On Thursday, October 2nd, at ten in the morning, I parked in front of a tidy row of beige condos in Yuba City. A sprinkler was ticking back and forth across the lawn.
I rang the bell.
A young woman answered the door in scrubs, holding a gray cat against her shoulder. She had the slightly stunned look of somebody who works nights and has just been woken up.
“Hi. I’m so sorry to bother you,” I said. “My name is Hillary. I’m related to the owner of this unit. I’m not here to cause any trouble.”
“Oh. Okay.” She shifted the cat. “I’m Nelly. Nelly Larkin. Is something wrong with the lease?”
“I hope not. Can I ask when you moved in?”
“September 15th. My husband and I signed for twelve months. Through next September 14th.”
“And you pay the owner?”
“We pay the manager. Darcy. By Zelle, on the first.” She frowned a little. “Why?”
“I’d heard there was a mold problem here.”
Nelly laughed. A surprised little laugh.
“Mold? No. This place is spotless. We had it inspected before we signed.” She lifted the cat higher on her shoulder. “I’m a respiratory therapist. Believe me. I checked.”
I didn’t take out my phone. I didn’t ask her for a copy of anything.
She had done nothing wrong. I wasn’t going to drag a nice young woman into my family’s mess.
I thanked her. I took a grocery receipt out of my purse and wrote my phone number on the back of it.
“In case anything’s ever wrong with your lease,” I said.
So now I knew.
Norine couldn’t go home before next September.
That wasn’t bad luck. Somebody had burned that bridge on purpose. So the only road left led straight through my front door.
I was halfway down the walk when Nelly called after me.
“Darcy said the owner moved in with family. Somebody who invited her.”
I stopped. I turned around.
“Thank you, Nelly.”
I drove home slowly with the radio off.
Ethan Blake is a skilled Creative Content Specialist with a talent for crafting engaging and thought-provoking narratives. With a strong background in storytelling and digital content creation, Ethan brings a unique perspective to his role at TheArchivists, where he curates and produces captivating content for a global audience.
Ethan holds a degree in Communications from Zurich University, where he developed his expertise in storytelling, media strategy, and audience engagement. Known for his ability to blend creativity with analytical precision, he excels at creating content that not only entertains but also connects deeply with readers.
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