Death Wore Brown Shorts (Happy Holloway Mystery Book 1)

by Audrey Claire

  “You come across as the type of man who’s flexible in the face of a stern woman. So what pushed you to your breaking point?”

  To Annie’s surprise, Gary smiled. The men must be bonding somehow that she couldn’t fathom. She studied them both but didn’t pick up any clues.

  “Like I said,” Gary explained, “she was on me about every cent. I make okay money, but I’m not rich. I can at least cover my part of the bills with a little left over. I came across a bank account with only her name on it. You wouldn’t believe how much was in there.”

  “Ten thousand?” Annie suggested.

  “Try one hundred thousand.”

  Annie could think of nothing to say. Flynn rubbed his jaw.

  “I need to get inside,” Gary said, moving past them and up the steps. “I want to get in and out before she comes back.”

  “I haven’t seen her for at least twenty-four hours, Gary. I hope the dog is okay. Can you check on him while you’re here, make sure he has everything he needs and can go outside?”

  “He’s Evie’s dog.”

  “Does that mean no?” She noted the irritation in his tone.

  “It means he’s goes everywhere she does. The dog is the only one Evie never browbeat. Or maybe she treated everyone great, except me.” He went on mumbling unhappily as he let himself into the house and closed the door.

  “That’s the getaway car.” Flynn pointed to Gary’s vehicle.

  “How do you mean?”

  He started down the drive, and Annie followed. She intended to get him to go with her to see Icky, right then if possible.

  “He parked on the street so he could get away fast if he needed to. I’ve seen a lot of scary women in my time, and I’m beginning to think Evie is among the top. I haven’t had the privilege of talking to her, and I don’t think I want to.”

  “Flynn, a hero like you cowed? You disappoint me.”

  “Not that, Annie. Say it isn’t so.”

  She laughed. “You will impress me for at least the rest of the week if you go with me to talk to Icky. Omen gave me his number, and I looked up his address.”

  “No.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He juggled his car keys in his hand. “If this guy is as bad as we’re hearing, then you’re better off not getting involved with him.”

  “Omen did say take someone with me.”

  “That confirms it then. I’ll go and report back to you if you like.”

  “No, I’ll go and talk to him myself if you don’t want to go.” Her stomach knotted. She wasn’t one of those gung-ho rush into danger types to prove she was an independent strong woman.

  “Annie, don’t be stubborn.”

  “Okay, but I have his address. I can walk down the street and get my own car. I’ll be there before you can even find his number.”

  Flynn growled. “Get in the car.”

  Annie cheered. “Good answer.”

  His tires squealed his annoyance as he pulled into the road.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Icky’s place lay in a part of town even the optimistic and happy Annie would describe as “icky.” She drew away from the door of Flynn’s car before they drew to a stop in Icky’s drive.

  Rather, she should think of the way onto Icky’s property as more of a dirt path with deep grooves on both sides. Driving along at night would rip the bottom of the car clean off.

  Flynn opened his door and climbed out. When she didn’t move, he leaned in to look at her. “Coming?”

  Annie clutched her handbag tighter, staring at the mobile trailer that sat on concrete blocks. Not for a moment did she look down on anyone living worse than she did. However, it appeared that Icky sank all his money into the fancy car with the shiny rims, parked just off the path.

  Rust and filth covered the side of the trailer. Broken furniture littered the yard, a couple of shirtless toddlers waddled with smeared fingers. A woman’s face materialized briefly in the window but then disappeared.

  Then there was the man Annie assumed was Icky. He leaned up from working beneath the hood of the car. He wiped greasy fingers on a greasier rag and tossed it on the ground. The scowl on his face said they better have a good explanation for being there.

  She shoved a hand into her bag and scrounged around. Flynn got tired of waiting for her to answer, and he shut his door and approached Icky. She tried to make out what they said but failed and braved opening her door. The stench was just as she expected.

