Thirty-Three and a Half Shenanigans

by Denise Grover Swank

  I watched Jed open the cabinet and pull out the bottle Skeeter had used.

  “You don’t trust Jed?” He chuckled.

  “You told me not to let my glass out of my sight. I’m only following your wise advice.”

  “Wise?” He laughed. “You make me sound old.”

  “How old are you, Skeeter Malcolm?”

  “I’ll be thirty-nine in January. Why are you asking?”

  I gave a half-shrug. In some ways he seemed both older and younger. “Just curious.”

  “I’m not too old to give you the best night of your life.”

  “You wish.” I shot him a glare, not that he could see it through my veil. “You’re old enough to know that it’s time to stop sleepin’ with every loose woman in the county.”

  “Are you suggesting I settle for one woman?” He laughed. “And accept a life of boredom? That would be like eating toast for breakfast every morning for the rest of my life.”

  I shook my head in disgust. “And that right there shows that while you might be thirty-nine years old, you’re as stupid as a stump. Maybe you should be looking for pancakes and bacon for breakfast instead of settling for toast.”

  Skeeter’s smug grin wavered as Jed returned and handed me my glass.

  “I’m ready to do this. Let’s get started.”

  Skeeter’s eyes darkened. “There’s been a change of plans. Instead of just having a vision, I want you to ask them general questions about their involvement in the business—see if you can get anything out of them that might be helpful to me. Save the vision for last.”

  I shook my head, starting to panic. “No, I can’t do that.”

  “Look at me.” His eyes narrowed. “You can, and you will.”

  I took a deep breath and tried to see a positive side to this tactic. If I could question them, maybe I could get some answers of my own. “Okay.”

  His mouth tipped up into an appreciative grin. “Jed will be there listening to everything. Go through the first door to the left of this room.”

  “We were going to use the corner,” Jed said. “So we can keep it in the public eye. For Lady’s reputation.”

  Skeeter considered the suggestion. “No, use the office. You’ll be in there to dispel any lies that might pop up. I think you’ll get more from them if you talk to them in a separate room.”

  Jed nodded.

  My hands began to tremble as the insanity of the situation hit me full on. I was about to question hardened criminals.

  “I’ll send them in to see you, so when one guy leaves, wait until the next comes in.”

  “Okay,” Jed said.

  Skeeter leaned close, peering through my veil. “You can do this. Now go find out who’s responsible.”

  Jed led me into the office and flipped on the light. I expected a utilitarian space, but the room was larger than I’d expected. A large wooden desk sat toward the back wall with a luxurious leather office chair behind it. The back wall was a solid bookcase filled with books.

  In the corner opposite the door was a leather sofa with two leather chairs in front of it. A table topped with an unlit lamp was tucked next to the couch.

  “Is this Skeeter’s real office?”

  “The pool hall office is just a front. The guys in the other room had to prove themselves trustworthy to be here.”

  “That can’t be too true since Skeeter has me questioning them. I thought you said Skeeter could read people’s characters?”

  “And I also say they could change, although it’s rare. But some will change if there’s a powerful enough incentive. Like greed.”

  I suspected a lot of people would change for greed.

  “The first guy will be in here soon. Where do you want to do this?” Jed asked.

  I stood in the center of the room, spinning around to take it all in. “If I sit at the desk, I’ll show more authority, but I’ll have to get up to force a vision.” I turned to study the sitting area. “If I sit there, they might want to sit next to me and . . . be more inclined to talk.” My voice trailed off. I knew why some of them might want to sit by me.

  “I think the sofa area is a good idea.”

  “But let’s turn on the lamp and turn off the overhead light. So it’s more . . . comfortable.”

  “Good idea.”

  I nodded and sat on the sofa close to the table, setting my glass on a coaster. “Is it gonna be that bad?” I asked.

  “With most of them? No. And I suspect Skeeter will send the easy ones first to get you warmed up.”

  My nerves kicked in. There were eleven men in the other room, so this could very well go on all night. But I didn’t have time to dwell on it.

