Statue of Limitations Read online

  “Athena?” Kevin called. “Are you there?”

  Damn! I’d forgotten about Kevin.

  I whispered to Case, “It’s my”—I hated what I was about to call him—“boyfriend. He must have come back to walk me home. Wait in the office until we leave, then give me about twenty minutes to get back. I’ll figure out a place for you to stay in the meantime.”

  I felt a vibration and slid my cell phone out of my pocket, only then remembering I’d put it on mute for the meeting. I checked the home screen and saw two text messages and two missed calls from Kevin, all in the span of ten minutes.

  He knocked again, louder this time. “Athena? Are you okay?”

  “Be right there, Kev.” I turned to Case and pointed toward the office. “Go!”

  I walked as calmly as possible to the front, running my fingers through my hair and trying to compose myself. Glancing around to be sure Case was out of sight, I unlocked the door and opened it. “Hey, you surprised me.”

  “I wasn’t about to let you walk home alone.”

  He wasn’t going to let me?

  “Why didn’t you answer my text messages or phone calls?”

  I gave him a nonchalant shrug. “I put the phone on mute during the meeting and forgot about it. I guess I just lost track of time. Stay right here and I’ll grab my purse.”

  Before I could get away, Kevin snagged my hand and led me to the front door. “You’ve had a long day, darling. Relax. I’ll get your purse. It’s in the office, right?”

  I grabbed his arm. “No!”

  At Kevin’s startled look I gave his arm a squeeze and said, “No need to look there. I left it in the outdoor center on a white wrought-iron bench. Why don’t you go take a look?”

  “Athena, you know you’d never leave your purse outside with Oscar around.” And then he set off toward the office.

  I scurried after him, my heart thumping in my ears as I called loudly enough for Case to hear, “You don’t need to check the office, Kevin. I’m positive my purse isn’t there.”

  I caught up with him just as he opened the door and flipped on the light. “Hey,” he exclaimed, “what’s going on here?”

  I felt my forehead. It was hot to the touch. “Kevin, before you overreact—”

  “Looks like someone got a new coffee maker and didn’t tell me.”

  I almost collapsed from nerves.

  As Kevin strode over to the side table to have a look, I peered around the room, but there was no sign of Case, not even behind the floor-length drapes covering the rear window. The only other place he could be was under the big oak desk. Thank God it had a solid front.

  “I told you my purse wasn’t here. Now how about checking the garden while I take a look around the shop.” I tried to turn Kevin by the shoulders and push him toward the doorway but instead he pivoted and headed straight for the desk.

  Dear God.

  I squeezed my eyes shut as he stooped down.

  “I knew it,” he exclaimed. He held up my tan leather bag.

  I reached for the console table to steady myself. Where had Case gone?

  My hand was shaking as I took the bag and slung it over my shoulder. “You’re the best, Kev. Now let’s get out of here.”

  “I’m with you on that,” he said. “You look really stressed, sweetheart.”

  “You have no idea.”

  As Kevin charged out the door, I glanced around one last time, let out a sigh of relief, then shut off the light and closed the door. But as I passed the bathroom on my left, I caught Case’s reflection in the mirror over the sink, and my stomach dropped to my knees.

  At the door, Kevin put his arm around me and gave me a gentle squeeze. “You know what you need? A glass of wine to relax you. How about we stop at our favorite piano bar? My treat.”

  Our favorite piano bar? We’d been there exactly twice. “That’s sweet of you, Kevin, but I really have to get home to tuck Nicholas in bed. Maybe another time. It’s been a long, tiring day.”

  And it was getting longer by the second. I needed to get home, but I couldn’t very well leave Case hanging, so I’d have to come up with a plan fast.

  “Then I’ll walk you home,” he said, giving my shoulders another squeeze.

  I had an idea.

  “Hey, Kev, I need to use the restroom before we go. Wait right here.”

  I handed him my purse and then scurried toward the bathroom. But on the way, I had another thought and my heart started beating like a drum. What if Kevin decided he had to go, too?

