by JB Lynn
“That still makes no sense,” I muttered. “Why would the DA want Angel to walk?”
Gino shrugged. “Same reason he wanted the stupid Skee-Ball. He and the bosses went to junior high together. They’re always trying to one-up each other. If we’d retrieved the stupid ball, it would have been a win for them.”
“So I risked my freedom because of adolescent one-upmanship?” I didn’t know whether to feel shocked or outraged.
“I made sure nothing happened to you,” Gino reminded me.
“And the poker game? I’m supposed to gamble my future for what, exactly?”
“Angel’s future. If this plan works and it keeps their nephew squeaky clean, the DA gets a win in their ongoing tally.”
I frowned, something in his voice was off. “You’re not telling me something.”
He shook his head and looked away.
“Gino?”
He glanced back at me. “This is one of those don’t kill the messenger type things.”
“Is my dad involved?” I asked worriedly, wondering if his life was hanging in the balance, too.
“What? No.”
“Then what aren’t you telling me.”
Gino sighed. “The girl…excuse me, woman…that O’Leary had the fender bender with is the D.A.’s kid, who happened to be Angel’s high school crush. She lapped up his knight-in-shining-armor deal and they’ve become quite the item. She’s begged Daddy to protect him. The game’s been—”
“Hang on,” I interrupted as an ember of anger flared to life in my gut. “Can you go back to the item thing and clarify what you meant by that?”
Gino rubbed his eyes. “Look, it’s none of my business and it’s not my place to get into your business…”
“You called Angel ‘my boyfriend’ knowing full well he’s with this ditz?”
“She went to Yale,” Gino said drily. “I doubt she’s a ditz.”
“And he came to my house tonight talking about how he wanted to talk about ‘us’ and had the nerve to look disappointed at my reaction,” I continued to rail.
My fear was gone. My temper was going to incinerate everything in my path. First, Griswald had used me and lied to me, then Templeton had offered me up as a sacrificial pawn for this stupid poker game, and now, now I was finding out that, just like Patrick, Angel had traded me in for an old crush. It was too much for my ego to take without letting off some steam.
“Breathe,” God urged from my shoulder.
“Shut up,” I muttered. I did not want to hear from another male at that moment.
Gino raised his hands defensively. “I get that you’re upset.”
“I’m fine,” I snapped at him.
“Yeah, I can see that.”
27
Armani smirked at me as I stumbled in the kitchen the next morning to get a cup of coffee. I hadn’t slept well, kept awake by thoughts of being manipulated to help retrieve Marlene’s daughter and figuring out what to do about the Angel situation.
“I thought you have a date with Angel this morning,” my friend said.
“It’s definitely not a date,” I told her firmly, sloshing caffeine into a cup. “How do you know about it anyway?”
“Loretta told me. She was eavesdropping on your conversation with him. So Marlene has a kid, huh?”
The way she said it, a tad too casually, aroused my suspicions.
I stared at her through the steam rising off my mug. “You knew, didn’t you?” I made no attempt to hide the bitterness from my tone. I had the impression everyone except me, the soft touch chump, had known what was going on. “That’s why you put the extra desks in the schoolroom.”
She shrugged. “I knew we’d need the desks, didn’t know why.”
“When did you find out about Alicia?”
“Leslie told me when I got home from my date with Jack last night. She had a lot to fill me in on.”
“Did you break up with him?” I asked curiously.
Armani shook her head, a satisfied smile on her lips. “He may be boring in some ways, but he makes up for it in others. Like last night he—”
I held up a hand to silence her. I didn’t need to hear the details of her sex life when I already had so many other things I was contending with. “I’ve got to get ready for breakfast.” I began to walk out.
“I’ve got a meeting today, too, with Soulful and Sinful,” she called after me.
I knew she wanted to suck me into a conversation about that, but I just raised my hand in acknowledgment and kept on walking.
Matilda was waiting for me outside of my bedroom. “The new girl doesn’t like me,” she oinked.
I couldn’t tell if she was outraged or hurt.
“Give her a break,” I told the pig, ushering her into the room. “She’s had quite the shock.”
Piss zipped in behind us as I began to close the door. “She said I smell.”
“Who did?” I asked.
“Alicia. She said I smell funny. Do I?” The cat began to contort herself, trying to sniff every inch of her body.
“Maybe she’s never had a pet,” I told the animals. “Or maybe she’s an overwhelmed little girl trying to deal with a houseful of nutjobs.”
Piss stopped sniffing to give me a curious look out of her one good eye. “What’s bothering you?”
“She has a date with Angel,” God supplied from his enclosure.
“It’s not a date,” I corrected. “Besides, he’s an item with the Yale ditz.”
“Pretty sure Yale ditz is an oxymoron,” the lizard felt compelled to offer.
“Shut up,” I muttered, pulling on clothes. “Stood out there all flirty and seductive, saying he wanted to talk about us.”
“Maybe you should give him a chance to explain himself, sugar,” Piss suggested.
“Perhaps Gino has misled you about Angel’s romantic status,” God added.
I froze in the middle of zipping my jeans. “You think so?” The idea infuriated me. I was so sick of being misled by people.
