Peril for Your Thoughts (Mind Reader Mystery)

by Kari Lee Townsend

  Quiet grumbles came from the cell next door, but the occupants didn’t say a word.

  “Apparently so.” Nik nailed me with a hard stare. “Ron Banks decided not to press charges, so long as you pay for the damages to his ceiling and replace the overhead light.”

  “Done,” I said, stepping forward and walking out of the cell before anyone could change their minds. Jaz quickly followed, and we both stayed as far away from the detectives as we could.

  “You took the word right out of my mouth, Ms. Ballas,” Nik said with a controlled but obviously angry tone. “We are definitely done.”

  Well, that didn’t sound good.

  “That’s right, ladies,” Boomer added, a lot less controlled than Nik. “There is no more we. Not if we want to keep our jobs. If we see either of you anywhere near this investigation, you’ll find yourselves right back in here for obstructing justice. Do we make ourselves clear?”

  “Crystal,” Jaz said, barely suppressing an eye roll as she took my arm and pulled me toward the door. I could hear she had a comeback that was dying to slip out, but the woman wasn’t stupid. She knew when to shut up and get the heck out of Dodge.

  “I can’t believe we got off without any punishment,” I whispered to Jaz on our way out.

  Apparently, not quietly enough.

  “Oh, I wouldn’t go that far, Annie Oakley,” Nik said from behind me, sounding more than satisfied. Even a little pleased, if I wasn’t mistaken.

  My steps faltered, but I didn’t turn around as I asked, “And why’s that, Detective?” fearing the words I suspected were coming.

  He didn’t disappoint as he uttered with unmistakable delight, “Your mother’s right outside.”

  My stomach dropped. “What about Sully and Johnny?” I asked, desperately stalling, not wanting to face the music.

  “Yeah, what about us?” Johnny asked, sounding much meeker this time.

  “I have a route to finish,” Sully said earnestly.

  “We still have some questions for them both before we release them,” Boomer said.

  “But—” Johnny started.

  “Shhh,” Sully hissed.

  A minor scuffle ensued, and then they were quiet.

  “I suggest you worry about yourself,” Nik said to me, “and what’s on the other side of that door,” he added, and with that, they were gone.

  “Well, kiddo, have fun with that.” Jaz patted my arm and turned around.

  “Where are you going?” I sputtered.

  “My mama didn’t raise no fool. I’m heading out the back.” Her high heels clickety clacked as she disappeared down the hall.

  I contemplated following her, but knew my family wouldn’t rest until they tracked me down. Knowing Nik, he’d probably called her out of spite. Taking a deep breath, I turned around and walked out the front door with my head held high. Dark clouds had rolled in, looking gloomy and ominous, threatening a doozy of a storm.

  “You see?” Ma pounced on me immediately, her polyester pantsuit making a swishing noise with her every movement. “Even God is unhappy with you.” She pointed toward the sky. Her beehive of hair swayed about as she inspected every inch of me. She knew better than to touch me, but she had no qualms about invading my personal space. Her face was literally an inch from my body.

  “I’m fine, Ma.” I stepped back a foot, and her face fell a little. I knew it bothered her, but she understood I couldn’t help it. If only I had been more like the child she so wanted and needed. “How did you hear I was in jail?” I asked, trying to distract her from my actions.

  “That’s not important,” she said confirming my suspicions. “Mamas know everything, you know that. And you don’t fool me. You’re not fine. First with the fever, and now with the rabies. I told you this would happen.”

  Thunder rolled off in the distance, making me nervous. Lightning could be nearby. The odds of surviving a hit by lightning weren’t good.

  “I don’t have rabies, Ma, but I am tired. I’d like to go home.”

  “See, you’re sick.” She looked at me knowingly as she tsked. “Why else would you shoot up poor Mr. Bank’s construction office? Only the rabies would make you do something so crazy. I know these things. It’s only a matter of time before you lose your mind, just like cousin Phelix.”

  “Ma, I didn’t shoot up the office. It was only two shots, but mostly I was pointing the gun at Mr. Hogan to stop him from leaving.” Whoops. I regretted the words the second they slipped out.

