Drive-By Daddy & Calamity Jo

by Cheryl Anne Porter

  Jo smiled straight into Case’s eyes. “Case told me.”

  The devilish glint in Case’s eyes deepened in challenge.

  “You thinking of doing an article on Purdy for the paper?” Julius asked.

  She looked at Case again. “Maybe,” she said, pleased to see annoyance flare in his expression. “It depends on how much information I can gather.”

  “None.” Case mouthed the word at her and she smirked at him.

  Julius, involved in his fly-tying, didn’t notice their byplay. “The truth is, Jo, I went because I’m always interested in the mechanics of a good con game.” Carefully, he began winding shiny black thread around a tiny bit of peacock’s feather, attaching a small metal eye as he went.

  Jo slipped her notebook from her pocket and uncapped her pen. “What made you think it was a con game?”

  Briefly, Julius described what had gone on at the meeting, unaware that Jo already knew. She didn’t enlighten him that she’d been there herself. “It was all too full of rehashed ideas, but phrased in new, attractive ways. Wouldn’t you say so, Case?”

  “That’s right.” Case sat back, picked up his bottle of beer and took a long drink. “Nothing much new in what he had to say.”

  Julius went on. “That cosmogony idea of his. He says it’s science. Pah. He seems to be trying to present himself as a holy man, but a true holy man doesn’t have to seek out followers like Purdy’s doing. They find him.”

  “Holy man?” Jo asked, disturbed. “You don’t think he’s trying to start some new religion, do you?” First jewel thief, now religious leader. What next?

  Julius shrugged. “I don’t know what he’s trying to do, but I don’t think he’s here to learn the charming history of the town or to become part of the eccentric population.”

  “He’s not eccentric,” Case said quietly.

  “What is he?” Jo asked the two men.

  Case didn’t answer, but Julius glanced up. “Time will tell.”

  It was certain that Case wouldn’t tell, she thought, annoyed with him for perhaps the hundredth time in the past twenty-four hours.

  ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, Case thought, he and Jo had spent a lot of time annoying the hell out of each other since they’d met. Case took a sip of his beer and turned his attention to watching Julius’s patient work.

  She was a thorn in his side, he thought darkly. Getting in his way, making him think about dealing with her rather than his investigation of Purdy. It had nearly knocked the pins out from under him today when he’d turned away from the table and run right into Purdy. That never should have happened. It never would have happened if he’d kept his mind where it belonged.

  He glanced across at Jo, saw the way her shiny, swinging cap of chocolate-brown hair shone in the sun, how her green eyes went dark and thoughtful as she listened to Julius, the erotic way her full lips pursed in concentration.

  He hadn’t been the only one to notice those things. Harold Purdy’s tongue had been all but dragging the ground as he’d looked at Jo. And she’d been equally enthralled with him.

  What was it with women, anyway? he wondered irritably. Couldn’t they see Purdy for what he was? Jo was trying to be an investigative reporter and even she couldn’t see Purdy for the confidence artist he was.

  “There is one way you can find out what Purdy is really doing,” Julius said. He finished the fly he was tying, stood and stretched.

  Jo sprang up straight, her face lively with interest. “How?”

  “Martha tells me he’s speaking to the women’s club tonight. Their scheduled speaker had to cancel, so he volunteered. Oh, speaking of Martha, I forgot to bring you your iced tea. I’ll be right back.” He headed for the house.

  Case could tell from Jo’s bright, fixed gaze that a thousand possibilities were flying around inside her head. He pointed a finger at her. “Don’t even think it,” he commanded.

  Jo ignored him. “The women’s club,” she said. “I could go to that, see what he has to say.”

  “The hell you will,” Case growled.

  5

  JO GAVE HIM an annoyed look. “Unless someone rewrote the Constitution while I wasn’t looking, this is a free country, and…”

  “You are bound and determined to mess up this investigation for me, aren’t you?” he asked. He was beginning to count the moment she’d spotted him as one of the unluckiest of his life. And to make him even more crazy, the memory of the way Purdy had cast a spell on her while trying to look down her cleavage had jealousy exploding inside his head like fire-crackers.

