Birthdays Can Be Deadly

by Cindy Bell

  “I'm going to find out either way,” Eddy pointed out. “Either I ask you who she is, or I ask her.”

  “You wouldn't do that, would you?” Samantha asked apprehensively. “I wasn't supposed to tell anyone who she is.”

  “I would, and I will,” he replied sternly. “She talks to me like she knows me. I need to know who she is.”

  “She spoke to you?” Samantha asked.

  “Yes, she did,” he replied and narrowed his eyes. “Now, out with it.”

  “Samantha, we're your friends,” Walt said in a gentler tone. “You can tell us the truth.”

  Samantha took a shaky breath. “All right,” she finally conceded. “But you both have to promise not to tell anyone else. Especially you, Eddy,” she said and looked directly into his eyes.

  “Tell us,” Eddy said without agreeing.

  “Jo, the woman that lives here in Sage Gardens, is Joanne Baylor, the same woman who…”

  “The cat burglar?” Eddy asked with disbelief.

  “The what?” Walt stammered out.

  “Yes, the cat burglar,” Samantha finally admitted and felt as if a big burden had been lifted off her shoulders, only to be replaced by the dread of Jo finding out that she had told her secret.

  “This is absolutely ridiculous,” Eddy growled. “How could you even associate with that woman, Samantha? How does she have your phone number?”

  “Listen, she offered to help, and what better way to catch a thief, than to use a thief?” Samantha explained quickly.

  “No, don't you even try it,” Eddy warned her. “There is no explanation for this, and you know it. She's a dangerous criminal who will say and do anything to get what she wants.”

  “She's done her time, Eddy,” Samantha pointed out, though she didn't fully believe it herself. “She was released early for good behavior. She offered to help because she wants to turn her life around.”

  “I'll believe that when pigs fly,” Eddy snapped and shook his head. “Walt, are you buying any of this?”

  “I don't know,” Walt replied with a slight frown. “She has a point about a thief catching a thief. Hopefully Jo will be able to help.”

  “I can't even conceive of what the two of you are thinking,” Eddy said sharply. Then he stormed out of Walt's villa.

  “Eddy, wait!” Samantha called out and started to follow after him. Walt grasped her arm gently and held her back.

  “Let him go,” he advised. “He needs a little time to cool off.”

  Samantha frowned and looked down at the floor. She knew that she was the reason that Eddy was so upset. Even with everything that was going on, she didn't want Eddy to be angry with her. She wondered if he might be right, that she had made the wrong choice by allowing Jo to be involved.

  ***

  Eddy did his best to calm down. There was little that bothered him more than a criminal who was given back their freedom before they had served all of their sentence. He didn't really believe that people could change. The idea that an infamous cat burglar had been living in the same community as him, had even spoken to him, without him realizing made it very difficult for him. Had he really gotten so rusty that a criminal could flaunt herself right under his nose?

  He didn't want to be at his villa if one of them came looking for him, so he walked down towards the lake. His mind was still churning over the case as well. Jo was a distraction, but he needed to focus on what mattered. If Mike was responsible for his father's death then he needed to suffer severe consequence for it. The only thing that bothered him was how obvious it seemed.

  “I thought I might find you out here,” Samantha said quietly as she stepped up behind him. Eddy tensed, but he did not turn away from the water to face her.

  “You shouldn't sneak up on an old detective,” he muttered and slid his hands into his pockets.

  “I wasn't sneaking,” Samantha insisted as she moved around beside him. “I just didn't want to disturb you,” she explained.

  “Oh?” he glanced over at her and raised an eyebrow. “I'm fairly disturbed now, aren't I?”

  “Eddy, don't you ever just relax?” Samantha asked as she narrowed her eyes. “Does everything have to be an argument, or an interrogation?”

  “I was trying to relax,” Eddy pointed out. “I was looking out over the water. I was calm, and quiet. Then you showed up,” he looked over at her once more, his expression indifferent.

