Page 45 of Waylaid in Whittier

“It was me. I figured this old relic was getting ready to break down,” she said. “It’s Saturday, after all.”

“What does Saturday have to do with the elevator breaking down?”

“Old Ellie. That’s our nickname for her, is on a regular schedule. She breaks down on Saturdays and Wednesdays.”

“Almost always on those days,” the man standing behind her added. “Although Ellie is occasionally ahead of schedule.”

“We’ve learned how to fix her. All you have to do is press a certain sequence of buttons and voila. She’s back in action.” The elderly woman stepped into the elevator. “Do you still want to go up?”

“Yes please. To the fifth floor,” Sharky said.

“That’s where I’m going. I live on five.” She pressed the button and waited for the doors to close. “You’re not from around here. Are you visiting friends?”

Millie and Sharky exchanged a quick glance. “Actually, we’re here to find out more about a resident. Do you know Wanda Tillman?”

“Wanda lives across the hall and down from me,” she said. “She was attacked the other night by a friend of hers.”

“Elvira Cobb,” Sharky said. “We’re friends. Not Wanda’s friend, but Elvira’s.”

A flicker of confusion flitted across her face. “You don’t say.”

The elevator stopped on the fifth floor, and the doors opened.

“Wanda and Elvira seemed to hit it off. At least that’s what Wanda told me last time I talked to her.”

“Elvira didn’t attack her. We’re trying to figure out who did.” Millie pointed to herself. “I’m Millie and this is Sharky. We work on board the cruise ship that docked this morning.”

“Oh, yes. Your ship is beautiful. The big cruise ships dock every Saturday in the summer. Sometimes they leave the same day, while other times they stay overnight.”

“We’ll be in port overnight,” Millie said. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I caught your name.”

“Because I didn’t give it to you.” She lowered her voice. “My children keep warning me bad people prey on older adults. I promised them I wouldn’t share personal information about myself with strangers.”

“I suppose that’s a good idea. We live in different times these days.”

“I guess this means you aren’t willing to share information about Wanda, who she associated with, if you knew anyone who may have had a reason to attack her,” Sharky said.

“I don’t mind talking about Wanda. She’s been busy lately, hardly ever at home and always on the go. I finally stopped her last week to ask her what she was up to. That’s when she toldme she was working with a production company, the one who is filming a show about gold mining.”

Millie’s heart skipped a beat. “She and Elvira were part of the same group. I believe a few others in the group are locals. From what we were told, they’re wrapping things up for the season.”

Wanda’s no-name neighbor coyly placed her hand on her hip. “She’s been busy entertaining at least two of them at her place. I’ve seen them come and go.”

“Do you remember what they looked like?”

The woman described Alex, the producer and Carter Morley to a ‘t.’ “Wanda is a looker. Why, she’s had plenty of boyfriends, but I’ve never seen her juggling two at the same time.”

While No-name talked, Sharky stepped off to the side and began tapping the top of his phone. He motioned toward Wanda’s neighbor. “Our friend forwarded me a photo of the gold mining team. I was wondering if you could confirm these are the men you saw.”

The woman pressed on the bridge of her glasses. “I’ll try.”

Sharky held up his phone and turned it toward her.

No-name squinted her eyes and studied the photo. “It’s a bit small. My eyesight isn’t what it used to be.”

“Let me make it bigger.” Sharky double-clicked on the photo and turned the screen back around.

“Yes. I believe I recognize the two men standing in the front.”

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