  “How can attending a women’s-investment-club meeting possibly do that? And besides, how can I know that I’ll be messing up your investigation if I don’t know what you’re investigating?” She leaned back and spread her hands wide in an obvious attempt to look like the most reasonable of women. “Now, wouldn’t it make more sense if the two of us worked together? After all, you want to know what Purdy’s up to, you’re not a woman, and I don’t think you’d be willing to borrow one of my dresses in order to attend the meeting.”

  “I’m not interested in using your techniques. I have no intention of taking up cross-dressing this late in my career. I work alone, Jo.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh, for crying out loud. Even the lone wolf needs a mate once in a while.…”

  Jo stopped, consternation filling her face, then turned her head, paying a great deal of attention to a patch of dandelions sprouting in Julius’s lawn. Case fought not to grin. “Honey, I don’t think we’re quite to that stage in our relationship yet, but I’ll keep you in mind.”

  He watched her, enjoying the expressions flitting across her face as she mentally backpedaled her way out of that blunder. In a few seconds, she came charging back.

  “Never mind that. I’ll bet I could get an interview with Professor Purdy, get the information you need, write it up as a story later.”

  “No!”

  “You have to admit that I could be of help.”

  He ran his hands through his hair. “Yeah, if I ever need a pit bull.”

  She was preparing to blast him for that unflattering statement when Julius returned with her tea.

  “Here you go,” he said, handing her a frosty glass embellished with both lemon and mint. “Now, what were we talking about?”

  Neither of them enlightened him, and he gave them a surprised look before launching into a description of his favorite fishing places in the area, adding that he would be pleased to have Case join him.

  “That’s a great idea, Julius,” Jo said. “In fact, you two should go right now.” She gulped her tea and bounced to her feet. “I’ve got work to do. Bye, Julius, thanks for the tea,” she said, swinging out the gate. Case almost stuck out his foot to trip her because their discussion definitely wasn’t over, though she seemed to think it was. She paused on the sidewalk and wiggled her fingers at him in farewell, then headed off, hair bouncing beneath that floppy hat, back straight, walk saucily declaring that she’d had the last word.

  “That’s what you think,” he murmured.

  “Did you say something?” Julius asked, then followed Case’s gaze with his own. “She’s a good girl,” he said, drawing Case’s attention back to him. “She didn’t have to tread water in this little burg for three years, but she did it to help her uncle out. It was probably career suicide for her, but she did it. A good, well-written story that she could add to her portfolio would go a long way toward helping her get a job that’s worthy of her talents.”

  Case turned his head and squinted at his new friend. “Were you eavesdropping?”

  “Of course. How else could I find out anything?” Julius tipped up his beer bottle and drained it. “I love eavesdropping,” he said. “It gives one such insight into the human spirit.”

  Case grinned. “You don’t believe that old saying about eavesdroppers hearing nothing good about themselves?”

  “Nah,” Julius said, waving that notion away. “What bad thing could anyone say a
bout me?”

  Case chuckled, finished his beer, and stood up. “That you’re an eavesdropper?” he suggested.

  While Julius laughed, Case thanked him, waved goodbye, and started after Jo. There was no need to hurry. He knew exactly where she was going. With a snort, he acknowledged that she’d turned the tables on him. Now he was the one following her.

  “ALL RIGHT, I’m throwing in the towel.”

  Startled, Jo looked up to see Case standing over her desk, arms folded across his chest, unhappy scowl on his face.

  Hurriedly, she blocked her computer screen with her body as she frantically worked the mouse to hide the request for information she’d put out on Purdy, and the one on Case.

  “Throwing in the towel?” she asked. “Why, what do you mean?”

  “You know what I mean,” he growled.

  “Yes,” she admitted, sitting back, resting her hands behind her head, and smiling up at him. “But I want to hear you say it.”

