A Web So Dark and Deadly

Chapter Seven

The microwave beeps, and I remove my mug, placing it on the counter. I place a lemon tea bag inside, then join Saige on the couch. She's flipping through a magazine with cars on the cover.

"Since when were you into auto mechanics?" Saige asks.

I sink onto taupe-colored cushions, letting the steaming tea warm my face. "Since never."

Saige chuckles. "Don't you think you can ask Tabitha for more interesting subscriptions?"

"She probably would." I bring the rim of my mug to my lips, then remember that it's still scalding hot. I set it down on a coaster sitting on the coffee table before me.

"It's just ridiculous. Another of these magazines is about insects." Saige lifts another magazine from the pile of mail I just got. Two bulbous eyes stare at me from the cover, and I look away from the giant stinger on the creature's backside, though a smile still tugs at my lips.

"Please put that down." I flip through the junk mail, ads for pool repair, new restaurants, and real estate. I reach one advertising a free coupon to a hair salon. "Hey, I can get my hair done." I flip the shiny plastic page over. My brow furrows when they fall on the address. "Saige, look."

Saige leans over. "Ms. Kylie Willden?"

I shrug. "I have no idea."

The doorbell rings, and I drop the coupon. A pizza delivery girl stands outside, handing me a deliciously aromatic, extra-large box. I hand her a fifty-dollar tip, then bound over to the kitchen table.

"Dinner is served!" I lift the box to reveal eight huge slices. Fresh basil and tomatoes decorate the broiled, brown mozzarella, and parmesan dusts the charred crust. "Ooh, this looks so good." I tear a piece from the pie. The cheese stretches for days before it lands on my plate. I take a large bite. Hands down, this is the best pizza I've ever had.

Saige slowly approaches. I'm about to shove a slice in her mouth so she can join in on the deliciousness, but pause at her expression. She seems contemplative, edging toward suspicion.

"Have you looked into any of Tabitha's former employees?"

"No."

"Because I wonder if Ms. Kylie Willden used to work for Tabitha. Maybe she lived in this very apartment."

"Or Ms. Willden could've been the former owner before Tabitha bought the place. Heck, she could've lived here for months before."

Saige slides into a chair, gaze fixed on the cream-colored tablecloth. "Didn't you say there were some weird mugs when you got here?"

"Yeah." My mouth is full as I talk, and I bite off more steaming hot cheese, not caring that it's searing my mouth.

"And if you notice, all the other mail has Tabitha's name or 'current resident' listed. Nothing has your name on it. Nothing has had anyone else's name."

"I don't get your point."

Saige sighs, finally dipping into the pizza box. "I'm just saying that something isn't right here."

"Well, how do I find out anything about Kylie Willden?"

"I don't know. Try finding her Insta or something."

Reluctantly, I put my dinner down and retrieve my phone from the couch. I sit across from Saige at the table, gnawing on the last bit of pizza crust while I type Kylie's name into Instagram.

"No results," I announce. I try Facebook and LinkedIn, too, just to be sure. Far too many results show up on Facebook for me to sort through, but on LinkedIn, only five profiles show up. I click on each one.