opened her hand, showing a large red capsule. Leesa’s eyes widened. Kayla raised her eyebrows as if to question if Leesa wanted it. Leesa frowned and mouthed, “No.”
Kayla closed her hand again. Leesa didn’t move, terrified that a guard might have seen. She sneaked another look at Kayla, who snickered.
Leesa returned her attention to the screen until the credits finally rolled. I’ve got to get away from this woman. If I take it, maybe she’ll leave me alone. No, I can’t—not here. They might be watching.
Officer Johnson passed out the test and pencils. Everyone concentrated on taking the test. She felt confident, as she saw the questions looked easy. Relieved, she relaxed.
Kayla dropped a red capsule on Leesa’s test paper.
Leesa snatched it before the officer could see it. Oh, no! What am I going to do with this? How did she get it in here? She stared at her test. I dare not look up. I’m through, but I don’t want to look up. She dropped the capsule in her pocket.
Five minutes later, Officer Johnson stood in the front of the room. “Pass your papers forward. Everyone sit quietly until your name is called.” He and two other officers began checking papers. The other two continued checking while Officer Johnson stood with a few tests in his hand.
“I will call your name. Come up and get your exam. Return to your seat until everyone has their exam.”
He began calling names. The other two officers finished checking exams and gave them to Officer Johnson. He called everyone’s name except Leesa’s. Then he handed her the exam. He had written a note across the top. “You should be using an alias. You passed.” She attempted to keep her joy hidden and immediately folded the sheet. As quick as she was, she knew Kayla had seen.
Officers escorted them outside, where they met Joe. “We’re done for today. See you all Monday.”
The rest of the crew left and Leesa took her time getting to the limo so no one would see her. She sensed someone behind her and saw Kayla following her. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Kayla patted her on the back. “I’m trying to make a friend. What’s with you? You don’t want to be my friend, Leesa?”
Oh great. She knows my name.
Kayla put her hand on Leesa’s back. “Miss Leesa, you took my pill. I guess you know what that means.”
Leesa shuddered and felt in her pocket for the pill. “Here you can have it. I didn’t want it in the first place.”
Kayla removed her hand and stepped into Leesa’s way. “Well, you took it. I don’t give refunds.”
The woman wants money. Good grief. How much do you pay someone for a pill you don’t want and from someone you never want to see again?
Kayla shook her head. “It’s all right. I’ll see you later. But just in case I don’t, here’s my number.” She held out a scrap of paper.
Leesa took the paper and tried to end the conversation on a positive note. “Thanks, Kayla. Tell me how much you want for the pill. I’ll pay for it.”
“I knew you would.”
***
Leesa called for Cook as she entered the house. “Did you talk to the attorney?”
Cook came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. “He said he had good news and you should call him as soon as you got home. He gave me his cell number.”
Leesa snatched it out of Cook’s hand and ran upstairs. She sat at her home office desk and breathlessly punched in the numbers.
He answered on the third ring. “Aaron Stern.”
Does he not have caller ID? “This is Leesa Lane.”
Mr. Stern cleared his throat. “Leesa, I have good news for you. You got a good report from the trash pickup crew officer. You passed the driver’s test. The judge granted me a favor. You can switch to an inside job.”
Leesa fell back into her chair. “Oh, thank heaven. It has been pure hell. I’m sore all over, and working with those people is just awful.”
Mr. Stern continued, “You got high marks for cooperation and attitude.”
Leesa sat back up, rubbing her back. “Okay. Where do I go next?”
Mr. Stern’s voice softened. “Leesa, you don’t have to do forty hours a week. I know it was my first recommendation, but I think you’re pushing yourself too hard. You can do twenty a week. Trying to do this in forty-hour chunks isn’t necessary.”
Easy for you to say. You’re not the one with this hanging over your head. “I have nothing better to do, and I want to get it out of the way.”
“All right. Monday morning, you check in with the Los Angeles criminal records department. Your job will be filing and anything else they ask you to do. It’s hard work.”
“It can’t be worse than what I’ve been doing. At least it will be air-conditioned. It will be air-conditioned, won’t it?”
Mr. Stern’s voice brightened. “It’s air-conditioned. And I have more good news. If you keep up the good reports, you can get a better placement than filing. So keep up the good work.”
She hung up, headed to her bedroom, and threw herself on the white bedspread. “Oh, I hurt all over.”
A nice hot bath—that’s what I need.
She got up to run a bath and noticed smudges of dirt on the bedspread. “I’m filthy, I’m hurting, and I’m tired. But I am so glad I don’t have to go back to the road cleanup crew.”
She took a long soak, then went down to the main kitchen to raid the refrigerator. Cook had already gone to her quarters across the patio, and Leesa sat alone with her Dagwood sandwich and a bag of chips in front of the Olympic-sized pool.
I wonder what Lyza’s doing? As angry as I am about Father’s will, I still miss her. She’s up to her neck in L. L. Lane Unlimited business. I bet she’s loving being back in the spotlight. She always had to be the center of attention. Well, if she really ever wants me to come back, she can call me. She has my cell number.
Leesa looked longingly at the heated pool. “I am so sore.” She dangled her feet in the water. “Feels good.” Next she sat on the steps going down into the water, soaking her sweat pants. “Oh, I don’t care.” She leaned back into the warm water and floated across the pool, enjoying the water.
Her pants got heavy, and she pulled them off. Then her blouse billowed in the waves and she pulled it off. Finally, she was comfortable in her panties and bra. She began swimming slow laps around the pool.
The water felt so clean. Leesa never wanted to be dirty again. She never wanted to pick up trash along the highway while people drove by so fast they kicked up papers, dirt, and trash all around her.
I’m never going to do this again. I lost my temper. I can’t do that. Next they’ll put me in some kind of anger management classes. Like I need anger management. If I did need it, I’d get it somewhere else.
She shuddered as she remembered the crew. And that Kayla, she scares me. I don’t want her for a friend. And I sure don’t want her as an enemy. I hope I never see that woman again. Leesa closed her eyes and did the backstroke back to the patio.
She climbed out of the pool and went upstairs.
Putting on her pajamas, she looked out the window. It was still light. I need sleep. Thank heaven tomorrow’s Saturday and I can sleep in.
Leesa lay there a long time, and then got up to pull the blinds. The room darkened, but she still couldn’t sleep.
After lying there almost forty-five minutes, she got up to get a drink. She passed her dresser and noticed the red capsule she had placed there when she emptied