Page 20 of Waylaid in Whittier (Cruise Director Millie Mysteries #5)

“I dunno if it was a good idea for you to check yourself out of the hospital.” Elvira cast a concerned glance at her former friend turned friend again, Wanda Tillman, who looked pale and frail sitting in the wheelchair alongside the curb.

“I’m feeling much better. Besides, I feel somewhat responsible for your arrest after my attack. I know we argued, but we’re solid, like we’ve had each other’s back since almost day one when you got here. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it. Someone knows we’re close to finding gold and is trying to get rid of us,” Wanda said. “We need to figure this out before you sail off into the sunset with that beau of yours. If not, I’ll be dealing with this after you’re gone.”

“I’m not going anywhere if we can’t get to the bottom of who might be behind it,” Elvira grimaced.

“I’m not pressing charges,” Wanda said. “Either way, you’ll be free to leave.”

“Seriously?” Elvira pressed her hand to her chest. “You’re a good friend, Wanda Tillman. Someone attacked you and I agree wholeheartedly. I hate the idea of leaving my partner, my friend, to deal with this alone, which is why I have a hidden camera strategically placed outside my RV. The bait is ready for the taking, although I’m not sure anyone will show.”

“I want to help,” Wanda said. “I say we swing by your place to see if they went after the bait and go from there.”

The attendant, who had stepped away to sign off on the release papers, returned. “Who is driving you home?”

“Me.” Elvira jangled her keys. “My truck is around the corner. I’ll be right back.” She scurried across the parking lot, climbed into her rust bucket, and drove back to the pickup area.

The attendant helped Wanda into the passenger seat and waited for her to buckle up. “Take care Ms. Tillman.”

“I’m gonna try.” Wanda thanked the man and pulled the door shut. “Would you mind stopping by my place so I can shower and change into some clean clothes?”

“Of course not.” Elvira drove straight to the apartment building and escorted her upstairs to her unit. She waited near the door while she showered. Wanda reappeared, looking much better than she had earlier. “You don’t look like death warmed over anymore.”

“Thanks. The shower helped.” Wanda gently placed her fingertips on her bandage. “It’s a good thing I have excellent reflexes and ducked when I saw my attacker coming at me.”

“If you had to name someone, who do you think it was?” Elvira asked.

“Obviously, the person was at the bar the night of my attack and a part of our group,” Wanda said. “Maybe Otis or Alex.”

“Alex?” Elvira blinked rapidly. “I was thinking more along the lines of Carter.”

“Carter Morley?” Wanda thought about it. “Maybe. I mean, he seems like such a sweetheart.”

Elvira tapped the side of her forehead. “Sweet and flying under the radar, making him the perfect culprit because no one will suspect him. Like I said, I left the bait. The team was heading up for one of the final takes, which means camp is empty, giving whoever it is time to sneak in and try to get the goods.”

“Did you leave a map?”

“A fake map that’ll send whoever it is on a wild goose chase,” Elvira snickered. “Whenever you’re ready, we’ll hit the road.”

“I’m ready.” Wanda grabbed a jacket on her way out. They reached the elevator, only to find it was out of service. “The elevator has broken down again.”

“How annoying. Why don’t you get it replaced and be done with it breaking down?”

Wanda rubbed her index finger and thumb together. “Money. Too many cheapskates live in the building who don’t want to pay to have it replaced. They would rather it break down multiple times a week and inconvenience everyone.”

“An inconvenience until it goes haywire and someone gets hurt,” Elvira said.

“Not a chance.” Wanda waved dismissively. “It’s been acting up for years, maybe even decades. Ellie is a temperamental old broad. I guess we’ll have to take the stairs.”

Taking the side stairs and exiting out at the rear of the building, the women circled around and returned to Elvira’s rented pickup. They drove to the tunnel, barely passing through before vehicle traffic was waylaid and the train took over the tracks.

During the drive, they chatted about life in Alaska, how Wanda loved living there…loved the outdoors. She even loved the long winters.

“Better you than me,” Elvira said. “I’m happy as a clam living in Savannah, Georgia.”

“I’ve never been to Savannah. What’s so special about it?”

“The history. The architecture. Not to mention we have tons of things to do. If you ever get down my way, you’ll have to come and stay with me.”

“Do you have family close by?”

“My sister, Dernice and my other family, the Garluccis,” Elvira said. “They’re mafia.”

Wanda clutched her throat. “Your family is part of the mafia?”

“Not my real family, although it feels like we’re flesh and blood. I know it might be hard to believe, but sometimes I’m not the easiest person to be around. Carlita, the matriarch, kind of took me under her wing. In fact, I was a tenant of hers until she kicked me out.”

Wanda’s jaw dropped. “She kicked you out?”

“It was kinda my fault. I accidentally set my apartment on fire.”

“Good grief. I think I would kick you out too. And you’re still friends?”

Elvira twined her fingers. “Like this. I’ll be traveling to New Jersey to see her son.” She gave out a flirty whistle. “He is one smoking hot, babe. Would you like to see his picture?”

“Sure.”

Elvira waited until they reached base camp. She shut the engine off, plucked her phone from her pocket and pulled up a recent picture Dernice had sent of her and Vinnie Garlucci looking cozy. She handed it to Wanda. “That’s Vinnie and my sister, Dernice.”

“You’re right. He looks like he should be on the cover of GQ magazine.” Wanda handed the phone back. “It’s good to have close friends who are like family.”

“The Garluccis are the best.” Elvira swung the driver’s side door open. “It looks like the others are still out at the mine.”

“Hopefully, we’re not missing something good.”

“No way. You and I both know Mount Baldie is where it’s at.” Elvira unlocked her trailer door and waited for Wanda to step inside.

After verifying the camera was still where Sharky had left it the other day, she set her backpack on the table, logged into her phone’s app and clicked on the play button. “Like I said earlier, someone bugged my RV, broke in and ransacked it looking for the map, and now I’m going to turn it right back around on them.”

“You’re using their camera?”

“Yep. Most people don’t know there’s a way to bypass the original app and reroute the device to wherever you want,” Elvira said. “I learned this nifty trick not too long ago.”

“What happens when they try logging in and checking their recordings?” Wanda asked.

“When they open the app, they’ll see inside my RV, but it doesn’t move. In other words, it’s stuck in a perpetual loop.”

“Clever.” Wanda appeared impressed. “They think they’re getting live feeds, but in reality, they’re looking at the same thing over and over.”

“Precisely.” Elvira grew quiet. “I see someone coming to the door.”

Wanda ran around the table and peered over her shoulder. “It’s Carter Morley.”

“I knew it. He’s trying to get in.”

“He’s trying the handle.”

They watched as Carter moved out of camera range. He returned, tried the door again, and then walked away.

Elvira drummed her fingers on the table. “We’re gonna have to figure out a way to catch Carter, to find out if he’s the one who hid the camera.”

“And attacked me. To think I invited Carter to my apartment and even made him dinner,” Wanda said indignantly. “I want him to pay for what he did.”

“We’ll need some help setting up a stakeout.” Elvira started to pace. “Proving he was behind your attack and my break in is going to be tricky unless he trips up.”

“Maybe your friends, the ones from the cruise ship, will have some ideas,” Wanda said.

“I hope so. I mean, I have my own ideas, but I think implementing them might get me into more hot water than I’m already in.”