Cold Moon Dead

by J. M. Griffin

“Him.” Her chin jutted toward Jabroni. I could tell there would be no reasoning with her once she became angry.

  “He came for dinner and stayed to see you. Dad thinks he should sleep over. What do you say to a house guest for a couple days, Mom?” This situation wasn’t going well.

  “When hell freezes over, Lavinia.” Her arms slid out of the coat sleeves and she bunched the heavy coat over her arm. “When hell freezes over.” Her voice was grim. Her face wasn’t much happier.

  My mother crossed the room, dropped her coat, gloves, and scarf onto a chair and poured a large glass of wine. She slugged it down like it was a glass of water. Nope, this wasn’t going to be easy.

  I sidled up to her and whispered in her ear, “Mom, come into the living room for a minute, please.”

  Her angry dark eyes glared at me before landing on the two men at the table. My father had never looked uncomfortable in all the years I’d known him. This was another first. Tony Jabroni simply sat at the table with his hands folded, waiting for me to work magic.

  The bake sale queen and chocolate maker extraordinaire marched from the room without a word. She stood in front of the bay window in the living room awaiting an explanation as to why this mob boss should take up space in her home. My mind raced in circles looking for an answer to the question.

  “This had better be good, Lavinia,” she said, anger sparkling in her eyes.

  “It’s a long story, but to put it in a thimble, Jabroni was stabbed at a party I was at last night. His wife wants him dead, and I think Dad owes him a favor.”

  “What kind of favor?”

  With a shrug, I said, “I don’t know. It’s more of a suspicion on my part than anything else.”

  “Do you think I want that riff-raff in my home?” she snapped. “Nonna would have a fit.”

  “So, don’t tell Nonna.” My grandmother can be forbidding on a good day and to get on her bad side was just plain foolish. I knew where my mother was coming from on that front.

  “Why don’t you like Jabroni, anyway?” I asked in a soft whisper.

  “That is none of your business. Let’s just say that his wife is on the right track and has my blessing for success in her current endeavor to kill this bastard.”

  Awed by the depth of negative emotion my mother held toward Jabroni, I couldn’t imagine what had taken place that was bad enough to earn this much hostility. My curiosity was out of control by this time, and I had an irrational need to know. Too bad I couldn’t wheedle it out of her, I thought, but I knew better than to press any harder for information.

  “So what you’re saying here is that if Mrs. J. wants him dead, that’s okay with you?”

  Mom’s face held a pinched look. She abruptly sat on the wing-backed chair, her head in her hands. The room remained silent for a few seconds that seemed like hours, while I waited to see what she would do or say.

  “Lavinia,” she whispered, “you know I never wish anything bad on anyone, but some people are already bad and get worse by the day. They go unpunished for the things they do and the sadness they bring to others. It just isn’t fair.”

  I rested my butt on the arm of the chair and rubbed her shoulder. Tense muscles bunched under my palm. Whatever had happened must have been awful to bring this response from my mother. As a rule, my mom was a relaxed person who found pleasure in the everyday affairs of life. She enjoyed baking, making candy, working with the elderly, and doing the accounts for my gift shop in Providence. I was surprised to see her in this state.

  “If you don’t want him to stay here, then I’ll take him to my place for a few days.”

  Jumping to her feet, my mother held her arms tightly to her sides, hands fisted. “You will not do that. He can stay here until I can’t stand him another second.” Her breath came in short bursts. “I will not have him endanger you in any way. Stay away from this man, I’m telling you.”

  In light of her anger and tension, I nodded in agreement. If she would keep Jabroni here, then I wouldn’t dream of interfering. That solution was the best one, at any rate.

  Chapter 21

  “C’mon, let’s go back into the kitchen.” I placed an arm around Mom’s shoulders as we entered the next room.

  Both men were seated where we had left them. They looked like mannequins with moveable arms and legs. Neither said a word, but waited for an answer. Mom and I took seats at the table, Mom sitting on her discarded coat. She glanced at each man in turn, her eyes taking on an ominous gleam. This was a side of my mother that I had never seen and hoped never to see again.