  I shut the bathroom door and turned on the light, causing Case to blink at the sudden brightness.

  “There’s been a change in plans,” I whispered. “You’re going to have to spend the night here after all. There’s a throw blanket on one of the wicker sofas, and protein bars and bottled water in the mini fridge in the office.”

  “And apparently,” Case said in a low voice, “a new coffee maker.”

  Despite my nerves I had to laugh but faked a cough to cover it. Considering the rough two days he’d had, it was amazing Case had managed to keep his sense of humor.

  I lifted the toilet lid, let it close with a solid thud, and then flushed, whispering, “I’ll be back before seven in the morning. If Dad comes in early, he’ll go straight to the office, so you can slip out through the rear door to the garden area in back.” I waited a beat, then added with a slight smile, “But then I don’t need to tell you how to come and go as you please.”

  This time it was Case who tried to hide a smile.

  I ran the water so Kevin would think I was washing my hands. “You’ll have to stay here until you hear me shut the front door and lock it.”

  “Give me your cell number so I can get in touch with you.”

  I was about to do so when I remembered the precarious position he was in. “You’ve got to ditch your phone. You’re traceable with it.”

  “Damn. I hadn’t thought of that.” He pulled it out of his pocket and looked around. “Where?”

  I grabbed it out of his hand, stuck it in my purse, then turned off the water. “I’ll dump it somewhere on my way home.” I was about to open the door when I remembered something else. “How did you get into town?” I whispered.

  “I took a cab from the airport.”

  “Good. Then there’s no car to worry about. What about your travel bag? I’m assuming you brought one with you.”

  “I left it in my room at the Hilton. I was afraid to go back for it in case I was recognized.”

  “It’s probably been confiscated by now. After all the press over the murder, I’m sure someone at the Hilton recognized your name and called the police. I’ll have to get some clothing for you.”

  I waited until Case had stepped into the stall, then I turned out the light and opened the door.

  “Athena,” Case whispered.

  I paused to listen.

  “Thank you again.”

  Thursday

  I sat straight up in bed. I had it! Pappoús’s old fishing boat. He hadn’t used it in over a year because of his arthritic hips and probably would never use it again. There were even a couple of fishing outfits my grandfather kept there that Case could use.

  I lay back with a relieved sigh. I’d racked my brain for an hour before falling asleep, trying to think of a hideout. Now, finally, I had a plan. I glanced at the clock, then threw back the covers. Six a.m. I had two hours to get Case to the boat, fix his disguise, then get back to the house in time to get Nicholas off to school.

  I’d taken a shower the night before, so all I had to do was apply blush and mascara, clip my hair into a loose bun, and don a pair of jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. I tiptoed down the staircase that ran down to the front door, avoiding the creaky stairs, then scooted up the hallway to the kitchen in back. I grabbed a piece of homemade oatmeal bread from the refrigerator and toasted it while the coffee brewed.

  With a full belly, a small thermos of coffee, and a few surprises for Case in my purse, I left
the house and walked toward Sequoia Harbor three blocks west. My pappoús’s boat was docked at the southern end of the harbor on the last of three piers along the wide, wooden dock, directly across from the shops on Greene that were to be demolished. I put up the hood on my sweatshirt and strode toward the boat, avoiding eye contact with the fishermen busily preparing for the day. With my height and lean body, I knew I could be mistaken for a young man out for a walk.

  Pappoús’s old blue boat was coated with grime, but I wasn’t worried about the outside. I found the hidden key that unlocked the cabin door and went below. I hadn’t been on board for years, so I was relieved to see that the interior was in fine shape—no leaks, no mold, and everything exactly as I remembered it. There was a blue vinyl built-in sofa across from the galley, with two plastic chairs and a small, square white Formica table in the middle that was bolted to the floor. Beyond that was a tiny bathroom followed by a cozy bedroom tucked into the front of the boat.

