“As well as anyone else I might have thought needed it for one reason or another. Maybe when it was busy I was in the habit of sending someone I trusted to get more change for the registers. Damn, I wish I remembered—everything.”
Richard took his hand. “You will. It’s already coming back, one tiny piece at a time, like what you overheard the night you were attacked.”
“Too slow, though.”
“Try not to force it.”
Mick nodded. “I know, but it’s hard not to when so much hinges on my finding out who tried to kill me. Unless they’re stupid, they have to wonder if and when I’ll get my memory back.”
Shorty, who had been quietly listening, said, “What if…?”
When he didn’t finish his thought, Mick said, “What if what?”
“You make it seem as if you were remembering more than you really are?”
Richard shot him a dark look. “Do you want someone trying to finish the job?”
“It could be worth it, if it brought them out of the woodwork,” Shorty replied.
“He’s got a point, Richard,” Mick said. “The question is, what could I say I remembered that would trigger them to act?”
“Exactly what you told us,” Richard replied. “It might be time to open up to everyone about the presumed mugging and your memory loss. Not some big announcement. Play it by ear. Talk to the guys who might have access to the safe, let them know you were mugged, and admit that you only know who they are because of me and the website. Then ask them…what?”
Mick rapped a knuckle against his lips in thought. “If they were certain all the customers had left at closing.”
“If they weren’t, wouldn’t they have said something to you?” Richard asked.
“They should have, but if they checked and didn’t find anyone, they might have passed it off as their imagination. Or at least that’s what I’ll imply when I ask. Then I’ll tell them I had a flash of a memory about that evening, which is why I’m talking to them. I’d finished locking up and was getting ready to leave when I heard something in my office. I opened the door, saw two men, and then I was attacked by someone and that’s the last thing I remember until I came to in the alley.”
“They’ll ask who the men were,” Shorty said.
“I’ll tell them the truth, that it’s a blank right now. Which is why I’m asking if someone might have hidden somewhere after closing. I’m sure it’s possible. Hell, whoever hit me had to have been hiding in the storage closet or one of the restrooms.”
“Good point,” Richard agreed. “If one of your employees is responsible for the attack, they’ll be afraid you might have another memory flash and know that they were one of the men you saw.”
“Exactly.” Mick sighed. He didn’t like the idea one of his people was behind the attack, but he knew it was the only thing that made any sense.
“It’s a little after two,” Richard said. “What time do the guys we’re interested in start their shifts?”
Mick checked his computer. “One of them is here, and gets off at eight. The others come on at six. That doesn’t count anyone I might have given the combination to because I was busy and needed them to get something for me.”
“Okay, change of plans,” Richard said. “During the shift change, tell everyone you need to have a short meeting, first with the guys on the early shift, then they can cover for the others so you can meet with them. Tell everyone the story, and then we’ll wait to see if anyone tries something.”
“That wouldn’t happen until after the club closes,” Mick replied. “Unless I leave before then, to give them a chance to get into the safe to retrieve the box.”
Shorty spoke up. “All of us go, then sneak back in.”
“There’s no where we can hide in here,” Richard said, which was true. The office didn’t have its own restroom or a storage closet.
“Got it,” Shorty said, snapping his fingers. “Forget the meetings. We leave at six-thirty or so, when everyone’s either coming in to work or already here. Mick, you’ll be carrying the box and stop to talk to some of the guys about…whatever. That way our perp sees you with it. That should scare the fuck out of him.”
“No kidding,” Richard agreed. “He’s going to wonder if you know what’s in it, for starters.”
Mick had put the set of keys back in the desk drawer. Now, he took them out, pocketing them before closing the drawer and pushing the chair in. “If he comes looking for these, he’ll know I know. Do we want to go back to the house? How many of my employees know where I live?” He looked at Richard in question.
“Well, none of them came to visit in the time I’ve known you, but it would be easy enough to find out.”
“Where else would we go? Up on my palatial rooftop?” Shorty smirked.
“Right now, that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea,” Mick replied. “I’m not sure I want to put myself in the sights of someone who obviously wanted me dead.”
Richard wrapped his arms around Mick. “We’re here to protect you.”
“Against a gun?” Mick shuddered.
“I don’t think they’d go that far unless they’re really stupid. You’ve already told a few people at the clubs about the attack, and people are going to see you leaving with the box. Whoever the money belongs to will try to get it back, but not by staging another attack. My guess would be they’ll wait until tomorrow, after we come back here, and then break into the house to look for it. That’s what I’d do, anyway.”
“He’s got the makings of a good criminal, Mick,” Shorty said. “You sure you want to hang out with him.”
“Very sure,” Mick replied. He kissed Richard, then stepped away. “I’m going to go bat shit crazy, waiting in here until six so we can leave.”
“Then do the boss thing. Walk around, talk to the customers, keep an eye on the employees, stuff like that,” Richard said.
“Is that what I always did?”
“Yep, especially interacting with the customers. You said talking with them is how you made decisions about what changes you were considering. Like when you decided to add the banquettes along the walls in both areas. Everyone thought it was a great idea because it made it feel like a club, not a bar.”
