Code blue, p.16
Code Blue, page 16
“Wait right here.” Danny went back into the warehouse area and returned with a piece of rope. “Try this for a belt.”
Yoko chuckled and said, “Good thinking.” She took the rope and a fresh uniform, size medium. She laughed out loud. “I can fit two of me in this. I think I need a few more pieces of rope. For the sleeves,” she called out to him.
“Be back in a jiffy.” Danny made quick work of getting more rope. He tossed the pieces over to her.
Yoko’s fashion issue was cutting into their lunch break. “You go ahead. I’ll catch up. Just tell me where.” Yoko be gan rolling the sleeves, then tying them below her elbow.
“There’s a small lunchroom-slash-cafeteria at the far end of the building. They have sandwiches, mac and cheese, and sometimes stew.”
Yoko realized the cuisine was meant for men. Big men with big appetites. “No salads, I presume?” she called out.
“You presume correctly,” he said over his shoulder.
Depending on how long this mission would take, Yoko considered bringing her lunch to work in the future.
Once she was comfortable enough in the baggy outfit, she walked quickly to the lunchroom. She smiled and said hello to anyone who looked in her direction. She calculated there were about a dozen employees working in the warehouse, not including her or Danny. More mental notes.
Yoko studied the selection of sandwiches and spotted a grilled vegetable wrap. Upon further inspection, she realized that it had probably been sitting there for a few days, then opted for the turkey and cheddar. She was relieved they had skipped the mayonnaise, which doesn’t fare well in the heat. She slathered Dijon mustard on it and caught up with Danny, who was sitting at a table that resembled every table in every cafeteria, everywhere. Two other workers were seated with him.
“Yoko, this is Fred and Dan. They work in the plumbing department.”
“Hello. Nice to meet you.” Yoko could almost hear what they were thinking. “I know. What’s a nice girl like me doing in a place like this?”
Everyone laughed, and it broke the ice. They made the usual small talk. Where are you originally from? How long have you been here? Married? Kids? The usual. As far as Yoko could tell, these were normal people—tradesmen in their forties. After meeting Zhukov, she was relieved to have courteous and cordial people around, even if they didn’t work in the same department. It was about the energy in the place. She could feel the shift once Zhukov left the area.
A bell rang, signaling the lunch break was over. “We’ve been summoned.”
“To where?” Yoko asked.
“Back to work.” Danny grinned.
“What’s on the ticket for this afternoon?” Yoko asked.
“They’re building another section of duplexes, and we need to look at the area marked off for the landscaping.”
“This I might like.” Yoko smiled and hopped into the utility vehicle.
Danny was behind the wheel and began to drive to the far end of the development, where bulldozers were clearing the land. He handed her the plot plan and pointed to the spot. “This here is going to be the access road to the parking lot. They want something that will separate it from the residences. Aesthetic purposes.”
Yoko assessed Danny. He appeared to be alright. She didn’t know why he was incarcerated, but so far, he seemed to be decent. As if he read her mind, he turned to her.
“B and E. Breaking and entering. And burglary. If you’re wondering.”
Danny stopped the vehicle.
Yoko blanched. “Well, yes, but I’m happy that I am not sitting with a serial killer.”
“My girlfriend and I broke up, and she changed the locks on the house. I had all my stuff in there, and she wasn’t going to give it back. One afternoon, when she was at work, I broke in and took what was mine.”
“If it was your stuff, then why were you charged with burglary?”
“Because I helped myself to the sixty-five-inch TV that I actually paid for. And her iPad.”
“Were you looking for anything in particular on her iPad?”
“No. I just wanted to yank her chain. She was addicted to that thing. It was part of the reason why we broke up. She was always comparing me to other guys she saw on social media. And she spent all her money on plastic surgery. When it came to paying the rent, she’d always be a little short.”
“Sounds like what you did was justifiable. Not necessarily legal, but well deserved.”
“Yeah, that’s why they dropped the charges to B and E. Spent three months in the slammer, and then they let me out on parole. Had to do two years.”
