Overdose in Paradise

by Deborah Brown

  If I hadn’t been watching her antics, I’d have thought she had a sledgehammer in her hand. When she didn’t get an answer, she walked over to the bathroom window and shoved it up, yelling, “Get out here, old man.”

  The front door blew open. “What do you want, you odious woman?” Crum sneered down his nose, his tall frame ramrod stiff.

  “I’m certain that was a compliment, since you know how much I’ve done for you.” Mac bared her teeth. “After all, you still live here.”

  “Over here.” I waved.

  Crum clunked over, his bare feet slapping the cement.

  “If you’d like to sit down, get your own chair,” I said as he shuffled from one foot to the other.

  Crum turned up his nose, then turned and walked down the steps into the pool. “Can we make this quick?” He glared at Joseph, which didn’t do him any good, since the man had his eyes covered with his arm.

  The upside to prancing around in underwear was Crum was always appropriately dressed for an impromptu swim.

  “Why would you get Joseph involved with the likes of Dilly?” I asked.

  “You’re really working for Dilwen Nash?” Fab asked. “Do you know why he thinks Dilly sounds better?”

  “You poke around in the man’s personal business; I’m not going to,” Crum said snootily.

  I whistled, which wasn’t very impressive, but all heads turned toward me. “Let’s get back on track. You remember the question?”

  “Job’s easy. Money’s good.” Duh implied in Crum’s tone.

  “Have you ever had any trouble on the job?” Fab asked.

  “A couple of attempted attacks; fought them off with my expandable baton.” Crum whipped his arms around. “Got in a good whack or two. No police reports.”

  “Why would you get Joseph involved in something that sounds like a setup?” I demanded.

  “Look.” Crum thrust his chest out, throwing himself off balance and off the step into the water. “I’m no nursemaid,” he blustered. “I suppose… I could’ve loaned Joseph the money, but he didn’t ask.”

  “You had other options,” I said, my tone letting him know how stupid I thought he was, which had him bristling. “Did you know that Dilly now wants 5K?”

  “Now that’s impressive.” Crum whistled. “I’d put in a good word with Dilly, but the man scares me.”

  “It didn’t occur to you that the runners get set up, and that, thus far, you’ve lucked out?” I demanded. “You can bet your number is about to be punched. Your stick isn’t going to hold off thieves for long.”

  “I can protect myself.” Crum crossed his arms and stuck out his chin.

  “Not if it’s a bullet,” I snarked back. “If you plan to keep your job with Dilly, then you need to move, and I mean tomorrow. Eventually, big trouble is going to show up on my property, and it’ll once again be crawling with cops looking to make arrests for felonious activities. It’s not happening.”

  Crum sputtered, which had to be a first.

  “Tomorrow. And that goes for you too.” I nudged Joseph’s foot. “You need to make better friends. Ones that, at least, won’t suggest you take a job that could get you killed.” I stood and motioned to Fab and Mac, heading to the gate. “I’m going to see if I have a connection who has an in with Dilly. I can’t promise anything.”

  Joseph squeezed his eyes closed. “Thanks,” he mumbled.

  “Nothing better happen to Joseph before the Dilly situation can be resolved. If it does, I’m holding you responsible,” I said to Crum.

  The man grouched as he climbed out of the water, shaking like a dog.

  As usual, I had to train my eyes on his face.

  “If you have a trick up your sleeve to calm this situation down, I suggest you use it and fast,” Fab lectured Crum, matching him glare for glare. She had to know neither man was listening. In fact, they’d doubtless concoct some witless idea to get them in even deeper.

  “Sorry to leave this party, but Fab and I have another appointment.” I wasn’t. In fact, it was all I could do not to run back to the car, yelling, Call me when you’ve fixed your own problems. “You’re in charge of this nuthouse,” I told Mac as the three of us left the pool area. “Try to keep the inmates contained.” I veered over to the office to grab a burner phone.

  Mac waited outside the door. “At least Joseph’s not in any legal trouble for making the collections.”

