The Taxman Killeth

by Mitchell, Mary Ann

  “I can get you another blanket,” she said.

  Todd sat up and let the cover sheet fall to his waist.

  She gave a little scream.

  “You’re naked!”

  “I always sleep naked. Don’t tell me you’ve never seen a naked man, Amy.”

  Amy was having a hard time catching her breath as her eyes took in the broadness of his back and the definition of his muscles. She moved a little to her right and noticed his abdomen was flat and hard just above the sheet. She didn’t want to consider what was under the sheet or she’d completely lose her head.

  “I expected you to sleep in your underwear at least. What if there’s a fire or something and we have to run out of the apartment?”

  “I’d say you’d be the envy of the neighbors.”

  “Oh!... Oh!... Oh!...”

  “Thank you for the thought, but I won’t be needing a blanket. Go to bed, Amy.”

  Her nearness wasn’t doing anything to solve his current problem, which seemed to be getting firmer every second she stood there.

  Amy threw her shoulders back, stuck her nose in the air and marched to the bedroom, stopping briefly to switch off the bathroom light.

  “Try to do good deeds,” she muttered to herself. “And what happens? I end up taking in a pervert.” The last word was said loudly and with great emphasis just before she slammed her bedroom door behind her.

  Amy found her bed by moonlight. She liked leaving the shades up, allowing the sun to shine into the room in the morning. Daylight never woke her. She figured she could sleep under flood lights if she had to. But she wasn’t too sure she could sleep with Todd Coleman in the living room. Six months since she got rid of her cheating boyfriend. Amy hadn’t realized how long it had been since she’d made love until she saw Todd’s body.

  Ludicrous. Here she was drooling over a murderer. And she called him a murderer, although he didn’t seem like he’d hurt anyone. Just because he carried a gun... Where had he put the gun? she wondered. Was it still in his jacket? It certainly wasn’t on him. Amy bit her lower lip and contemplated sneaking into the living room in the middle of the night and swiping the weapon for safety’s sake.

  A couple of hours later a sleepless, horny Amy was tip-toeing down the hall. It was difficult seeing things in the living room because Todd had pulled down the blinds and closed the slats. But a few moonbeams slipped through the chinks. She could see a mound of white in the center of the floor. That had to be the sheet-covered body of Todd. Last time she had seen the jacket it had been on the couch. Amy settled her hand on the arm of the couch and flushed, feeling the silkiness of her teddy. She snatched it up. No sense leaving it around to give him ideas that she might succumb to. Further up, on the back of the polyester and cotton couch, was leather. Carefully she lifted it, not wanting the gun to fall out of the pocket and wake him. However, something was wrong. The jacket wasn’t heavy enough to still have the gun. Suddenly a large hand was wrapped around her ankle.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  She turned and looked down. There was the gun pointed directly at her. Amy gulped.

  “I was just hanging up your jacket.”

  “At three in the morning?”

  “Since I couldn’t sleep I decided to do a little housekeeping.”

  “Seems to me you could have started in the bedroom.” Todd wasn’t about to admit that he hadn’t been able to sleep either. “Leave it,” he said, still gripping her slender ankle.

  “Okay.” She stretched to lay the jacket across the back of the couch. “Well, good-night.”

  She couldn’t move. He wouldn’t let go.

  “I always sleep with this,” he said, placing the gun back under his pillow. “And don’t come around looking for it again, or you might end up being my bed partner, so that I can keep a close watch on you.” He let go of her ankle.

  Amy nodded her head, counted her blessings, and scurried back to the comfort of her futon.

  “Bed partner,” she muttered angrily. But she wasn’t sure it was such a bad idea.

  Chapter 7

  Jennie

  Bacon. Amy took a deep whiff of the air. Sizzling bacon. She hadn’t woken up to a cooked breakfast since she was back East visiting her mom.

