The Neighbors in Apartment 3D: A Domestic Suspense Novel by C.G. Twiles

Author:C.G. Twiles [Twiles, C.G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Muradal Publishing
Published: 2020-08-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Four

The wind cut a blade across Cintra’s face. She pulled the zipper on the collar of her jogging sweater stiff under her chin. She should have worn something warmer. Across the street, an empty playground sat behind wire fencing.

If the school worked like Boston’s old middle school, the kids would be coming out after lunch, around 12:30 p.m. She hoped she’d be able to recognize Leo from this far away. She also hoped she was remembering the name of Leo’s school correctly, almost certain that at the first dinner, June had said he went to The Science Center.

She was peeking over the hood of a bakery delivery truck, but when a man got in it and drove off, she slithered up to a streetlight post. A few signs hung on the post: a missing Cattle dog, a flea market, a community board meeting. She pretended to study them. Then she killed more time by walking to the end of the block, turning around, and walking back. She did that twice.

On the second time, she noticed kids scrambling out of a side door and into the playground, which contained a multi-colored jungle gym and two basketball hoops on either end. She ducked behind another light post, the wind whipping into her eyes.

The kids split off into various groups and pairs, chasing each other, climbing the jungle gym, and kicking balls around. A few sat on the pavement by the fence, reading. A woman, presumably a teacher, threaded between the kids, occasionally talking to them. It was a diverse array of children, but not too many blondes. Cintra thought she’d be able to pick out Leo if she got closer. After waiting for a line of cars to pass, she crossed the street.

A yellow-haired kid was atop the jungle gym, waving an arm, spinning around. When the child turned, Cintra saw it wasn’t Leo. Tightening her arms around her chest, she moved to a closer light post, acting as if the signs on that one had drawn her attention: a missing elderly woman; the same missing Cattle dog; a pet sitter ad.

Her gaze switched back to the playground and focused in on a blond child in a blue and red windbreaker, kicking a ball between two other kids. The child yelled something, and as the ball shot towards the fence and bounced against it, the child ran to it and Cintra spotted Leo’s dyed blue stripe of hair. She swiftly approached the fence.

“Hey, Leo!” she called.

Leo swiveled his head up, as if the sound had come from the sky.

“Leo!” she called again.

He looked at her, recognition dawning on his face. “Oh, hi,” he said, picking up the ball and tossing it back towards another child.

“Cintra. Remember me?”

“Yeahhhh….” he said.

“I’m June’s friend. I saw you last night at dinner.”

“Yeah, sure,” he said, with a “gotcha” flick of his finger and thumb. “I remember.”

“Cool. I had an appointment near here and happened to see you. How are you doing?”

“Good.” He looked over his shoulder for his friends.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.