  My mother made the sign of the cross and said a quick prayer, looking ready to faint. “My baby’s a criminal. This is going to send Yiayia right to the hospital with heart palpitations.

  “Yiayia is going to outlive us all, and you know it.”

  “That’s it. You’re coming home with me. We’ll stuff you good, then smother you in aloe and wrap you in duct tape. That will cure this fever of yours.”

  No worries there. Nik had already cured it by turning into Nikos and calling my mother. “You’re supposed to feed a cold and starve a fever. Not the other way around, Ma.”

  “You already starve yourself, and look where it’s gotten you. Skinny and sick.”

  “I’m not skinny, and I’m not sick.”

  A streak of lightning lit up the sky, making me jump. My heart raced, and my breathing picked up, and I was pretty sure my face had grown pale.

  “Mmm, hmmm. I’m not taking any chances. Let’s go.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the parking lot. My car was home, and the lightning worried me. Having no other choice, I let her drag me along. I hope they keep that awful woman behind bars. First murder and now this. I bet she’s the one who gave my baby girl the rabies in the first place. Someone needs to put that looneybin out of her misery.

  There was no point in arguing with my mother. She was too stubborn to listen to reason, and I knew from a lifetime of experience that she wouldn’t leave me alone until she got her way. So with lead in my feet, I stumbled along to her waiting car, trying to block out her thoughts. It wasn’t hard to do because my thoughts wouldn’t stop reminding me of exactly what the rest of my evening would entail …

  A date with a jar of aloe, a roll of duct tape, and a stomach ache from consuming way too much food.

  “Hang on a sec, Ma.” I pulled away. Two could play at this game. “Everyone who’s in jail is allowed one phone call. I never got mine,” I said, as an idea came to me.

  “But you’re out now, and I’m here to take care of you. What do you need a phone call for?”

  “Oh, I don’t, but trust me, someone else does. And you’re so right. Everyone needs their mama in times like this,” I said, opening my cell phone and dialing a number that had been added to my contacts whether I’d wanted it there or not.

  “Hi, Kalli, I’m so glad you called. I’ve been meaning to catch up with you, but you’ve been so busy lately,” said a female voice through the earpiece of my phone. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’ve been better, Chloe,” I said, trying to keep the smile out of my voice and sound grave. “Thank you for asking. I must say your son has been better too.”

  My mother’s whole face brightened when she realized whom I was talking to. She nodded, patting my head in total approval of what I was doing. She just had no idea about the real motivation behind my call: payback.

  I continued with my own amount of satisfaction as I said, “Did you hear the news … your son is in big trouble?”

  CHAPTER 16

  * * *

  Wednesday morning Nikos the Greek burst into Jaz’s and my side of the house, looking three sheets to the wind and out of breath. His thick, wavy, black hair stood out in all directions, and he still wore the same clothes he’d had on the day before when we all did “time.”

  “Why would you call my mother?” he blurted, all wide-eyed and possessed, sending Prissy bolting down the hall to Jaz’s bedroom. Little good that would do her since Jaz didn’t stir before noon unless she was headed into work.

&
nbsp; I calmly finished eating my Wheaties—the breakfast of champions, because that’s what I was, of course—and dabbed the corners of my mouth with a napkin. I was showered, fully dressed in a cute lavender spring suit, and ready for my day as I glanced at my watch. I’d been expecting him, and quite frankly, I’d thought it would be sooner than now. That meant I owed Jaz twenty bucks. I pursed my lips. Just another reason to be angry with the detective.

  “Get a clue, Detective. It’s a little thing called payback,” I said with a smug smile as I inspected my perfectly clipped, filed, and buffed nails.

  “What are you, five?” he sputtered.

  “As I recall, you tattled first.” I slapped my palms down on the table and stood, glaring daggers at him. “You want to know what I am, Detective? I’m itchy! See these hives? I spent my evening smothered in aloe and wrapped in Duct Tape, while the relatives’ relatives came to view poor little Kalliope’s rabies and consulted with yet again even more relatives, who then proceeded to try out further home remedies that date back to the Stone Age. Good times, Detective.” I narrowed my eyes and repeated with a hiss, “Good times!”