  Mom! Amy sat up in bed. Her mother had a key to the apartment, but had said she’d never use it except in an emergency. And since her mom lived so far away, Amy hadn’t worried about her privacy. But wait. She did have a sort of house guest. Could he cook? She heard the rattling of dishes and silverware.

  Todd was setting the counter when she entered the kitchen. Bacon was draining into paper towels and scrambled eggs were cooking in an iron skillet.

  “I was just about to wake you. Feel like orange or grapefruit juice?”

  “I’d like orange but I only have a container of grapefruit juice in the fridge.”

  “Uh-uh. I picked up two pounds of oranges this morning at the twenty-four hour supermarket. I figured I could make a brief appearance at six in the morning without being caught; besides, I wanted to pick up a newspaper.”

  Todd pulled down the juicer.

  “Here, make yourself useful,” he said, tossing her an orange. “...while I see to the eggs.”

  “I don’t know how to use it.”

  “What?”

  “I bought the juicer about a year ago, but, you know, it’s kind of one of those gadgets you must have that never gets used.”

  “That doesn’t sound like Amy Simpson to me. The woman with the simple life.”

  “A juicer isn’t a very complicated or expensive purchase.”

  “Then get the juice ready.”

  Amy nodded and began reading the directions on the carton in which the appliance still sat.

  The eggs, bacon and toast were on the Formica counter and Amy was still trying to undo the packing inside the box.

  “Never mind. We’ll have grapefruit juice this morning.”

  “No. I can do it.”

  “I’m too hungry to wait. You can do it tomorrow morning,” he said, guiding her to a seat at the counter.

  “Coffee?”

  “Coming up.” He poured out two big mugfuls.

  “Gosh, this is like staying with my mother.” Todd arched a brow. “I mean, no one else cooks me breakfast.”

  “Really? I can’t believe some guy bearing a breakfast tray hasn’t snuggled up close to you in bed.” Todd breathed the last part into her ear as he put her mug of coffee on the counter.

  Amy’s spine tingled.

  “Actually, they have. Except I was the one who had made the breakfast.”

  “Spoil your men, do you?”

  She decided to ignore his comment and started indulging in her food before she had to get ready for work.

  “You must be hungry, the way you’re scarfing down those eggs.”

  “I usually don’t eat before work. Takes too much time. I’d rather catch a few minutes extra sleep.”

  “Call in sick.”

  Amy choked on her coffee, and Todd put down his fork to pat her on the back.

  “Excuse me?”

  “That’s okay, but if you eat slower you won’t...”

  “No. What did you say about my calling in sick?”

  “We still need to talk a bit, and I have a few errands for you to run.”

  “Oh, feed her a hearty breakfast, and then send her off to do your bidding. Is that it?”

  “Who’s this ‘her’ you’re talking about?”

  “Me, Dumbo.”

  “Lower your voice, Amy. It’s too early in the morning to be causing such a commotion. What will your neighbors think? The walls are paper-thin here. Hell, last night the people upstairs kept me up part of the night with their...”

  “They often do it in the living room.” Amy blew some cool air onto her face. “And frequently at awkward times.”

  Todd laughed.

  “I guess you have to be careful about who you entertain and when.”


  Amy was glad it hadn’t occurred while she was trying to abscond with his gun.

  “Why don’t you move?”

  “Why? There’s nothing else wrong with the building, and the rent’s the best I can do in San Francisco. But don’t distract me. I am not calling in sick. Why, Mr. Pickens...”

  “Pickles,” he chuckled.

  “Mr. Pickens would be furious. He depends on me to collect and clarify all the necessary information.”

  “And you do a good job.”

  “Thank you.” It was her turn to feel proud of how well they had worked together.

  “But I have to insist that you call in sick.”

  “Don’t you think it may seem a bit odd?”

  “Why? You’ve never been ill?”

  “Trudy, the receptionist.”

  He nodded and smiled. He remembered how the receptionist had blatantly ogled him.

  “She knows we went out. She might tie in my being sick with you.”

  “Call and tell them you’ll be late.”

