“Nope,” Jake replied, pursing his lips. “I’ve decided I’m going to sit here until I die.”
“I’m going to sit with him,” Derrick said.
Eliot barked out a laugh. “They know you have something big,” he said. “You wouldn’t have come here looking for me if you didn’t. You’re either going to have to wait until I can leave for lunch or tell everyone your big tip. They’re betting you can’t keep your mouth shut until I’m done.”
They were going to lose that bet. I crossed my arms over my chest and squinted as I met Jake’s steady gaze. “I’m not telling you squat.”
“I didn’t say you had to,” Jake said. “Just know that I’m going to order in a fabulous gourmet lunch and convince Eliot to eat here with us so he’s not going to be able to help you until after he’s done here today.”
“Eliot is going to lunch with me,” I countered.
“Do you really think Eliot is going to turn down topnotch Thai for whatever greasy diner crap you’re going to buy him?” Jake asked.
I hate it when he’s right. He was forgetting my trump card, though. “Are you going to have sex with Eliot if he doesn’t go to lunch with me?”
Eliot coughed, his face reddening. “Avery!”
Jake looked equally uncomfortable. “I … .”
“Ha! I win. I don’t even know why you people try. I can’t be beaten.”
“You’re such a good winner, too,” Derrick deadpanned.
“You … suck it,” I snapped.
“Um … am I interrupting something?”
I snapped my head toward the door when I heard the uncertain voice, my glee turning to glum annoyance when I saw Cara hovering between the hallway and the media room.
“Hey,” Jake said, not bothering to get up from his chair. “I … what are you doing here?”
“I thought you might have time for lunch,” Cara said, her eyes furtively darting in my direction. “I didn’t realize you were busy with Avery.”
“He’s not,” I said. “I’m waiting for Eliot to finish so we can go to lunch. Jake and Derrick were keeping me company because they were afraid I would be bored. I won’t be. I love watching Eliot work. It’s like … catnip … to me.”
Eliot raised his eyebrows dubiously. “Don’t lay it on so thick.”
I scorched him with a look.
“I was going to have lunch here,” Jake hedged, his gaze bouncing between Cara and me. He didn’t want to leave with her because he knew that would give me the opening I wanted. He could instruct Derrick to watch over me, but we both knew I had enough blackmail material to force Derrick to run the other way without Jake as backup. “I was going to order Thai in for everyone.”
“Eliot doesn’t need Thai,” I countered.
“I’m pretty sure something else is going on here, but I’m going to offer a compromise,” Cara said. “How about we all go to lunch together? I love the Thai place downtown. That way Eliot and Avery can spend time together and Jake can do … whatever it is he’s intent on doing.”
“Eliot and I have plans,” I said.
Jake shot me a look. “I think that’s a great idea.”
“I think I’m going to beat you senseless,” I hissed.
“I think it’s a great idea, too,” Derrick said. “This way you can all have a filling lunch without having to dwell on any pesky work stuff.”
“I’m going to burn you at the stake,” I threatened, glaring at him. “You have no idea the fire and brimstone I’m going to rain down on you.”
“You’ve already done that,” Derrick said, jumping to his feet. “Enjoy your lunch, loser.”
When I risked a glance back in Cara’s direction she was waiting for my answer. I shot one more look at Eliot, hoping he would have an idea to get us out of this, but he merely shrugged in response.
“Thai sounds great,” I said finally, resigned.
“Good,” Jake said. “I … good. This is going to be a great lunch.”
This was going to be a great lunch just like Howard the Duck was a great movie.
“I can’t wait,” I said.
Sixteen
Despite Jake’s best efforts to convince everyone to ride to the restaurant together, Eliot managed to wrangle me into his truck with the promise that we would meet Jake there. I could tell Jake wanted to argue – and the tongue I stuck out in his direction as we pulled out of the parking lot didn’t help – but there was nothing he could do. We weren’t breaking the law, and Jake didn’t want to make a scene in front of Cara.
I used the seven-minute drive to my benefit and told Eliot what I’d discovered at Adam Grisham’s rental property. I expected accolades, so his reaction surprised me.
“You didn’t touch any of that sex stuff, did you?” he asked. “We might need to stop at the pharmacy and buy some of those wet wipes to clean your hands.”
“That’s what you’re worried about?” I asked, my eyebrows flying up my forehead. “You’re not worried about the pot dealer or pervert? You’re worried I have something on my hands? You’re unbelievable.”
“You’re not touching anything of mine until you wash your hands,” Eliot said matter-of-factly. “I mean anything.”
“I didn’t touch any of the stuff,” I said.
“How do you know what was in the box then?” Eliot challenged.
“I called Lexie and made her do it.”
Eliot barked out a laugh. “That’s my girl. You’re always thinking.”
“They called me a prude.”
Eliot cast a sidelong look in my direction. “I take it that upsets you.”
“I’m not a prude,” I said. “I’m … adventurous.”
“There are different kinds of ‘adventurous,’” Eliot said.
“Well, I learned some very interesting things about sex toys and I’m going into excruciating detail later.”
“I don’t need to know.”
“If I have to know, so do you.”
