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May 8 - May 10, 2021
My platitude sounded weak to my own ears, but then again, I wasn’t paid by the word.
degree in science, but now she runs her own holistic catering company in California.
accountant, but now she’s a parenting consultant—basically, a fancy nanny—for
“Interesting that you all reinvented yourselves,” he mused, more to himself than to me.
As much as I didn’t want to drive in New York, riding around as a passenger tended to leave me slightly carsick and queasy.
He pressed the button beside “V. Smith.” “Who’s that?” “That’s Helena’s apartment.” “V. Smith?” He gave me a sidelong glance. “It’s urban safety 101, Thyme. Please tell me your buzzer label doesn’t identify you as a single woman living alone?”
gregarious
The average kitchen in a New York apartment was too old and dated to support much cooking. Its highest and best use was as supplemental closet space.
Short tub, too small for a soak,
After a brief exchange, conducted in Spanish (which meant I was in the dark as to its substance),
He’s from Rio originally, too.
plausible deniability,
There weren’t enough relaxation meditations in the world to get me behind the wheel of a car in this city. Not on your life.
I giggled, and he turned to give me a quizzical look. I pointed to the white metal sign affixed to the wall next to the metal door. Red letters warned: Pedestrian Parking Only. “Why would you park a pedestrian?” I laughed, He frowned at the sign in confusion. “I literally can’t even imagine what that sign is trying to convey. What ...?”
Lynn looked like an actress. She was tall and thin. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders in a cascade of bouncy copper-colored curls. Her bright green eyes were shadowed, mascaraed, and lined to perfection. Her glossy lipstick matched her hair color. A statement necklace set off her creamy collarbone.
I could feel the host giving me a sympathetic look and unconsciously stood up straighter. Like I always told my clients, posture is everything. I imagined a string connecting the top of my head to the ceiling.
His problem, not mine. Plus, the more talking they did, the more eating I could do.
“I’m her trainer. Every morning, she does some Pilates, yoga, a little bit of barre work.
We usually window shop at the boutiques, maybe find a shoe sale or pick up some accessories—you know, high-end shopping on a low-end budget.”
“Like a blender; new sheets; a travel toothbrush. Oh, and fishing line, for some unknown reason.
I counted stretches, corrected forms, and reminded my clients to breathe. You’d be surprised how common it is for people to hold their breath while exercising.
it always pays to be mindful of the task at hand. Whether that task was washing the dishes or performing asanas. You get more out of every activity if you’re truly present.
“I’m pretty sure they can tell where a phone is even if it’s turned off or the battery is dead.”
I wasn’t sure how to break it to him that his sister’s employer viewed her, me, and everyone else who worked for her as entirely fungible.
Audra would be okay in the end. I mean, as okay as a child raised in the hothouse flower environment of the Whittier-Clay penthouse could be.
Before I could give him the short version of Cate Whittier-Clay’s philosophy regarding making friends and influencing people, we reached Helena’s apartment.
a dented metal trash can a la Oscar the Grouch
“Even so, you still shouldn’t park the car right here.” He threw me a look. “Why not?” “Don’t you watch movies? Most serial killers are caught by observant meter maids. I assume the same applies to other criminals, too.”
Luckily for his deficient plan, I had enough upper body strength and flexibility to pull myself from the bottom rung to a position where I could scramble up the rungs like a monkey. It occurred to me that most sidekicks, including the long-limbed Lynn, would have had a hard time executing that move. Sadly, though, my acrobatic maneuver was probably the best part of the plan
Lucian had shown us how to make blender stage blood on a budget. Ketchup and cocoa powder were the main ingredients.
Totally ketchup. I nearly gagged. I loathe condiments—all condiments, but ketchup and mustard in particular. Rosemary said it was because I was un-American.
Then I heard a male voice rumble low in Spanish. I froze. That definitely wasn’t Victor’s voice. A second voice answered, also in Spanish, also not Victor.
That’s it. I was not going to spend what might be the last minutes of my life comparing myself to my sisters and coming up lacking. If I was going to die, I was going to die fighting.
It occurred to me that if the intruders did open the closet they certainly wouldn’t be looking up. While I may not have had a weapon, I was freakishly limber thanks to years of yoga and Pilates.
He was rolling from side to side, with his right knee drawn up to his chest as if he were doing the apanasana pose.
We speak Portuguese in Brazil.” “Really?” I felt like a dope. “Yeah.” “Wait—why?” “Because Pope Alexander the VI gave Brazil to the Portuguese.
Most Brazilians know Spanish, as well.
Financial markets news sounded like something that would interest Sage and old, rich guys and no one else.
She’s on the run, Victor. She wanted to leave you a clue but she didn’t want to just leave it in plain sight—in case Gabriel got here first.”
But this is how everyone drives in Rio. Fast.” I silently added Rio de Janeiro to my list of countries not to drive in. It’s a long list.
the main branch of the New York Public Library—the one in Manhattan with the famous, majestic lions Patience and Fortitude guarding the steps.
He led me to the mixed-use research rooms on the first floor and poked his head into one room after another, looking for a vacant one. They were all buzzing with activity, except for the periodical research room
“It could be a mobile number that the person just never changed,” I cautioned. Even though Rosemary was now in Los Angeles and Sage was in South Carolina, they’d kept their Boston and Washington, DC cell phone numbers.
I wasn’t particularly surprised. I spoke on the phone with my sisters pretty regularly, but I mainly texted everyone else unless I had a specific reason to call instead.
We stared at each other for a long moment. The silence stretched from normal to socially acceptable to downright weird.
we caught every red light on our route. It was like the reverse of riding an urban wave. It was a jerky, slow, no-fun urban lazy river.
Hang in there. I know a good Cuban joint not too far from here—over in Hell’s Kitchen. I’ll buy you a sandwich
“Be still. And be quiet, would you? Those two guys from Helena’s apartment are walking through the lot, headed toward us.”
I slid down to the passenger side floor and rolled myself into a tight child’s pose with my head down.
We huddled side by side on the metal park bench, eating our bodega snacks and drinking our overpriced bottled waters. “I will have to take you to Cuba Libra some time.
