5: Connected

 

Tuesdays and Thursdays were my early days. I was out of class by three o’clock, which left me with three hours to follow up on Sean’s job lead before I was required to show up for my first dinner with my eccentric landlord. I should have just gone Tuesday, but between changing the smoke detector batteries, dealing with Sean, and running into Officer Williams again, I couldn’t force myself to go.

When I put the address Sean had given me into my phone, I was surprised to find it near the campus. As unfamiliar as I was with Manhattan, I’d been afraid it would be half the city away. I walked into the diner and scanned the area. Only a few of the tables were filled. I had been hoping to avoid interrupting some kind of rush by coming right after class, and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw how slow it was.

Before I could look around for someone to talk to, a waitress appeared from behind a pair of swinging doors and sized me up. “Table for one, or are you waiting on someone?” Her smile was cheery enough, but there was definitely an edge to her voice.

“Actually, I was hoping I could talk to Saul…about a job.”

The slight hostility I thought I’d heard when she greeted me moved to her eyes as they narrowed. Sugary sweet as she spoke, she said, “Sure, no problem. Let me go grab him.”

I couldn’t imagine what this girl’s problem was, but I needed a job. If I had to put up with a witchy waitress in order to pay rent, I would. Besides, I’d be in the kitchen all night anyway, right?

A tall, broad shouldered man emerged from the same doors the waitress had. His smile was much more genuine as he approached and stuck out his hand. “Eliza, right?”

“Yes,” I said, surprised he was expecting me. “Did Sean tell you I was coming?”

Saul glanced over at the waitress and chuckled. “Yes he did.” Turning his attention back to me, he asked, “You’re in culinary school with Sean, right?” I nodded and he rubbed his chin. “Any other experience? I’m willing to train someone, but it’s always nice to find a person who knows their way around a kitchen.”

“I’ve never worked in a restaurant,” I admitted, “but I’ve been working as a baker the last five years. I brought a résumé with me.” Letting my backpack fall from my shoulder, I quickly dug out the résumé and handed it to him. Saul looked it over as I held my breath.

After a minute or two, he nodded. “I’ll have to train you on some of the equipment and go over a few recipes unique to my diner, but I think you’ll pick it up quick enough. Can you start Monday?”

Blinking a few times, I stuttered over a response. “You’re hiring me? Just like that?”

Saul laughed. “Why not? You have more experience than anyone else who’s applied, and Sean said you were easy to work with.” His gaze darted over to the waitress again and it looked like he was holding back a sigh. “I like you. It’s my diner. So you’re hired.”

“Oh. Okay.” There was no way I could back out on Sean’s promise of fun now. The guy had gotten me a job almost singlehandedly. Sure, I had baking experience, but not a clue about using an industrial fryer or pumping out burgers during a rush.

“Can you start Monday, then?” Saul asked, grinning at my reaction.

“Yes. Absolutely. Thank you.”

Saul chuckled. “Thank me after the first week. I’m sure you’ll learn the ropes fast, but it’s going to be a long week. Especially with Danielle managing the floor,” he muttered.

“Does she work nights?” I asked. Being there at three in the afternoon, I assumed she was the day waitress. Knowing we would be crossing paths made me want to watch my back.

“Not anymore. She switched to days at the beginning of the semester, but my regular night waitress can’t come in until seven because of classes. Danielle’s been covering until Gwen gets here. She’s a real queen bee, but works hard and gets the job done. I put up with her moods as long as she keeps the customers happy. Try to ignore any nasty looks or comments she might throw your way,” Saul said. “She’s…”

Sighing, I filled in the blank the same way I had all week at the apartment building. “Always like that?”

Shaking his head, Saul sighed and chuckled at the same time. “Only since Sean broke up with her.”

Ah, that explained a lot. Great. Just what I needed. I had kind of agreed to one date with the guy and already had his ex-girlfriend wanting to claw my eyes out. Why hadn’t I just listened to common sense, and my sister, and told Sean to take a hike. I didn’t need distractions, and Sean had a flashing neon sign floating above his head labeling him as exactly that.

“She’ll cool off eventually,” Saul promised. “I’ve got to get back to the kitchen, but I’ll see you Monday at five-thirty.”