  I didn’t roll my eyes but came close. “I’m hoping you’re going to use your powers of persuasion to keep everything on an even keel. I’m serious about the two of them moving if I can’t come up with a way to defuse the situation. It’s going to be your job to boot them to the curb.”

  Mac crossed her arms over her ample chest and glared. “Just so you know, I’ll be calling in sick.”

  “Don’t make me drag you out of your sickbed.” I left Mac muttering to herself as Fab and I crossed the street.

  Fab gunned the engine down the block.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “You have a contact to deal with Dilly?” Fab asked as she maneuvered through traffic.

  I wasn’t sure if it was the look on her face, the tone of her voice, or both, but she clearly thought I’d lost my mind.

  “Not on speed dial…” My phone rang, saving me from coming up with a Plan B. My own face beamed back at me. I answered and hit the speaker button.

  “Want my stuff back,” a male voice demanded.

  “I was only using it as leverage to get you to call,” I said. “Upfront: No cops or anything like that. This is a friendly chat. I’d like to help.”

  “Do-gooder chick.” He snorted.

  “I’m thinking you might want to be a little nicer, even if it pains you,” I snapped back.

  “This better not be some trick.” He hesitated. “Meet round the back of the Stop-n-Go and hand my stuff over. Bring the cops, and you’ll be wasting your time. I won’t be there.”

  “We can be there in a few.” I looked to Fab for confirmation, and she nodded. “I’ll be the one with the red bushy hair. It’s not nice to laugh. It’s not my fault. I blame the humidity.”

  “That’s girl problems I don’t want to hear about.” He hung up.

  “You got the purse thief to agree to a meeting. What next?” Fab pulled a u-turn.

  “Considering his age, any help I could give him would be against the law. I’m fairly certain that legally, I should be involving the cops, who’d turn him over to Social Services. I can’t see him agreeing to those options, since he’s been on the street for who knows how long. I can throw money at him, but that won’t solve his problem long term.”

  We drove in silence to the gas station. Fab circled the lot, and for once, there were no loiterers trying to look like they had something better to do than sit on the planter and drink out of a paper bag. Two men had staked out the bus bench, and neither looked remotely like the teenager we were meeting. Fab parked next to the air hose with an “out of order” sign on it. I got out and opened the lift gate so the kid’s personal belongings were visible.

  We didn’t have to wait long. He strolled around the corner from the neighborhood and cut across the driveway. “Nice ride.” He whistled and started to reach for the bag that held his belongings.

  “Not so fast.” I stepped in front of him. “I’m holding your stuff for ransom until we have a chat.”

  “I don’t have any money.” He turned the pockets of his worn jeans inside out.

  “You suck at purse snatching; you might want to get a new career,” I suggested. “One that’s legal. Unless the jail hotel appeals to you.”

  “It was only my second time, and I didn’t enjoy it much.” He gave Fab a once-over. “What, she doesn’t speak?”

  “You’re lucky she hasn’t shot you for stealing her purse.”

  “Over-reaction much? I didn’t get the wallet, which is what I wanted. Would’ve left the rest at one of the carts.” Despite his bravado, he flushed with embarrassment.

 
; “A real Boy Scout.” Fab matched his snotty tone.

  “Those were the days.” A flash of sadness crossed his face.

  “How did you get on the path to the state prison at such an early age?” I asked.

  “You think I’m a kid?” He half-laughed with no amusement. “I get it now. Your plan is to rescue the poor homeless child, and then what? Adopt me? I’m twenty, not eleven or whatever you thought. Good genes. Does that make your do-gooder heart feel better?”

  “You want your life to change?” Fab challenged. “Suck up your bad attitude. Play your cards right, and this woman will get you a place to sleep tonight, and it won’t be on dirty concrete.”

  “That’s a bad idea,” he admonished. “Helping people. You could get hurt. I just want my stuff back and, to be honest, a few bucks for food.”

  I walked back to the passenger side and dug in my purse, pulling out a business card, cash, and the burner phone, and handed them to him. “I want my phone back.” I wiggled my fingers, and he dug it out of his jeans and handed it over. “You want a job and can refrain from stealing from your employer, call me. And I can probably find you a place to live…for a short time, anyway.”