  “All right, I get the point, I'll go,” Samantha said with a sigh of frustration. She grasped the pole on the canopy and began to swing around it to walk away.

  “Wait, don't go,” Eddy said sternly. “I'm sorry, I was just kidding around.”

  “That's kidding around?” she asked with widened eyes as she looked back at him. “I guess I missed the humor.”

  “I guess you did,” he admitted sheepishly. “I've been a little rough around the edges today.”

  “Because of Jo?” Samantha asked and searched his expression for a hint of the truth. He grimaced.

  “Maybe,” he said quietly. “I'm not sure how to feel about working with someone so notorious.”

  “We all have our pasts, Eddy,” Samantha reminded him as she leaned against the pole of the canopy and looked out over the water. “There are choices that we've made that we will be dealing with for the rest of our lives. But Jo paid her debt, didn't she?”

  “Not exactly,” Eddy replied with a scowl. “There were a lot more robberies that didn't get connected to her. I'm sure she's responsible for at least a few of them. However, she only went to jail for a handful that could actually be proven. That's why she got out as early as she did, Samantha. Am I just supposed to ignore the way she broke the law and be buddies with her now?”

  “No one is asking you to do that, Eddy,” Samantha assured him. “You think that everything is black and white. Not everything is. Did Jo commit crimes? Yes, she did,” Samantha nodded. “You and I both know that. But what is the point of a criminal doing their best to change their ways if they are never given the opportunity to turn their lives around?”

  “I don't know, Sam,” he shook his head and looked away from her again. “It goes against my better judgment. I don't think we should trust her.”

  “Who ever said anything about trusting her?” Samantha asked with a slight smile. “It's not as if I expect you to do that.”

  “So, why are you asking her for help?”

  “For James’ sake,” she explained. “If involving her leads to finding the watch and possibly the murderer then it’s worth it.”

  “It sounded like you were going to let her handle talking to the fence alone,” Eddy said.

  “It might have sounded that way, but I'm not going to let her do that,” Samantha replied. “Why do you think I told her to meet me tomorrow so I could give her a description of the watch?”

  “You intend to go with her?” Eddy asked suspiciously.

  “I'm not some kind of delicate flower, Eddy. No, I didn't wear a badge, but I did conduct my own investigations. I haven't forgotten how to do just that,” she insisted sternly.

  “You're not going with her,” Eddy said as if his words ended the discussion.

  “Fine,” Samantha said. She smiled at the surprised look on his face. “But someone has to go with her. So, if it's not me, then I guess it's going to have to be you.”

  “Me?” he asked and shook his head. “I don't think I could keep my cool. I'd want to slap handcuffs on her.”

  Samantha struggled not to point out how his comment might be taken by anyone else who heard it. “You don't have handcuffs anymore,” she reminded him. “Besides, the best way to deal with a problem is to face it. Right?”

  “I don't know,” he shook his head hesitantly. “It just doesn't seem like a very good idea for me to get in the middle of all of that.”

  “Well, like I said, it's me or you,” Samantha shrugged. “I was already planning on joining her, so it's not going to be a problem for me to stick with that plan.”


  “Samantha, you know better than that,” he said sharply. “The things that can happen are innumerable. Undercover situations are always unpredictable, and we're talking about real criminals here, with real guns. Not, an article that you're writing.”

  “I am perfectly aware of what we're talking about,” Samantha said evenly. “My offer still stands. I'll be happy to avoid putting myself at risk if you would prefer to do the honors.”

  “Oh, Sam,” he sighed and closed his eyes briefly. “My life used to be simple you know.”

  “I highly doubt that,” Samantha chuckled. “I'll have her meet us around ten in the morning.”

  “Fine,” he reluctantly agreed. “I'll be there.”

  “Eddy, just do your best to think of Jo as an asset,” Samantha suggested. “She really could make a difference in solving the murder.”