“I’ll be here,” I said. That barely gave me half an hour after my last class, but I would do whatever it took to keep Saul happy. It had been a long time since I’d taken this much control over my life. I wasn’t about to give it up just because things got hard.

Deciding I better make a run for it before Danielle came back, I made my exit and found my way back to the subway. It was nearly five o’clock before I made it up to my apartment. I’d spent the day prepping in my cold kitchen class and honing my knife skills with my cranky fundamentals instructor, but being in my own kitchen was relaxing rather than stressful. Bernadette didn’t have near the setup I was used to, but I wasn’t planning anything fancy. I wasn’t even planning to turn on the oven.

By the time Sonya knocked on my apartment door, I was putting the finishing touches on a candied pecan and mandarin orange salad. It was one of my favorite salad recipes, and I hoped it would help the residents not hate me. Making friends outside of Sonya seemed highly unlikely. Not gaining any other enemies was the best I could hope for around here.

“Ooh, that looks great,” Sonya said as she peeked at the salad. “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I can be,” I said. Faking enthusiasm was only possible thanks to Saul hiring me. I was sure Sonya could see through it, but maybe her grandma would take my plastic smile at face value.

Holding her own dish of something that looked like it was supposed to be a seven layer dip of some kind, Sonya led the way downstairs to a door tucked away behind the main lobby. Knowing many of the residents would be attending the dinner, I expected noise as we approached. The quiet slowed my pace. Had everyone gone on Tuesday? Could we possibly be the only ones who would show up? I dreaded the thought of sitting around with Sonya’s weird grandma for an hour. Taking a deep breath as Sonya reached for the doorknob, I told myself it was only an hour.

When she pushed into the room, I followed, and stared at the crowd with a sinking feeling. I wasn’t exactly sure how many total residents there were in the building, but it had to be against some kind of fire code to have so many people crammed into one place. Mr. Piper was sitting on a chair in the corner, happier than the last time I’d seen him as he slurped at a bowl of soup. I didn’t see the mom of the marker-wielding kid I’d met the first day, but there were a few other familiar faces I’d seen in passing over the last week.

Everyone present looked not only bored, but uncomfortable and irritated. The only interactions going on were people shuffling around the food tables and passing plates or serving spoons back and forth. No one was talking, except Sonya, I realized. She seemed to be talking to me, but I’d missed the majority of what she had said. In the middle of a story about her grandfather, I tried to listen as I watched the other residents shuffle around the room.

Sonya jabbed me in the ribs and I realized she was trying to get my attention. Looking over at her, I tried to remember the last thing she’d said and came up blank. Tilting her head to the side, she smiled a slightly strained smile, and said, “This is my grandma. She’s been excited to meet you.”

“Oh,” I said as I set down the salad and extended my hand. “It’s so nice to meet you…” It was then I realized I had no idea what her name was and quickly shook her hand to distract from my lack of manners.

As far as appearances went, Sonya’s grandmother looked like any other old lady. Her makeup was a little too thick and creased around her eyes and mouth. The purple tint to her hair reminded me of my own grandma before she passed. There was a slight tremor in her hands and smile as she regarded me, but seemed genuinely nice. Gold bracelets clinked on her wrist as she shook my hand with both of hers.

“I’m Mrs. Osgood,” she said. “Bernadette is such a sweet girl. I hoped you would be, too. Sonya said you’ve been a delight to have around.” She patted my hand, still holding onto it.

“Oh, well, it’s been great getting to know Sonya, too.”

Her head bobbed up and down as she continued to smile and hold onto me. “She’s a sweet girl. A little too lax about the rules, but a good girl.”

She said it like Sonya wasn’t standing two feet away, which made my friend roll her eyes. I was trying to figure out how to get my hand back when a small disturbance broke out near the door. The jam-packed room made it difficult to see what was happening. Sonya craned her neck around a few people before shaking her head.

“What’s going on?” her grandmother asked. “No one drew on the walls again, did they?”

“No, Grandma,” Sonya reassured her. “It’s just Baxter.”

She clucked her tongue at that. “He’s a handsome one, but he’s always stirring up trouble.”

“No he’s not,” Sonya argued, surprising me. “He’s perpetually in a foul mood, but it’s usually the other residents who are the ones causing him trouble.”