The lizard flicked his tail. “Just go into this meeting with an open mind.”
“And an open heart,” Matilda suggested. “He seemed like a very nice man.”
“You say that about any guy who gives you a scratch,” Piss pointed out mildly.
“Or food,” God added enthusiastically. “The way to your heart is through your stomach.”
I didn’t say it out loud, but it was the way to mine, too.
That’s what I was thinking as I slid into the seat opposite Angel at the crepe restaurant and inhaled all the sweet warm scents.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of ordering the special,” he said. “And coffee. I made sure to get you a coffee.”
I wanted to be all righteous, but I was starving so I just nodded my acceptance. “I get the feeling you’re buttering me up for something.”
“Open mind,” God piped up from my bra.
Angel pretended not to hear the squeaking. “Maybe I just wanted to try to make amends, smooth things over between us.”
I picked up my coffee and sipped, deliberately remaining quiet so that he’d have to continue to talk.
“I know my behavior hasn’t exactly been…” he trailed off.
“Exemplary?” I supplied. “Decent? Fair? Kind?”
He winced. “Is that how you feel?”
I nodded.
The waitress arrived and put plates down in front of us. “Two high tea specials. Anything else?”
“No thanks, we’re good,” Angel told her.
As she moved away, I looked down at my plate, eyeing the whipped cream suspiciously. Its consistency seemed off.
“One has raspberry and one lemon curd,” Angel explained. “And they’re both topped with clotted cream.”
I may have drooled as I grabbed my fork and knife and dug in. The way to my heart was through my stomach, and with this order, the door was wide open. “Nirvana,” I murmured as that first combination of sweet-tart lemo
n, luscious cream, and warm dough tickled my taste buds.
We ate in silence for a few minutes, something I was grateful for because it allowed me to savor the special treat.
Finally, when I’d polished off half my plate, Angel spoke again.
“I’m sorry I hurt your feelings,” he said quietly.
I shrugged. It wasn’t like I was going to stop eating to answer him.
“You’ve been a good friend to me. Helped me out of a jam.”
I glanced up at his use of the word friend.
He was intently tracing a pattern into the remains of the red and yellow fillings on his plate. “I’ve met someone.”
“Oh yeah?” I managed to say it with such disinterest that I felt a surge of pride.
He looked up at me, startled, caught off-guard by my reaction.
I swallowed a smile, realizing I owed Gino a debt for telling me beforehand.
“I wasn’t looking for anyone,” Angel felt compelled to add.
“It wasn’t like we were dating or anything,” I replied coolly. Sure, he’s hot and he’s kind, but our relationship had never moved beyond a kiss or two.
He blinked, surprised.
“What’s she like?” I asked.
He put down his fork. “She wants us to run away together.”
“Sounds dramatic.”
He shrugged. “She says we’re like Romeo and Juliet, with our warring families.”
“Warring families?” I can play dumb with the best of them.
“Her family is…on the other side of the law than mine,” he answered carefully.
I speared my last bite of raspberry crepe. “I’m no Shakespeare expert, but didn’t Romeo and Juliet end up dead?”
“That’s what we’re trying to avoid.”
I licked some cream off the tines of my fork. “Have you told anyone else about this plan to run away together?”
“My uncles.”
I glanced sharply at him, surprised. “Are they opposed?”
He shrugged. “They believe in true love.”
I almost choked on my food. “True love?” I spluttered.
“Maybe,” he admitted shyly.
I chose my next words carefully and made sure I appeared to be concentrating on cutting my crepe when I spoke. “I got the impression lately you were thinking of joining the family business. I guess that could put a crimp in your plans with Juliet.”
He tilted his head slightly, and I thought he was considering the question, but instead of answering, he said, “Do you believe what the news says about them?”
I shrugged. “I know they were very kind to me and Katie when she was hurt. That’s what I judge them on.”
He nodded. “Makes sense, considering your dad.”
I paused, midway to shoveling lemon-curd into my mouth. The mention of Archie Lee usually had that effect on me. “What do you mean?”
“Just that you can straddle that line between lawful and not.”
I ate the crepe, considering how to respond. I hadn’t straddled the line for quite a while. I was firmly entrenched on the unlawful side.
“I need a clean break from them.”
“So you’re leaving town?”
He nodded. “As soon as a certain legal matter is determined.”
I knew that he was referring to the situation with O’Leary, but pretended to be unaware. “It sounds like it’s the best course for you. I appreciate everything you did for Katie and that you took the time to say goodbye.”
He frowned slightly, and I got the impression he was disappointed I wasn’t begging him to stay.
“Anyway,” he said gruffly, “I wanted to say I was sorry for how things ended between us. I’m sorry you got pulled into that mess with the guys.”
“All’s well that ends well,” I told him. “And these crepes are a good way to end things.”
28
“Teach me to play poker,” God said as soon as I returned home and walked into my bedroom after my long goodbye with Angel.
“Me too! Me too! Me too!” Benny called.
“You don’t have opposable thumbs,” I felt obligated to remind them.
“Teach me the strategy,” he insisted. “What the hands mean.”
I squinted at him suspiciously. “Why?”
