Night Shift 2

by Anthology

  “You should feel better soon. I turned it down a bit.” She sat, moving the umbrella around in her pink drink. “Sex on the Beach,” she said innocently.

  I started to choke on my drink at the mention. “What?” I asked in a strangled voice.

  “My drink. It’s a Sex on the Beach.”

  My mouth formed an “O” before I started to cough again. All of a sudden, I pictured Fran running around in the sand with beads of water dripping off her while she was clad in a string bikini. What the fuck was wrong with me?

  “Where do you want to start?” she asked before bringing the drink to her lips and staring at me over the rim.

  What I wanted to say and what I needed to say were so opposite, but I went with work. “So today we learned that McDougal isn’t Johnny’s real name. It’s O’Sullivan. Other than that, we don’t have a ton to go on, but you may be able to give us some clues.”

  “O’Sullivan?” she asked, setting down her drink on the table in slow motion. “I’ve heard the name before.”

  “You have?”

  “Yeah. His cousin who always called was named O’Sullivan.”

  “Do you remember the cousin’s first name?”

  “Kate.”

  I pulled out the tiny tablet I’d stuck in my back pocket before I walked out of ALFA and started to jot down notes. This was one time I wanted to actually write shit down. I needed to go back to the office with a full report. Plus, I’d figured Fran would distract me and I’d probably forget half the shit she’d told me by the time I walked out the door.

  “Do you know where she lives?”

  “Somewhere in New York.”

  “Anything else about Kate?” She couldn’t have had any more of a plain name. It would be like finding a needle in a haystack in the entire state of New York.

  “She’s a hairdresser or some shit in the Bronx.”

  That narrowed it down a lot. Couldn’t be too many Kate O’Sullivan’s doing hair in the Bronx. “I’ll start checking her out as soon as possible.”

  “Now that I think of it…” She placed her face in her hands. “Oh God,” she wailed softly. “I’m a fool.”

  I reached out and pulled her hands away from her face. “Don’t feel like a fool, babe. Just tell me.”

  She sighed before dragging her dark brown eyes to mine. “He always said I love you to her before they got off the phone. I didn’t think anything of it. But he claimed they were cousins. How many cousins do you know who say that every time they talk?”

  “I don’t know.” I shrugged.

  “I bet she’s his wife or some shit. That’s just how my luck is.”

  “Don’t jump to conclusions. Maybe it was his cousin.”

  She gave me a “don’t be an idiot” look. “Let’s be real here, Bear. He used me to get comfortable and stay under the radar at work.”

  “Now you listen to me, Ms. DeLuca, manipulators know just what to say and how to act to get their way. There’s nothing you could’ve done to change things. He knew exactly what he was doing.”

  “Maybe.” She shook her head. “Or I’m just a fool.”

  “Didn’t he work at the track for years?”

  “He owned it, and Race bought it from him.”

  I knew that, but it had slipped my mind. Something wasn’t adding up. Why would a man sell a track and then steal from the very person he’d already had a windfall from… It didn’t make sense.

  “It’s highly unlikely that she’s his wife, Fran. Maybe she’s his sister. If he lived down here for years, running a business, someone would’ve known about Kate. A man can only hide a wife for so long.”

  “True,” she said in a soft voice and twisted her fingers together on top of the table. “She knew we were a couple. I actually spoke to her on the phone a few times.”

  I placed my hands over hers. “If that was you on the other end, would you want to talk to the woman sleeping with your husband?”

  “I’d track that bitch down and kick her ass.”

  “Exactly.” I laughed loudly. “So she’s probably not his wife, but she’s definitely a lead. Did Johnny act any differently lately?”

  “He seemed more paranoid than normal.” She stirred her drink, staring at the liquid swirling around the ice cubes. “He’d look out the windows a few times, double-check locks, and shit like that, but I thought he was just being cautious.”

  “Did Johnny gamble?”

  She shook her head, and her hair skimmed across her shoulder, glistening in the light. “Not that I knew of.”

