Rather than leave herself, Nikki walked around the small house with its overgrown vegetation and broken side gate. The backyard was patchy, a cracked birdbath situated on a covered patio in serious need of power washing. She peered through the slider door, got a glimpse of the kitchen, and saw that the counters were covered with boxes and the sink was filled with dirty dishes. The dingy carpet showed tracks from the wheels of Mavis’s wheelchair, and a neglectedvacuum cleaner rested near the open door of the near-empty pantry.
She tried the slider, but it was locked. As she walked back to her car, she spied a raccoon scurrying through the brush and rustling the leaves of the overgrown shrubbery. She wondered about the sad state of Blanche Crawford’s home and was about to get inside her car when a white pickup pulled into the drive, parking where the van had just been. The driver’s door opened, and Nikki froze as she recognized her brother, slightly over six feet and showing signs of silver in his hair. “Kyle.”
He paused, hesitated a second too long, then said, “Hey, Nikki.”
“What’re you doing here?” Her brother was the last person she’d expected to run into.
“Maybe I should ask you the same question.” His smile was a little crooked, and it brought back memories of growing up with him, of his exuberance, of his enthusiasm, of his sense of adventure. With bright red hair and a cute, gap-toothed smile, Kyle Gillette hadn’t ever met a dare he wouldn’t take. He’d jump from a bridge that towered over the river. Climb the highest tree. Sneak booze from their parents’ cabinet. Ride the neighbor’s wild bull. Whatever.
Until they’d lost Andrew.
Then the no-challenge-too-big fire that had burned within Kyle had been extinguished. It was as if when Andrew died, so had part of him. The laughing, gleefully devious boy was suddenly gone, replaced by a recluse.
“Oh, wait, I get it. You’re looking into Mavis Greenlee’s death. That’s why you’re here.”
“And you?”
“Hired by Oliver Crawford to clean up the yard,” he said. “You know, repair the sprinkler system, or replace it. Check for other damage.”
“You know him?”
“Oliver? Nah. But he got my name from Archer, I guess.”
“He left about half an hour ago. But you know Archer Greenlee?”
“I take care of his yards. The one here in town and then out on Tybee.” At the mention of the island, he suddenly clammed up. Like he’d said something he shouldn’t have.
“Mom says you’ve been by.”
“Yeah.” He was nodding as he pulled a baseball cap from his back pocket and squared it on his head.
“Why now?” she asked, unable to stop the question that was upper most in her mind.
“Figured it was time.”
“Because …”
His cell phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen. “Gotta take this and get that estimate going.” As he put the phone to his ear, he started eyeing the house, ignoring Nikki completely. She had a million questions to ask him, but she had her own job to do. “Later,” she called over her shoulder; then, once in her car, she muttered, “Weird.”Why nowwas just the start. She wanted to ask him about his life. Was he involved with anyone? Was he working with someone or on his own? How had he connected with Mom again? Was he still in the apartment near the river? Would he like to meet Chloe? What, what, what was going on in his life?
“Stop it,” she said aloud, as she slowed for a stop sign near the Cathedral Basilica of St. John and stared up at the twin spires knifing into the blue spring sky. She reminded herself that Kyle was a grown man and had the right to his privacy. If he’d decided it was time to reconnect with the family, she should curb her curiosity and, yes, even her suspicions, and welcome him with open arms. Unfortunately, that wasn’t exactly her nature, and as she watched tourists climb onto a trolley, she couldn’t help wondering about her brother. “Get over it,” she advised herself, but she doubted that she really could.
Chapter 16
Nikki drove the few blocks to Riverview Towers, a five-story building a block from the Savannah River. It was more modern than some of its counterparts, and the upper stories did have a view of the water.
She parked in an adjacent lot, made her way inside, and was stymied by a wide reception desk and the stark, smartly dressed woman behind it. With a bouffant of gray hair, narrow eyeglasses connected by a gold chain that draped around her neck, and a steely smile that showed off slightly overlapping front teeth, she asked, “May I help you?” But when Nikki explained that she wanted to speak with Blanche Crawford, the gates went up. “She’s just moving in today, as you probably know, and until we can get an updated approved list of her visitors, you’ll have to wait until I can speak with her. So, it might be better if you would come back at another time that’s convenient for you both.”
Nikki tried to put up an argument but access to “theprivatetowers” was denied. She clearly needed to see Blanche before Oliver had time to change his mind about allowing her near his mother.
“You understand, I’m sure, that for privacy and security, we have to be very careful,” she was told. Behind her slim lenses, the receptionist’s flinty eyes brooked no argument. “We keep lists of people allowedto visit,” she pointed out and checked a computer screen, before scanning notes spread on her desk. Spying a form, she ran her finger down the page and even upside down, Nikki read Blanche Crawford’s name on the heading. She followed the polished fingernail that paused over several names, again upside down. The list included Oliver Crawford, Wilda Gains, Sherry Engles, and Reverend Westin Stark.
The lobby elevator chimed, the doors opened, and Oliver appeared, his phone in his hand, his attention on the slim screen.
Nikki flagged him down. “Hi!” she said, and he looked up, his eyebrows knitting. Afraid she was about to be turned down in front of the receptionist, she said hurriedly, “You told me to come here.”
“I … did …” He seemed about to argue, but then shook his head. “Okay, fine. Sherry’s putting her bedroom together now so Mom can rest after lunch. He glanced toward the steely receptionist, then back to Nikki. “I’ll take you up there.” Pocketing his phone, he filled out a quick form at the desk, then escorted Nikki to the elevators. As they rode up to the fourth floor, Oliver said, “I just can’t believe Mavis left Mom in that rental house. I just thought she was in a private home with round-the-clock nursing care. I expected it to be … well, not like that.”
It was clear he was looking to excuse himself, so Nikki said, “This place seems very nice.”