Diners, Dives & Dead Ends

by Terri L. Austin

  Even my little bistro table and chairs were demolished.

  Shit. Who would do something like this? Sullivan? Why now? Revenge for crashing his gambling club? He must know about my fight with Manny on the main staircase. But even for him, this was some kind of fucked up.

  I pressed the send button on my phone and went back downstairs to wait for the police.

  It took them forty-five minutes to arrive. The longest forty-five minutes of my life. They dusted for prints, talked to the neighbors — who by then had stumbled out into the hall to see what all the commotion was about — and took my statement. One of the officers told me to come down to the station the next day and get a copy of the report.

  After the police left, I just stood in the doorway of my apartment staring at the damage. Everything I owned had been destroyed.

  Chapter 21

  It was just after three a.m. when I called Roxy and explained what happened. Fifteen minutes later she walked through my door carrying a broom, cleaning supplies, and a box of garbage bags. She laid everything on the ground, then enfolded me in her arms.

  Roxy’s not big on displays of affection, I think because she had so little of it growing up. But she hugged me like she wouldn’t let go. I clung to her and cried.

  When I finally pulled away, my gaze swept over the room. “Who would do this?”

  “Sullivan, of course. We can’t rule out Dane, either.”

  “Dane?” I frowned at her. “What are you talking about?”

  “Did it ever occur to you that Dane might not be helping you out of the goodness of his heart?”

  I gave a little humorless laugh. “Yeah, I think he’s doing it to get into my pants.”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged. “Or he could be working with Sullivan. Dane popped up out of nowhere at the exact same time your bud, Ax, disappeared. That’s quite a coinkadink.”

  “That’s crazy talk. He went to Penn’s Cigar Bar with me. Why would he do that? And why would he give me a list of NorthStar businesses in the first place? That doesn’t make sense.”

  “He never thought you’d find any real evidence? Maybe Sullivan wants Dane to keep tabs on you.”

  My gut clenched in a knot. “No, I can’t believe Dane would do that.”

  “He didn’t seem real excited after you showed him the list from the hard drive.”

  True. He’d pooh-poohed. Was that because he just didn’t want to mess with the bigwigs of Huntingford or because he was trying to throw me off track? Maybe Dane was setting me up.

  Roxy snapped open a trash bag. “All I’m saying is, be careful what info you share with him. He may be working for the enemy.”

  She was absolutely right and it had never occurred to me. It should have. What did I even know about Dane? He was cute and dimply? And very eager to help me. Because he sat behind me in sixth grade? I automatically assumed he was attracted to me. He kissed like he was attracted.

  “You know, even Kevin could have done this,” Roxy added.

  “I hadn’t even thought about Kevin.”

  “Jealous ex.” Roxy picked up a broom and began sweeping. “He was all shades of pissed when I saw him the other night. Kept going on about how you two were meant for each other and wanted to know who you were dating.” She stopped mid-sweep. “He’s cute and all, but he’s not that smart.”

  “He wouldn’t think about consequences, that’s for sure. He did change his name to Spaz.”

  “What about Packard?”

  I ripped a wad of paper towels off the roll and started mopping up the milk/juice combo. “I told him I didn’t have the hard drive, but maybe he didn’t believe me.”

  “Anybody else not in your fan club?”

  “Officer Hardass wasn’t too fond of me.” I threw the sopping towels into a trash bag. “But he wasn’t on the spreadsheet.”

  “Chief of Police was though,” Roxy said. “Or maybe Manny figured out who you were and decided on a little payback.”

  “Well crap. I shouldn’t have such a long list of enemies. I’m a likeable person, right?”

  She glanced up at me. “I like you. But I have low standards.”

  I actually laughed. “Thanks, Rox.” I grabbed a trash bag and began stuffing it with the remnants of my clothes.

  It took over two hours, but eventually we put everything into bags. We dragged them, along with the remains of my futon mattress and the busted bistro table and chairs, out to the dumpster — it took several trips.

