Mother came into the kitchen, hands loaded with dishes. “Mind if I spend the night? Spoon’s driving to Orlando to pick up a Lamborghini in a few hours.”
“See you later, Didier and I are going for a walk on the beach.” Fab looped her arm in Didier’s, who’d just shown up at her side.
With all the helping hands, we cleaned up the kitchen in record time.
“Where are you guys going tomorrow?” I hugged Liam. Brad and Julie waited at the door.
“We’re touring Hemingway’s House in Key West. Then I’m going to write a report for my English class,” Liam said.
I wanted to follow everyone out the door. Instead, I stood in the entryway and hoped Zach and I weren’t about to start a fight. I blew out a deep breath and joined Zach on the couch.
“Are we finally alone?” Zach asked.
“Not for long. Fab and Didier won’t walk on the beach all night and Mother’s sleeping over. Spoon’s got a job.”
He arched his brow. “Who works in the middle of the night?”
“You do, for one,” I reminded him.
Zach gripped my arms and pulled me onto his chest. “I’m a terrible patient. I don’t know how to sit and do nothing.” He ran his fingers down my back and over my butt. He kissed me hard.
“Where is your mother sleeping?” Zach whispered.
“I’m not asking her to sleep on the couch,” I giggled.
His mouth ascended on mine, his tongue flirted and teased, our mouths locked together. I wiggled against him while he kissed me into a coma.
The front door opened. “Hey, sis, I’m back. Look who I found on the sidewalk.”
“We’re in the living room.”
Brad and Mother walked in together. “Mother lurked at the end of your driveway, smoking like a thug. Since we’re leaving early for Key West, I thought I’d spend the night. What do you say, Zach, a slumber party?”
I buried my face on Zach’s chest and laughed.
“You and me in the living room,” Brad said to Zach. “We can stay up all night, get to know one another.”
Zach’s bad mood came back in full bloom. “Sounds great,” he said dryly.
Brad went to the garage and started dragging in the blow-up bed.
CHAPTER 34
“What are you doing? It’s dark outside,” I grumbled.
Mother had gotten out of bed, turned on the light, and stuck her head out the bedroom door, back in two seconds. “Fab left a piece of string on her door.”
I pulled the covers over my head and peeked out. “Didier’s here, she’s busy. Turn the light off.”
“You’re awake. I want to know what’s going on. If I wait until breakfast, you’ll eat and sneak out the door.” Mother unplugged her phone.
“Who are you calling at this hour?”
“Don’t ‘what’ me,” Mother said into the phone. “Get in here; we’re in Madison’s bedroom.”
The bedroom door opened. Fab came in and to my astonishment, closed it quietly. “There are two of you and neither can tell time?” Fab was wearing one of Didier’s T-shirts and had the morning sexy look going for her, her hair tousled, no makeup, and tan legs under the shirt. I groaned that I never looked that good in the morning.
“This wasn’t my idea,” I said.
Mother pinned Fab with a stare, sitting back on the bed. “What’s the latest on your case?”
“No suspects, except for me. At least the cops know I didn’t do it, although they’re not letting me off the hook just yet.” Fab climbed onto the bed, lying sideways at the foot.
“Why is Creole mad at you?” Mother continued her grilling. I didn’t smirk at Fab because Mother would be questioning me next.
“It’s all good. Madison convinced me I could trust him. He’s on probation with me right now. We’ll see how information sharing works out.”
“I thought you two promised to keep me in the loop,” Mother said.
“That was Madison,” Fab said.
Mother glared at her.
Fab jumped off the bed. “Okay, me too.”
Mother jerked the sheet off my face. “Sit back down,” she said, pointing to Fab. “What’s with you and a carwash?”
“Mr. Ivers is giving me half interest in exchange for evicting the road-kill specialists and getting it up and running again.”
“What’s wrong with cash?” Mother asked.
“My point exactly,” Fab said.
I kicked Fab under the covers. If I told them it sounded fun to own a car wash, they might think I’d lost my mind.