  “Let me set the ground rules.” She stared at my father. “You know why I don’t want this man here, but out of concern for the welfare of my only daughter I will allow him to stay.”

  Her eyes turned to rest on Jabroni. “You are a miserable lout who should pay for all the dishonest and hurtful things you have done in your life. I will allow you to stay here for a while. Do not get in my way and do not have your thugs here either. Unlike you, we abide by the law. If your wife kills you, it will be a debt paid to society.”

  With a grand gesture, she stood up, gathered her garments, and swept from the room. At the doorway, she turned toward me and said good night. I murmured good night and watched her disappear from view then heard a door slam.

  “That was uncomfortable,” I uttered to no one in particular.

  Tony pushed his chair away from the table. He held the edge to maintain his balance in an effort to stay upright, waiting for the strength to return to his wobbly knees. He finally turned and left the room. He slowly walked into the guest room and closed the door with a soft click.

  “Your mother is a generous woman. She’ll come around,” Dad said.

  In an explosive gesture, I jumped to my feet and leaned across the table, my hands spread on the surface.

  “You must have lost your mind while I was out of the room,” I whispered through gritted teeth. “Mom is beside herself. I don’t know what this is about, but I can tell you that you’ve crossed a line that should never have been crossed, Dad.”

  “Don’t lecture me, Lavinia,” he said in a soft, yet deadly voice. “This is my house, and I will have whomever I want stay here, whenever I wish.”

  “Really? Is that why you wanted me to run interference for you?” I straightened up. My hands rested on my hips as I glared at my father. None of this was making a single bit of sense. Why would Jabroni come here? What was his connection to my father? Did he owe Dad, or was it the other way around? What could have happened that was so awful it would cause this harsh a reaction from my mother? All these questions were giving me a headache.

  With a sigh, my father’s shoulders sagged. “Some years ago there was an accident and your uncle was killed. Your mother blames Tony. She refuses to listen to reason where he’s concerned. I don’t understand it.”

  “Did it ever occur to you that she may know something you don’t?” I whispered. “Did you take the time to ask?”

  He shook his head. I realized that talking things out was a foreign concept to my father. He didn’t sit and try to work out issues or complaints. It was either his way or no way. At least that had been my experience throughout life with Dad. I just thought it didn’t extend to my mother.

  “I don’t know what else to say about this, but I would worry about Jabroni’s safety if I were you. He may have more to fear from your wife than from his own.” I donned my coat, wished him luck, and left the house with a promise to keep Jabroni’s whereabouts a secret. If only life were that simple.

  By the time I got home, Aaron’s truck was parked in the driveway alongside the Dodge Ram truck belonging to Marcus. I parked behind Aaron’s vehicle and sat in silence in an effort to gather my wits. It wouldn’t take much for either lawman to realize I had something to hide, and I knew lying by omission might not work, especially if they ganged up on me.

  The back door was unlocked, so I entered the hallway and, though I was reluctant to do so, I yelled up the stairs. The s
econd floor apartment door opened. Aaron invited me up for a beer. With an unsettling level of anxiety, I climbed the steps and went into the apartment.

  Two smiles met me as I walked into the kitchen and took off my coat.

  “What’s up, guys?”

  “We have a mystery that needs solving and since you’re here, you might help us with it.” Marcus had a sly grin on his face.

  Sweat prickled my skin under my heavy sweater. Was this a setup? Had I been caught out in some lie or other? Well, shit. Could nothing go right tonight?

  “As a matter of fact, Vinnie, I think you are just the person who can solve this mystery.” With a wide grin, Aaron handed me a cold Budweiser.

  I slugged down a couple of mouthfuls of the brew before I followed the two men into the living room. Flames leapt in the fireplace, warming the room. I settled into a corner of the sofa and stared at each man in turn, waiting for the mystery to unfold.

  “The paperwork from the coroner couldn’t be filled out on Jabroni. He’s disappeared,” Marcus said. “Imagine that. Who would want a dead body? It’s not a trophy.”

