“Uh, no. But occasionally I hear things coming from the house two doors down. I’ve heard it’s a meth lab. Maybe something was going on there.”
He peeked around me, trying to see into the living room. “Mind if I have a look around?”
I pictured the havoc in my bedroom, and thought, hmmm, probably not a good idea. I whispered conspiratorially, “I have company.”
He nodded, a knowing grin on his bored face. “Murphy? I didn’t see his truck.”
I wondered if I could get his gun out of his holster and shoot him in the foot with it. “Parked it in the garage tonight.”
Dopey Grin shrugged, “Okay, g’night then.”
I closed the door and ran into Mikey when I turned around. He was grinning, too. “Murphy? He’s the contractor you only screwed the one time?” Jesus, did he remember everything I said to him? “Bet my brother loved that.”
“He’s heard the rumors. Doesn’t know for sure if they’re true or not.”
Evidently that was Danny’s cue, because the door opened again and he walked in. He glanced from me to Mikey and back to me, looking mildly annoyed.
“Fuck,” he growled. Okay, moderately annoyed. How the hell had he heard about the shenanigans at the fundraiser already? I imagined the local eleven o’clock news leading with the story. “Brian Jordan dropped seventy-five points in the polls this evening, after his sister proved she has no character by flaunting her inappropriate affair with convicted felon Junior Salazar. Now, live team coverage of the shenanigans...”
Mikey apparently decided he’d had enough fun for one night. “Goodnight, kids,” he said, heading for the garage and slapping Danny on the back as he walked past. “Don’t be an asshole, bro.”
“It’s been a long day, Lex,” Danny said after Mikey had gone. “I don’t have the energy to fight with you.”
“Then don’t.” We went into the living room, and Danny sank onto the sofa, glowering. I took the chair. “I don’t know what you heard, but nothing is going on with me and your brother.” I belatedly explained my plan, downplaying the kiss, but the glowering didn’t lessen and was soon accompanied by snarling.
“Jesus Christ,” he bellowed. “What the hell kind of plan is that?”
“It worked,” I snapped, filling him in on Brian’s reaction.
“Just because Brian flipped out doesn’t mean anything. Hell, I’d’ve done more than shatter a glass if I saw you kissing my brother.”
“Not the same thing.”
“No shit. But you said yourself he’s obsessed with his image. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out he’d react to his sister making a spectacle of herself with an ex-con. That hardly proves anything.” His eyes flashed and settled on mine. “So then what? You and Mikey were having so much fun, you decided to bring the party back to your place?”
“Mikey thought I needed a bodyguard till you got back.”
“Right.”
Jackass. “Brian sent someone over here, Danny. Ski Mask. Broke in through the French doors. Attacked me in my bed. Mikey heard him and scared him off. It was quite the party.”
He was on his feet. “Jesus, Lex,” he said, then stormed down the hallway to have a look. When he came back, the annoyed face was finally gone, replaced by one of rage.
“That’s it. You stay out of this from here on out.” He was through yelling. Now his voice was tight but quiet. “If Brian’s this far gone, the cops will figure it out soon enough. Are you okay?”
I nodded. “Will you stay?”
“What do you think?” he asked, pulling me up into a hug. He held me for a long time, resting his chin on my head.
He stripped to his boxers, which I was too exhausted to appreciate, and he wedged himself against the back of the couch, tucking me in front of him, spoon-style.
“What happened with the lawyer?” I asked, snuggling against his chest.
“Don’t ask.”
Okey-dokey. “How’d you hear about the fundraiser already, anyway?”
“I stopped at Shop-N-Save for some ice cream on my way over here. A couple of the cashiers were talking about Jack Murphy’s ungrateful wife making out in public with Junior Salazar. Didn’t do much for my mood.” At least I hadn’t made the news.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t do it again.” He still sounded annoyed, but he kissed my neck, so I figured I was forgiven.
“So. Where’s the ice cream?”
“I didn’t think you deserved ice cream, so I decided not to buy it after all.”