“Honey, I hate to tell you this, but nobody washes their own car,” Mother said.
I was sick of hearing that argument. “You two just wait. And no, I’m not telling you my plan. I feel the definite lack of support.”
“If this early-morning chat is over, I’m going back to bed. Next time,” Fab said, “wait until after I’ve had my morning latte.” When Mother stayed silent, she rolled off the bed. She opened the door and poked her head out. “What is wrong with you people? The guys are moving around downstairs.”
“She’s clearly not a morning person,” Mother said.
* * *
Mother drove to The Bakery Café and brought back enough breakfast food to feed twenty. I wolfed down an egg soufflé and fruit.
Slice and Zach commandeered the patio for AZL business. I’d be surprised if Zach didn’t sneak out with his partner now that he had the house to himself, unable to stand another day at Casa Madison. Brad left first to pick up Julie and Liam. They had plans to stop for breakfast in Islamorada. With people coming and going, it made it easier to drop a kiss on Zach’s cheek, making my getaway with no questions.
“I don’t get you and Zach.” I looked at Fab. “You two have some kind of disagreement that neither of you got over?”
“Zach never wanted you and me to be friends. Everything bad that happens to you he blames on me. Hell, I didn’t even know that last psycho. Did I mention he hates sneaking out in the morning and seeing me lean against my bedroom door?”
My phone rang, Mac’s name popping up. “I got an address for Apple. She and Angie have been evicted and they’re camped out in an abandoned house. The bright coral one on Begonia.”
“Does Apple still have a job?” I asked.
“She waitresses nights at Custer’s,” Mac said. “It’s standing-room only every night with the locals.”
I couldn’t believe Apple made enough money from that bar, the first choice for hardened drunks. She’d never be able to move.
Fab and I headed to Ronnie’s. Time to deal with Shirl’s ex-boyfriend. We needed to check him out and size up the job.
“Personally, I’d like to kick the door in and bind and threaten him until he gives up the boxes.”
Fab turned onto Plumeria, where most of the homes on the block were ’50s style small block homes. A few had been replaced by two-story stilt homes that were now mandated by code.
“Moving truck in front of Shirl’s old place; that can’t be good,” Fab pointed out.
“Do a slow drive-by. It’s Mercy House and the guys are loading boxes from the garage. I’ll bet you it’s Shirl’s stuff.” Mercy House is a women’s shelter that runs a resale shop, selling used household items and furniture. I reached into my wallet and took out money. “You keep Ronnie busy and I’ll buy a little information.”
“Why me?” Fab looked at me. “Don’t you dare channel your mother, I can’t take anymore today.”
I almost laughed. Fab just needed to get used to the idea that Mother would mind her business whether she liked it or not. “Whatever you do, don’t threaten him or take out your gun. Shirl told me he has 911 on speed dial so he can complain on a regular basis.”
Fab and I split up, she wiggled her butt up the driveway straight to the waiting Ronnie. His awestruck look said he thought he just got lucky.
Men are so easy. I cut around the far side of the Mercy House truck completely out of Ronnie’s view. Two
young guys rolled their dollies, piled high with boxes, up the ramp.
“What’s up, sister?” The taller of the two asked, rivers of sweat running down his face, collecting in the rag around his neck. Both had Mercy House T-shirts and long jeans on, which mystified me; must be a safety issue.
I held out the money saying, “Answer a couple of questions and you get one and your friend gets the other.”
He looked me up and down, lingering an extra beat on my chest and legs. “Why should we?”
“If I have to blow time calling Wendy for permission, then no money. Any idea what’s in those boxes you’re loading?” I asked.
Wendy and I became friends after I needed her help on another weird case from Brick. Then I found out she and Spoon were friends and that sealed the deal.
The other one spoke up, “The man’s wife died and he’s boxed her belongings for donation.” He grinned at the other man.
“Last stop, warehouse at the docks?” I noticed the first guy had pushed all the boxes up against the rear wall.
