Night Shift (Book 1, the Night Shift series)

Chapter Twenty-four

Mary spun around and stared at Daniel, waiting for an explanation.

"Stacey was trying to get Mr. Hadley's attention the other day," he said. "Monique thinks she's up to something." Daniel's chest grew tight—he still hadn't called her.

"Sounds like Monique has all the answers," Mary said. "You guys make a super great team."

Jonathan snickered. "Somebody's jealous."

Mary marched over to the long row of filing cabinets and pulled out one of the drawers. Her fingers ran over a thick rows of tabs, then she chose a thin yellow folder. "Stacey's employee file," she said, opening it on the desk.

Ruth Ann read over her shoulder. "Look at the education section," she said, pointing to the form. "She's enrolled in fashion design at Cazanovia College."

"That's no surprise," Daniel said. "Monique told me as much."

Ruth Ann gave him a critical look and said, "By the way, you should be working on your high school diploma. With all the online courses available, there's no excuse for neglecting your education."

"You looked at my file?"

"Of course," she answered. "That's how we knew about your birthday. Don't change the subject. You need to study. I could tutor you, I'm always up for a challenge."

Daniel was all too aware of Jonathan's death stare, and getting his GED wasn't worth losing a limb.

Mary closed the file and tapped her finger on the cover. "There's nothing in here that connects her to Maureen."

Ruth Ann took the file and returned it to the cabinet. The sound of footsteps echoing down the jewelry aisle made everyone jump.

Before Daniel could blink, Jonathan grabbed Ruth Ann's hand and ran around the potted ferns down the hallway. He stared at Mary, not sure what to do.

She hesitated, then raced after the others. He followed her along the wall of black-and-white pictures and through a door at the end of the hallway. It was like he'd been dropped inside a computer; the electrical room was covered with wires and blinking lights. There must have been hundreds of little switches. He swallowed, remembering Mr. Hadley and Mr. Travis quizzing him about this place.

They stayed quiet, listening to Mr. Oliver move around the office. Once it was clear he'd settled, they began to whisper.

Jonathan struck a theatrical pose and said, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!"

A smile curled up Ruth Ann's mouth. "Sons of the Desert," she answered.

Mary began, "I've been thinking, since we're not sure why Stacey has Maureen's dress, we should keep it secret."

"Poor Blanche," Ruth Ann said. "She's convinced Maureen is back."

Daniel said, "I don't understand their connection." He paused, trying to figure out how to ask the next question. "I mean, she didn't know about your life, like I do...right?"

Mary shared a look with Jonathan and Ruth Ann, then her shoulders slumped like she was too tired to put on the charade any longer. "Blanche used to leave her signed notes," she told him. "When Maureen misplaced things, I'd help find them at night. It was Blanche's idea to leave a little message with the item. Then one day, while adjusting a new outfit on Blanche, she called her by name."

Ruth Ann continued, "Eventually, it became normal for Maureen to talk to her."

"But you never met her?" Daniel asked. How could Blanche be in love with someone she'd never spoken with? It sounded so painfully desperate, yet self-indulgent at the same time. "If Maureen was so important to her," he said, "why didn't Blanche just risk it?"