  Nikos’s eyes lost their dazed crazy look only to open wide as his eyebrows arched sky high, then he burst out laughing. When he finally recovered, he said, “You win!”

  I crossed my arms and looked down my nose at him and sniffed sharply, then frowned, lifting my wrist to my nose—careful not to touch it, of course. “I still smell from dumpster diving.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You don’t smell, Ballas. It’s all in your head.”

  I nearly snorted as I thought, If you only knew. But then I sniffed again and winced. “I’m telling you, I smell. See?” I thrust my wrist up beneath his nose, definitely careful not to touch it. Lord only knew when the last time he used a neti pot to thoroughly clean out his sinus cavities. I shuddered.

  He took a big sniff and then shook his head no.

  I puckered my brow. “Why don’t you smell this?” I smelled a third time and was ready to face the dreaded inevitable. “That’s it. I need to see a doctor. I hate doctors, but I don’t want to die. Something could be seriously wrong with me. What if the odor seeped into my pores permanently?”

  He grabbed my arm before I could avoid him and inhaled deeply. I think your brain has permanently left your skull and you need to see a shrink.

  I gasped and yanked my arm away.

  He gave me a funny look. “What? I didn’t say anything?”

  “You didn’t have to.” I pointed my finger at him. “It’s written all over your face, which isn’t that attractive at the moment, I might add. You think I’m crazy.”

  He blinked. “Wait, you think I’m attractive?”

  “Ah, men! Who needs them?” I threw my hands up in the air and started to pace. “And you think I’m the crazy one.”

  “I don’t think you’re crazy,” Nik the nice guy said in a much calmer, more pacifying tone before adding, “I think you’re a little paranoid. You smell fine.”

  I gaped at him. “Fine? You think I smell just fine?” Not good or amazing, after I’d let the comment about him being attractive slip? Hmph! Good thing he couldn’t read my thoughts, because I’d show him exactly what I was: aka royally peeved!

  He rubbed his forehead. “Women really are from another planet,” he muttered.

  “So, how is your mother these days?” I smirked. “Did you enjoy your quality time together?”

  “Funny,” he snarled as I thought, Look who’s laughing now, Hot Shot! “You know perfectly well there was nothing quality about our time together after you got her all worked up,” he added.

  “Awww, what’s the matter? A big guy like you is afraid of a small, little woman like your ma?”

  He scowled. “In this case, size doesn’t matter! Do you know what I had to endure? She barged into the station, dragged me out of there by my ear, and then put me in a time-out in my own damn kitchen. One minute per year. I had to sit for thirty-four minutes! All while listening to her lecture me about the use of guns and violence and bad guys and putting you in danger.”

  “Oh my,” I snickered, trying to maintain a straight face. I could picture the whole scene perfectly.

  “After my time-out, I tried to tell her that was my job. Then I had to listen to another rant on how maybe it was time I changed my occupation and became a nice accountant like my cousin Apollo. My ears still hurt. Then when she saw my scrapes and bruises, she called in reinforcements and nearly hauled me into the emergency room. She only allowed me to stay home if I agreed to let her take care of me all night long. I’ve been poked and prodded more than any human being should ever have to endure in an entire lifetime, especially by their ma.”

  I couldn’t stop giggling. “Okay, okay. I’d say that was a tie. You’re a grown man. Why did you go along with everything?”

  “You of all people should know the answer to that. For the same reason you let your mother take you home. When it comes to Greek mamas, sometimes it’s easier just to let them have their way. Defying them is not worth the price you’d have to pay.”

  “Touché.” Once I got my giggles under control, I said, “What do you say we call a truce and get back to work?”

  “Uh, I don’t think so,” Detective Stevens said, back on duty. “Working together is what got us in trouble in the first place. And my captain will have my badge if I break protocol again.”

  “Okay,” I said, but that didn’t mean I would stop investigating on my own. I would just operate on a need-to-know basis. And he most definitely didn’t need to know.

  He stood with his hands on his hips and studied me. “I don’t like it.”

  “You don’t like what?” I asked innocently and sniffed, wondering if maybe he smelled something after all.