“Yep, one more stop and we’re headed that way.”
I handed over the money and a business card. “Stop by Jake’s sometime and tell the bartender, free beer on Madison.”
I raced back to the Hummer and jumped in. I leaned across from the passenger seat, laying on the horn. Fab was always happier when she drove, even though there were times it made me nauseous.
Fab opened the door. “Ronnie’s disgusting. And another damned dog. All dogs hate me, except Grover. What? Do I have dog cooties?”
“Head over to Mercy House, we’ll broker a deal with Wendy. At least we didn’t have to break into the garage in the middle of the night.”
“Terrible idea. Ronnie’s boxer barked and growled when I walked up. Ronnie called him off, but I noticed he had to jerk the collar a couple of times. The dog stared me down.”
“How did Shirl sneak into a cottage? That violates your no-long-term-tenant rule,” Fab asked.
“I think having a nurse living there is a good idea. Since I have two tenants who are supposed to die any day, she could come in handy. For my own selfish reasons, I’d like advance notice of impending death. Like a hospital trip or something. I’m fond of Joseph and Miss January; it would break my heart if one of them keeled over. I need time for a quick good-bye to kiss their wrinkly cheeks.”
“Do you suppose Joseph has chosen Svetlana’s next husband?” Fab asked.
“Did you know she’s anatomically correct?” I managed to ask with a straight face.
Fab put her finger in her mouth. “Eww. You don’t suppose he...”
“Oh stop. Yes, I do think he does...whatever. And I refuse to think about it.”
* * *
“How long is this going to take?” Fab grumbled. “Do I need to remind you this is another one of your free-ass jobs?”
“Rest up and get ready to use your muscle. We’ll load the boxes and take them to The Cottages. Once I get the okay, I’ll call Mac and have her bring her pickup. I refuse to ride in her truck. I’d have to throw myself on the seat and hoist myself in, which I’d never manage without showing my butt. We could stop and get your Ferrari, how many boxes could we get in there?”
Fab gave me a dirty look. “No boxes, no food, nothing in my car.” She pulled up in front of Mercy House, getting the only empty parking space. “I’ll wait here and watch for the truck.”
Wendy waved when she saw me come through the doors. “I’m afraid to ask what brings you here.” She closed the few feet between us.
I related the details of Shirl and Ronnie and how he’d just donated all of her lifelong possessions.
“That’s not the first time that’s happened,” Wendy sighed. “Usually, though, it’s the ex-wife who’s been cheated on and left for the other woman.”
“Look over the boxes, place a resale value on them, and I’ll write a check,” I said.
“I think you were sent here for another purpose. We’re due to have our annual employee dinner and this year the budget is tight. There are twelve of us, what if we come to Jake’s and you give us a discount?”
“I can make that happen. If you’d like I can seat all of you out on the deck. It’s nice out there with all of the twinkling lights. You could have it to yourself.” After rebuilding the deck, the new tables and chairs were a fun purchase, ceiling fans every few feet. Every inch decorated with small white Christmas lights and tiki torches.
“That would be better than anything we’ve had in the past.”
“Done,” I said. “Write down the dates and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Have you kept track of Apple?” Wendy’s eyes looked troubled. “She started the sober program with some potential, then she got a job and old demons beckoned her with the promise she could drink a little.”
Wendy had fast-tracked Apple into a detox program, although she didn’t believe her to be the ideal candidate. Apple, out of options at the time, grabbed the opportunity. She hung in longer than I thought she would and surpassed my expectations.
“So far, Apple’s been able to hold her life together. Her partner hasn’t had such good luck. Angie just lost her job. Apple is a survivor. She survived life on the streets all that time, I couldn’t have done that.”
“Truck’s here!” Fab shouted inside the door.
The doors rolled up, and the truck backed into the warehouse. Wendy met the driver. “Do you remember what boxes you picked up off Plumeria?”
I watched in horror as Mac screamed around the corner in her truck, using her brakes at the last second. “That’s Mac, she’s with me.”