  I sipped the beer as my mind raced over the upcoming Oscar performance I was about to give.

  “What do you mean his body is gone?” I asked. Damn, they already knew Jabroni was gone.

  “An autopsy was scheduled for him this morning and then his remains were to be sent to the funeral home. The problem is that his body disappeared from the hospital last night.”

  “Who would steal a corpse?” Marcus asked as he popped a handful of peanuts into his mouth. He chewed, deep in thought, and then turned his hazel eyes on me.

  “Is this a joke?” I asked.

  Marcus shook his head. “No joke, Vin.”

  Aaron stared at me for a second before he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this, would you, Vin?”

  I shivered and hoped my acting skills were up to par. “How would I know who stole Jabroni’s body?”

  “It seems to us that you’re always in the middle of some crisis or other.” Aaron’s hand came up in a stop motion as he continued, “So we thought we’d ask if you knew where the body went.”

  “Really, guys, this isn’t funny. There is no way I could know how Jabroni’s body left the hospital.” That was sort of true.

  “True enough. We did manage to track your whereabouts for last night and today.” Marcus winked at me as I bristled. “So you are safe and won’t be involved in any charges for body snatching.”

  These two men were having way too much fun with this whole incident. My promise to my father rose like bile in my throat. I wanted to explain where Jabroni had taken up residence, but knew better. It would only open up a new set of questions to which I had no answers. No, the best thing for me to do was play along with the mystery.

  I glanced at each man. “Has anyone questioned the doctors and nurses in the ER?”

  “My crew has been there questioning everyone who was on duty last night. It seems the attending doctor left for vacation in the Bahamas when his shift ended, so we haven’t caught up to him yet. It will only be a matter of time, though.” Aaron smiled a bit and said, “We paid Mrs. Jabroni a visit. She acted surprised to hear the body is missing. She had made the burial arrangements this morning and had even contacted the insurance companies.”

  “That was fast,” I said. “She didn’t waste any time, did she?”

  Marcus grinned while he waited for Aaron to finish his story.

  “She wanted to know if this would interfere with the insurance money. How’s that for mourning your recently departed loved one?”

  I slugged down the remainder of the beer that had grown warm in the bottle. It left a bitter taste in my mouth. I wasn’t sure it was from the beer, from Mrs. J.’s reaction to her husband’s disappearance, or from the entire situation.

  “So what makes you two think I can solve this mystery?”

  “With the connections you and your family have to organized crime, we simply thought your father might have enlightened you when you were there this evening,” Marcus said in a light tone.

  “It may be difficult for you to believe, but my family and I are not in any way connected to organized crime.” The blood raced through my veins as my temper took hold. The joke was over. I knew by their attitudes that I had been set up.

  “You’re sure of that? You sincerely believe that your father isn’t in some way connected to the mob?” Aaron asked with a calculated stare.

  “As far as I know, my father and mother have never been involved with the mob.” So I lied—so what? So Jabroni was in residence as I spoke. So what?

  “You are hiding something, Vin. Come clean, c’mon.” Marcus laid his hand on my arm and gave me a squeeze.

  “I’m not hiding anything. I’m not.”

  “What did your father want to see you about tonight?” Marcus asked.

  “It is a family matter, purely domestic related.”

  “Meaning?” Aaron’s brows arched.

  “Fine, fine. I’ll tell you. My parents are having some marital problems, and my father wanted some advice.” I was headed to hell, straight past the gates, no stopping, no questions asked.

  Marcus whistled. “Your parents? Really?”

  Aaron shook his head and stared. “I find that difficult to believe. They have such a great marriage.”

  “My father crossed a line he shouldn’t have, and my mother flipped out. They are not speaking and he’s beside himself. Being the chauvinist that he is, he had no clue how to handle things, so he asked me to run interference for him.”

  “You?” Marcus asked. “You ran interference in a marital dispute?”

  The pool of lies was so big now I thought I might be drowning. The lies were kinda true, but kinda not true—you know what I mean?