  “Who else do you remember him talking to? We’re trying to get an accurate picture of who he is and who his associates were.”

  “Hmm.” She paused and chewed on the inside of her lip. “He’d get texts all the time from someone named Trout, but I don’t know if it’s a nickname or a last name. I heard him reminisce about an old friend named Sawyer too. I’m sorry,” she said and rubbed her forehead with her delicate fingers. “I guess I didn’t know as much about him as I thought.”

  “Some people are just guarded, Fran. Usually, it’s just out of habit, but sometimes, like with Johnny, there are other reasons why someone doesn’t open up about who they really are.” I took a large swig of gin, but I kept my eyes trained on her.

  “You’re kind of like him, Bear. You’re very private. I don’t even know your real name.”

  My hand stilled with the glass still pressed against my lips. I never hid my name, but I also never told people openly. My closest friends knew it, and my family, but years ago I stopped answering to it. I set down the gin and licked my lips, taking a moment to debate telling her. When I looked across the table at her sad smile, I couldn’t stop myself from answering. “It’s Murray.”

  Her smile widened, like I’d let her in on a very private secret. “I like that name. It suits you.” Even though I cringed, she whispered, “Murray.”

  Usually, hearing my name would bring back too many memories, but coming from her mouth, it sounded as sweet as the most beautiful song. “That’s me.” I played it off like an idiot.

  She placed her hand on my forearm and stroked my skin, sending chills skidding up my arm. “Do you mind if I call you that? Bear is cute, but Murray is more… manly.”

  “Cook for me again, and you can call me whatever you want.” I smiled at her, relishing the feel of her skin against mine.

  “Shit. I forgot about your beautiful dessert. Let me grab it.” When she removed her hand and stood, I instantly missed the connection.

  She disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me alone in the dining room. “What the fuck am I doing?” I whispered and glanced toward the ceiling. Closing my eyes for a moment, I took a deep breath and told myself Fran is off-limits, asshole.

  “You okay?” she asked, catching me off guard.

  I peered over at her as she stood in the doorway, holding a tray of freshly made cannoli. “I couldn’t be better. Good food and great company, but I wish I were here under different circumstances.”

  She placed two powdered sugar-covered, chocolate-dipped cannoli on my plate. “Well, let’s talk about other things besides Johnny. Ever have any kids?”

  I tried to hold back my cringe. My life was something I didn’t discuss with many. “I have two,” I told her, which was surprisingly easy.

  She sat down and placed one cannoli on her dish before setting the napkin in her lap. “How old?”

  “Ret’s around thirty now, and Janice is just a year younger.”

  “Do they live around here?”

  “Last I heard, he lived somewhere in Texas.” I took the largest bite of the cannoli, hoping my mouth would be too full to answer any more questions. “And she lives nearby.”

  “Jesus, I couldn’t imagine being that far away from my kid. He’s my only baby and has been my life since my marriage ended.”

  “How long ago was that?” I asked with a mouth full of ricotta filling sticking to the roof of my mouth like wallpaper paste.

 
; “He left right around the time Morgan graduated from high school, but the marriage was over long before that.” She mindlessly traced the chocolate on the tip of the cannoli tube, and my mind went into overdrive.

  It was like something out of a wet dream. Fran’s tongue moved slowly across the dried chocolate, the pink beautifully contrasting with the darkness of the treat. Her eyes closed, savoring the taste, and for a brief moment, I pictured my cock in her hand with her making the same motion. When she let out a tiny moan, I almost fell off my chair.

  “Anyway,” she said before biting off the end and ending my fantasy. “Ray was a piece of shit. He’s never had any contact with Morgan since that day. He served me with papers, and I haven’t seen him since.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Eh.” She waved her hand. “It was years ago and the best thing that ever could’ve happened. He was an asshole, straight up. Murray, what about your wife?”