  Annie’s fingers brushed the rubber gloves, and she fought a desperate need to put them on. Something else caught her gaze as she searched the recesses of her purse, and she latched onto it. The tiny bottle of hand sanitizer whistled as she squeezed a glob into her palm.

  She climbed out of the car and pressed her fingers to her nose. Icky gazed past Flynn’s shoulder to look at her. Flynn stepped in his path, cutting the view off. For some reason, his protectiveness bolstered her confidence, and she joined them. Well, not too close. Icky might take it into his head to shake her hand. She felt like Gary looked at the thought.

  “Who are you?” Icky demanded as soon as she reached them.

  “Annie Holloway. Are you Ivan?”

  Flynn swore. She blinked at him.

  “The name’s Icky. What of it, and why the heck should I care if you’re Annie Holloway? You famous or something?”

  “Yes,” Annie said, straight-faced.

  “No,” Flynn spat. “Look, she’s nobody, just an assistant. I know you remember me. I’m Paul’s cousin, Flynn.”

  Icky snapped dirty fingers a few times. “Yeah, yeah, Flynn. The small nerdy kid with the weird name, too good to hang out with us.”

  “I don’t recall being invited.”

  “You weren’t my type. I could tell you were the goodie goodie kind. I guess I could have turned that around, but Paul didn’t want it. He said he wanted to keep his family separate. I respected him for that.”

  “It’s all in the past now,” Flynn said. “I’m sure you heard Paul was killed.”

  Icky shrugged. “This life, man. It’ll do it to you.”

  “That’s all you have to say?”

  “You want me to cry or something?”

  Annie stepped forward. “He was your friend. You’ve known each other all these years, and you just shrug his death off? Maybe you two had a falling out. Did you do it?”

  “Annie!”

  Flynn grabbed for her arm but missed when she moved forward another step. She had no idea why she flew off the handle to this obvious killer—or potential one. Maybe it was the fumes going to her head or a desperate wish to get out of there.

  Annie liked to try new things despite her hang-ups, but when she felt that sense inside that she pushed against stone boundaries, she backed off. This property, the trailer, Icky, his kids, everything around her felt like it pushed Annie to extremes she didn’t want to go.

  “Who do you think you’re talking to, woman?” Icky snapped. He spat on the ground at her feet, and before Flynn or she could react, he grabbed the front of her blouse and tugged her to him. “Watch your mouth before I help you watch it.”

  Annie looked down and screamed. Flynn thrust Icky back, knocking him off balance. He raised his fists, as if he expected Icky to follow his threat with more violence. Icky waved him off as he put more space between them.

  Annie saw all of this with her peripheral vision because she hadn’t stopped staring at her blouse. The stain lay in the dead center—reeking, oily, and in her mind, growing. Annie’s equilibrium faded fast, and the contents of her stomach rocked on a sea of bile.

  A little at a time, she screamed louder and it escalated until her voice rung in her ears. The kids began to cry and whine, covering their ears. Flynn spun around and grabbed her arms in a firm but gentle grip.

  “Annie, stop. It’s not that big a deal. Can you hear me?”

  He gave her a small shake, but that made the material touch her skin. Tears flooded her eyes.


  “Oh, hell.” Flynn turned her and shuffled her toward the car. “Hang on. We’ll fix it.”

  He opened the back door and shoved her inside. She landed in a flop on her back, and Flynn climbed above her. Panic choked off her voice, so at least now she wasn’t in danger of bursting hers and everyone else’s eardrums.

  Annie fought him, smacking at his hands, curling her fingers to try to get to his eyes to scratch them out. Flynn held her wrists together and ripped her shirt apart to take it off. Annie howled, but somehow he got her free of the thing.

  A few seconds later, he yanked his own shirt over his head and brought it down over Annie’s head. She grabbed the material before it could touch her chest, and Flynn began searching her purse. Annie wanted to ask him what he thought he was doing, but her tongue refused to move.

  “Just as I thought.” He brought out the hand sanitizer. Flynn started for the hem of the shirt, but she squeaked. He took one of her hands and shoved the bottle into it. “Put some on and use the tissue.”