“That seems rather harsh for what could be construed as a misdemeanor.”
“You sure you’re not a lawyer?” He snapped his head in her direction.
“No. I just have a couple of good friends who are.” She hopped out of the vehicle and unrolled the plans on the back end of the cart. “Is it alright if I draw on this?”
“Sure. I can print out another copy when we get back.”
She pulled a small pencil out of her pocket, something she always carried. It could serve as a weapon or a tool. She tilted her head to the left and then to the right and made a few scribbles on the map. She took several steps from side to side and doodled a little more.
“We’ll go with a few Chinese fans, some scarlet sage, seaside goldenrod, and red buckeye. Colorful but will also serve as privacy.”
“Wow. You did that really superfast.”
“Maybe I am a famous landscaper, after all.” Yoko raised her meticulous eyebrows.
Danny drove them back at maximum speed. Once again Yoko thought about Annie’s lead foot. This time, she snickered.
“What?” Danny looked in her direction. “Driving too fast fer ya?”
“No, not at all. I have a friend who actually owns a souped-up golf cart. Advanced EV Advent 48V.”
Danny let out a whistle. “You’re talking major bucks. Almost as much as this little buggy.” He patted the steering wheel. “Is she a big golfer?”
“What? No. She uses it to drive to the market and around the neighborhood.”
“That’s kinda like what people do around here. I mean, that’s how they get around the complex.”
“So do they own their own carts, or do they rent them?”
“They rent them. If you notice, there are small porticos next to the duplexes. That’s so they can park them. The regular cars are in lots, but easily accessible to their duplexes. Twenty-five feet at the most.”
“I see. What about deliveries? Carrying groceries?”
“If the residents drive their own cars, they pull up to the front of the main building. One of the attendants unloads it and drives it over in a cart.”
“Excellent service. Sounds like they’ve thought of everything.”
“Pretty much.” Danny pulled the cart through the large doors of the warehouse and parked along the wall.
Yoko noticed it was just after three. “What’s next?”
“Go over the plans for tomorrow.”
“Are there any days when you have a light load?”
“Here? Never. There is always something for us to do. Things grow really superfast here. Always a bunch of weeds to pluck. Or tired plants to replace.”
Yoko nodded in acknowledgment. “I need to freshen up. Where should I meet you?”
“Office. Over there.” He jerked his finger over his shoulder.
“I’ll be there shortly.”
Yoko entered the unisex bathroom. There were two, plus a handicapped one. She was pleasantly surprised to find the bathroom was clean. Using a men’s bathroom can sometimes be a rather nasty experience. Then again, she had been in some rather gross women’s rooms, too. What is wrong with people? Flush the toilet, for heaven’s sake! Even this restroom had the sign: EMPLOYEES MUST WASH THEIR HANDS. Shouldn’t everybody? Common sense. Does anybody remember COVID? Then she recalled a sign she saw in a women’s bathroom at a local restaurant that said: PLEASE DO NOT WRITE ON THE WALLS OR STEAL ANYTHING. Seriously? This is what it has come to. We must remind people how to behave in public while they are in public. Again, she thought, What is wrong with people?
She bent over the sink and splashed water on her face. When she stood, she spotted a small object in the air vent. Yoko immediately recognized it as a security camera. Whoa. Now that is bizarre. She pretended not to notice, dried her face, and walked to the office, where Danny was waiting.
“You know, nobody told me if I was your boss, or if you are my boss,” Danny noted.
“Does it matter? You know more about this place than I do. As long as we can work as a team, there shouldn’t be an issue. Right?”
As far as Yoko knew, her title was Director of Landscaping, but that was never put forth by Ivan. It really didn’t matter. If she and the Sisters performed in their usual manner, within a week everyone would be sitting around the beautiful table in Myra’s dining room, feasting on one of Charles’s magnificent meals.
Danny went over the post for the next day. “Pretty much the same as today. A few residents would like their flower beds freshened up.”
“Sounds good.” Yoko got up to leave, but Danny stopped her.
