Weeding Out Trouble by Heather Webber Page A

to trust them—they were all I had left in my maternal cache.
    I'd have to wait until Riley went out again before I could search more thoroughly.
    Tiptoeing out of his room, I paused, listening. Perry was talking about how evil Kent had looked.
    I hustled into my room, locked the door.
    A peek out my front windows showed no signs of Lewy and Joe. A glance out the window next to my bed showed Mr. Cabrera in his backyard chasing the turkeys with what looked to be an oversized butterfly net. BeBe, I noticed, was cowering in Mr. Cabrera's gazebo.
    I found myself rooting for the turkeys.
    My cell phone rang, and I pried it from my pocket and headed into the bathroom, closing and locking that door as well. One couldn't be too careful.
    I turned on the tub and answered, recognizing Ana's number.
    "Where are you?" she asked. "Niagara Falls?"
    "Bathroom. Taking a bath."
    "What's with you and bathrooms lately? Every time I call you're in one."
    "Safe haven."
    "Ah, right. Kevin."
    "And my mom. Don't forget about my mom."
    Ana laughed. "I wish I could."
    My mother and Ana had a long-standing feud. It wasn't so much a feud as genetics. Ana is the daughter of my father's sister, Rosetta, aka Aunt Rosa. Who my mother happens to detest.
    Ana and my mother's relationship was the trickle down effect at its best.
    I peeled off my starchy jeans and tossed them onto the floor. With a finger, I tested the bathwater, then turned the faucet toward the H.
    "Where are you?" I managed to get my shirt over my head before she answered.
    "Still in Denver. I don't think this snow is ever going to stop. At this rate, I don't know if I'll be back before Thanksgiving. I had to wait an hour in line just to charge my cell phone for ten minutes. So talk fast."
    "You'll get home," I said, hating the note of sadness in her usually peppy voice.
    Static crackled the connection. "How am I supposed to help Kit when I'm stuck here?"
    "I'm here," I said, "and I don't know how to help Kit."
    I sank into the hot water. Heaven. I pulled the shower curtain to trap the steam. I could hear the sound of the airport's PA system in the background but couldn't make out specific words as Ana asked, "There's been no news?"
    Letting the hot water soothe away my stress, I filled her in about Kent Ingless and everything else that had been going on since the last time I spoke with her. Not wanting to rehash the particulars, I left out the part about Leah Quinn.
    "What do you think he meant about Daisy trying to do the right thing?" she asked.
    "I'm not sure. My best guess is that it has to do with the drugs."
    "Not selling them anymore?"
    "Could be."
    "Could . . . mot . . . "
    "You're breaking up, Ana."
    "Bet . . . go."
    The line went dead.
    I flipped my phone closed, set it aside, and turned off the tap.
    In the sudden silence, I could hear raised voices from downstairs. Something about investigating and danger.
    I tuned it out. Brickhouse could handle herself and protect Perry at the same time.
    I wasn't worried.
    About them.
    I didn't want to think about what was in store for me when I emerged from the tub.
    Which got me thinking about all the things I wasn't supposed to be thinking about.
    The turkeys.
    Gregory Peck.
    Brickhouse and I being similar.
    Kevin getting married.
    Riley possibly gambling.
    Daisy having hated me.
    Leah Quinn.
    Daisy dead.
    Kit missing.
    Bobby.
    Thanksgiving dinner.
    I drew in a deep breath, held it, and sank under the water.
    I had plans to stay under as long as possible, but a loud noise had me resurfacing. It took a second to realize my mother was at the bathroom door, knocking.
    "Chérie , can I come in?"
    "No!"
    Next thing I knew, I heard the door open, then close again. I peeked around the shower curtain, saw my mother perched on the countertop.
    "How'd you get in?" I asked, letting the curtain fall back into place.
    Her voice echoed. "I have my ways."
    Ugh. I wanted to sink back down into the water. "Is everyone still here?"
    "Ursula and Perry have