“Except Trenton,” Mick said when another flash of memory hit him. “He said it would be a waste of money and space, because I’d lose some seating.”
“He has no vision,” Richard replied with a sardonic grin. “That’s why your dad turned the clubs over to you. Let’s go mingle with the masses and see what other bright ideas you can come up with.”
Mick didn’t get hit by inspiration as he moved through the club, greeting men who, for all he knew, were regulars he should have known by name. There was nothing he could do about that, so he did his best to keep his interactions short and neutral, responding to questions about where he’d been by giving out the same story he’d told most of his employees—that he’d been very sick and had finally recovered enough to come back to work.
Richard was good at covering for Mick at times by saying, “I don’t think we’ve met,” to some of the men. That earned him a name in reply that Mick could use when the man in question seemed to want more than cursory attention from him.
“Okay, enough is enough,” Mick grumbled when he’d done two long, slow circuits of the club. “I need to sit before my feet fall off.”
“Wimp,” Richard said, at the same time Scotty muttered, “No staying power.”
“Got it in one,” Mick replied, heading toward his office. “You two can stay out here if you want.”
They didn’t, following him into the office instead. As soon as the door was closed, Mick said, “Someone’s been in here.”
“How can you tell?” Richard asked.
“The desk chair. It’s pulled out. I pushed it in when we left, after I got the keys. Unless one of you moved it.”
Richard and Shorty shook their heads.
“I guess we’re right, then. Someone w
ho works here is involved, but we figured as much.”
“They must be freaking that the keys are missing,” Shorty said. “They might have checked the safe, too.”
“Probably did,” Richard said. “Saw the box was gone and…Hell, is it where we left it?”
Mick looked, relieved to see that it was. “If they thought I’d hidden it and wanted to search the file cabinets, they’d have needed the keys.”
“Exactly. Whoever was in here has to be someone who’s working right now.”
“Not if they came in the back way,” Mick replied.
“They’d need a key,” Richard pointed out.
“The guy who mugged him would have it,” Shorty said. “Mick didn’t have them or his wallet when I found him.”
“That leaves the field wide open, again.” Mick sighed.
“Then we’ll narrow it,” Richard replied. “It’s almost six. Get the box and let’s head out.”
Mick did, after turning off the computer. The box was small enough that he tucked it under one arm, and they left the office. Mick’s impulse was to dash out of the club, considering how much cash was in the box. He reined it in, walking casually toward the front door, stopping at the bar to tell Ed he was leaving for the day.
He didn’t relax until they were in the car, heading back to the house.
Chapter 7
“Where can we hide this?” Mick asked, putting the box on the kitchen counter for the time being.
“Not under your mattress,” Shorty replied. He grinned. “Unless you want to play princess and the pea, big time.”
Richard snorted. “Not really. We don’t have a safe, so that’s out. Anyone looking for it would check the desk in our office, all the kitchen cabinets, the dressers in the bedrooms, behind the books in the living room, hell…anywhere that looks like there’s enough room to stash it.”
“Somewhere in the basement?” Mick asked.
“Same problem,” Richard replied. “If it’s big enough to hold the box, they’ll check it out.”
“What if…” Mick nodded. “We could take the money out of the box and hide it somewhere, even under the mattress.” He winked at Shorty. “Not really, but we could hide each bundle someplace too small to hold the box.”
“Hang onto that thought,” Shorty said as he began rummaging through the kitchen cabinets. He took out two plastic storage containers, setting them on the counter next to the box. “I remember, way back when I was a kid, and no smartass comments from you two, my granddad would bury his money in the back yard.”
Mick pursed his lips. “That could work, except what if they saw a dug up spot?”
“We have bushes,” Richard replied. “Even during the day it should be dark enough between them and the fence that no one would notice.”
“Let’s do it.” Mick unlocked the box, they transferred the cash to the storage containers, and ten minutes later the containers were buried behind the bushes.
“Now for the box,” Richard said after they’d washed the dirt off their hands in the kitchen sink. “We need a spot where it looks like we were trying to be clever.”
“In the back of the freezer,” Mick suggested. “Or behind the towels in the linen cabinet upstairs, with a couple lying on top of it.”
“Better yet, there’s an empty box that my boots came in on the top shelf of the bedroom closet,” Richard replied. “Obvious without being obvious.”
“Uh-huh, if you say so.” Mick shook his head. “It would work, though.”
Richard took the box up to hide it, while Mick, realizing the time, figured out what to make for supper.
Twenty minutes later the meatloaf Mick had cooked in the microwave was ready, along with green beans, and mashed potatoes.
“You used to make the meatloaf this way,” Richard said when they were seated and eating.
“I did?” Mick smiled hopefully. “Another memory or just dumb luck?”
“I’d say a memory that resurfaced, even though you don’t remember specifically, if that makes sense.”
“Yeah, it does.”
“Next thing you know you’ll be cooking cordon bleu recipes,” Shorty commented, smirking.