“Hey, I just wanna say thanks for holding up your end of the gig. When I saw you walking in my direction, I thought someone must be in the wrong place.”
“I get that a lot.” Yoko grinned. “And you are welcome. I always make every attempt to hold up my end. Even if I have to use rope.” She pointed to her makeshift belt. “Thanks. It helped.”
Yoko headed to the locker room to change and then walked to the employee parking lot, where she saw Izzie following the woman she was with earlier. She guessed things were falling into place for her. Yoko decided she would head back to the apartment suite. There was a call scheduled for nine so the Arizona people could be in on it at six. Her plan was to take a long shower, then decide what to do for dinner. Lunch for tomorrow was another issue. There was no way she was going to eat the food in the warehouse cafeteria. Even putting those two words in the same sentence gave her indigestion. She stopped at a Food Mart on the way back.
Earlier that day, Myra’s plane arrived just before noon. She retrieved her suitcase and wheeled it to the car rental counter. Myra hopped into a blue Audi SUV and drove to the hotel. She thought the Sunnydale people might think it odd that she would stay at a studio hotel. If she were as rich as she claimed, she would stay at the Hilton. The Pensacola Beach Hotel looked marvelous, but there was no time for luxury. Not yet, anyway.
Myra knew Izzie and Yoko had spent their first day at work, and Annie’s plane was landing in Tempe. Everything was running on schedule. Then it occurred to her, Where is Maggie? It took her a moment to remember that Maggie was waiting for Annie in Tempe so she could fly back to Florida to see Jeremy again. Myra thanked her lucky stars she was able to keep Maggie supplied with candy, although that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
It took just under thirty minutes to reach her hotel. She phoned Mrs. Clayton to confirm their appointment for the next morning.
Arizona
Kathryn pulled up to the security gate at Sunnydale. “Hi. I’m Kathryn Lucas here to see Janet Turner. I am reporting for work.”
The security guard looked at her curiously, picked up the phone, and dialed a number. “Hello. I have a Kathryn Lucas here. Says she is reporting for work.” He nodded a few times. “Will do.” He turned to Kathryn. “She said to come back tomorrow morning. Seven sharp.”
Kathryn looked a little confused. “I was told to be here today. Four o’clock.” She looked at the clock on her dashboard. “It’s four o’clock, right?” she asked, as if she wasn’t sure she had made a mistake.
“Yes, but Ms. Turner said for you to come back tomorrow. You can call her if you want.”
“Nah. That’s okay. I’ll be back in the morning. See ya.” Kathryn made a U-turn and headed to the apartment Annie had rented for her. That was odd, she thought to herself. But considering what we already know, it seems to fit. Kathryn would surely bring it up at their video call.
Annie’s jet arrived in Tempe around four in the afternoon. Just enough time to grab her rental, check into her hotel, order room service, and then get on the video call scheduled for six her time, nine on the East Coast.
Maggie had met up with her at the hangar. “Ships passing in the night. Will catch up later.”
Annie pulled into the Royal Palms and was greeted by a young fellow wearing white shorts, a white cap, and red shirt. “Good evening, Ms. Dresden.”
“Good evening to you. How did you know it was me?”
“When you did your early check-in, you included the car you would be driving. It’s a beauty.” The young man was referring to the white Porsche Cayenne Coupe.
“Thanks.” She handed him a tip. “Don’t go joyriding.” She looked at his name tag and smiled. “Scott.”
“Oh, no, miss. I wouldn’t think of it.”
She handed him another five-dollar bill. “That’s for calling me ‘miss.’” She winked.
Annie unfolded herself from the sleek, highly polished car. She looked like a movie star. And that was the point. They wanted Sunnydale to think they’d hooked a wealthy, influential, childless, sibling-less, no immediate family, pocketbook. She might bring some equally wealthy, influential, childless, sibling-less patrons into the fold. Or perhaps investors. Annie understood all too well that many people at that level didn’t care about what or where the investment was going. As long as it made a profit, or allowed for a huge tax deduction, it didn’t matter. Most didn’t dig deep enough to find out if their money was doing something nefarious or something good. Putting more money in their pockets was the fundamental goal. It was the ’80s all over again.
