If Hooks Could Kill by Betty Hechtman Page B

to do ride-alongs on his motorcycle.,” I said as I pulled the car into my driveway. “And when she starts wanting to co-sign the traffic tickets.” We both laughed as we got out and went across the backyard. As soon as I opened the back door, Cosmo ran outside followed by Blondie. Music was blaring from Samuel’s room even with the door shut. I checked the cats’ bowls next and when I saw they were empty, poured in some dry food.
    Jeffrey came into the kitchen and greeted us before picking through the white paper bags of takeout food on the counter. I could tell by the smell it was burgers and fries.
    “I don’t think my dad has ever heard of salad,” he said, his mouth twisted in disappointment.
    I told him to check the vegetable drawer and help himself. I noticed voices coming from the living room and I asked Jeffrey who was there.
    “I don’t know. Some friend of my dad’s,” Jeffrey said before going to the refrigerator. Jeffrey took out some romaine lettuce, a cucumber, tomatoes and some green onions. He was rummaging for a cutting board and asked if he could borrow some olive oil.
    “Maybe we should rethink the location of our girls’ night,” Dinah said. “My place might be a little more peaceful.”
    I nodded in agreement. “But let me check my yarn stash first. I’m sure I have a bunch of balls of the thread in different colors.” We had both wanted to try Eduardo’s pattern and make one of the bracelets using crochet thread. Dinah followed me into the living room. As we walked through it, the voices dropped to a whisper. I looked toward the couch and saw that Barry was talking to one of his cop friends. They looked in our direction and nodded in greeting before continuing their conversation.
    “Maybe you can ask Barry why they haven’t arrested Dan,” Dinah said as we reached my side of the house. Once we entered the hall, it was blissfully quiet.
    “I’ll try later.” I went over to the basket of yarn and started to rummage through it as Dinah looked around.
    “I can see why you call this your haven—and why you need it.” She glanced back toward the other side of the house.
    I replaced the yarn I’d pulled out and stood up. “The crochet thread isn’t here. I must have packed it up with all the stuff I put in the storage locker.” Since the room I’d given Barry was my former crochet room, I’d had to empty it. There was no place else in the house or the garage for all the stuff and I’d rented a storage unit nearby. They seemed to have popped up all over the place since everybody seemed to have so much excess stuff lately. “We can swing by the storage place on the way to your house,” I said as we made our way back across the house. Barry and his company were standing at the front door talking in low voices as we passed.
    “I think those thread bracelets would make great gifts,” Dinah said. “We could make them holiday appropriate. A nice orange and black one would be great for Halloween.” We got into my car and headed for the storage place.
    “I rented one of the smaller units, so I can’t pull the car in front of it,” I explained as I parked in the lot at the edge of the rows of low buildings.
    We passed the office on the end of one of the buildings. “I think that place must be open for an hour a day. The only time I’ve seen it open was when I came here to rent the space.” We began down a walkway between twin buildings. The row of delft blue roll-up doors made it look like a row of mini garages, but then again, wasn’t that what they were—extra garage space.
    Twilight was beginning to morph into darkness and the place was deserted. Dinah seemed apprehensive as she looked over her shoulder. “This place is kind of creepy,” she said. “Let’s get the stuff and get out of here.”
    “If you think it’s creepy now, just think of what it’s like when it’s completely dark.” The lighting wasn’t the best. Some kind of florescent floodlight did a