“The last stop only had two boxes and a load of toys.” Ricky nodded to me. “We can unload them first.”
Fab pulled on Ricky’s arm. “You and your friend load these boxes in the Hummer and that black pickup, and I’ll pay you.” She stared at me.
I had the same thought but didn’t say anything. My next words were going to be ‘thank you.’
It took the guys less than ten minutes. They secured the boxes in the pickup with rope that Mac produced. Cash exchanged hands and both men smiled at Fab, another happy transaction.
I yelled to Mac who was in her truck, revving her engine like a teenage boy in daddy’s truck. “We’ll follow you, in case a box falls off; Fab can jump out and retrieve it!”
“I’ll run over it, oops.” Fab laughed at her own joke.
* * *
“Didn’t anyone in this neighborhood notice a couple of squatters moved in?” Fab asked. “Why do you want to talk to Apple anyway?”
They were in a regular neighborhood, a block from the Intercoastal water, a mixture of well-maintained bungalow style and two-story homes where no one neglected their yards.
“I have a business proposition for her.”
Fab pulled into the driveway of the vacant pinkish house, a little too much art deco in the paint colors. The other homes were more subdued. There was a ‘Keep Out’ sign posted prominently in the front window, and the doorknob had been removed and now padlocked top and bottom.
“Let’s go around the back,” I said. The front looked freshly mowed, probably by a neighbor.
The backyard told the real story of how long the house stood vacant. We tromped through the knee-high weeds. None of the windows had coverings, with the exception of one.
Fab looked around. “Your call. I’m here for back up, even though I don’t think shots will ring out.”
I brushed the small bugs off my legs, went deeper into the weeds, and knocked on the bedroom window. “Hey, Apple!” I yelled.
“The neighbors know they have squatters now,” Fab said.
The sheet moved slightly, then a hand unlocked the window. Apple stuck her head through the screenless window, her stringy hair hanging in her face. She had an odd pallor, looking as if I woke her from a nightmare.
“What’s up?” Apple brushed her hair back with one hand, covered her breasts with the other.
“I�
�ve got a job offer for you and your friend, Angie. Can you be at The Cottages in an hour?” This had started out as a good idea, or so I thought.
Apple held up her hand and disappeared behind the sheet.
“Why Apple? She’s the only one you could think of?” Fab asked.
Apple’s hand reappeared in the window, this time not bothering with any modesty. “Angie and I will be there. Will you let us shower and do you have coffee?”
“I can get that all covered.”
“Half hour.” Apple waved and it took her two tries to bang the window closed.
“The mosquitoes are feasting on my legs in groups. Let’s get the hell out of here.” Fab took off. She had on shorts, showing off her long legs that she used to crawl into other people’s windows.
I fished my phone out of my skirt pocket and pushed speed dial for Mac. “Can you make a pot of coffee? Apple and Angie are headed over. Let them use the office bathroom to shower.”
“Cooties in my bathroom!” Mac shrieked.
“Aren’t you current on your shots?” I asked. “They’re on their way over.” I hung up before she could tell me, “No way.”
Apple and Angie arrived fifteen minutes after we did, huge backpacks slung over their shoulders, holding what I guessed to be everything they owned. They showered together and changed in record time. “Do you mind if we do our laundry?” Apple asked, sitting on the couch next to Angie.
Angie sat quietly, white as a sheet, hung over. She’d clearly been puking all night.
Mac glared at me and shook her head no.
“Sure. Sorry to hear you lost your apartment,” I said.
“As soon as Angie gets a job we’ll be moving out. I’m used to not having electricity, but the water was shut off last week and the water department put a lock on the meter. We’re on the waiting list to get a room at Old Lady Jackson’s rooming house.”
Fab rolled her eyes and stood in the corner by the door, as far away as she could get without missing a word.
Five people crowded into the small office felt claustrophobic. “Let’s go sit by the pool,” I said.
Murder in Paradise (Paradise Series) Page 20