  “Todd, listen to me, because I know. The best thing to do in a situation like this is to keep everything as usual. Once one breaks old habits, people begin to wonder. And no one would think that I would abandon Mr. Pickens right now.”

  “Yeah, he’d be in quite a pickle without you.” Todd chuckled.

  “Don’t ever try to become a comic.”

  “More coffee?”

  “No, I have to get ready.”

  Amy started to get off her stool when Todd reached out and grabbed her arm. His grip was firm and appealing in a sensual way. But Amy immediately reined in her hormones and demanded that he take his hands off her.

  “What if I scream and my neighbors rush to the door or call the police?”

  “Amy, I need your help. I’d like you to visit my regular government contact and see what he knows. Then I’d like you to drop by my sister’s and give her this envelope.” Todd pulled a white envelope from his back pants pocket and handed it to Amy.

  “What is it?”

  “Money. My sister’s husband is out of work, and I’ve been slipping her a few bucks now and then to feed the kids. Hubby doesn’t know anything about it, so if a man answers...”

  “Tell him I want to speak to the lady of the house.”

  “Tell him you’re a friend of Jennie’s, but don’t mention my name, or else he’s liable to call the cops for the reward.”

  “Is there a reward out on you?”

  “Interested?”

  “No! Of course not. Why would he call the police, anyway? Wouldn’t he want to help you?”

  “No, can’t stand me. Don’t ask why.”

  “Listen, isn’t there some way you can get to your sister’s, or at least have her come here to pick up the money?”

  “And what if the cops followed her and found me in your apartment?”

  “Good point. Where does she live?”

  Todd gave her the addresses of both his sister and the government contact. Neither was in a good neighborhood.

  “Is it all right if I see these people after work?”

  “Amy, my freedom and perhaps my life depend on what you do and when you do it. Don’t you think Pickles could manage without you for a day? Besides, we left him a good start.”

  “No. He threw all our work out. I think it was a matter of pride. There will be a lot of confusion in the office if I don’t show up.” Amy glanced over at Todd as he drew the back of his hand against her cheek. It felt good, but Amy had the feeling it was part of his manipulation techniques. She figured she may as well use it to her advantage, since she couldn’t bring herself to refuse him.

  “Do you do as well with dinners as you do with breakfasts?”

  “Sure. If it’s beef. I can even bake crispy potatoes and chop up some veggies for a salad. And for dessert, I can make a rich zabaglione. That’s my specialty.”

  “Fattening. But it sounds good for tonight. I’ll take a quick shower and be on my way.”

  “And I’ll make the grocery list for you.”

  “Huh?”

  An hour later, after calling her office, Amy was on her way to Haight-Ashbury in a taxi. When they pulled up to the address, she leaned forward to ask the driver to wait.

  “For how long?”

  “Until I come out.”

  “Listen, lady, I make more driving around picking up fares than I do sitting here being your private chauffeur.”

  “Fine. Then give me a company card and I’ll call when I’m ready to leave.”

  He handed her the card.

  “And ask for Sam,” he said as she slid across the back seat to exit.

  “Yeah, right,” she muttered, staring up at a dilapidated Victorian. She hesitated in closing the door but knew the driver must have reached back, because she felt the door pull away from her hand. Next thing she knew she was alone on the street.

  I guess people sleep late around here, she thought as she climbed the steps. There were three apartments and not a working buzzer among them. But that was okay, because the front door lock didn’t work, either.

  Todd had said that his sister and her family lived on the second floor, but hadn’t said that the hallway reeked of unnatural odors.

  “Get out and stay out, you bastard.”

  Amy grabbed the banister and waited.

  A wiry guy came staggering down from the third floor. He winked at her as he passed by.

  “Leo,” the woman on the floor above yelled, and a pair of shoes hit the man on the head, causing him to almost lose his balance. “What is she, another one of your floozies?”

  The man looked at Amy and shrugged.

  Amy thought she had better explain herself quickly.

