“Maybe,” she said, “but we’ll drive you home.”
“I’ve got my bike,” he said, taking steps down off the deck. “I need to go.”
She looked at him, and she looked at Mack, then asked, “Do you need any other information from him?”
“No,” he said, “I got it all.”
Chapter 25
Doreen didn’t give Mack a chance to say anymore and just nodded and said, “We know where you live.”
Abner grimaced at that. “Does that mean you’re coming after me?” he asked, turning to look boldly at Mack.
She immediately shook her head. “Not at the moment,” she said. Mack glared at her. She shrugged. “I’m the homeowner. And besides, Abner, you helped us identify the person you saw putting the rock behind the door,” she said quietly. “We do appreciate the help.”
Mack just glared from one to the other.
The kid shrugged and said, “Like you said, you know where I live.” And then he bolted.
Mack made a movement, as if to follow, but she grabbed his arm and said, “There’s no point.”
He nodded, as he relaxed. “It’s instinctive,” he admitted.
“I know,” she said, “but think about it. We do know where he lives. And now? I don’t know. We’ll have to digest it all. I do think we need to check further as to what’s going on in that corner,” she said, staring out at her property and beyond.
“And yet, if you’re not charging him for trespassing,” he said, “not a whole lot we can do.”
“No, but obviously something odd is going on with Isaac.”
“But that doesn’t mean anything to you,” he muttered.
“But somebody sent that message with Thaddeus.”
“But you never asked Isaac about it, did you?”
She shook her head. “No,” she said. “It still feels like something else is going on there.”
“I’m sure there is,” he said, “but I need to head out.”
And, within just a few minutes, he was long gone, and she had promised to lock up. But, even as she went to lock the front door, a vehicle pulled into her driveway. She stopped and frowned. The last thing she wanted was strangers here right now, and, of course, Mack had already left. Not that it should make any difference, but somehow it felt like it did.
She watched and waited for whoever it was to get out of the Jaguar. She snorted. Her days of driving around in fancy sports cars and high luxury vehicles like this one were long gone. Remembering all the antiques, she brightened. Maybe her visitor was somebody who had a connection to the antique world. She raced down the front porch steps and stopped, almost bouncing in place. The door of the car opened, and a woman stepped out into the bright sunlight.
Doreen gasped and stood there, staring. Horrified, she cried out, “What are you doing here?”
Her ex-lawyer turned and glared at her. “Well, I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for you and all your stupid troublemaking.”
Instinctively Doreen backed up several steps. She had left the front door open, relieved to see Mugs and Goliath sitting there on the top step. Neither of them were being aggressive, but, at the same time, they weren’t exactly wagging their tails in welcome. “Well, I don’t want anything to do with you,” she said, “so you can leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere until I talk to you,” she snarled.
“Well, I’m not talking to you,” she said. “If you want to talk to me, you talk to my lawyer.”
“Oh, a fine lot of good that’ll do,” she snapped. “Your lawyer has already caused me enough trouble.”
“Not my fault,” she muttered, as she backed up even farther, meeting Mugs and Goliath. Just then, Thaddeus hopped up onto her shoulder from behind, making her start.
The woman started to cackle like a witch and said, “What the hell is that thing? That’s gross and disgusting. Why do you have it on your shoulder?”
Doreen’s back stiffened at the insult. “Thaddeus is an African grey. He happens to be a friend of mine, and I’ll not take it kindly if you continue to insult him.”
“What will you do about it?” she said, with a sneer in her tone.
“I don’t have to do anything,” she said. “Everything is already in motion.”
At that, the lawyer frowned. “That’s what I’m here for,” she said. “You need to call off your dogs.”
“Why on earth would I do that?” she said.
“Money.”
Doreen hated that, for a moment, she actually considered what money would mean to her. “Nope,” she said. “Not interested.”
“You have to be interested. God almighty, look at this hell you’re living in now. And this after moving from house to house as a charity case for months.”
“Well, that should have made you very happy, since you were sleeping in my bed,” she said. “Ah, but it’s not a very comfortable bed, is it?” she said. “Especially considering the one you have to share it with.”
At that, the lawyer snorted. “That’s quite true,” she said. “But it’s still better than being alone and broke.”
“Nope, not in my case,” she said. “I’m quite happy where I am, thanks. Now you can take off. You’re not welcome here, and, if you continue to stay on my property,” she said, “I’ll call the police.”
“Do you think the police will really give a shit what you say? You’re just a nobody here.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” she said, pulling out her phone. “Are you ready to take that chance and have your name sullied with an arrest for trespassing and harassment?”
“You’ve already done that,” she cried out. “How dare you try to ruin what I’ve got.”
“Oh, like you ruined what I had?” Doreen asked.
“You didn’t have anything. You were too stupid to even see what you were signing, and it’s not like you can go back on it now.”
“Well, that remains to be seen,” she said, “but I’m not getting into it with you now. As I said, if you have business with me, please contact my lawyer.”
“The hell I will. I’m not contacting your damn lawyer. You can talk to me now.”
“Goodbye,” Doreen said, and she and the animals stepped back into the house and slammed the screen door shut. She waited breathlessly to see what the lawyer would do. Sure enough, the woman raced up the porch steps. Doreen backed up immediately and closed the wooden door too. With her heart pounding, she stood in the living room and listened to the lawyer pound on the door, screaming. At one point it seemed she was using her purse to batter the door. She quickly turned on the Record function on her phone and recorded the noise, catching Robin roaring in outrage. Just then Doreen’s phone rang.
“What’s going on?” Mack asked.
“Yeah, that’s my ex-lawyer,” she cried out. “She’s here attacking my door. She wants to talk to me, and I’ve referred her to my attorney several times, which has rubbed her the wrong way.”