  In the bedroom, I searched the drawers of the built-in dresser and found a pair of worn, denim pants and a navy-and-white–striped T-shirt emblazoned with the Greek word Páme, the name of Pappoús’s boat. In another drawer I found a black fishing vest with multiple pockets, and a pair of blue boxers. I located a black leather Greek-style cap and brown boat shoes in a small utility closet by the cabin door, threw everything in a bag, then checked the time.

  Six forty a.m. I could give the inside a quick dusting and beat it over to the garden center. On my way out, I glanced around to be sure no one was watching, then dropped Case’s cell phone over the side, watching as it descended into the watery depths.

  The downtown was deserted as I made my way up Greene Street to Spencer’s. I opened the front door, shut it quickly behind me, and locked it again. Then, just to be sure no one surprised me, I threw the bolt, too, so they’d have to knock when they got there. They wouldn’t be happy about it but, oh well. Mistakes happened.

  I glanced around but didn’t see any sign of Case. I even walked over to the wicker sofa, but it was empty. The office door was still closed, which meant Dad hadn’t been there. Case must have hidden when he heard my key in the lock.

  “Case? It’s me.”

  He stepped out of the shadows near the bathroom, a cup of coffee in one hand, looking a little worse for the wear but not quite as tired as the evening before. I held out the bag. “I brought you something to wear.”

  “Thank God. I need to get out of these.”

  Standing behind the counter, I set the bag on the floor and began to remove the clothing. “Were you able to sleep?”

  “Off and on. Something kept rattling around in the garden area.”

  “That was probably Oscar. He’s a young raccoon we’ve kind of adopted.”

  Case picked up the T-shirt and held it against his shoulders. “This isn’t going to fit. Your grandfather must be a size smaller than me.”

  “It’ll be tight but it’s the best I can do on short notice.”

  “What does Páme mean?”

  “You’re not saying it right. It’s not like the word fame. It’s pah-may, the name of my pappoús’s boat. That’s Greek for ‘let’s go.’ ”

  He picked up the black vest and Greek cap. “You want me to wear these?”

  “Yes, they’re part of your disguise, and stop acting like there’s something wrong with them. You’re lucky my grandpa keeps spare fishing outfits on his boat, which is where you’re going to be staying, by the way.”

  “On his fishing boat?”

  “It’s the perfect hideaway. The boat is docked at the far end of the harbor on the last pier all the way at the end where few people go. It has a cozy living area below deck and the best part is that you’ll be safe there.”

  “What if your grandfather decides to go fishing?”

  “He doesn’t use the boat anymore because of his arthritis.”

  Case lifted the underwear as though it was a piece of bad meat. “Okay, there’s no way I’m wearing another man’s boxers.”

  I shrugged. “Then I guess you’ll have to go commando.”

  Giving me a scowl, he picked up the clothes.

  “They’re clean,” I said. “Get over it. You’re a Greek fisherman now, Dimitrius.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Case’s dark eyebrows lowered. “Demitrius? As in the movie Demitrius and the Gladiators?”

  “That’s the Roman version,” I said as I led the way toward the bathroom. “A Greek version is Dimitrius with an i. To keep things simple, we’ll use Costas as your surname since it’s your mother’s maiden name.”

  “But Dimitrius? Seriously, am I ninety? How about shortening it to something sexier, like, I don’t know . . . Dimitri.”

  Why did he want a sexy name? Not that it mattered to me.

  I stopped in the short hallway that led to the bathroom and kitchenette. “I happen to think Dimitrius sounds more dignified, but we’ll use whatever you like.”

  Case glanced down at the clothes in his arms. “Dignified in this outfit?”

  “It’s temporary.” I opened my purse and pulled out a pair of hair-cutting shears that Selene had given to me, snipping the air in front of him. “Now go get dressed and then we’ve got to get over to the boat. I need to cut your hair to finish your transformation.”

  Muttering under his breath something about Sweeney Todd, murderous barbers, and bossy women, he walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

  When Case stepped into the office a few minutes later, I had to pinch my lips to keep from laughing. Gone was the smartly dressed stranger in his navy loafers, slim jeans, and suede jacket. In his place stood a pale-faced fisherman in a black vest covered with small pockets, a striped T-shirt that was stretched tight across the shoulders, baggy denim jeans that were too short, and bare feet stuffed into a pair of old leather boat shoes.

