Chapter 8 Neighborhood Watch

“I just moved here from Manhattan,” I said, trying and failing to focus my gaze on the detective. Sylvie’s brownies were really doing a number on me. I needed to get home and into bed while I could still manage under my own power.

“Some of us got tired of the crime in our neighborhood and decided to do something about it,” I continued. “We had a meeting with the police and started a Neighborhood Watch group.”

Shiraishi nodded. “Neighborhood Watches are a great crime deterrent, and a big help to the police. Are you ladies interested in hearing more about it?”

Nods around the room.

“What would we have to do?” Coralee asked.

“If you folks decide to start a Neighborhood Watch group, the first thing you need to do is choose a team captain. Then I can have a police officer come and talk with you about the program. He’ll go over what sort of things to keep an eye out for when you make your rounds of the neighborhood. Normally you would make regular patrols, once or twice a week, to make your presence known.”

“We can do that,” Tiare said.

Francesca said, Yes. I luff to valk.”

The others murmured their assent.

“Looks like we’re in business, then,” Shiraishi said. He wrote in his notebook and tore off the page. “Here’s the contact officer for Neighborhood Watch. After you choose your team captain, give she can give him a call.”

“I vote for Lillian,” Tiare said.

Huh? I gaped at her, shaking my head.

“Yes, me too,” said Esther. “Lillian would be perfect.”

Shiraishi’s eyes met mine.

I’d blurted the suggestion without thinking. I certainly hadn’t thought these women would take it seriously, much less expect me to be team captain. The last thing I wanted was to be responsible for any group activity. I looked around the circle of women. Every eye was on me, the fear on their faces bordering on panic. One of their own had met a violent death just yards away from where we currently sat.

I could think of no way to refuse them. “Well …”

“Good,” Shiraishi said, handing me the piece of paper. “Work out a time that’s good for everyone, then give Officer Martin a call. He’ll come over with some brochures and paperwork, and tell you what you need to get started.

***

The trilling of my phone penetrated my deep sleep. I pulled myself to the edge of the bed, opened one eye, and peered over. My purse lay open on the floor beside the bed where I must’ve dropped it, the contents spilling out.

My phone trilled again. I answered it without checking the caller ID.

“Hello?” I mumbled groggily. My tongue was so dry it stuck to the roof of my mouth.

“Lillian?” said the voice on the other end of the phone. “Are you okay?”

I worked myself to a sitting position. My head throbbed. “Louise?” Louise is my step-daughter the mail carrier.

“Yes. Did I wake you?”

A glance at the window told me it had to be early evening. “That’s okay. I must’ve been asleep for hours.” Sylvie’s brownies must’ve knocked me out.

“I’m sorry—”

“No. Really. I need to get up and make dinner.” Or a strong pot of tea.

“I just wanted to ask how everything’s going in your new place.”

I let out a loud sigh.

“That bad?”

 “Oh, you would not believe …”

“What’s wrong?”

“Yesterday one of the residents here drowned in the hot tub.”

“Oh, no,” Louise whispered.

“Oh yes. I was the one who found her. I tried to help but … it was too late.”

“How awful. I’m so sorry.”

“That was bad enough, but it only gets worse.”

“Worse than someone drowning?”

“I’m afraid so. Today a police detective showed up while we were having sort of a memorial gathering for Pearl—the woman who drowned. They’d finished the autopsy. He told us she was murdered.”

“Oh my god. Who—?”

“They don’t know. It happened sometime in the middle of the night. This is a secure building. No one can come or go after ten p.m. without the manager letting them through. More than that, the pool area is locked at night. No one knows how the killer got in. Everyone’s scared.”

“Do you want to come stay with us for a few days?”

Louise shares a tiny one-bedroom, one-bath cottage with her boyfriend, plus a dog and a cat. When I first arrived on the island I spent a few nights on their couch, until all the formalities were taken care of and I could move into my new place. While I appreciated all the help she’d given me, it had been uncomfortably close quarters.

“I’ll be fine, but I do thank you for the offer.”

“You’re sure? It’s no problem.”

“I’m sure. We’re going to start up a Neighborhood Watch. It was my suggestion and, well, it seems they’ve elected me to head the group.”

“I’m proud of you for stepping up and doing something to help.

“It wasn’t my intention to volunteer, but I suppose it’s a way to get to know my neighbors better.

“What are they like—your new neighbors?”

“With only twelve units here, of course everyone knows everyone else. And everyone else’s business, it seems. Being the new kid on the block I’m at a bit of a disadvantage. But there are daily activities, besides the neighborhood patrols we’ll be setting up. I’m sure I’ll insinuate myself into the group quickly enough.”

“Have you made any friends?”

“One woman came over and introduced herself right away. Esther. She’s from New York—a  real hoot. She’s been helping me get oriented and giving me the heads up on all the characters who live here.”

“Characters, huh?”

“An understatement. It’s so different here from New York, where everyone keeps to themselves. After Pearl’s body was found, a police officer gathered all the residents in the clubhouse to take down our contact information. That’s when I was able to put faces together with names and unit numbers. I think a couple of them have a touch of dementia. Other than Esther, the women haven’t been particularly friendly to me. Though of course everyone’s in shock since one of them was murdered.”

“I can imagine.” She paused a moment. “I’d love to hear more. I’m off work Sunday—maybe I can stop by?”

I hesitated only because her offer took me by surprise.

“There must be things you can use help with,” she said. “Unpacking, shopping …”

“I’m all done unpacking, and the Catholic Charities van takes us to the shopping center every Wednesday. I’ll be going with them tomorrow. But please do stop by when you can. I’d love to see you.”

“How about lunchtime Sunday?”

“Any time works for me. I’m not going anywhere.”