“That’s just mean. Was it Cherry Garcia?”
“Yep.”
Shit. I could use some Cherry Garcia right about now.
The rest of the night was uneventful. I woke the next morning to the sound of a key in the lock. Danny heard it, too, and sat up, tensing. I sat up, too, and elbowed him. “It’s Murphy. He may have a nail gun but he’s usually not violent, so please try not to attack him.”
Danny made a face, and I swear he flexed his muscles when Murphy walked into the room. Honestly, men. Murphy took in the slumber party, silently nodded hello and went in search of food.
Danny stood. “I have to go. Jimmy C wants to talk to your brother and me this morning. Separately of course.” He rolled his eyes. “And afterwards, I have to take care of some stuff, in case... Anyway, I was going to drag you along, but you’ll be safe with Murphy,” he said grudgingly. I nodded, and he continued, “I don’t think I need to tell you to stay away from your brother. And don’t be alone today. At all. How long’s Jack going to be here?”
“He’s probably just here for breakfast.”
He shook his head. “You have a weird life, Lex. Well, if I’m not back by the time he leaves, you leave. Go somewhere public. Try not to annoy Brian. In fact, try not to annoy anybody.”
Jack had already poured me coffee by the time I got to the kitchen after Danny left. “Sorry about before. I saw the Mustang, but I assumed you’d be in your room. You know, with the door closed.” His eyes were twinkling.
“You’d think. But there’s a problem with my bedroom. You can check it out. And whenever you have a chance, I think I’d like some shelves installed in the garage.”
“Sure thing, doll.” He ambled towards my room, curious.
I wondered if my house had some kind of bad bungalow karma that caused people to rip it apart and set fire to it and shoot it. It seemed like a friendly enough place, and the pool hadn’t tried to drown anybody, feline or otherwise, but maybe the house was possessed. I thought about calling one of those feng-shui people to give it an exorcism or whatever it was they did.
Jack returned less than a minute later, eyebrows a giant M on his forehead. I shrugged. “The door got broken, and the wall got shot.”
“So I see.” He checked his watch. “I’m just here to meet the building inspector to sign off on your electrical panel. I’ll board up the door, but I won’t have time to get to the other stuff today. In fact, I probably won’t be around for a couple days. We’re framing that new subdivision, and I’m going to be there all day.”
I nodded. I couldn’t very well expect him to give up his livelihood to mend my house and guard my body. “Thanks a lot for everything.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s the least I can do for my new bride. Oh, I noticed your squeak is back. I’ll add it to the new list.”
I had a momentary flashback and shuddered. “No, leave it. I’ve gotten rather fond of it.”
He shrugged and went outside to wait for the inspector.
I swept up the glass in my bedroom, then took a fast shower and pulled on jeans and a t-shirt, plus the red converse high-tops. I was interrupted by the phone three times, and every time I looked at the display it was the blocked caller. The telephonic equivalent of covering the peephole, I thought. I answered anyway, but no one spoke. As instructed, I left when Jack left, and I made my way to the police station to meet with Jimmy C.
I was annoying Jimmy C, I could see it in his face.
“Alex, I’m sorry. Really. But we don’t have any reason, none at all, to look elsewhere.” I hadn’t come out and said, “Gee, I think my brother Brian killed Chambers and tried to kill Sherry and, oh, did I mention he hired someone to rape and kill me? And I have no idea why or how he did any of these things, but could you arrest him anyway?” I thought that might sound feeble. I’d asked if they had located Jenkins yet, and he said someone had used his credit card at a motel in Pleasanton, but by the time the police got there, whoever it was had checked out. I was on a fishing trip, and Jimmy C knew that and he was losing patience with me, and I suspected, with the case. He sighed.
“As usual, you didn’t hear this from me, but the judge will be issuing arrest warrants later today for Danny and Kevin. We don’t have enough to bring in Junior, but with his brother in custody, he might just confess.”
Shit. “Thanks Jimmy C. Sorry to bother you.” We were sitting on the bench in the park, sweating at ten in the morning.