  “You agreed with me way too quickly.”

  “Just trying to keep the peace, officer.” I relaxed in relief.

  “Mmm hmm. I catch you anywhere near this case, you’re going to be in the middle of World War III. Understood?”

  “War. Hmm. Good Lord, ya’all.” I waved my hand at him, then placed my palm on my chest, trying to look as sincere as I could. “Why on earth would I want to start World War III with you?”

  “Beats the hell out of me.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “I’m probably the one who smells. I’ve got to go home and shower before I’m late for work.”

  “Good idea. You do that.” I batted my eyelashes at him, and he gave me a look that said, You call that a truce? “Sorry, I’ve got something in my lashes.” I rubbed my eye. “It’s better now. I promise.”

  “Riiight,” he said, pointing his finger at me. “Stay out of trouble. I mean it. Don’t make me call both our mamas. They’ll fix you right up.”

  I saluted him, and he just shook his head, leaving me to finish my coffee with glee. The sun wasn’t shining today, yet my morning had never looked brighter.

  Later Wednesday afternoon, I decided to make my move. I’d waited until Detective Stevens had left for work and had given him enough time to visit Vixen. I was sure after Johnny had made it clear that he was the man Ana was having the affair with and not Sully, the detective would want to talk to Ana. He was the cop, not me, and yet even I knew that was the next logical step.

  “Where are you going?” Jaz asked, finally getting up and fixing herself coffee. She set Prissy down. “And why was Miss Priss in bed with me? She never turns to me unless something scares her and you’re indisposed. So tell me, darling, what happened while I was sleeping?”

  “Nothing really, just a little visit from our neighbor. Let’s just say his night was as rough as mine was.” I handed her a twenty-dollar bill. “You won.”

  “Nice.” Jaz laughed, taking the money and tucking it into her bra. “Serves him right after what he did to you. If only Boomer was Greek, all would be right in my world.”

  “Trust me, dating a Greek is not worth everything that goes along with it.”

  She shrugged. “Yeah,
but I’m not the one who would have to live with it because we’re not dating. I just meant I’d love to sic that kind of punishment on him.”

  “If you say so.” I grabbed my purse.

  “Don’t even start with that again.” She stabbed her cereal spoon in my direction.

  “I’m not starting with anything.” I glanced at my watch. “And I really do have to go.”

  “You still haven’t told me where.”

  Need-to-know basis, Kalli, need to know, I reminded myself. For her own protection, I said, “To the grocery store. We’re out of a few things.”

  “Like replacement sponges for the ones you keep throwing out?” Jaz said with a knowing tone.

  I gasped.

  “That’s right, chica. I know everything. Not to mention I haven’t had to replace that sponge in six months, and it looks like new. It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what you’ve been up to, missy. Just try not to get caught today. We don’t need to be in any more trouble with Starsky and Hutch than we already are. And if you buy anything from her, you’re dead to me.”

  “Jaz, you know I would never—”

  “I know.” She sighed. “I just feel better ordering you about since I know I can’t go with you.”

  “You’ll be with me in spirit,” I said.

  “Good, because something tells me you’re going to need me.”

  I left the house, wondering why I had this odd feeling in my gut. Almost like indigestion. Like my food hadn’t digested right, souring my stomach big-time. I popped a couple of antacids, hoping my mother’s aloe and Duct Tape hadn’t given me stomach cancer. I made a mental note to have that checked out at the doctor’s as well. Maybe I could just see Pop’s friend the animal doctor. Ma could arrange it in no time. I had to do something. For now, I put everything out of my mind and focused on the task at hand: solving this blasted murder case so I could get my life back.

  I pulled into the parking lot of Vixen and couldn’t believe my eyes. The place was packed for a Wednesday. Then I read the sign: Super Spring Sale. All of Jaz’s fabulous finds were displayed front and center in the storefront window for all to see. But what I saw was my cousin Eleni’s car, Mrs. Flannigan’s car, Jaz’s former employee Amy Fisher, and Jaz’s spring collection. Ana had taken everything from Jaz, including her ex-lover Johnny. It was a good thing Jaz wasn’t here, or no telling what she would do.