  When he climbed out of the car and moved away from it, her heart began to settle. With frenzied movements, Annie scrubbed her chest raw under the shirt. Eyes on the two men outside, she only stopped cleaning when the sting was too much. Then she lay down on the seat and closed her eyes. For a long while, she couldn’t let go of the bottle and clutched it in her palm.

  Some time later, the door opened and closed, and the car started up. Flynn didn’t speak, and neither did Annie. When she judged they were minutes away from her house, she forced herself to straighten.

  “You think I’m crazy.” She kept her focus on her fingers, twisting them together.

  “I don’t.”

  She tried to make herself look into the rearview mirror, but she couldn’t do it. Shame washed over her.

  “I can’t tolerate certain…things,” Annie said. “I’ve done more than most people who never face the fears I do.”

  “And many don’t have your background.”

  She did look at him then. “You knew?”

  “Yeah, all a part of my investigation into my cousin’s death. I didn’t just look at the people in your area but anyone he came into contact with. It took me a little extra time to remember Icky, and I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  She said nothing.

  “It’s a wonder you’re okay with what happened with you and your family. You are okay, Annie.”

  She grinned. “Thanks for trying to reinforce it in my head. I choose as far as I can go. Icky’s place wasn’t it.”

  He snorted. “Trust me, I felt like I’d catch something standing there myself. Pretty nasty.”

  She didn’t believe him, but she appreciated the effort. “Don’t tell anyone, please. No one really knows except Jane.”

  “I have no reason to tell anyone. Even if I did, it’s your business.”

  “Thanks.” They pulled into her drive. “Um, can you wait here while I change? I don’t want to give anyone any ideas if you get out of the car half naked. I’ll bring your shirt right back.”

  He chuckled. “Sure.”

  Annie scrambled into her house and stripped off Flynn’s shirt. She found a replacement T-shirt of her own and wondered about the ruined blouse. As far as she was concerned Flynn could burn it. If she dared to touch it again, she would.

  She returned to the car and passed Flynn his shirt through the window. He slipped it over his head, and Annie checked the area to see if anyone saw. Too many trees in her yard, she decided with relief.

  “I’ll call you later to tell you what he said,” Flynn offered.

  “That would be great.” She couldn’t think about the case. Her shower called.

  “Annie, are you sure you’re fine? Do you want me to call anyone for you?”

  “I thought you said I’m okay.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  She grinned. “I’m okay. Call me after seven.”

  “Will do.”

  Annie didn’t wait to watch him drive down the street. She ran up her drive and into the house straight to the bathroom.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Annie, we’re here.”

  “Shoot, my sandal just broke!” Annie threw the stupid shoe across the room and then went to pick it up to toss into the trash. Normally, her room being cluttered didn’t bother her. After the incident from a few days ago, she was more sensitive. She figured it would die down soon.

  So far, she hadn’t heard from Flynn, although he promised to call that same night they visited Icky. One thing and another in her life and work distracted her from following up with him. Not to mention her shame. She had decided she needed a bit of extra time to recover from the incident he witnessed.

  “Annie?” Jane called from somewhere in the house. Annie had already told her sister to come inside when she arrived because she couldn’t find anything she wanted to wear today. This was another side effect to her unsettled mind.

  “I hear you, Jane.”

  She grumbled under her breath and tugged a shoebox out of the closet. Thinking about Icky now, she at least felt more able to talk about what happened.

  “I kind of had a meltdown, Jane. This man who was friends with Paul shoved me, and I lost it. Suffice it to say, I have a big mouth.”

  Her sister said nothing. Annie kicked herself mentally. She shouldn’t have said she had a meltdown. Maybe it reminded poor Jane of how much everything was getting to her lately. They had arranged the shopping and the spa visit to last one day. That was all Annie could get her sister to agree to. She should have kept everything positive. Well, for the rest of the day she would.

  “Wait, Jane. Did you say ‘we’ when you came in?” Annie called.