Turning to Sonya, I eyed her with disbelief that she was defending him. She shrugged, then noticed her grandmother was still latched onto my hand and sighed. “We’re going to grab some food, okay?” It wasn’t really a question, mainly a distraction so she could peel her grandmother off me. “We’ll be back later. Eat your dinner.”

Sonya pushed me toward the food before I could say goodbye. Glancing back at the old woman, I felt a little bad that she was sitting there all alone. Sonya kept pushing, though, and I found my attention caught by a strange assortment of dishes. Clearly, there were no guidelines on what to bring. Everything from microwaved meat pockets to homemade empanadas filled the table. More than a few takeout containers dotted the spread, and someone had dropped a bag of baby carrots haphazardly on a pile of plastic forks. I wasn’t sure I wanted to touch half of what was on the table, but Sonya grabbed a plate and started spooning things onto her dish.

“Go ahead,” she said, “just pick what looks good. Most everyone brings something halfway decent. I’d just avoid that casserole dish on the corner. I’ve yet to figure out what Mrs. Holman is attempting to make, but if it tastes as bad as it smells you’ll probably keel over after the first bite.”

Steering clear of the casserole, I grabbed a large helping of the salad I’d brought, and filled the empty spaces on my plate with an egg roll, some kind of potato dish, and a handful of cherry tomatoes. They seemed safest. I was about to turn away in search of something to drink when a pizza box dropped onto the table next to my plate, nearly spilling it and making me jump.

“If you think I’m not well aware of the fact that you and Sonya are behind the rash of smoke detector failures lately, you’re a fool,” Baxter snarled from behind me. “I just replaced all the batteries a month ago.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said. My gaze darted around for Sonya, but she’d been swallowed up by the crowd of unhappy people. I started to spin away from him, but he grabbed my arm. It wasn’t hard and didn’t hurt, but it startled me all the same and I froze.

I felt his body heat at my back as he stepped in closer. “This isn’t a game you want to start, Eliza. I have no patience for this sort of childishness, but if you insist, I will get you both back.”

“I have no intention of playing any kind of game with you, Baxter,” I snapped, though the quiver in my voice stole some of its bite. “Get away from me.”

“If only it were that simple,” he growled.

Scared because I didn’t know what he meant by that, I tried to pull my arm out of his grip. It came free more easily than I expected and I stumbled into someone.

“Watch it,” a tall, bulky man grumbled as he shoved me away without even looking at me. I wasn’t tall or bulky, so his push sent me crashing into Baxter’s chest. I thought I might get shoved again, but Baxter’s arm came around my waist, holding me against his chest before I could land either on my backside or in the food.

“Shoving around girls half your size, Darren?” Baxter snapped. When the big man turned to face him with a scowl, Baxter’s grip tightened. “She tripped. Quit being an asshole.”

Darren sneered at Baxter, then let his eyes wander over my body in a way that was definitely not endearing or appreciated. “Sorry,” he said. The leer in his voice said something different. “Next time you feel like falling on me, I won’t object.” His gaze flicked to Baxter, a challenge and a promise bringing fire to his eyes.

Baxter didn’t back down and, for once, I was glad to have him around. “Leave her alone. She’s not interested. She just tripped.”

Scoffing, Darren turned away, but not before giving me another once-over that made my skin crawl. As soon as he wasn’t looking in our direction again, I elbowed Baxter right in the gut. His physical reaction was barely more than an annoyed grunt, but his voice was cutting. “What was that for?”

“For shoving me into that creep in the first place!” I hissed.

“You’re the one who yanked your arm out of my hand,” he snapped. “I did not shove you.”

Irritated that he was technically right, I wasn’t about to admit it to him. “You shouldn’t have been grabbing me in the first place. You and Darren can both just stay away from me.”

Baxter’s gaze flicked over to Darren and his jaw tightened. “Seriously, don’t go near him. If he thinks he can get away with something…”

“Like I need you warning me away from some pervy guy with a domination complex.” I grabbed my plate, wanting so badly to throw it in his face, and glared at him. “I may be new to the big city, but I am well aware of the horrible things people are capable of, especially when it comes to a seemingly naïve young girl.”