He seemed to feel bad about being annoyed. “No bother, Alex. Really, all I ever want is to catch the bad guys. Call me anytime. You have my cell?”
I shook my head no, and he reached into his suit pocket for a business card and handed it to me. I slipped it into the back pocket of my 501s and felt a piece of paper there. I pulled out the newspaper article about the reward.
“Hey, you know anything about the reward my brother Brian offered?”
“Sure. He donated fifty large for the arrest and conviction of the guilty parties. He’s running on that tough on crime platform, you know.”
“Do you already have the money?”
“Yeah, there’s a city account set up for such things, and the money’s already cleared. We thought it might help, maybe spur a drunken Clamper to remember Junior leaving the dinner, say, around nine o’clock, but so far no one has come forward with anything new.”
“Okay, thanks.” I slipped the article back in the pocket with Jimmy C’s card and stood to leave. The Element was parked back at the police station, and I walked towards it, keeping an eye out for tall men in ski masks. I didn’t think anyone would try to nab me a block from the police station, but you could never be too careful.
Back in the Element, I idled with the AC on in the police parking lot to keep cool, nothing to do and nowhere to go. I called Danny, again, and he didn’t answer, again. I dialed the motorcycle shop, and Kevin picked up.
“Hey, it’s me. Haven’t seen you for a couple days.”
“Rumor has it you’ve been busy.”
“Hunh?”
“I heard you were at Brian’s fundraiser with Junior Salazar last night, made quite the scene. Jesus, Alex, you know how much I hate to agree with Brian, but I gotta wonder what the hell you’re doing with a guy like Salazar. He’s a fucking killer, for crissake. You sure picked a helluva way to make Danny jealous.”
I fiddled with the AC knob, trying to get the temperature just right. “You think he shot Chambers and set the fire, don’t you?” It hadn’t occurred to me that Kevin would think so, but then I’d thought it too, once upon a time. I didn’t think I had time at the moment to convince Kev that it was our brother, not Danny’s, that we had to worry about.
“Well, I know I didn’t do it, and I was with Danny all fucking night, so I know he didn’t. Our alibi doesn’t stand up because no one else was at his folks’ house, and you had fucking already gone home. But trust me, we didn’t go anywhere near the goddamn body shop until eleven. Somebody called Danny to get him to go out there, and Jenkins is mysteriously not around to confirm it. Nobody else has a fucking motive besides fucking Junior Salazar.” Agitated again. “And now you’re fucking him. Fucking wonderful.”
“Jesus, I’m not sleeping with Mikey. But he didn’t do it, Kevin. I’m sure of that.”
He snorted. “Why, because he said so?”
I sighed, remembering why I’d called in the first place, which wasn’t to debate Mikey’s character. “Look, Kev, you have to trust me about last night. It’s not what you think. Anyway, that’s not why I called. Did you meet with Jimmy C already this morning?”
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
“Danny mentioned it. Did he say anything about making any arrests?”
“Hunh-uh.”
“Well, they’re getting warrants today, for you and Danny.”
“Fuck.”
“I know, but hopefully this will all be over soon.” I pictured Ski Mask, and I knew it was going to all be over soon, one way or another. “If you see Danny, can you let him know? I can’t get a hold of him.”
“He’s probably not speaking to you.”
“Whatever.” I clicked off.
I knew Danny and Kevin wouldn’t attempt to flee, I just wanted them to know what was coming. I figured in some ways, it was probably a relief, not having to wonder anymore. Then I thought that was stupid, it was probably never a relief to get arrested for something you didn’t do. Or even something you did do, for that matter.
I felt safe in the police parking lot, but it was getting damn boring. I figured I’d head out to the gravel yard to give Mikey the update in person, kill a little time. I backed up and pulled out of the lot, turning right on McKinley Street and right again on Orchard. I got stuck behind a tractor, and it seemed to take forever to get to the yard. I parked in front of the office and wandered in. The same burly woman was at the reception desk, stapling more receipts to more work orders. I wondered if she had any other tasks, or if it was some sort of union thing.