  Stacy appeared in her doorway, startling her. Annie flushed.

  “I’m sorry, Annie, but Jane asked if I wanted to go. I called her crying after the police accused me of hiding packages in my house. She knew I could use the time to get away. I should have told you I was coming. Listen, I won’t breathe a word of what you just said.”

  Annie pushed past Stacy to walk into the hall. Her sister stood in their parents’ room. Annie darted in and drew Jane out backward. She shut the door and hugged Jane from behind, resting her forehead against Jane’s curls.

  “We’re going to forget about everything and just relax and have fun.” Annie rubbed her sister’s arms. “Jane?”

  Her sister breathed in deep and blew it out. Then she faced Annie and waggled a finger in her face. “Yes, we are going to have fun. You’re going to stop trying to play a cop. I heard about you going around with Paul’s cousin acting like some detective team. This isn’t one of your books, Annie. You could get hurt. Leave it to the professionals.”

  “Do you know how much progress we’ve made? We learned—”

  “I don’t want to hear it! You’re my only family. It would kill me if you ever got hurt, Annie. Promise me.”

  Annie gritted her teeth. “Jane, don’t say that.”

  “Promise me you’ll stay safe.”

  “All right. I promise.”

  “Good. Now let’s go. I feel a mud bath calling my name.”

  Annie froze. Her sister met her gaze and winced.

  “On second thought, I think a massage is plenty. That will give us a lot of time to shop. I have a credit card that’s burning a hole in my purse.”

  Annie laughed. “Why do I get the feeling you’re going to happily drive up the bill because you’re mad at Donovan?”

  Jane widened her eyes. “Whatever do you mean, Annie?”

  The three of them laughed and joked at the man’s expense all the way to Jane’s car and continued until they reached the spa.

  * * *

  Annie climbed off the massage table with her muscles wobbling like jelly. She pressed the sheet tight to her chest and tried wrapping it around herself, but it kept slipping.

  “Just let it go, Annie,” Jane said. “We’re all women.”

  “I have to pee, and I’m not going i
nto the hall naked.”

  Stacy snorted, trying to suppress a laugh. Annie flared her nostrils at the woman. When Annie returned from the bathroom, Stacy decided she needed to go. Annie wondered if the massage personnel had to deal with fidgety people often. She gazed around the room for her person and found the woman missing.

  “Have I been abandoned, Jane?”

  “No, there was a call or something.” Jane’s eyes were closed. Annie studied her face. Her sister seemed to be in total tranquility, and Annie worried a tiny bit less.

  Jane yawned and tucked her hands beneath her face then turned her head the opposite direction. The sheet slipped lower on her shoulders while the therapist worked on Jane’s legs. Annie started at the bruise on her sister’s wrist and forearm.

  Annie waved her hand at the woman working on her sister and caught her attention. She pointed to the door and jerked her head to the left. “Five minutes,” she mouthed.

  The women left, if reluctantly. As soon as the door closed, Annie took advantage of being alone with her sister. She darted around her own table to Jane’s side and reached for her wrist.

  “Did Donovan do this, Jane? You can tell me. If he did, he will answer to me!”

  Jane looked at her wrist. She blinked as if she hadn’t noticed it before. “Of course not, Jane. Donovan can be a you-know-what sometimes, but he’s not violent. I knew he would never hit me the day I met him.”

  “Well what happened?”

  Jane sat up and wrapped the sheets around her middle. They came together without issue, the skinny thing that she was. “Annie, really. You know I rearrange my furniture every other day.”

  “Ugh, I told you to stop that. Your kids and husband should be the ones with the bruises, not knowing where it’s safe to walk.”

  Jane laughed. “It’s not that bad.”

  Annie made a face. “It so is, sis.”

  They teased each other, and Annie bumped Jane to scoot over. Jane did, and she joined her on the table, sitting side by side. Jane held Annie’s hand.

  “I think Stacy fell in, Jane. Should we fish her out?”