hands. Someone had made the bed with expert knowledge. The corners of the top sheet were tucked and the comforter looked freshly laundered, pristine white.
Carmine appeared happy, except for that hole in the middle of his forehead. Viv wondered for a moment, Was there any blood? I don't remember seeing any blood.
The dead man had a comb-over. Now that I remember. His shiny bald head showed through the thin strands. She ran her hand through her own hair.
I have half the hair I used to. She rolled a curl between her fingers, remembering how thick her hair seemed years ago.
Laundry! Viv sat up. Better not sit here any longer. I need to get ready for the Fluff and Fold operation.
Viv hadn't been to a Fluff and Fold for years. She'd had her own laundry room at home for as long as she could remember. Her only previous trip to a laundromat was to take care of oversized items.
By noon Viv had finished her lunch and gathered her comforter. She tossed in her bedsheets as well. Then her phone pinged.
She sent him a thumbs-up emoji in reply. Before she could pick up her purse, the doorbell rang.
Opening the door, she found Rex. She handed him the overflowing basket. "Here you go."
He laughed. "Everything is fun with you, even laundry."
Once in the SUV, they drove past the security gate. After a quick right turn onto the highway, he steered the vehicle toward Palm Desert.
"So here's what Sutton found out," Rex began. "Carmine Nelson had a stable family life. He'd been married for over thirty years to his wife, Beverly. They have a couple of kids, neither of whom live in California."
"So not a close family," Viv said.
"Carmine was Italian. His parents owned a rather famous restaurant in Palm Springs and I'm not sure if he inherited the place. According to Sutton, when his name comes up, everyone thinks of him as the Fluff and Fold guy."
"I see." Viv stared out the window.
"But the interesting part," Rex continued, "is that Carmine also has a bit of a reputation. Some people say he fluffs and folds other things. Like money, for instance. He launders money for people who don't want to pay taxes."
"Like mobsters do, that kind of thing?" Viv felt her stomach tighten.
“It's not unlikely. In the desert we have a lot of high rollers who live here in the winter months. Plus there's the casino. It's also an attraction. Lots of chances to play around and pick up a poker game too."
"Where did Carmine live during the hot months?" Viv asked.
"According to rumor, Carmine spent some time back in Italy and in the Caymans. He had a house in both places."
"Well we all know what that means." Viv smirked. She'd never traveled to either place, but she wanted him to laugh.
Rex slowed down his vehicle, taking a right turn into a strip mall. A collection of retail stores lined up facing the main road: one drug store, an off-brand shoe shop, and a pizza place, along with a storefront with the sign Carmine's Fluff and Fold.
Rex muttered under his breath, "All of the parking spaces in front are taken." He stopped the car as someone honked from behind.
"Maybe we can park in the back," she suggested.
Once they found the alley behind the shops, Rex pulled his car behind a truck that had parked right at the back of the Fluff and Fold. He left a few feet between his SUV and the open tailgate. "Frustrating," he muttered.
"You do have an issue with parking," Viv giggled. Then she added, "Looks like some kind of delivery." As the SUV idled, she opened the door and stepped onto the pavement.
"Wait for me," he hollered at the slammed door.
As she walked closer to the back entrance she saw a man standing in the bed of a truck. He called out to her.
"Interested in the newest Nike? I can show you several pairs in women's sizes." He reached down to pull out a box. "I bet these are your size. Eight and a half, right?"
He extended the box in her direction with an engaging smile. "Try these on. I can give you a good price."
Viv slipped a shoe on her foot. Before she could try the second shoe, Rex arrived, out of breath.
"Hey, aren't you Dean Marcella? I saw you at the HOA meeting just a couple of days ago." He glared at the shoe guy, who looked away.