  Jed opened the door, and the first man walked in. He paused in the doorway, but Jed said, “Come on in, Seth. As Skeeter probably told you, Lady would like to meet you. Lady, this is Seth Moore.”

  So much for starting with the easy ones. Mr. Moore was on the questionable list.

  Seth moved toward me, his eyes moving from the empty chairs to the sofa. I’d chosen where to sit strategically. If the guy I was questioning sat next to me on the sofa, it would be easier to reach over, grab his hand, and have a vision. But it also meant he would probably be more forward. It was a double-edged sword.

  He sat on the cushion next to me.

  Jed shut the door and took a seat in the chair opposite of where I sat.

  “Seth, thank you for meeting with me.” I clasped my hands in my lap, hoping my trembling didn’t show. “I’m a very hands-on investor, and I think it’s important for me to get to know the men who work closely with Mr. Malcolm.” I crossed my legs and leaned toward him. “And perhaps you’d like to know more about me too.”

  His eyes were glued to my cleavage. “Yeah . . .”

  “I’ve been studying everyone since I walked into the conference room, and I can tell that you are a man who will be instrumental to Mr. Malcolm. Tell me about your position in the organization.” I cast a quick glance at Jed, and he tipped his head slightly with a tiny smile.

  The alcohol on his breath loosened his tongue. Seth spent several minutes telling me how important he was to Skeeter, which had something to do with fencing stolen goods in his pawnshop.

  “I’d love to know about your prior experience. An enterprising man such as yourself has surely worked his way up the ladder.”

  He filled me in on his petty thefts and burglaries, none of which was useful information.

  “I have a question,” Seth said, leaning toward me.

  Jed’s jaw tightened.

  “I’m listening.”

  “Why do you always wear a veil?”

  I should have expected that. Reaching my hand to my chest, I said, “I was in an accident that left me with a terrible scar. I’m embarrassed to be seen with it, so I cover it with a veil.”

  “I’m sure you’re beautiful without it.” He reached over and put his hand on mine.

  Jed shifted in his seat as though he was ready to pounce, but I grabbed Seth’s hand and held it between both of my own.

  “Can I read your aura?”

  “What?” he mumbled, his eyes on my chest again. It was easy to see which part of me he found most beautiful.

  “I know it sounds new-agey, but I read auras. You’re such an interesting man, and I’d love to read you.”

  He leered at me. I suspected the fact that I was still holding his hand gave him courage. “I’d love for you to read me.”

  “Thank you.” I lowered my voice. “You sit still. I’ll be quiet for a bit while I concentrate, and then I’ll blurt out some nonsense before I tell you about your aura. Don’t worry—it’s all part of the process.”

  “Okay.”

  I cast a glance at Jed, who seemed tense. I could hardly blame him. Who knew what would pop out of my mouth and what this man would do afterward? Jed was in a terrible position of both having to protect me and maintain damage control.

  “Then let’s get started.” I closed my eyes,
wondering what to focus on. If I tried to find out if he was connected to Mason’s attempted murder, what would I see if he wasn’t involved? I supposed it was worth a try. I concentrated on his connection to Mason’s murder and the inky blackness gave way to a gray haze. I squinted, concentrating harder until a fuzzy image appeared.

  I was sitting in lawn chair, holding a beer in my hand. A man sat in the chair next to me with a beer of his own.

  “You gonna mow the lawn?” a woman screeched behind me.

  I took a guzzle from the can. “Quit your naggin’, woman.”

  “You hear about Billy Jack?” the guy asked.

  I shook my head. “Nothing good can come from that.”

  Suddenly a woman with baby on one hip stood in front of me, her hand on her other hip. “Get your worthless ass up and mow. Now.”

  “You don’t want to mow the grass,” I blurted out.

  “What?” Seth asked, sounding confused.

  My heart raced. Did Billy Jack have anything to do with the attack on Mason? But Seth was waiting for an answer. “I told you I’d talk nonsense at first. You’re such a complicated man, I’m having trouble honing in on your aura. Let me try one more time.”