“Yes?” No hint of recollection that I’d been there a few days earlier, stealing tissues and other sundries.
“I need to see Mikey, please.”
She looked at me as if I had insulted her mother. “Junior is with someone right now. And for your own safety, you should know that he’s threatened to shoot anyone who calls him Mikey.” She looked like that would be just fine with her, so I didn’t think she was so much concerned with my safety as she was possessive of the boss. I wasn’t exactly in the mood to worry about her jealous streak.
“Tell Mikey that Alex is here, and it’s important. He’s expecting me.” My level of maturity hadn’t caught up with my chronological age. My mother was running out of hope that it ever would.
The VP of Stapling glared, trying to decide, then sighed and picked up the phone. “Alex somebody is here, says it’s important.” She rolled her eyes, hung up and jerked her head towards the office door by way of invitation. I curtseyed and went back.
From the reception area, the door to his office opened in the middle of the long wall. The wall to the left was taken up by a long window that looked out back, onto the gravel yard. Mikey’s desk was situated so that his back would be to the window if he were in the chair, which he wasn’t. To the right of the door, a medium-sized oak conference table was surrounded by six upholstered chairs. I guessed it was for going over plans with contractors and whoever else buys gravel by the ton. Or possibly for entertaining kinky females with handcuffs. A much smaller window was centered in the wall behind the table, providing a partial view of the front parking lot. Directly across the room from the doorway stood four dented metal filing cabinets, several of which I’d rifled through on my previous visit here.
As I suspected, Mikey wasn’t with anybody. He was sitting at the conference table, looking over some papers. I closed the door behind me.
“Hi, Junior.”
He looked at me and flapped the papers towards a chair. I examined it closely, then sat.
“You mad at me?” he asked.
“Hunh-uh.”
“Then what’s with the Junior?”
“Your VP said you’d shoot me if I called you Mikey. Didn’t feel like getting shot this early in the day.”
“VP?”
“Uh-hunh. Of Stapling.”
“Right. I’ll let her know you have special dispensation to call me whatever you like. Was there a reason for this visit?”
“I just saw Jimmy C,” I said. “They’r
e getting warrants to pick up Danny and Kevin later on today. I just wanted you to know.”
“Shit.” He let go of the papers, and they floated gracefully to the floor. “Any sign of Brian?”
I shook my head no. We stared at each other for a long time, and this time it was me who did the ESP thing. I shook my head no again. “No way, Mikey, you are not going to run. You can’t let Danny and Kevin take the fall for this. We’re going to prove Brian did it. I don’t know how, but I know I damn well can’t do it by myself.”
He looked at me a minute longer, then smiled. “Jeez, that mind reading is annoying, isn’t it?” He gathered up his papers. “Fine. I promise I won’t leave, not today anyway. But now you need to get out of here so I can think.” He pushed his chair back, and I stood as well, and he walked me to the door. He didn’t open it. Instead he stopped and looked at me, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Thanks, Alex.”
“For what?”
He shrugged, awkward. “Believing me, I guess.”
“Well, you don’t make my stomach hurt,” I said by way of explanation.
He grinned then. “The fact that I understand your logic worries the hell out of me.”
He assured me again he wouldn’t leave, I promised not to let Brian or his henchman kill me before we proved his guilt, then I got back in the car to wander around and waste the day until something happened or until Danny got done with his errands. Damn, I wondered, what if something didn’t happen today? What if Brian was patient and decided to wait till tomorrow, or the weekend to kill me? Danny would be in jail by then. I’d have to come up with a better plan for not being alone. I could always call Pauline or even my mother, but if I was a target, I didn’t want to endanger anyone else as well. Maybe I could get a temp job, filing or something. Hey! Maybe Jack would hire me as a construction worker for a few days. It seemed to keep him in shape, and I needed some exercise after all the pizza and cookies lately. If Brian didn’t try to kill me by the end of the day, I’d definitely ask Jack for a job. He’d have to be a real jerk not to hire his new wife.
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