  “Thanks for this.” He shoved the money and phone in his pocket. “I’ll think about the offer.” He walked over to the SUV, reached inside, and grabbed his stuff.

  “Do you have a name?” Fab asked.

  “Kid works for me.” He waved and crossed the highway, headed in the opposite direction from the Boardwalk.

  “You can’t help someone who doesn’t want it,” Fab said. “Be proud of yourself. Most wouldn’t offer.”

  “Let’s hit up Spoon’s,” I said once we got in the car. “He can probably help with the Dilly situation. Surely, he’d be happy just to get his money back. He has to know it was stolen by muggers and wasn’t a case of Joseph being stupid enough to steal from him.”

  “Joseph is old enough to handle his own problems.”

  “If I do nothing,” I said in exasperation, “trouble will hit The Cottages in a big way, and that’s not good for business. Besides, I happen to like the old coot and don’t want him to end up dead.” I stared out the window. “He’s thus far laughed in the face of the death sentence his doctors dealt him, and the end is not going to be murder, if I can do anything about it. How would I deal with the guilt if I looked the other way?”

  “Sometimes you can’t save people from their stupid mistakes, and it’s not your fault they end up paying a consequence that’s steep.” Fab swung into the driveway of JS Auto Body and parked in front.

  “Wonder if Spoon’s even here. Normally, he’d have the door open already.”

  “If he’s not, let’s toss his office. We might not get another chance.”

  “That’s such a bad idea, I’m ignoring you.” I crossed the few steps to the door and knocked. A buzzer sounded, and I turned the knob. To my surprise, not only was Spoon at his desk but Mila was sitting on top, talking to an open book.

  Fab scooted by me and traded exaggerated air kisses with Mila, which had her laughing.

  I looked around. “Where’s Mother?”

  “Hair appointment.” He leaned back in his chair, scrutinizing the two of us.

  “So, she’ll let you take Mila to work and risk her getting greasy, but she sabotages my and Fab’s scheduled shopping day with her.” I held out my hands to Mila and pulled her up on her feet. “Stomp through Grandpa’s paperwork over here to me.”

  “That’s not ladylike,” Spoon said in an annoyed tone, although his lips quirked.

  I held her while she jumped up and down a few times, and then I sat and settled her on my lap.

  “Look what I’ve got, Mila.” Fab held up a coloring book that had been left on the couch with some crayons.

  “Outright bribery.” I glared at Fab and set Mila on the floor. She ran over to Fab, who hoisted her into her lap, and the two lay back against the cushions.

  “Mila doesn’t need to be in the middle of a business discussion,” Fab admonished.

  Good point. I smiled at the two of them choosing colors, then turned to Spoon. “Do you have any connections to solve a problem with Dilwen Nash?”

  Spoon whistled through his teeth.

  I went on to explain what’d happened.

  “I’ll handle it,” he said gruffly. “The sooner you get this matter settled, the better. Dilly operates on a very short fuse. Money unaccounted for, no matter how it happened, he deals with in an expedient fashion. He does it to save face, and he wouldn’t want word to get out that he went soft on anyone who screwed up; their fault or not.”

  “I owe you times two.” I held up my fingers. “A favor from Joseph would be useless.”

  Spoon’s attention turned to the security screen. “We’re not going to be able to hide this one from your Mother. She just drove up.” He stood up. “Just tame down the story.” He strode over, opened the door, and enveloped Mother in a hug.

  “What are you two doing here?” Mother asked suspiciously, bending down to kiss my cheek. She walked over and kissed Fab’s cheek, then held her arms out to Mila.

  “I don’t think so.” Fab maneuvered Mila out of her reach. “You constantly encroach on our time with Mila, and we’re having fun, aren’t we?” Mila giggled and nodded.

  “Come sit down over here and settle for my company.” I patted the chair next to me.

  “I love all of you, and you darn well know it.” Mother flounced into the chair.

  I reached over and one-arm-hugged her.