  “We'll see,” Eddy replied before turning back towards his villa. As Samantha turned back towards the water she caught the reflection of the sun sparkling along the surface. It reminded her of the champagne they had been drinking not long ago at James' party. She frowned.

  “We're fighting to find out the truth,” she said quietly.

  Chapter Ten

  The next morning Eddy woke up surly. He thought about not meeting Samantha and Jo. He didn't want to have anything to do with the criminal. On the other hand he did very much want to find out the truth and bring James' killer to justice. Finding out who stole the watch could bring him one step closer to making that happen. Reluctantly, he forced himself out of bed and into the shower.

  Everything in his villa had an army green feel, despite the fact that he had never been in the army. The color made him feel at peace in his environment. Even his shower curtain was army green. He kept his shelves bare of anything other than necessities and a few very well read books. When he emerged from the shower he was wrapped in an army green towel. He snatched a pair of slacks from his closet, paired it with a button-down shirt, and a brown suit jacket, then dressed. He paused in front of the mirror only to adjust his hat on the top of his head.

  As Eddy was walking down towards Samantha's villa, he received a text on his cell phone.

  Meet us by the lake. Act like you don't know anything.

  Eddy raised an eyebrow at the message, which had come from Samantha's phone. He put his phone away and changed direction to walk towards the lake. He could see the pair already standing there, deep in discussion.

  “I'm just not comfortable with you going alone,” Samantha explained as Eddy walked up behind the two of them.

  “Who would go with me? You?” Jo laughed at the idea. Her laughter faded when Eddy spoke.

  “What's going on here?” he asked.

  Jo looked over her shoulder at him with a mixture of hatred and curiosity.

  “It's a private conversation,” she replied shortly.

  “Between a crime journalist and a criminal, seems like a bad idea,” Eddy said casually. Samantha glared at him. Eddy pretended not to notice.

  “Jo said she has some contacts that might be able to tell us who fenced the watch,” Samantha explained as she looked nervously over at Eddy.

  “She's standing right here, can't she tell me that?” he asked as he continued to stare steadily at Jo.

  “I wasn't sure that you'd be interested in listening,” Jo countered in an even tone. She was doing her best not to show that Eddy's presence made her uneasy. She knew that she was failing miserably.

  “Well, how do you know unless you ask?” Eddy replied in an almost identical tone.

  “The point is, that she is offering to help,” Samantha explained in an attempt to keep them both calm. “She's going to check into her connections and see what she can find out.”

  “Or, she's going to cover up for the fact that she's involved in all of this,” Eddy accused.

  “I already have a meeting lined up,” Jo replied in a sharp tone. “I'm going to meet a fence now who I think might have the watch. If you want to tag along, fine.”

  “Let's get one thing clear, I don't tag along with anyone,” Eddy said and shook his head. He glanced over at Samantha briefly. Samantha cringed. She didn't think that the two of them would survive being alone in a car together.

  “I'm leaving,” Jo said and muttered something under her breath about ever getting involved.

  “We'll take my car,” Eddy said firmly. As the two walked towards the parking lot Walt walked up to Samantha.

  “Where are they going?” he asked with confusion.

  “Jo set up a meeting with the fence she thinks bought the watch from whoever stole it,” Samantha explained. “And Eddy is going with her.”

  “Oh,” Walt frowned. “That doesn't seem like a very good idea.”

  “No Walt, it really doesn't,” Samantha agreed. The sound of Eddy gunning the engine punctuated her words.

  ***

  As Eddy steered the car out of the parking lot and onto the road, he could tell that Jo was as uncomfortable as he was. The truth was he had worked with several criminal informants in the past. He was familiar with what it was like to be alone with a felon. However, Jo was different. She had led detectives on a wild goose chase as they searched for her. She was cunning, and manipulative, and Eddy wasn't going to take his eye off her for a second.

  “Head to Newton,” Jo instructed him, though she did not turn to look at him. The sharp click of the turn signal switch was the only sound that filled the car. Eddy turned down the highway in the direction of Newton and did his best to keep his focus on the road instead of on Jo.