Richard laughed. “He never did before. I doubt he’ll start now.”
“True. I liked simple and healthy.” Mick realized yet another small memory had returned, which gave him hope that eventually his life would be back to normal.
“You did,” Richard replied, giving his hand a squeeze. “That’s why you hooked up with me.”
“Good lord,” Mick muttered. “You’re hardly simple, I don’t think. Healthy? I suppose it depends on your definition of the word.”
“I make sure we get plenty of exercise.” Richard winked.
“I’m not sure sex counts.”
“Bet me.”
“Guys, virgin ears here. Keep it clean.” Shorty grinned at them.
Mick and Richard laughed and they continued eating.
* * * *
After supper they refilled their coffee cups and took them into the living room. Richard turned on the TV; however, as none of them was particularly interested in watching it, it became background noise to their conversation.
“What are the odds our perp will come after the box tonight?” Mick asked.
“Slim to none, I suspect,” Richard replied. “Unless they’re really stupid, they should know we came home and they’ll figure we probably won’t leave again until it’s time to go to the club tomorrow morning.”
“Not sure I agree,” Shorty piped up. “Whatever the money was for, they gotta be desperate to get it back and now they know where it’s at.”
“Would you break into an occupied house?” Mick asked.
“Nope, but I’m not stupid. If they wait ‘til they figure we’re asleep, like three, four in the morning…” He shot Mick a look which said he knew what he was talking about.
From personal experience? Mick wondered. He didn’t think so. Shorty never gave him the impression he had a criminal side to him.
“Don’t freak, that’s not from personal experience,” Shorty said, echoing Mick’s unspoken question. “I knew a guy who did break-ins to support his habit. He claimed that was the best time. People upstairs, dead to the world, so he could rummage through the downstairs for cash or pawnables and get out scott free.” He chuckled. “Right now he’s a guest of the state, which goes to prove he wasn’t as smart as he thought.”
“As long as we make sure all the doors and windows are closed and locked, we should be safe,” Richard said.
Mick frowned. “Why don’t we have a security system?”
Richard shrugged. “You told me you thought about it, but it’s a good neighborhood so you figured why bother. Right now, I wish you had.”
“Get a dog. More fun and cheaper,” Shorty opined.
“Another thing we talked about but never pursued,” Richard replied.
“Of course we want whoever it is to try to get the box,” Mick said. “So maybe it’s just as well the house isn’t that secure.”
“We take turns staying awake,” Shorty suggested. “In case he does show up. Wouldn’t do for him to find it and vanish and us not know who he is.”
Richard nodded. “That could work. But we don’t confront him.”
“Why the hell not?” Mick asked.
“He’s probably going to be jumpy enough as it is. If one of us tries to face him down he might get violent. I, for one, would rather not get shot or stabbed if he’s armed.”
“Good point. As long as we see his face, we can deal with him tomorrow, I guess.”
“Honestly,” Richard replied, “my bet is he’ll wait until he sees the two of you at The Rainbow before trying anything.”
“Why not you, too?” Mick asked, and then answered his question. “You have to work.”
“Yeah. They sort of frown on it if we don’t have a damned good excuse for not showing up.”
“I can stay here,” Shorty suggested.
“Nope. You were with us yesterday and today. They might wonder why that’s changed.”
“If anyone asks, you tell them I had to go to work, since it’s a Monday. If it works for Richard, it’ll work for me.”
“We’re not taking the chance,” Mick replied firmly. “What we were saying earlier holds true no matter when. If he’s armed, he won’t hesitate to shoot you. If he’s not, he’ll still do whatever it takes to keep you from telling us who he is.”
Shorty shrugged. “It was just a suggestion.”
They sat in silence for a while, sipping their coffees, locked in their own thoughts.
Finally, Mick said, turning to Richard, “If you hadn’t been in the right place at the right time, I’d probably be sitting on some street corner with Shorty, begging for change so we could eat.”
Richard took his hand. “Possibly, or you would have begun remembering things, the way you are now.”
“Like how to make microwave meatloaf?” Mick chuckled. “I’m not sure that would have helped.”
“The train of thought would have led to where you used to do it, which would have reminded you of our house, and me, and you’d have come looking.”
Mick smiled, weaving their fingers together. “I would have. You’re my other half. I think I must have known that from the moment we met.”
“Well, maybe after we’d slept together. I’m teasing. We clicked in all the right ways from the beginning. We still do, even though for you it’s a second beginning.” Having said that, Richard kissed him.
Mick fell into it, returning it with the intention of proving him right.
“I think it’s time for me to vanish,” Shorty said, which ended the kiss for the moment.
“You don’t have to,” Richard protested. “We’ll behave.”
“Yeah, I do. I need my beauty sleep. Wake me when it’s my turn for sentry duty.” He stood, hurrying to the stairs, and disappeared up them seconds later.
“Ouch. Forgot about that,” Richard replied. “I can take the first shift.”
Mick checked the time, then whispered to him, “Not before we finish this. It’s only nine.”
Hawk and Wolfe: A Life Interrupted Page 8