  “Uh huh, I did . . . and not too badly, either.” My attitude took on a new dimension as I stared at Marcus.

  “Hmm, it must have been an interesting evening, then.”

  “It could have gone better, but I think they’ll be fine. It may take a while for my mother to calm down, but my father was out of control.” I rose from the sofa and headed toward the kitchen door. I couldn’t wait to get out of their sight.

  The two men followed me at a slower pace. When I reached the counter, I set the bottle down and turned to them with a smile so brittle I thought my face might crack.

  “I’m beat. It’s been a long day.” I glanced at Marcus and said, “I’ll talk to you tomorrow?” In other words, Mr. Winky was out of luck tonight.

  He nodded. Aaron grinned, wished me a good night, and offered Marcus another beer. Marcus nodded and watched as I left the room.

  Once downstairs, I checked my messages. The light was solid, no messages waiting. On a sigh of relief, I headed toward the bedroom and flopped onto the covers. It occurred to me that the grand theft auto business would be in full swing now with Mrs. J. at the helm. If I called Freedom, we could set up a sting of sorts or even an undercover operation to catch the old hag.

  A knock at the door brought a resigned sigh from me as I left the bedroom. If Marcus thought I’d changed my mind, it would take some fancy footwork on his part to make that happen.

  “Who is it?” I asked.

  “It’s me, Mom. Let me in, Lavinia.”

  Shocked, I leaned my head on the door and wondered why I had to deal with this matter. It couldn’t be possible that my mother had left my father. I opened the door and stepped aside so she could enter.

  “It’s very cold out there. Don’t you heat the hallway, dear? I could catch my death.”

  I rolled my eyes as I ushered her in. “Mom, it’s winter time. No, I don’t heat the hallway, but you weren’t out there long enough to catch anything, let alone death.”

  “What are you doing here? You didn’t kill Mr. Jabroni or Dad, did you?” When I motioned to the coffee maker, she shook her head.

  “No. And I’ll have wi
ne. Lots of it, gallons of it, please,” she said while she flung her heavy coat over the back of a chair. “I left your father. He’s an unreasonable man, and I’ve had enough. When he brought that degenerate into our home—a home I work hard to keep nice, mind you—I just couldn’t bear it. He didn’t even ask if he could do such a thing. I won’t tolerate living with a thug like that under my roof.”

  I slid two wine glasses onto the counter from the cupboard and pulled the cork out of the bottle. I sloshed the pale pink liquid into the bottoms of the glasses, filling them half full.

  She swigged several mouthfuls of the sweet liquid before she leaned back in the chair.

  It was evident that my mother had been tipping the glass with more than what I had given her. It was likely that she’d driven here under the influence of alcohol. I was glad she hadn’t been stopped by law enforcement. It had been difficult enough to bargain for Aunt Muffy’s release from jail a while back. It would be much more embarrassing to bail my mother out.

  “How much have you had to drink, Mom?”

  “Just a couple glasses of wine, that’s all. I’m not drunk, you know.” Her eyes were glassy. Her hair fell over her forehead. She sank her chin onto her hand as her elbow found the counter.

  “I have been married to your father for as long as I can remember. He’s never done such a thing as to bring an unwanted person of such an undesirable nature into our home.”

  “Mom, why do you dislike Mr. J. so much?”

  “He is a bad, bad, bad man, Lavinia. Just plain bad.”

  That wasn’t exactly what I was looking for in an answer. There had to be more than that to it, much more. My mother simply didn’t act this way toward anybody.

  “That’s true, but there’s got to be more to it for you to take such a dislike to him,” I said in a soft voice.

  “He’s a killer, a drug lord, a bum,” she said with a yawn.

  Knowing this conversation would go nowhere tonight, I showed my mother into the bedroom and told her to get some sleep. I left pajamas out on the bed for her and closed the door behind me as I left. Half an hour later, after I’d finished my wine, I noticed the light under the bedroom door. She was still awake? I cracked the door open and found my mother lying on the bed, fully clothed, snoring loudly. I covered her with the comforter, leaving the door open a crack as I left.