The 50-Plus Condo Collection

Chapter 5

Rachel dosed off quickly for a change. Normally her nights were spent either attempting to get to sleep or trying to return. It wasn’t unusual for her to wake at three o’clock and remain that way for two hours before she fell back to sleep. All the experts advised getting up and doing something instead of lying in bed. But they also advised not to watch TV or look at a computer screen, and even your phone. So, what was she supposed to do at 3 a.m., vacuum? Joe wouldn’t appreciate that commotion in the middle of the night.

On this particular night, Rachel awoke at four o’clock. She tossed around for a while, then slid back to sleep. One of her special dreams occurred, the kind she couldn’t forget as much as she tried. It was grizzly, with blood spurting from a woman’s body, fanning out on the wall and streaking downward. Furniture was upended. Toward the end, the scene grew too dark to see any details. She woke with a start. After that, Rachel got out of bed, not wanting to chance resuming the dream if she fell asleep again. The blood she had seen was not a normal red, rather, a bright neon, and that peculiar shade kept flashing in her memory as she made her way to the kitchen. She instinctively knew the neon color was intended to signify blood. And murder.

Rachel made coffee, attempting to be quiet. She suspected Joe was getting up anyway. It was his time to rise, but certainly not hers. After a few minutes Joe appeared in the kitchen doorway, dressed in his normal jeans and a tee-shirt. “You’re up?”

“Yeah, I had a bad dream. One of those dreams.”

those“What about this time?”

Rachel told her husband about the experience while he got mugs for their coffee.

“Who’s the woman?” he asked.

“I couldn’t see her face.”

“Where did it happen?” Joe put some Stevia into his chosen mug, pausing to enjoy the aroma of the coffee.

“I couldn’t see for sure because everything went dark. But I think it was in the condo.”

His eyes flipped up, looking at her. “A murder in the condo?”

“Shush, don’t give it energy. Don’t talk about it.”

Joe sat silently beside a small round table next to the wall, studying his wife. “You haven’t had one of those precognitive dreams in a while.”

“I know. And they’re never about good news coming.” Rachel added sugar to her mug before she sat at the table.

“So I’ve noticed. Usually someone dies.”

Rachel nodded her head. “I wonder who this time?”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.” Joe tilted his mug to his lips.

“Did you tell Penelope to apologize to me?” Ruby’s face was flushed almost as red as her hair. She looked a bit disheveled, too, with her topknot askew.

“Why, did she apologize to you?” Rachel asked innocently, resting her elbows on the office desk.

“Yes. And you made her do it, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Ruby glared at Rachel. “That’s the only way she would have apologized, if you told her to.”

“You don’t know that. Penelope is a sweet, kind lady…”

“Who minds everybody’s business,” Ruby interrupted. “She’s your spy. She runs to you with everything, most of which doesn’t have any meaning to her and only serves to cause trouble. She’s a tattletale. And a troublemaker.”

Just as Ruby concluded her speech, Penelope opened the door. Ruby glared at her, then folded her arms across her chest.

“See? What did I just say? Penelope has something to tell you!” Ruby announced, swinging one arm out to point at the other woman.

Penelope paid no attention to Ruby, gathering her soft blue sweater over her housedress and focusing on Rachel instead. “There’s a strange smell on my floor. I’m not sure where it’s coming from.”

At least this isn"t a complaint about Ruby, Rachel thought. “What does it smell like?” Rachel asked.

At least this isn"t a complaint about Ruby,“I can’t say. My smeller isn’t what it used to be,” Penelope said.

“Maybe you’re smelling cleaning products? That could be coming from next door. Lola and Marc are supposed to be cleaning up their mess,” Rachel suggested.

“I don’t think so. It’s not a pleasant odor.” Penelope glanced over at Ruby who had decided to be silent.

“I’ll ask Joe to go up there and sniff around when he gets back from the store,” Rachel said.

“Thank you, dear.” Penelope turned her attention to Ruby. “She is such a sweetheart. Always takes such good care of us.”

“Yeah, Rachel’s a real peach,” Ruby said dryly.

“Good day to you both.” Penelope walked out the door.

“Now, aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” Rachel asked, reaching for her bottled water and taking a long swallow.

“No. Next time she’ll come in here and complain about my bathing suit.” Ruby stood with her arms still crossed in front of her. “She’s vicious.”

Rachel sighed deeply. “Anything else you have to say? Because I do have work here,” she said, patting a stack of papers.

“No, I’m done,” she said, unfolding her spaghetti arms. “Don’t work too hard.” Ruby left quietly.

Rachel began to attack her paperwork just as the phone rang. It was Tia.

“Olivia and I want to meet for drinks at 5:30. Are you in?”

“Sure. How about Eneida?”

“I left a message on her phone to meet us.”

“Great. See you then.”

Over their iced teas, she would have an opportunity to ask Eneida about her cat situation. Maybe that unidentified smell was from her overflowing litter boxes? After all, she lived just two doors down from Penelope.