Page 25 of Beautiful Killer

“Hey!” the brunette said. “I am not.”

“Are too,” her friend fired back then turned to me, hand extended. “I’m Lulu. I don’t know if you recognize us? We come in here all the time, we love your stuff.”

“Yes, of course, I remember you.” I took her hand. “I’m Sunny.”

“Ruby,” Lulu’s friend said, also offering me her hand.

“Nice to meet you . . . properly.” I wasn’t sure what was going on . . . why they were suddenly . . .

“Now that we all know each other,” Ruby said, a gentle smile lifting her lips, eyes softening. “Are you . . . okay, I mean?” She motioned to my face.

I don’t know what came over me, they were so nice, and I felt so damn alone, and there was just something about them both that had me sharing more than I usually would. “I’m . . . well, no, not really. My home was broken into a few days ago. The guy took my grandmother’s jewelry and left me with this.” I pointed at my face.

“Jesus,” Lulu said, her hand coming down on mine and squeezing gently. “That must have been terrifying.”

Ruby’s eyes hardened. “Do the cops have any leads? Who’s the detective on your case?”

I stared across at her. She looked all business all of a sudden. “Oh . . . I, um . . .”

“It’s okay.” She waved a hand. “I’m a P.I. and Lulu here is a shacked up with one . . . well, we both are, but anyway, that’s beside the point, what I’m saying is, I might be able to help. We have contacts on the force. We’re also incredibly good at tracking things down and getting them back.”

Lulu nodded. “It’s not an empty offer. I know you don’t know us, but believe me when I say, Ruby and I, we know what it’s like to be scared, to feel helpless. The guys and Ruby at the agency are good, they’d be able to help you.”

A warmth curled in the center of my chest. These women didn’t know me, or my situation, but they were offering support, real help if I needed it. “That’s really nice of you.” I shook my head. “But I’ll be fine. I’ve had my security beefed up. I’m not sure I’ll ever sleep through the night again, but I’ll be okay, I have to be.”

“You’re on your own?” Lulu asked.

My face heated, I don’t know why. There was nothing wrong with living alone. “Yes.”

“I was on my own, well me and my son Josh, for a long time. I know how tough that can be.”

“Maybe you could get a friend to come and stay for a bit,” Ruby said.

Now my face was on fire. I didn’t want these women to know I didn’t have any friends—that besides my stepsister, who had already done her time staying with me, the only other friends I had were a few residents at the retirement home. I hesitated answering and they noticed, because Lulu started talking again. I knew she did it so I didn’t have to answer. They weren’t only friendly and nice, they were kind, too.

“Please consider it,” Lulu was saying when Ruby pulled something out of her bag and handed it to me.

“This is my card. If the cops don’t come through, or you just need someone to talk to, drop me a line.”

Lulu slid it from my fingers before I had a chance to look at it, grabbed a pen from her bag, and wrote something on the back. “My number as well. We should hang out sometime.”

I just stood there, not sure what to say, more than a little stunned by their generosity.

They stayed a little longer, chatting. They also both bought something. Then before they left, they reminded me to call.

And I wanted to, but I wouldn’t. They were just being kind. They couldn’t mean it, not really. And even if they did . . .

I slipped the card in my purse instead of throwing it in the trash.

Then I put the conversation to the back of my mind and carried on with the necklace I was making.