  “I still can’t believe no one called the cops,” I said as we walked back inside. “This is such a small building and no one heard or saw anything?”

  “People pay attention to their own shit,” she said. Putting her hands on her hips, she leaned back, stretching her muscles.

  “No kidding. See if I give wino Wanda a bottle of red this Christmas.”

  I tried to boot up my computer, but wasn’t having much success. “I’ll take this to Eric today. Maybe he can fix it.”

  “What are you going to do, Rose?” She sat on the floor with one knee pulled up to her chest.

  “I’ll replace what I can. Mainly a few clothes and food right now.”

  “I mean about this Sullivan guy. He’s the most likely person to have done this, right?”

  I put the laptop on the kitchen counter and sat down next to her. “I thought we decided Sullivan was just one of many.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t think you can rule the rest of them out, but Sullivan’s my number one suspect.”

  “There’s something I didn’t tell you.” I slid her a sideways glance. “Henry tossed me in the back of a car the other night. He took me to see Sullivan.”

  I’ve seen Roxy in a pissy mood. Plenty of times. And pissy was her only mood since she quit smoking. But I’d never seen her truly angry before. She jumped up, her fists clenched, the muscles in her jaw working. “What? He kidnapped you? Did he hurt you?”

  I shook my head.

  “Answer me, Rose. Did he hurt you? Because if he did…” She pounded her fist into the wall.

  I got to my feet, trying to ignore the ache in my knee. “Roxy, stop. He didn’t hurt me.”

  “They why did he take you? And why didn’t you tell me?” I heard the pain in her voice.

  “He told me to quit asking questions. Quit looking for Axton. Then showed me pictures of all my friends and family. Like surveillance pictures.” I bit my lip and stared at my empty futon frame. “There was one of you. You were standing outside of The Carp. There was one of Scotty, Jacqueline, my parents, Ma, and one of Axton, bound and gagged.” I glanced at her. The look of betrayal on her face was almost more than I could stand.

  “What the hell? Why did you keep this from me? Don’t you trust me?”

  “Of course I do. I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want to worry you.”

  “Bullshit, Rose.” She poked a finger in my sternum. It hurt. “You didn’t want to stop looking for Axton. You were afraid I’d tell you to quit.”

  Was that the truth? My head hurt and my eyes felt grainy. I covered my face with my hands. I stood that way for some time, just breathing, blocking out Roxy, blocking out my empty apartment. Finally, I dropped my hands and looked at her. “I’m sorry.”

  She glared at me for what seemed like an hour, then finally said, “It’s okay.” She pointed at me, and I backed up a step in case she wanted to poke me again. “But you’re on my shit list once this is over.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Then she scuffed the floor with the toe of her shoe. “I thought we were best friends.”

  “We are. I was wrong to keep it from you. From now on, full disclosure. I promise.”

  “Okay.” She knocked her shoulder against mine. “You are such a dumbass. I wouldn’t have told you to stop looking for Axton.”

  “I’m sorry.” Tears pricked my eyes. I thought I was all cried out, but I was wrong. I slid to the floor and covered my head with my arms, sobbing.

  Roxy sat next to me
and patted my arm. “Please don’t cry.” She handed me paper towel.

  When the tears slowed down, I mopped up my face. The paper towel was rough on my cheeks and even rougher when I blew my nose.

  “Gross,” Roxy said with a chuckle.

  I laughed a little, too and then looked down at borrowed catering uniform. “I guess I’m going to have to wear this to work, huh?”

  “You need to skip work and replace all your shit.”

  “Unless I go to work, I can’t afford to replace any of my shit.”

  Chapter 22

  My first stop at the diner was to pour an enormous cup of boiling hot coffee from the fresh pot. Roxy had gone home to change, and walked in a few minutes later. Two blue braids dangled on either side of her face and she wore a dress with blue birds embroidered on the hem. She looked like a strung out Heidi on crank.