  “I could use your help in investigating Purdy,” Case answered, each word sounding as if it was being dragged from him.

  “I’d be happy to help,” she responded, joy and excitement bubbling through her. “What do I need to do? Will I need to wear a wire? I have to find my tape recorder.” She opened her desk drawer and began scrambling for it. “I had it a while ago, but I put it in here, and…”

  A firm hand clamped down on the desk, making her jump. “No wire, no tape recorder, no secret passwords or magic decoder rings. All you’re going to do is go to this meeting and listen to what Purdy has to say.”

  Looking up, she swallowed her disappointment, then reminded herself she was a professional—or would be, after this story.

  “Okay. What else do I have to do?” Unable to resist, she glanced around surreptitiously to see if anyone was listening. She needn’t have worried. Her aunt and uncle had gone home, the bookkeeper was closed up in her office, and the advertising department, which consisted of Faye Owen and two high-school kids, was involved in its own projects.

  Case pulled up a chair, twirled it around, then seated himself in it, arms propped along the top of the back. It was a distinctively masculine way of sitting and something about the way Case did it made it seem even more manly.

  Focus, Jo, she told herself. Focus. Now that she finally was on the verge of getting what she wanted, she couldn’t afford to let her attention stray. Okay, she thought, one quick peek at the way those black jeans stretched over his thighs. In spite of the way he annoyed her, she had to admit that he had what it took to fill out those jeans.

  “Are you listening?” Case asked abruptly.

  She started and her gaze swung back to his stormy, dark eyes. “Of course,” she said, lifting her chin. She folded her hands on the desk top. “You were about to tell me what I have to do to help you out.”

  He gazed at her for a few seconds before he answered. “A few days ago I got a call from a lady in Chicago named Estelle Long.”

  “Long? You mean like the lady we met this morning…?”

  “Freida. “ He nodded. “Estelle is her daughter.”

  Jo rubbed her hands together. “This is getting good,” she said breathlessly.

  “How do you know? I haven’t told you anything yet.”

  “Anticipation is often better than the real thing.”

  Jo saw something dark and humorous flash in his eyes. For some reason, it made heat wash up her face and sizzle in her ears. She cleared her throat. “You were saying?”

  “Freida is originally from Chicago and has been living in a retirement community in Phoenix for a couple of years. Two weeks ago, she came to Calamity Falls on her first visit, stayed a few days, during which she apparently met Charlotte, and Harold Purdy, then went back home, packed up and moved here.”

  “And her daughter’s worried, no doubt.”

  “Yes, plus the fact that she seems to be withdrawing a great deal of money from her bank lately.”

  “What’s she spending it on?”

  “She won’t say.”

  Jo sat back and frowned. She reached into her desk for a handful of paper clips, positioned her coffee cup, and began flipping the clips into it. “Do you think she’s giving it to Purdy?”

  “Could be. One look at that jewelry-store clearance sale of gems she wears was probably all it took to get his attention.”

  “Do you think he’s going to rob her?”

  “It wouldn’t be robbery,” Case answered. “She looks so enthralled with him she’d probably hand them over in a heartbeat, which her daughter thinks is what she’s already doing.”

  “So you’re trying to see if he’s doing anything illegal?”

  “Yeah, and not succeeding very well due to certain distractions.” He gave her a pointed look.

  The paper clip she’d been about to dunk into the cup wobbled as it left her fingers, skated across the rim, and landed at Case’s feet. He picked it up, flicked it with his thumbnail, and directed it straight into the cup.

  “If you’re going to help me with this, you’ve got to be a partner and not a distraction,” he told her.

  “A partner,” she said, nodding vigorously. She liked the sound of that.

  “All you have to do is listen to Purdy tonight. He may be giving Freida financial advice and scamming money from her that way.”

  “Why does it have to be a scam? Couldn’t she simply be investing the money legitimately?”

  “If she was, don’t you think she’d tell her daughter about it?”