Eliot ignored my proclamation. “I take it you want me to find Leo Putnam.”
“Yes.”
“What are you going to do when I find him?”
“I’m going to talk to him,” I said. “I have enough information to blow this story out of the water now. Between the sex club, sex toys and rogue pot dealer I’m going to scoop everyone.”
“You’re not going anywhere without me. You know that, right?”
“I wasn’t planning on it,” I said. “How soon can you get out of the sheriff’s department this afternoon?”
“I have about an hour’s worth of work left when I go back,” Eliot said. “Jake is going to be watching me to see where I go, though.”
“I’ll pick you up and we’ll swing back to get your truck when we’re done,” I suggested.
“I see you’ve thought this out.”
“I … thank you for helping me,” I said.
“You’re welcome,” Eliot said. “I’ll always help you as long as you ask. You know that.”
I did know that. Because the ambiance in the truck had shifted from excited to serious I decided to change the subject. “Do you think Cara is weird or is it just me?”
Eliot chuckled. “Never change, Trouble.”
“I LOVE this restaurant,” Cara enthused, Jake settled next to her on one side of the booth. “Do you guys like it?”
“I’m pretty easy,” I said.
“That’s the word on the street,” Jake teased.
I shot him a look. “You’re full of yourself today.”
“You’re full of yourself every day,” Jake shot back.
“Don’t make me separate you two,” Eliot warned. “Is there any reason we can’t have a comfortable lunch?”
I could think of two of them – and they both sat across from me.
“Of course not,” Cara said, shooting a winning smile in Eliot’s direction. “So, Eliot, I don’t know a lot about you. Do you and Avery live together?”
“No,” Eliot said. “We’re t
ogether almost every night, but I still have my place. Sometimes, if I have an early morning at the shop, I stay there because Avery is a bear if you wake her before the sun is up.”
“She’s never been a morning person,” Jake said, smirking. “When we were in high school I brought her a Diet Coke every morning because I knew I couldn’t deal with her until she had some caffeine.”
“Considering what kind of adult she turned out to be I have to wonder if she was a terror as a teenager,” Eliot said. “Was she a mean girl?”
“Not the way you’re thinking,” Jake said. “She was mean … and a girl … but she didn’t go out of her way to be mean to other girls just because of who they were. She was more interested in being mean to people because she hates the human race in general.”
Eliot chuckled, slinging an arm over my shoulders as he leaned back in the booth. “I keep picturing her in Star Wars shirts and Converse at the prom.”
Jake swallowed hard and rubbed the back of his neck. “She wore a dress to prom.”
This conversation was starting to take an unfortunate turn. “Who wants to talk about the weather?” I asked. “I hate snow.”
They ignored me.
“Did you two go to prom together?” Cara asked.
“We did,” Jake said, nodding. “I rented a limo with some friends and everything.”
“Something tells me this isn’t a fun story,” Eliot said, shifting a look in my direction. “What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything,” I shot back. “Who else hates snow?”
“It was fine,” Jake said. “She wore a blue dress and only tripped on her heels twice before she took them off and promptly lost them. If I remember correctly, you never did find those shoes, did you?”
“No,” I said, glowering. “I still maintain someone stole them.”
“We got hammered and kicked out of the prom before they served dinner,” Jake explained. “We spent our night in the parking lot drinking and … hanging out.”
Eliot made a face. “I think we should switch to a different story.”
“We could talk about how much I hate the snow,” I suggested.
“I don’t understand why we need to change the story,” Cara said. “What’s wrong with hanging out in a parking lot?”
“They weren’t hanging out,” Eliot replied. “They were … doing other stuff.”
Lunch was definitely getting uncomfortable and our food hadn’t even arrived yet. “I hate how hard rock salt is on my boots,” I said. I wasn’t ready to give up on the weather conversation. Weather is always a safe topic.
“Like … building a bonfire?” Cara asked, clearly confused.
She was either a master at playing dumb or she was purposely refusing to see what was right in front of her.
“No,” Eliot said, shifting on the vinyl seat next to me. “They were … making out.”
“Oh,” Cara said, her eyes widening. “Oh!”
“There you go,” Eliot muttered. He tightened his grip on my shoulder and shot me a reassuring look. “I have a feeling we wouldn’t have run in the same circles in high school.”
“That’s because you were a jock,” I said.
“Jake, you played sports, didn’t you?” Cara asked.
“I did,” Jake said. “I mostly did it because my father wanted me to. I was more interested in partying.”
“With Avery?” It was a pointed question, and Cara’s discomfort with my relationship with Jake was growing.
“Avery liked to party,” Jake conceded. “She could drink with the best of them.”
“I’m not the one who got arrested for public urination,” I said, reminding him of one of my favorite high school stories. Because Jake was the one put in cuffs for peeing on a huge fiberglass fish I found the story entertaining. Jake? Not so much.
“I hate that story,” Jake said. “Why do you always tell that story?”
“I find it funny,” I admitted. “Your dad was so angry.”
“And your parents told you not to do it again and then bought you ice cream,” Jake said.
“It was a Slurpee,” I argued. “Get it right.”
“I take it your parents didn’t come down hard on all your antics when you were younger,” Eliot interjected.