  Ma stared at us. “What in the world happened to the pair of you? You look like you’ve been to hell and back. And Rose, why are you wearing that outfit from last night?”

  Ma’s face lost its color as I described the apocalypse that was my apartment. “What is going on? First Axton, then your car, and now this? What did the police say?”

  “Not a whole lot. They took prints, questioned my neighbors. They don’t know why I was targeted.”

  “It must have been that Sullivan,” she said.

  “I don’t know. Maybe. Probably.” I rubbed my bleary eyes with both hands.

  “Take the morning off, honey, and go get a new bed. She pointed a finger, wagging it between Roxy and me. “I want both of you to come to dinner tonight. You girls need a good meal.”

  “Thank you, Ma, but I can’t. And I don’t want the day off.”

  She pursed her lips. “I don’t like this. Not one little bit. I don’t want anyone to hurt my girls.” She pulled Roxy and me into a hug.

  I hugged her back and Roxy patted Ma’s shoulder.

  “Now,” she said, briskly, releasing us, “Ray will put new locks on your door. They’re on me.” When I opened my mouth to protest, she cut me off. “Ah, ah, ah, no arguing.”

  “Thanks, Ma, but I left a message with the super this morning. He’ll take care of it. The doorjamb was busted, too, so he needs to fix it.”

  “You won’t let me do anything for you. You’re too independent for your own good, you know that?”

  “So I’ve been told.”

  I canceled my study date with Janelle. Too much drama, I tapped out on my phone’s tiny keyboard. Then I busied myself with customers and coffee, trying not to dwell on the mountain of problems crashing down on me. Apparently I didn’t do so hot. Said customers weren’t impressed with my disposition and my tips sucked.

  Janelle walked in a half hour before closing. She’d never been here before and she surveyed the room as she walked up to the counter and took a seat. “So this is where the magic happens, huh?”

  I smiled, happy to see her, and poured her a cup of coffee. “This is it.”

  “It could use a little freshening up.” She glanced at the photo of a younger Ma, Frank, and little boy Ray hanging next to the cash register.

  “Nah. I think it’s perfect like this.”

  She took a sip of coffee and appraised me. “You look like shit on a shingle, girl, and you’re paler than usual. What have you been up to?”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Try me. Any news on Axton?”

  In between taking care of my last customer and introducing her to Ma, I filled Janelle in on the shit storm my life had become.

  She nodded at my now lukewarm cup of Joe. “You may need something stronger than that after the week you’ve had.”

  “I hear you.”

  Ma came up and patted my butt. “Take it easy, toots. Roxy and I will clean up.”

  Roxy stuck her tongue out at me. I was going to have to make it up to them at some point. They’d been shouldering the load for a week now.

  Janelle brushed a braid over her shoulder. “So, let me get this straight. You’ve got a missing friend, a crazy ex, a cute lawyer, a hot guy busting down your door, you beat the shit out of Ben Franklin, and everything you own, except that trashy car, has been destroyed? That’s what you’re telling me?”

  “Yep,” I said, “that about covers it.”

  “Sounds to me like you need some personal protection and I am not talking about a love glove. What if this asshole breaks in again? Or that guy who was with him?”

  “Henry?”

  “Yeah, Henry. What if Henry comes back? You need to be able to protect your shit, girl.”

  “Are you talking about a gun?” I think my voice went up an octave. “Because I don’t know about that.”

  “Hell yes, I’m talking about a gun.” She poked me in the arm with a blue-tipped nail. “You pull a gun on his ass, he’ll think twice about fucking with you.”

  I imagined toting a big honking six-shooter in my backpack. “I’d probably wind up shooting myself in the elbow. Lose my good texting arm.”

  Roxy glanced up from the table she was wiping. “I think it’s a good idea.”

  I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “No way.”

  “Fine,” Janelle said. “How about a stun gun? Zap him right in the balls, see how he likes that.”