  “I look ridiculous.”

  Trying not to laugh I said, “You’ll only have to wear them long enough to get onto the boat. I’ll buy something else for you to wear later today.”

  “Then I need to pay you.” He took a wallet out of his pants pocket and pulled out some bills. “Here’s a hundred dollars and change. If it costs more, I’ll pay you as soon as I can get to an ATM. . . .” A look of shock and then of anger flashed across his face as he stared at the bills in his hand. “Damn it! This is all I have. I can’t use my ATM card or my credit cards. They’re traceable, too.”

  I could only imagine how helpless he felt—his phone gone, limited cash, no other way to pay for anything, and only one person, a stranger at that, on whom he could rely. “Keep your money. You might need it. There’ll be plenty of time to repay me after we’ve cleared your name.”

  He gazed at me for a long moment, his deep-set eyes searching mine, as though saying, You really trust me.

  But did I?

  “Okay,” I said lightly, “let’s finish up here before someone shows up. We’ve got work to do and I have to get back home to get my son off to school.”

  “You have a son?”

  “Yes, and that’s all you need to know. Here’s a bag. Let’s pack up your clothes.”

  As soon as we’d hid all traces of his being there, we left through the back door and crossed the outside garden center until we reached the narrow lane behind the shops on Greene. I opened the garbage bin and had started to drop the plastic bag with his things in it when he grabbed it out of my hand. “Not happening. These clothes weren’t cheap.”

  I thought for a moment. “Okay, then we’ll hide them in the hold of the boat.”

  We walked up the lane for two blocks, then turned east on Pine Avenue to head toward the harbor. But just as we were approaching the traffic light on Greene, I spotted Delphi on the other side of the street waiting for the light to change. I couldn’t imagine what she was doing out so early. She rarely rose before eight o’clock.

  “My sister’s across the street,” I whispered to Case. “Get behind the lamppost. Maybe she hasn’t spotted
us yet.”

  “Do you really think a lamppost is going to hide me?”

  “Do you really think you’re ready to try out your new identity? I haven’t even cut your hair yet. Mess it up, quick.”

  “Thenie, hi!” Delphi called, waving, as Case tried to hide while he ruffled his hair. She glanced both ways and started across, a perpetual flower child in her colorful peasant blouse and a long, flowing white cotton skirt with her favorite bright green flip-flops.

  “Pretend you don’t know me,” I whispered, then stepped forward to greet her. “Hey, Delph. You’re out early this morning.”

  “My stomach woke me up so I’m heading over to the diner to have breakfast with Yiayiá and Pappoús. Want to join me?”

  “I’ve already eaten, but tell them I said hi.”

  Her attention shifted to my right and a smile lit up her face. “Oh, hello.”

  I spun around in alarm as Case stepped up to the curb, his hair in disarray. “Good morning.”

  My sister stuck out her hand. “Delphi Spencer.”

  “Dimitrius Costas,” he said in a husky voice, taking her hand. “But you can call me Dimitri.”

  “Hi, Dimitri,” Delphi replied cheerily. She cocked her head to one side. “Don’t I know you from somewhere?”

  “I doubt it. I’m sure I wouldn’t have forgotten a pretty face like yours.”

  I discreetly poked my finger into his back, making him wince. “Dimitri was just asking for directions to the harbor.”

  Case clapped his hand on my shoulder. “And this kind woman has volunteered to show me.”

  My sister tapped her finger against her chin, clearly trying to work things out. I expected her to ask what I was doing out so early but instead she said, “I could swear we’ve met before, Dimitri.”

  “Nope,” I said, removing Case’s hand from my shoulder. “He’s brand-new in town. I’ll see you back at the diner later, Delph. Let’s go, Dimitri.”

  Fuming inside, I started across the street and didn’t notice the light had changed. As an oncoming SUV came at me, Case grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the way.