Annie’s income bracket was to be awed, admired, envied, and coveted. She knew it, but she never flaunted it. She used it, but never boasted about it. She was one of the unusual ones. She used her money for good, lived modestly, and occasionally treated herself and her Sisters to a good time somewhere. A very good time.
The concierge greeted her with a warm welcome. “Good afternoon, Ms. Dresden. Welcome to the Palms. My name is Evan. Gerald will be taking your luggage to your room.” He handed her the key card. “In the meantime, is there anything I can assist you with?”
“Thank you. I shall be ordering something from room service. Do you have any personal recommendations?”
“If you like beef, our sliced steak sandwich is absolutely delicious.”
“With some melted cheese?” She raised her eyebrows.
“As far as I’m concerned, there is no other way to eat it.”
“Sounds delish.”
“If you’d like, I can place the order for you. How quickly do you want it brought to your room?”
Annie checked her watch. “Half hour?”
“Done!” The man smiled. “If there is anything else, please do not hesitate.”
“Thank you, Evan. I appreciate your assistance.”
The bellhop was waiting with his cart. “Good evening, Ms. Dresden.”
“Hello, William.” If someone wore a name tag, Annie would always refer to them by name. It made people feel less anonymous.
“You are in the Montavista Villa.”
“Yes. Thank you.” She followed him outside, then down a winding sidewalk to her private villa. Once inside, he rested her suitcase on the ottoman. “Will there be anything else?”
“No, thank you.” She handed him a tip.
The first thing she did was remove the wig, pull out the Styrofoam holder from her suitcase, and neatly place the locks on top. She then changed into a jogging suit, not that she planned on jogging anywhere. Several minutes later, there was a knock on the door. “Room service.”
As she passed herself in the mirror, she remembered she had taken off her wig. Realizing it would be too much of a hassle to put it on correctly without it looking like a wig, she grabbed a towel from the bathroom and wrapped it around her head.
“Good evening, Ms. Dresden. Where shall I place your dinner?”
“How about outside?” She walked toward the sliding doors of the patio where the server placed the tray.
“Will there be anything else?” he asked politely.
“No. This should do it.” She handed him a tip. She preferred giving people cash rather than putting it on the check. They got the money right away, and it wasn’t taxed.
She removed the stainless-steel cover from her plate. It sure looked yummy. She dove right into the juicy, cheesy sandwich. What was it about melted cheese? It was a party in her mouth. Between bites, she sent off a text to Fergus to let him know she’d arrived and was in the middle of a sandwich orgy. Don’t tell Charles. :) See you in a few.
She had just enough time to wash her hands and remove evidence of her feast from her chin.
At the appointed time, everyone involved logged in: Myra; Izzie and Yoko from Florida; Kathryn and Annie from Arizona; Charles and Fergus at Pinewood; Nikki in Virginia; and Maggie, airborne, en route back to Florida.
Myra began, “Since Izzie and Yoko have had the most exposure to the site, let’s start with them.”
Izzie described the inordinate amount of security cameras installed everywhere, including the bathroom.
“Isn’t that illegal?” Maggie asked. “Sounds like an invasion of privacy.’
“It is illegal,” Nikki responded.
“Then why are they allowed to do it?” Maggie asked.
“Most people wouldn’t know. They usually hide them in a vent,” Charles said.
“That’s where I spotted it,” Yoko responded.
“One must ask, why? They are either hiding something or protecting something,” Fergus added.
“I can’t imagine what they would be protecting in a bathroom,” Annie said.
“Toilet-paper thieves?” Maggie quipped.
“If we were still in lock-down for COVID, I could understand. But happily, we are not,” Myra said.
“The restaurant was rife with cameras. It was as if they were watching everyone’s every move.”
“There were a number of them in the warehouse, but that’s understandable. Seriously, though, bathrooms? Maybe they think someone is going to try to steal something and shove it in their pants?”