“Not really,” I said. “As long as I wasn’t arrested they were fine. Jake was arrested for the fish incident. The cops only held me until a relative picked me up.”
“That surprises me,” Eliot said. “Your mother is worried about everything you do as an adult.”
“That’s because she thought Avery would outgrow this … rebellious … stage,” Jake said. “She didn’t realize that it wasn’t a stage.”
“It’s her way of life,” Eliot teased, poking me in the ribs.
“There’s nothing wrong with the way I live my life,” I sniffed. “I am a role model and should be treated as such.”
“You’re … something,” Jake agreed. “I do remember your mother pitching a fit when they had that sexual education seminar in the home economics class. She said you already knew about sex and she didn’t want anyone giving you ideas.”
“I was excused from that class,” I said, smiling at the memory. “I was supposed to have a study period in the library and instead I smoked a joint in my car in the parking lot. Ah, those were the days.”
Cara wrinkled her nose. “You smoked pot?”
“Only when I could find it,” I replied. “We grew up in a really small town. Our access to drugs was limited by proximity to fields and trees.”
I was going for levity but Cara didn’t look as though she approved. “But … .”
“What’s wrong?” Jake asked her.
“You’re a sheriff,” Cara said. “I don’t think a sheriff is supposed to hang around with people smoking pot in high school. The way you guys are acting you’d think you’re proud of it.”
“I’m not proud of it,” Jake said. “It’s just what we did as kids. I don’t see the sense of sitting around and worrying about it. It was ten years ago. It’s not like we do it now.”
“I’ve considered doing it now,” I said. “If I wasn’t randomly drug tested at work I would totally smoke down.”
“You would not,” Eliot scoffed. “You’re too much of a prude.”
“That is not funny,” I snapped, wagging a finger in his face.
“That’s not what I meant,” Eliot laughed. “I forgot you even told me that on the drive over. You wouldn’t smoke pot because you need to be sharp for when you’re trying to outthink people. I think, in the back of your mind, you might think it would be fun to sit around and relax, but you don’t relax. You’d be afraid someone would scoop you while you’re stoned.”
He had a point. Still … . “I am not a prude,” I said.
“Who called you a prude?” Jake asked, his eyes curious as they landed on me. “Where were you today – in that shirt, mind you – that someone called you a prude?”
He was trying to trap me. “Disney World,” I replied, not missing a beat.
“Why won’t you tell me what you’re working on?” Jake asked seriously. “I know you’ve got something big cooking.”
“Doesn’t she have to tell you?” Cara asked. “I mean … you are a police officer. You’re the top cop in the county. You’re the sheriff. She should have to tell you what she’s doing.”
So much for us being best friends. Cara was taking out her annoyance with the high school stories on me. I guess I didn’t blame her. “I don’t have to tell him squat,” I said.
“He’s a police officer, though,” Cara pressed.
“So what? I’m not under arrest. I have rights. As long as I’m not breaking the law Jake isn’t entitled to information I get from my sources.”
“I knew it,” Jake hissed. “What do you have?”
Crap. What did I say to tip him off? “I don’t have anything.”
“You always do that shifty thing with your eyes when you’re lying,” Jake said.
“I want to know what you have. It has to be big for you to risk coming to Eliot in the middle of the day.”
“I don’t know that I have anything yet,” I said. “I’m still investigating.”
“Investigating is my job,” Jake countered.
“Investigating is both of our jobs,” I said. “We go about it in different ways.”
“I follow the letter of the law, you mean,” Jake said. “I’m hampered by rules and regulations while you can lie and … do whatever it is you do to get your way whenever you want.”
“I have rules I have to follow, too,” I said. “They’re just not the same rules you follow.”
“I want to know what you’ve got,” Jake said.
“I’ll tell you what I have if you tell me what you’re holding back,” I said.
“I … .” Jake’s eyes were chocolate slits. “What makes you think we’re holding back something?”
“Derrick is a worse liar than I am,” I said. “I know when he’s dodging a question. The other day he wanted to know what I’d managed to find out about Adam Grisham. I wouldn’t tell him and he wouldn’t tell me what you guys have. I even had primo dirt on his girlfriend I was offering up.”
“That sounds unethical,” Cara said.
“That’s the way Avery works,” Jake replied, keeping his gaze on me. “Avery, I’m not playing games with you. If you insert yourself in this investigation I’m going to have no choice but to arrest you.
“You know what kind of pressure I’m under right now,” he continued. “Ludington is trying to make my job impossible. I don’t need you helping him.”
“I would never help him,” I said.
“Tell me what you have,” Jake said firmly. “It will be better for everyone if you do.”
“You should definitely tell him,” Cara said, placing her hand on top of Jake’s on the tabletop. She was sending a clear message to back off. She was marking her territory.
“I’m not working on anything,” I said.
Jake sighed, resigned. “This is going to go bad, Avery. You can’t see it, but I can. You need to be careful.”
“I’m always careful.”
“Be more careful than that,” Jake said, pressing the heel of his hand against his forehead. “I need you to be very careful.”
Headlines & Deadlines (An Avery Shaw Mystery Book 7) Page 13