  “No ma’am, I’m no one’s floozy. I’m here to see Jennie,” she said, pointing to the apartment door on the second floor.

  “Poor girl. She’s got the same problems I do. And three kids, to make matters worse. Are you sure you’re here to see her and not that lazy—”

  “What the hell’s all the racket about? Can’t you and Leo ever get along?”

  Amy looked at the husky brute standing in the doorway of the second floor apartment. He was big—about six foot five and close to three hundred pounds of muscle covered by a thin layer of fat. His dirty blond hair was dishevelled, and so were his clothes; a combo of food stains blotched the front of his tee shirt. Amy glanced down at tree trunk-sized thighs which poked out of blue boxer underwear. Her right foot started searching for the next step down.

  “Hey, I wouldn’t mind getting caught with that babe myself.”

  She realized he had seen her.

  “I’m not a babe and I’m not a floozy,” she said, casting a look up at the woman on the top floor landing. “I’m Amy and I’m here to speak to Jennie.”

  “Didn’t know she had any friends like you, honey.” His eyes didn’t miss a curve, while Leo stood gawking beside her.

  She stiffened but didn’t have the courage to take the last step up to the second landing.

  “Is she home?”

  “Why don’t you come in and find out?”

  “Just as I thought. You’re as bad as my Leo. Worse,” shouted the woman perched on the edge of the third floor landing.

  “Shut up!” The big guy swung the door wide and beckoned to Amy.

  “Is your wife home?” Then she heard a child in the apartment calling to her mother. Amy took a deep breath, and her stomach roiled from the building’s odors. Both the woman upstairs and Leo watched her go into the apartment. She almost believed they’d still be waiting in the hallway when she left.

  “I’m afraid I don’t know your name,” she said, turning to the man closing the door behind her.

  “You’re a friend of my wife and don’t know my name?” His eyes were a chameleon hazel that moved from blue to green depending on the light or shade hitting them. The nose had been broken at least once, and hair above his lip looked clotted with dried milk.

  “A
ctually,” Amy hesitated. Todd had told her that none of the children were of school age. “I’m from the local library.”

  “Say, are you that librarian the kids like so much? I should be taking them to the story hours myself.”

  “No. I mean, I’m the new assistant to the librarian. She asked me to drop by and give a message to Jennie about the next story hour. Is she here?”

  Amy looked around the room at the disarray. Toys she would have expected, but men’s magazines and beer cans were a surprise. A loud burp sounded behind her as Jennie’s husband moved closer to her. The smell of spoiled milk traveled with him.

  “Then let me introduce myself. I’m Michael. Not Mike or Mickey. Michael,” he said, mouthing it slowly for her.

  “Michael,” she said, nodding her head. “Where’s your better half?” Anyone had to be better than him.

  “Jen,” he yelled. “Somebody from the library wants to see you.”

  A petite young woman with dark hair and Todd’s blue eyes entered the room, carrying a miniature duplicate of herself. Jennie was slender, except for the hint of a bulge around the belly. Amy wasn’t sure whether the poor woman was pregnant or hadn’t lost the weight from her last delivery. A squalling baby made her think the latter was true.

  “Why don’t you see to the baby, Michael, while I speak to...”

  “Amy.”

  Michael grunted and left the two women alone. Relieved, Amy immediately pulled the envelope from her purse and handed it to Todd’s sister. With a puzzled look, Jennie took it.

  “It’s from your brother.”

  Immediately Jenny stuffed the envelope inside her dress.

  “Is he all right?”

  “Yes. Well, kind of.”

  “I read about the murder in the paper. Can I do anything?”

  Amy shook her head. The woman could barely care for herself and the children, she thought.

  “I’d better be going. I understand your husband doesn’t like Todd.”

  “Todd?” Michael’s voice boomed as he walked back into the room.

  “I was just telling your wife about the toddler program and hoped that she would be able to take the children.”

  “If she doesn’t, I will.” He leered.