  “My wife, Jackie,” I said and felt a pang of sadness. I rarely said her name anymore because it was still an open wound that hadn’t fully healed. “She died during childbirth.”

  Her hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes widened. “I’m so sorry.” When she dropped her arm, her hand found the same spot on my forearm, stroking me gently. “I can’t imagine how hard that must’ve been.”

  “Even though it’s been almost three decades, the pain is still like yesterday.”

  “It’s different when someone is taken from you. I can’t imagine what you went through with a newborn baby and dealing with the loss of your wife.”

  “I didn’t deal well. I was a shitty father, Fran.”

  She gripped my arm tighter, the bite of her fingernails grounding me. “Men aren’t meant to raise babies alone.”

  “Maybe,” I whispered, pushing the cannoli around my dish. “I could’ve been a better father. Instead, I got involved with the wrong crowd, drank too much, and left Ret in the care of my sisters. I couldn’t look at his cute little face every day. He was a constant reminder of what I’d lost.”

  “You can’t correct the past, but you can try to make amends for the future.” She patted my arm softly. “Do you talk to him now?”

  “We talk, but I wish he were closer.” I shrugged.

  She smiled sweetly at me with the softest brown eyes. “Well, why don’t you convince him to come here? Who doesn’t love Florida?”

  “I don’t know,” I mumbled before shoving the rest of the half-eaten cannoli in my mouth.

  “Time is something you can never get back. At our age, it’s the most precious thing we have, Murray.”

  “Fran.” Pieces of the cannoli fell from my lips, and I scooped them into my hand and dropped them on the plate. “I love when you say my name, but when we’re not alone, can you call me Bear?”

  She winked playfully. “Sure. I know you have an image to maintain.”

  I couldn’t hide my smile. “Something like that.”

  “So…” She dragged her drink in front of her and settled back into her chair. “That makes you about how old? Fifty?”

  “Somewhere around there.” I winked. “How about you?”

  “About the same.”

  I dabbed at the powdered sugar that I was sure had fallen into my beard with each bite. “I didn’t think I’d ever live to see the big five-oh.”

  Fran licked her finger and scooted forward. “Let me get that.” She raised her hand, and I nodded.

  My body froze the closer she came with her arm outstretched, running her fingers through my beard. Each hair that moved sent tiny prickles through my system. “There,” she said and stroked my face before pulling her hand away.

  “Thanks.” No one had cleaned my face since Jackie. The small gesture made my heart ache with sadness. “It’s getting late. Let’s finish up about Johnny so you can get some rest.”

  “Oh, okay,” she said, and I could tell my response wasn’t what she expected.

  I didn’t veer off course for the rest of my visit. We only talked about Johnny and the track. After an hour of jotting down notes, I thanked her for the dinner and made my way to the door.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to stay a little longer?”

  I let out a fake yawn. “I need to get to bed. Thank you for a lovely meal and even better company, Fran.” I leaned forward and kissed her soft, round cheek. “I had a good time tonight.”

  She placed her palm flat against my chest, and I could feel her warmth through my T-shirt. “It was nice to cook for someone who actually likes to eat what I make.”

  “Whenever you need company, just call.” The words just came out of my mouth without a filter. If Morgan were here, he’d punch me right in the back of the head for coming on to his mom.

  “I may just take you up on that offer.” She smiled and backed away through the door. “Have a safe trip home, Murray.”

  I had started to jog down the driveway, but I stopped when I heard my name. I turned, smiled at her, and waved. “Sweet dreams, Franny.”

  I couldn’t wipe the stupid grin off my face as I pushed my bike down her driveway to avoid pissing off her neighbors. I kept my eyes on her in the side mirror, watching her watch me from the doorway.

  Don’t look back.

  I was in so much trouble at this point, I’d let Morgan get in a free shot or two without even defending myself. I broke the guy code. He was my buddy and coworker, but Fran… She was a real woman who made me feel something for the first time in as long as I could remember.