  “Okay.” He slid closer to me so that his thigh touched mine, giving him a better view of my chest. Pervert.

  I closed my eyes again, still holding his hand between both of mine. I considered holding both of his hands, since he was close enough for his other hand to fondle me, but I figured Jed had me covered. This time I focused on whether Seth had betrayed Skeeter and if so, who he was working with. But when the room faded, I saw the same gray nothingness I’d experienced before the start of my previous vision. I felt stuck in the haze, and I was starting to panic when I thought of something else I was sure I’d see—what Seth was going to have for lunch tomorrow. Instantly an image of his hand holding a hot dog topped with sauerkraut popped into my head.

  The vision faded, and I said, “You’re going to have a hot dog for lunch tomorrow.”

  “That’s weird,” Seth said. “I was just thinking about hot dogs tonight.”

  “That’s quite a coincidence,” I said, a dull ache starting in my forehead.

  “So what color did you see?”

  “Oh.” I dropped his hand and scooted back toward the arm of the sofa. What had Neely Kate told me about auras? “Your aura is a light greenish-blue. It means you’re loyal to Skeeter . . . a loyalty that will be rewarded.”

  He gave me a leer and slid closer, reaching for my hand again. “I’d like to prove my loyalty to you.”

  But before he could finish his sentence, Jed grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. “Skeeter would prefer for you to save your loyalty for him.”

  Panic washed over Seth’s face. “But she works for him. I’m loyal to ’em both.”

  Jed pulled him to the door. “She works with Skeeter, not for, and you best not forget that.”

  “I didn’t mean nothing by it. I swear.”

  “I know, Seth. I won’t mention it to Skeeter, but for the record, he considers her his, if you know what I mean.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean—”

  Jed opened the door and pushed Seth out before closing it without another word to the man. “Did you have two visions?” he asked me.

  I nodded. “One to see if he was part of the plot to kill Mason and the other to see if he was going to betray Skeeter.”

  He chuckled. “And you saw a hot dog?”

  “No. I saw absolutely nothing the second time around, just gray haze. I kind of got stuck in it, so I decided to think about what he’s going to have for lunch tomorrow.”

  “What about the lawn mowing?”

  “I think his wife was nagging him to mow the lawn, but some guy next to him asked if he knew about what happened to Billy Jack.”

  “Who?”

  “Neely Kate’s cousin’s boyfriend.”

  “The girl who’s missing?”

  “Yeah. He sound familiar?”

  He pressed his lips together and shook his head. “Nope, don’t know him.”

  Billy Jack could have something to do with whoever was after Mason. Was Dolly’s disappearance related to it too? Maybe she and Nikko had uncovered the plot?

  I’d have to puzzle it out later. Another man was about to walk through the door. “Are there any questions I didn’t ask that I should have?”

  “Nope, you’re a natural.”

  I wished I felt like one. I spent the next twenty minutes interviewing the next three men. I’d forced two visions with each, and none of them were involved in either Mason’s attack or the betrayal of Skeeter. Instead, I found out what all three of them were getting for Christmas—the question I asked in a panic when I got stuck in the gray haze after asking about Mason—and I knew what they would have for lunch the next day. By the time the last of them left, my head was pounding.

  I pressed my hand to my temple. “Can I get a glass of water? And maybe some ibuprofen?”

  Jed picked up my glass. “Does your head hurt? How often have you done this sort of thing?”

  “I’ve never had this many visions in such a short time period, let alone forced ones.”

  “Maybe you should just have one vision each for the rest of these guys.” He went into the bathroom that was connected to the room and came back with a glass of water and two tablets. He handed them to me, worry in his eyes.

  I swallowed the tablets and put my glass on the table. “I need to figure out how to combine the questions. Maybe I’ll try it with the next guy. How many are left?”

  “Seven.”

  My stomach rolled at the thought. “One at a time, right?”

  “You can stop any time you need to.”

  I shook my head and instantly regretted it. “I can’t. I’ll be fine. I was too nervous to eat much for dinner. I’m sure that hasn’t helped.”

