Flat White Fatality by Emmeline Duncan

Author:Emmeline Duncan [Duncan, Emmeline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2023-02-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Like so many of the new apartments that had sprung up in Portland, Robbie’s east side apartment along a bustling street felt like a modern take on a shoebox. One wall of the living room was a galley kitchen. The limited counter space was spotless, with just an empty dish drainer next to the sink and a stainless steel teakettle.

As I put down the stack of boxes ready to be assembled that I’d carried up, I glanced around again. There wasn’t space in the room for a full-sized couch, which Robbie hadn’t even tried to work in. Her computer setup dominated the room. Three screens were mounted on the wall over her metal desk, and her silver gaming chair had a race-car feel. The small white library cart tucked under the desk held a couple of controllers, keyboards, and a grid notebook. A teal velvet love seat and small coffee table were tucked in the corner, like a touch of whimsy in an industrial warehouse. A plate with a fork on top, the remnants of what looked like egg yolk, and a half-full water glass sat on the table. Like Robbie ate her meals there.

Given the general air of cleanliness in her apartment, I bet Robbie planned on cleaning up the breakfast plate when she returned home from work. But she’d never returned.

The walls were bare, with no artwork or photographs other than a single postcard from Sydney, Australia, propped up on the windowsill. I picked it up and noted the yellowing around the corners. The address on the back showed it had been sent to Robbie at Oregon State University, and the message was simple. Miss you, Boo, and it was signed Rebecca.

I walked down the hallway and peeked into the open door of the bathroom. Her teal bathroom towels matched the rug in the middle of the tiled floor and a shelf with neatly lined up skin and hair care bottles. I recognized the brand of the leave-in conditioner; everything they sold had a beach theme, and it looked like she had everything they made. Her makeup in a light plastic bin also had a surfer-girl vibe.

Hmm. I wondered if Robbie had taken a California surfer girl persona when she’d visited Australia.

At the end of the short hallway, her bedroom felt like it belonged to another person, one who’d spent a lot of time browsing the intersection of romantic and whimsical furniture on Pinterest. The faded white iron bed frame looked like a modern take on a vintage concept, as did the vanity and matching bedside tables. The yellow-and-pink quilt on her bed looked handmade by an expert.

“My grandmother made this for her,” Ivy said softly, and touched the yellow star pattern on the bed’s quilt. “I’m glad she kept a reminder of her past.”

“It’s lovely.”

“My grandmother sold quilts in a local shop. ‘Talented’ is an understatement,” Ivy said. “Do you have any ideas on what I should do with the furniture? It’s lovely, but I don’t need it.

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