  4

  Fran

  The phone rang before the sun even shone through my sheers. “Hello,” I said in a groggy voice, still half asleep even though the call had startled me.

  “Late night?” Maria, my sister-in-law, asked with a small giggle.

  I rolled onto my side and squinted to see the numbers on the alarm clock. “What the hell are you doing awake at this ungodly hour?”

  “It’s almost eight, sleepyhead. We have tennis this morning, but it’s raining.”

  “Ugh,” I groaned because I fucking hated tennis, but I played it with Maria weekly to make her happy. The only bright side was that my body had never looked better since I started chasing that stupid neon ball around the court.

  “Let’s meet for coffee and breakfast instead.”

  Resting the phone against my shoulder, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “Fine. That sounds better than tennis any day. I’m too tired today to actually do much else.”

  “I heard Bear came over last night.”

  “From whom?”

  “I talked to Tommy last night.”

  I grabbed the pillow from the other side of the bed and placed it over my face, muffling my voice. “You’re already gossiping about me?”

  “No.”

  “Hmph,” I mumbled. “Sounds like you were.”

  “Stop being a baby. Get your ass up and meet me at the diner in an hour.”

  “Fine,” I told her before kicking off the covers. “Bye.”

  “Don’t keep me wait—”

  I hung up the phone before she could keep talking. I hadn’t even had a cup of coffee, and the last thing I wanted to deal with was Maria and her questions.

  After I rolled out of bed and made my way to the kitchen, I dialed Morgan while I waited for the coffee to brew. “Hey, baby,” I said when he answered.

  “Morning, Ma. How are you today?”

  “It’s too early to form an opinion. I’m just waiting for the coffee and thought I’d call to check in with you.”

  “How did it go?”

  “Fine,” I said, keeping my answer short.

  “That’s all you have to say?”

  I heard the annoyance in his tone. “We had a little dinner, talked, and then he left.”

  “You made him dinner?” His voice cracked on the last word.

  “It helped keep my mind occupied.”

  “But, Ma,” he replied with a deeper tone.

  “No buts, Morgan. It was a nice evening.”


  “It was work.”

  “I know, son. Trust me, Bear was a complete gentleman.”

  “Doubtful,” Morgan mumbled into the phone.

  “He even complimented my cooking.”

  Morgan was silent for a moment. “Now I really don’t trust him.”

  “You trusted Johnny and so did I, and where did that get us? Bear is a good man. He was kind to me last night.”

  “I’m sure he was,” he grumbled.

  “Stop with the shitty attitude, mister.”

  “Just be careful.”

  I laughed as I grabbed the half-filled pot and poured myself a cup. “You have nothing to worry about. I just hope I gave him enough information about Johnny to help.”

  “I’m sure you did, Ma.”

  “I feel responsible, Morgan. I mean, Johnny and I didn’t go steady, but I spent enough time with him that I should’ve seen the signs. I should’ve known he wasn’t a good guy.” I took a sip, savoring the warmth and caffeine.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. He manipulated everyone. But that’s what I’m saying about Bear. You never really know someone until it’s too late. Don’t think he’s a good guy, Ma. He’s not.”

  “Morgan DeLuca, I raised you to think better about people. He’s your friend and a friend of the Gallos. Don’t confuse your feelings for Johnny with Bear.”

  “I’m just saying my peace.”

  “Well, you’ve said it now. I’m a big girl and can make my own decisions.” I placed the mug on the counter and glanced at the clock. “I have to run. Maria is waiting for me to have breakfast. Have a good day, honey.”

  “We’re not done talking about—”

  I hung up on him. It was becoming a normal thing for me. When I didn’t like what someone was saying, I’d hang up the phone before they could finish. Although I loved Morgan dearly, I was a grown woman, and I didn’t have to justify my life to him. I’d made it this far without his “wise words” and worry.

  By the time I walked into the diner, Maria was already seated and sipping on a cup of coffee. “Nice of you to finally make it,” she said with a lopsided smile. “Bear wear you out last night?”