  “Unless the two of them don’t get along and the daughter is afraid Freida is spending her inheritance.”

  “Estelle says they had a good relationship until a few weeks ago, when her mom suddenly became secretive. Also, Estelle owns a car dealership and is married to the owner of a successful electronics manufacturing plant, so I don’t think money is the issue.” Case shook his head and leaned forward until the chair was on two legs. “No, from what I’ve been able to find out, this seems to be the way Purdy operates. He gets chummy with someone, usually a little old lady, then her money starts disappearing.”

  “He’s done this before then?”

  “Yes, at least twice, though the ladies were too embarrassed to press charges. Also, he may have pulled this scam before, but using a different name. If so, he’s gotten away with it because there are no charges pending against him and he’s spent the past few years meandering around the western states. He’s been a little hard to track.”

  “What about that rally last night, though, and all that Unbroken Man stuff, and the marching, and whatever else was going on?”

  Case shrugged. “I don’t know yet. It appears to be some new twist he’s adding. Julius didn’t seem to be taken in by it, but maybe some of the other men were and want to go to his next meeting.”

  “Cedric was,” Joe answered, and told him about her friend the gardener. “I think he’s a very lonely man. I know he’s shy and doesn’t talk much.” She gave Case a sideways glance. “Well, except to his plants. I stopped by and complimented him on his yard a dozen times before he’d even acknowledge me with a nod. Do you think that could be another part of Harold’s plan? To get money out of lonely people like Cedric?”

  Case answered with a considering frown. “Could be.”

  “Then if Purdy’s caught and is prosecuted, embarrassed little old ladies wouldn’t testify against him, and if someone like Cedric did, the jury wouldn’t believe him.”

  “Because he’s crazy? Talks to his plants?” Case suggested.

  “No, because he’s eccentric.”

  Case snorted. “We don’t know any of that yet. You’re getting way ahead of yourself.” He took a deep breath. “Now, do you understand what it is you’re supposed to be doing tonight?”

  Jo nodded. “I have the full picture. I’ll go to the meeting tonight, take notes on what he has to say, watch him, see how he operates, then invite him out for a drink and ask him for more details.”

  “Wh
oa!” Case’s chair thumped onto the floor.

  “Actually, I could ask him up to my place,” she said, brightening, then shook her head. “No, that might not be…”

  He held up his hand as if trying to stop traffic. “Hold it right there, Mata Hari. What did you think you were going to do? Slip truth serum into his drink and have him confess all?”

  Her eyes wide with excitement, Jo said, “Do you think I could?”

  “No!” he roared, springing to his feet. “You’re not going to do any spying, any prying, or any—”

  “Denying?” she teased. For some reason, instead of being annoyed at his insistence, she was ever so slightly flattered. Was it possible he was uncomfortable with the idea of her being alone with Harold?

  “Look,” he said, leaning over her desk. “If you’re going to help me, you’ve got to do exactly, and I do mean exactly, what I say.”

  The firmness in his voice and face finally got through to her. “Well, all right, Case, you’re the boss.…”

  “If only that were true,” he muttered, sitting down again. He ran his hands through his hair and gave her a baleful look. “You’re to do nothing except report back to me on what he talks about. Got it? You can do that, can’t you? Report and nothing else?”

  Jo gave him an insulted look. “Of course. I am an experienced reporter, you know.”

  “Remember that. And another thing, there’s got to be strict confidentiality in this. You don’t report a word of it, or even breathe a word of it until the investigation is all wrapped up. Otherwise, no story.”

  “That goes without saying. I would never risk your investigation.”

  He treated her to the skeptical look that deserved. “You’re not even to tell your best friend, who I assume is Julius’s granddaughter, right?”

  “That’s right, and no, I won’t even tell her.”

  “Because otherwise it’ll be all over town.”

  “Lainey wouldn’t tell!”

  He snorted. “Like she wouldn’t tell about you getting snockered on two glasses of wine and bawling because your boyfriend dumped you over dinner and broke your heart?”