Page 85 of Heidi Lucy Loses Her Mind
“Hey,” I say to Heidi, not bothering to turn around. I inspect the little photo more closely.
It’s a picture of a young man, the photo about the size of my open hand, the frame brassy-looking. The man looks familiar, but it takes me a minute to realize why.
“Her husband,” I say as Heidi appears by my side. “I think this is her husband. He’s younger here, but this is the guy from the family photo downstairs.”
“Are you sure?” Heidi says, and I catch a faint whiff of her tropical scent.
“Pretty sure, yeah,” I say, flipping it over to see if there’s anything written on the back of the frame. There’s nothing. “I’ll double check on our way out.”
“He looks a little like Phil,” she says, pointing at the man in the picture. “Doesn’t he?”
“Yeah,” I say. “He does. It’s the eyes.”
She nods, and I get more of that coconut scent. “Yes. And the forehead.”
“This guy looks less sleazy than Phil, though.”
Heidi laughs softly. “I agree.” She touches the photo with light fingers and then nods. “I don’t think this is anything. We should probably put it back.”
I think she’s right. It doesn’t seem like anything suspicious, so I tuck it back under the pillow. It sort of seems like that’s where it should stay.
Heidi moves back to the bookshelf, her steps purposeful. She’s looking closely for something, it appears, though I don’t know what, while meanwhile I drift over to the trash can, crouching down next to it.
“Here’s a delivery box,” I say, plucking it out. “A small one. From…” I search the package until I find the shipping label. “From the pharmacy.”
“She must have gotten her medicine delivered,” Heidi murmurs, looking over at me.
I nod. “There’s another box in here.”
“Another package?”
“No,” I say, frowning as I pull the little box out. I look at it. Then I hold the box up to show her. “These are pads, right? Like for your underwear?”
“Hmm?” Heidi says vaguely, her attention still on the bookshelf. When she looks at me, she frowns. “Yes,” she says. “Basically. They’re panty liners. But…”
“But what?” I say.
“Carmina is well past her menstruating years,” Heidi says, her brow still furrowed as she looks at the box.
“Maybe it’s Elsie’s.”
She shrugs. “Maybe.” Then she looks back to the books.
“What are you doing?” I say, because she’s been at that bookshelf for several minutes now.
“Look on top of the vanity,” she says, pointing vaguely.
I glance over; there are several dainty glass jars and bottles, some jewelry, and…
“A camera,” I say, blinking in surprise.
“Yep,” Heidi says. “I took a look, and there’s nothing stored on it. So whatever pictures she was taking must have been printed out. I don’t know quite what her blackmailing situation looked like, but photos seem possible.”
“Thus the bookshelf,” I say with a nod. “Got it.”
I cross the room and open the closet, moving the hanging clothes as I search vaguely for anything of note. There’s nothing but folded blankets on the top shelf, though, and a neat row of shoes on the floor. Except…
“Hey,” I say, bending down and picking up the lens. “I found another part of the camera. A long lens. It was back behind the shoes.”