“I can help you win tonight,” the lizard said.
“What?”
“It’s the crafty cat’s idea,” he continued enthusiastically.
Piss, who was lying at the foot of the bed, raised her head. “Hear that? That’s the nicest thing he’s ever said about me, sugar.”
“I can tell you what cards your opponent has,” God continued. “Then you can bet accordingly.”
A flicker of excitement buzzed to life within me. That might just work.
I spent a couple of hours teaching God and Benny the basics of poker. At different points, DeeDee and Matilda wandered in, saw there was no food and that I was too busy for belly rubs, and quickly left.
“You should eat something,” Piss said after a while.
“I certainly should,” God agreed. “Protein for brain power! I need to be in top form.”
“I meant Maggie,” the cat drawled. “But I’ll go get you a cricket. We don’t want you to show up to the table feeling peaked.”
Deciding she was right, I made my way into the kitchen to forage for food. Marlene and Doc were in there with Alicia and Katie. The girls were finishing up a game of checkers.
Katie jumped out of her seat to give me a hug when I came in. “Hi, Aunt Maggie.”
“Hey.” I hugged her back, observing the way Alicia was watching the interaction, her eyes wide with interest. “Having fun?”
“Doc’s on my team and Aunt Marlene is on Alicia’s.”
“That’s great,” I murmured before smiling at my other niece. “Are you having a good time, Alicia?”
She nodded nervously.
“High five?” I suggested, kneeling down to eye level with her as I held up my hand.
A real grin lit up her face as she smacked my hand hard.
“That’s my girl.” I winked at her and was rewarded with a giggle.
“I need to talk to Maggie for just a second,” Marlene said. “I’ll be right back.”
She led the way out of the house and I followed wordlessly, wondering what she wanted to talk about.
“Are we okay?” she asked as soon as we got outside. “Aunt Susan told me you were pretty mad.”
I shrugged. “I’ll get over it.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what was going on.”
“I’m sure you had your reasons.” Even though I tried to sound nonchalant, my voice cracked with pain. It hurt to know that she hadn’t entrusted me with such an important issue. Tears clouded my vision, and I turned away from her.
Griswald cleared his throat, alerting us to his presence a few yards away. “It was my fault she didn’t tell you. I instructed her not to.”
“Why?” It was a question but came out as sharply as a well-honed accusation. “Did you think I couldn’t be trusted?”
He shook his head. “Your loyalty was never a question, Maggie. But I was afraid…the risks you’ve taken for other members of your family…they’ve put you in danger.” He moved closer as he spoke and I could see the truth on his face.
I knew he was thinking about things I’ve done for Archie. He had no idea the extent of what I’d done for Katie.
“I thought you’d be safer if you weren’t emotionally invested. I was trying to protect you.”
I swallowed hard. “I can see that,” I admitted hoarsely.
“But can you forgive me?” he asked.
Looking at the U.S. Marshal’s worried expression, I knew that he genuinely cared what my answer would be.
“He was helping me,” Marlene reminded me.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
“So we’re good?” she asked.
“We’re all good,” I assured both of them.
Marlene threw her arms around me, hugging tightly. “I’ll never be able to thank you, Maggie.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for.” I hugged her back and offered her a weak smile. “Go enjoy your daughter.”
She grinned. Her smile was so much like Alicia’s that my heart stumbled at the sight and hadn’t righted itself when she ran inside.
“Do I get a hug, too?” Griswald asked.
I frowned. “We don’t really have a hugging type of relationship, do we?”
He winced. “We—”
He never finished his sentence because a car came racing down the driveway toward us. We jumped to the side as it skidded to a stop.
Detective Brian Griswald jumped out. “You are not going to believe this, Uncle Larry.”
I chuckled, realizing that Katie had picked up the “Uncle Larry” thing from Brian.
“Something wrong, Brian?” Griswald asked, clearly annoyed his nephew had crashed our conversation.
“They’re gone,” Brian announced. “The Concords, they’re all gone. They took a bunch of corporate jets and left Jersey.”
Griswald made a pained face. “To a non-extradition country?”
Brian nodded.
“Damn,” Griswald muttered vehemently. Frustrated, he kicked a small rock, sending it bouncing along the ground. “How did they let this happen? Now no one will pay.”
I did my best to look disinterested when, in reality, I was celebrating. With the Concords out of the picture, my life was way less complicated. The missing person case surrounding Elvis would be dropped and Boyd and his mom would no longer be in danger from them. It took all my self-control not to break into a happy dance.
Something had finally gone my way, between that and the fact I’d have God on my side, I was feeling pretty lucky going into the poker game.
I may have gotten a little too cocky.
29
O’Leary was a damn good poker player. I’d been playing in the game with him and the D.A.’s representative, a toothpick chomper, for almost an hour when I finally spotted the hint of a tell on the scrawny cop’s face.
It wasn’t much, just a slight twitch in his left eye, but I saw it both times Toothpick raised the pot. I didn’t know if it meant that O’Leary believed he had his opponent beaten or if it was a sign he was bluffing. My own hand was good, but not great, so I folded in order to focus all of my attention on the man who was endangering Angel’s chance to run away with the Yale ditz.