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She stepped over to her box of supplies and dug down to the box marked “Bookkeeping.” She came back to the table and set it down, half-afraid to open it for fear she was only going to get both of their hopes up for nothing.
Slowly she lifted the lid. Under all the papers was a small disk box with the imprint of one of the more popular home business accounting systems. Inside were a half-dozen disks.
“You own a computer?” Landry asked.
“A laptop. I had it shipped back to South Dakota. My stepfather was going to do my taxes for me if this dragged out until April. But I forgot to send him the disks.”
Landry watched her as she removed the disks from the box and sorted through them.
Her fingers froze. She swallowed around the lump in her throat. “This one isn’t mine.” She handed it to him as if it were made of glass.
He swore. “If we had a computer we could check to see if it is the right one.”
“Odell has a laptop.” She remembered seeing it under his desk and wondering at the time why he was doing the book on an old typewriter instead of the computer.
Landry looked from her to the disk and back again. “You think you could distract him long enough for me to make sure this is the disk?”
She went to the window and peered out. Odell had come back with the supplies he’d ordered. Through a crack in the blinds she could see him unloading some things.
“Go out now. I’ll call him up to my apartment and try to give you as much time as possible,” she said, meeting his gaze.
He eyed her. “You’re not thinking of—”
“Of course not. I’ll think of something.”
He nodded, something passing between them that felt like trust. “I’ll come up as soon as I know for sure.”
She smiled. He seemed to think she would be needing his help to keep Odell off her. “Take this.” She tossed him her camera. “It will give me an excuse for you being gone.”
Landry caught the small digital camera and tucked it into his pocket, then reached into the duffel he had by the end of the couch. “Put this someplace where you can get to it if you need it.”
“I’m touched by your concern,” she said, actually meaning it as she took the gun he handed her.
He grinned. “I know I really know how to treat a girl.” And he was out the door.
Willa put the gun in a drawer in the end table by the couch, then waited until Landry disappeared before she went down the stairs to Odell’s apartment. The door was partially ajar. She could see him inside putting food in the fridge.
“We owe you steaks,” she said from the doorway and then tapped on the door slightly. “Sorry to catch you in the middle of something.” She couldn’t help but glance toward the typewriter. There wasn’t any paper in it. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the laptop right where she’d seen it before.
“Come on in,” Odell said, putting the rest of his food inside and closing the fridge door. “Can I offer you something to drink?”
“Thanks. Landry took off to try to photograph the sunset and…” She feared she was a horrible liar and Odell could see right through her.
“Do you need something?” he asked, coming right over to her.
“You’re going to think I’m silly, but I started to rearrange the furniture and I found a hole behind the couch,” she said. At least that much was true. “I’m afraid there might be something in it. Like rats. Or—” she shuddered for real “—a snake?”
He smiled. “Do you have a good flashlight?”
She shook her head and he quickly went to his desk, pulled out a drawer and took out a large flashlight.
“Let’s go see what’s in your wall,” he said, sounding excited—and not the least bit afraid of snakes.
“You’re sure you don’t mind?”
Odell laughed. “Not at all. I’m honored actually—” he said as she led him across the courtyard and up the stairs “—that you would ask me.”
She felt guilty at once. He’d been nothing but nice to her and now that she knew he hadn’t taken potshots at her, she felt even worse. But there was still that snake someone had put in her tub… “You have been so nice to me. I really appreciate it.” She opened her door, let him go in and entered behind him, leaving the door open.