  Jed studied me as a knock came at the door. He walked over to peek through the peephole, then turned to me. “Good thing you took that medicine.”

  He opened the door and the suspicious bearded guy from the meeting barreled in. Bear Stevens. He didn’t look the least bit happy to there. “This is a fucking waste of my time,” he said without any preliminaries.

  My back stiffened, and I struggled to keep my breath even. I’d known I’d face resistance from some of them, but I still wasn’t prepared for his reaction. I suspected I’d see something with him, and I had no idea how he’d react when I did.

  “Bear, have a seat,” Jed said, motioning toward me.

  All four of the previous men had sat on the sofa beside me, but Bear sat in the chair that Jed had occupied. I wasn’t surprised, but I knew it would be tricky to find an excuse to touch him . . . one that wouldn’t put me in personal danger.

  “Thank you for sparing a few moments of your time, Bear,” I said, crossing my legs and placing my hands on my knees. Thankfully, my voice didn’t betray my fear. “What do you do for Skeeter?”

  Jed sat in the chair diagonally across from me, and Bear turned his attention to him rather than looking at me. “Why do you want me to waste my time telling this bitch what I do for Skeeter?”

  Jed gripped the arms of the chair, his knuckles turning white. “You will treat Lady with respect.”

  “Lady,” the burly man sneered. “What kind of name is that?”

  “If you feel like comparing names, Mr. Bear,” I said calmly, surprised at the authority I mustered, “then let’s compare what our given names are. Would you like to start first?”

  His face turned red.

  “No, I didn’t think so. You chose Bear for a reason, right? You want to put out a specific image.” I paused for effect. “I chose the name Lady for the same reason, Mr. Bear, so please don’t forget it.”

  Bear looked furious and close to walking out the door.

  “I have partnered with Mr. Malcolm, but it’s risky for me, both financially and personally. So I insisted on meeting the highly respected member
s of his organization.”

  He snorted. “Then why did you talk to Seth?”

  I uncrossed my legs and sat back in the seat. “Every parent has favorites, Bear, even if he or she insists otherwise. The parent needs each child to feel just as loved as the others, even if it’s not true.”

  He gave me a sarcastic grin. “So which am I? The child who’s being lied to or lied for?”

  I had to be careful with this man. He definitely wasn’t Seth Moore. To fight my growing anxiety, I stood up and moved to the cabinet from which Jed had pulled the glass. “You’re a smart man. I think you can figure it out.”

  He laughed as I took out two glasses, picked up a decanter, and poured amber liquid into each glass. “I’m a businesswoman, Bear, and while I don’t micro-manage my partners, I do like to be assured they are making wise choices.” I picked up the glasses and handed one to him, thanking those business books I’d read once again.

  He took a sip of his drink, then grinned at me.

  “I hear that you’re important to Mr. Malcolm’s operation, so I’m curious about you,” I said.

  “What exactly would you like to know?”

  I took a sip of the alcohol and was grateful it didn’t burn as it slid down my throat. I sat on the arm of the sofa and studied him for several seconds. “I want to know how ambitious you are.”

  He downed the rest of his glass and slammed it onto the corner table next to him, then burst out laughing.

  I continued to stare at him, although I realized he couldn’t see me through the veil. My heart beat against my chest.

  “Now that there is an interesting question.” He shoved the empty glass toward Jed. “Jed, get me a refill.”

  Jed’s eyes hardened as he glanced at me.

  I gave him a slight nod. “You haven’t answered me, Bear.”

  He waited for Jed to hand him his glass. He took a sip and grinned. “You realize it’s a no-win question.”

  “Is it?” I asked. “I can understand how you might see it that way, but I would hazard to guess that ambition is what has gotten you to where you are today. Skeeter wouldn’t find you nearly as valuable if you weren’t ambitious.”

  He grinned again and took another sip.

  “No,” I said, standing. I placed my glass on the corner table and slipped behind him, resting my hand on his shoulder. I needed to have the visions and get him out of here. “The real question is your loyalty.”