  “I guess you know exactly who I am,” Jo suddenly said. She was still staring steadily out of the passenger door window.

  Eddy hesitated a moment and then nodded. “I know who you are,” he replied.

  “And I know exactly who you are,” Jo sighed and sank down in the seat. Eddy noticed that she slouched elegantly. She didn't try to hide her body, or communicate a lack of pride, it was more like she was relaxing.

  “You do?” Eddy asked. “Why would you know anything about me?”

  “I knew a lot about a lot of people that live in Sage Gardens even before I moved in,” Jo admitted. “Turn right up here, on Kent.”

  Eddy glanced over at her curiously. Then he slowed down to make the right turn. Once they were on Kent he cleared his throat.

  “How do you know so much about the residents?” he asked.

  “I knew that no matter what place I picked to live, there was going to be someone who knew something about me. I mean with the burglaries in the paper, it's hard to avoid. However, I was hoping to avoid places that would specifically have people that would cause me trouble,” she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Guess I made a bad choice.”

  “I thought you said you knew a lot about us before you moved in?” Eddy frowned.

  “I did, however I didn't really look that deep. I didn't realize you were a retired cop until I had already signed the lease. Then there was Samantha, whose name I would have recognized if she hadn't written all of those articles about me under a pen name,” she sneered with frustration.

  “You read the articles?” he asked.

  “Yes, I had a good amount of free time in prison you know,” she sighed. “Up here on the left we can pull in, then you're going to want to drive through the parking lot into the next plaza.”

  “Seems like you know this place fairly well,” Eddy observed.

  “Well, you know what they say,” she shrugged.

  “No? What?” he asked and parked the car.

  “Keep your enemies close,” she reminded him. “It's hard to survive in this world as a felon without friends.”

  “I don't know that you should be considering known criminals, friends,” Eddy pointed out as he tucked his keys into his pocket.

  “They're the only ones I have,” Jo replied darkly. She opened the door to the car and stepped out into the parking lot. The business they were parked in front of barely had a sign. The
windows were streaked with dirt. Crumpled up papers and leaves littered the sidewalk.

  “This is the place?” Eddy asked as he stepped up beside her.

  “Yes,” she replied. “I think it might be best if you wait out here,” Jo said as she lingered by the door. The glass was covered with various stickers and sale signs.

  “I don't think so,” Eddy said gruffly as he stood between her and the door.

  “You still don't trust me?” she asked.

  “Did I say that?” he asked and met her eyes.

  “You didn't have to,” she replied gravely as she studied him. “It's written all over your face.”

  “You may think that's what I mean, but it’s not what I mean,” Eddy said with frustration. “I'm not going to let you go into a place where a known criminal does business, alone.”

  “You think that you are going to protect me?” she asked with a smirk. “How sweet.”

  “I just think it's best that you don't go alone,” he corrected her sternly.

  “Fine,” she nodded. “You can come in with me, but you have to stop acting all cop-ish.”

  “Cop-ish?” he repeated. “I've worked undercover before.”

  “And I'm sure you were an easy mark,” she sighed and swept her eyes over him. “First you have to lose the hat, it just screams cop on you. On me, it'll be fine,” she plucked his hat off his head and dropped it on hers. Carefully she tucked her dark hair back behind her ears. Eddy stared at her with disbelief.

  Before he could say a word she ran her hands back through his light brown hair. He shuddered at the sudden touch.

  “Relax cowboy, I'm just fixing your hat hair,” she frowned and smoothed his hair back until it looked slick.

  “Stop,” he said with annoyance. “That's enough.”

  “Not quite yet,” she replied and grabbed the collar of his dress shirt. She unbuttoned the top two buttons. Eddy shifted uncomfortably but he didn't push her hand away. “Let's let that shirt loose,” she said.

  “I'll do that,” he said sharply and pulled out his own shirt. He straightened his belt and then sighed. “All right, do I look enough like a criminal for you?” he asked.