  “You never answered my question. What are you involving my husband in?”

  I told her about Joseph, and that the problem needed to be solved; the sooner the better.

  “You need to re-think your brother’s idea of turning that property over to a reputable management company and not dismiss it out of hand. The other option is selling it, but I’m certain you won’t entertain that idea. It’s been one hellish incident after another.” Mother sighed in frustration.

  “I’ll think about your suggestion.” Thought about it and no.

  Mother sniffed. “I know my children, and what I said never even paused as it went through your ears.”

  “Okay, ladies.” Spoon hated drama.

  I turned to Spoon. “I have an acquaintance that needs a job, something so he can get off the street and re-start his life.”

  “Who is this person?” Mother asked, her tone laced with suspicion.

  I ignored her and made my plea to Spoon. “It used to be your mission to give people a helping hand, but if that’s no longer the case, I’ll figure something else out.”

  Spoon had quite the checkered past, and he’d done an excellent job of cleaning up his act and becoming a pillar of the community; a scary one for those that thought they could take advantage. It was well known that he often gave deserving men a second chance at turning their lives around.

  “Send the man around. Not making any promises.”

  Mother checked her watch. “I’ve got to go and take Mila home. Brad will be waiting.”

  “Fab and I can take her.” When I didn’t get a response, I walked over and nuzzled Mila’s nose, then walked out into the garage.

  It didn’t take me long to spot Billy. We locked eyes, and I headed in his direction. He met me halfway.

  “What’s annoying you?” Billy cracked his knuckles. “I can take care of it.”

  “It’s my mother.”

  He laughed. “She’s quite the handful. But she makes the boss very happy.”

  And he her, for which I’m happy. I gave him the Kid story from purse snatch to that afternoon, leaving him with a handful of cash and wishing I could do more.

  “He’s going to call again,” Billy reassured me. “It may take some time, but he’ll run out of money, and it won’t take him long to figure out he enjoys regular meals. You send him to me. Give him the address. No giving him a ride. He needs to make the effort.”

  “You’re the best. Anything
at all I can do… Free meal at Jake’s anytime.”

  “That’s not necessary. It won’t kill me to do someone a decent turn.”

  “Hurry it up,” Fab yelled across the garage. Two men working on a Mercedes they had jacked in the air turned, Who me? on their faces.

  “Thanks.”

  Knowing my aversion to handshakes, Billy held out his knuckles.

  I crossed the garage and went through the door, which Fab held open. No Mila made the office seem quieter. “Let me know what happens with Dilly.” I hugged Spoon. “As for the other, Billy’s going to help me out.”

  “Billy’s a good choice and closer in age to your young criminal. He’s apt to listen to Billy more than me.” He hugged me and then turned my face towards him. “I’ll talk to your mother about lightening up in her new role as grandmother.”

  “It’s Gammi now,” I reminded him. “No worries about that either. Even though she annoys me at times, I know she worries about all our safety.”

  “Just know, no matter what, I’m always available to help you out,” Spoon said firmly.

  I waved and followed Fab to the car, filling her in on my conversation with Billy.

  “Are you going to tell Creole?”

  “Of course.”

  * * *

  As it turned out, we didn’t have to wait long to hear back from the Kid; my phone rang while we were on our way home from Spoon’s.

  “I’m going to take you up on your offer of a job,” he said. “I’m not cut out to be a criminal, especially if there’s another option.”

  “I found someone who’s willing to take a chance on you. His name’s Billy. Do with the opportunity what you will.”

  “You’ve got me on speaker; who’s listening in?” he demanded.

  “The woman whose purse you nearly stole,” I answered. “How did you know?”

  “I’m not stupid,” he huffed.

  Fab and I exchanged amused smiles.

  “Here’s the deal…” I went on to tell him he had to contact Billy on his own. “I’ll text you the info. Billy’s a good guy, so don’t take advantage of him because I’m telling you now that he won’t take kindly to it and you won’t like his response.” I hung up and texted him the information. “I’m happy he called because never hearing from him again would have plagued me.”