“If you can’
t do it, that’s not my problem.” She moved past him. “I’m going to see if they have any heels tall enough for my taste, and I’m going to figure out how to get Abby to let me buy her a magnificent dress. She’s going to look so good those other girls are going to develop hernias from jealousy suppression.” With that, she left Eli to go to women’s shoes.
Chelsea was looking at a pair of heels so tall she knew they’d make her reach six feet. But Eli would still be taller, she thought with a smile. Rodrigo not so much, but he had other attributes. That at the moment she couldn’t remember any of them didn’t matter.
When she put the shoes back in place, she was startled to see Abby staring at her intensely.
“Who are you?” Abby asked. “I’ve seen you before.”
Chelsea smiled to cover her discomfort. “I’ve been on the cover of a few magazines. Maybe you saw them.”
“Maybe,” Abby said, but she looked skeptical.
Chelsea fiddled with a pair of red sandals. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop when you were outside, but what are you wearing to your prom?”
At the very personal question, Abby stepped back. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.” She nearly ran out of the store.
“What did you do to her?” Eli asked as he stopped behind Chelsea.
“I’m not sure, but I may get questioned by the police. You have any luck with the boy?”
“Didn’t try. I think we need an introduction to these kids. We should find Jeff and ask his girlfriend to introduce us.”
“Sounds good,” Chelsea said, “but I don’t know how I’m going to get that girl to agree to let me buy her a dress—or send her one. Come on, let’s go back to the car. I’m going to email Mom to overnight me a dress she has in an upstairs closet.”
“Think Abby will like it?”
“At that age, all a girl wants to do is show skin and sparkle.”
“Girls change as they get older?”
“Not funny,” she said, but she laughed.
They left the store and walked back to the car, then sat there while Chelsea tapped a long email to her mother. She’d just pressed SEND when the two back doors of the car abruptly opened. Chelsea didn’t move, but Eli was halfway across the seat, as though he meant to attack whoever had flung the doors open.
It was a moment before he sat back down, and Chelsea saw that Abby and Scully were sitting in the backseat.
Abby spoke first. “It was the ballet slippers. When I saw some really cute pink ones in the store, they made me remember where I saw you. You went over my fence, and both of you cleaned out the shed.”
Eli and Chelsea were so stunned that they just looked between the seats at the two kids in silence.
“Who are you?” Scully asked. “You don’t look like thieves.”
Eli nodded toward the glove box and Chelsea opened it. She knew that his firearm was hidden at the top, but she didn’t think that’s what he wanted. Instead, she reached in and pulled out a leather case and handed it to Eli.
He held up an FBI badge.
Scully took it, examined it, then looked at Abby. “Told you so.” He looked back at Eli. “Is this about Orin Peterson?”
“I can’t talk about a case. It’s—” Eli began.
“It has to be!” Abby said vehemently. “You have to get rid of him, get him out of our house!”
“What’s that slimeball doing in your house?” Chelsea asked.
“Chelsea!” Eli said in warning. “You can’t—”
“Yes, I can!” she said and looked at Abby. “Tell us what’s going on.”