More than done dealing with him, I spun away in search of Sonya, ready to lay into her for ditching me. Instead of finding my only friend in this ridiculous place, I spotted another of my least favorite people. He saw me as well and gestured for me to join him at the door. Trudging his way, I was ready to bite his head off by the time I came to a stop in front of him.

“Officer Williams, what on earth could possibly bring you here, again?”

Giving me a less than friendly grin, he folded his arms across his chest. “Well, since you were so eager to offer up suspects the last time there was a murder, I thought you might want to give it another go. Maybe get it right this time.”

Suddenly, I was glad I hadn’t actually eaten anything yet. My stomach flip-flopped as his words sank in. “Someone’s been killed? Someone in the building?”

Why hadn’t Sonya said anything? Where were the rest of the cops, the yellow tape, the forensic people?

“Not in the building,” he corrected, “but connected to it.”

“Who?” I only knew a couple of people, and didn’t particularly like any of them, but even Darren the Creeper didn’t deserve to die. Maybe monitored closely, but not murdered. What was going on with this place?

Officer Williams glanced around the immediate area, like any of the other residents might care what he had to say. They hadn’t even cared enough to be bothered by the presence of a cop in their midst. After assuring himself no one was listening in, he said, “Lucas Renfro.”

I felt sick. I’d seen him only a few days ago. I recognized him as the man who’d been yelling and giving Sonya grief, but that was par for the course around here. “And you’re sure he was murdered? It wasn’t an accident or something?”

“Who said it was murder? I’m just telling you that he’s dead.”

“You said he was. Right before you asked if I wanted to offer up another suspect,” I snapped.

Cringing a little, he said, “Oh, well, it doesn’t really matter. It will most likely be in the papers tomorrow. Plenty of people saw him. It’s probably on YouTube already.”

“Saw him…die?” My stomach roiled. Would someone really put that online?

“Saw his body,” Officer Williams said, his tone clearly annoyed. “It was found in a nearby park, covered in newspapers so he looked like a vagrant. Probably so no one could see the way he’d been beaten up. It happened yesterday.”

Taking a deep breath, I tried not to think about that. “Is that why he missed your meeting to get into his aunt’s apartment?”

He grimaced. “Possibly. My guess is that he saw the killer hanging around the building and tried to hide.” Pushing aside his own discomfort with the situation, he got back to work. “You never saw him after Tuesday morning, did you? Lurking around the building over the last few days, maybe?”

I shook my head. “That was the only time I ever saw the guy.”

“Has there been anyone else hanging around the property that you’ve noticed?”

“No.” I wondered why he was asking that, since Lucas had only been staying with his aunt for a few weeks while in between apartments. From what Sonya had said, he’d moved out right before I’d gotten here. Sonya didn’t seem to know why he needed a place to crash, but now I wondered. “His death is connected to his aunt’s, isn’t it? Whatever the killer was looking for, it must have belonged to Lucas. That’s why he was so hot to get back into the apartment.”

Officer Williams’ eyes hooded and he seemed to square up. “I’m not at liberty to discuss that sort of information with you.”

I wanted to slap him, but I still felt sick and I had a plate of food in my hand. “Can you at least discuss the likelihood of whoever killed the two of them coming back to the building? The killer didn’t seem to find what they were looking for.”

“What makes you say that?” he demanded, probably afraid he’d accidentally divulged something he shouldn’t have again.

“Well, if they had, they wouldn’t have needed to beat Lucas up to try to get information out of him, right? They would have just killed him outright, and probably not in the middle of a park.”

“Why not a park? It seemed to have happened in the middle of the night. It could have easily been made to look like a mugging,” he argued.

Not even bothering to hide the roll of my eyes, I said, “A mugger who hid his victim’s body under newspaper?” I couldn’t tell if Officer Williams was being intentionally thick to irritate me, or if he really just wasn’t much for logic. “It seems likely that when they ransacked Ms. Sinclair’s apartment, they didn’t find what they wanted, so they tracked Lucas down and tried to get the information by force. Maybe they were too rough, or maybe he didn’t know and they killed him for it. Either way, I don’t think they got the information they wanted. Which means, they might come back.”

He seemed to think about my theory for a moment before giving in and nodding.

“Well?” I demanded. “What are you going to do to protect us?”

I was not comforted in the least when Officer Williams shrugged.