  Now we’re talking. The thought of zapping Henry in the balls filled me with delight. “Where do I get one of those?”

  “My cousin sells them. He’ll give you a deal.”

  Ma put her hands on her hips. “I think we all need some kind of protection. Get me some of that pepper spray.” She walked behind the counter and scrounged around in her purse, pulling out two twenties. “And see if they have a rape whistle. A girl can’t be too careful.”

  I shoved the bills in my pocket. “Roxy, you in?”

  “Hell yes.”

  So I’d eat ramen noodles for the next two weeks. Feeling protected would be worth it. “Where’s his store?”

  “He doesn’t have a store so much as a full trunk. I’ll have him meet us at school in an hour. Bring cash.”

  Roxy and I drove out to the college the second we locked up the diner. We found Janelle and her cousin waiting for us in the parking lot. Tariq wore jeans and a striped polo that looked four sizes too big. Dozens of little braids covered his head and large diamond adorned his right earlobe. He shook our hands when we met, his gaze lingering on Roxy.

  “Blue’s a good color on you,” he said.

  Twisting a braid around her finger, she smiled. “Thanks.”

  “Come on, Tariq,” Janelle said. “I don’t have all damn day. I’ve got a class to get to.” Unlike me, Janelle was a full time student.

  Tariq held up his hands. “All right, cuz, calm down.” He turned back to Roxy and me. “I hear you ladies are in the market for a little personal protection.”

  “First I want a can of pepper spray and a rape whistle for my boss,” I said.

  He opened the trunk of his silver Ford sedan to a large display of miscellaneous self-defense items. “I don’t have a rape whistle,” he said. He handed me a can of pepper spray, then reached back into the trunk and came out with a black leather pouch. He pulled a shiny four-sided weapon out of it. “I got a Chinese throwing star, though.”

  “Aren’t those illegal?” I asked.

  Tariq shrugged.

  It seemed like something Ma would like. “Okay, I’ll take it.”

  “Fifty.”

  “All I have is twenty.”

  “Since you’re a friend of Janelle’s, I’m willing to work with you.”

  For myself, I bought a can of pepper spray I could hang from my key chain, then Tariq handed me a stun gun. “You got to be careful with this.”

  I pressed the trigger, jumping as a current shot between the two points. “I’ll take it.” I forked over forty dollars — mostly in ones from my tip money.

  “Now,” he focused on Roxy, “what do you need, baby?” I could
tell by the way his eyes swept over her, he wasn’t just talking about the stuff in his trunk, he was talking about the junk in hers.

  “A cigarette,” she said in a husky voice.

  Tariq smiled. “I can get you one of those.”

  Oh boy. “No,” I said. “She’s quitting.”

  She blew out a breath. “All right, I’ll take some pepper spray.”

  “For you, my blue-haired beauty, ten dollars.” She handed it to him with a smile.

  Janelle rolled her eyes. “I’ve got to go. Rose, I’ll see you at class tomorrow night?”

  I sighed. “Probably not.”

  She said she’d take notes for me and walked off.

  “Thanks a lot, Tariq.” I tucked everything in my purse.

  He shut the trunk lid, his eyes never leaving Roxy. “My pleasure, ladies.”

  Roxy grinned as I pulled her away from Tariq’s car. With her love of breaking and entering, and his love of selling possibly — okay totally— stolen goods, this was not a relationship I wanted to encourage.

  I needed to stop by the IT office while I was here to see if Eric could fix my computer. We walked toward Blake Hall and ran in to Steve near the entrance.

  “Hey, Rose,” he said, adjusting his messenger bag. “Roxy. Any news on Axton?”

  “We’re still working on it,” I said.

  He reached out and touched my shoulder. “I meant what I said the other day. Anything I can do to help.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  He gave me a squeeze and with a crooked grin walked off.

  As soon as he was out of earshot, Roxy nudged me. “Someone has a little crush on my Rose.”

  “He’s a nice guy.”

  She wrapped her hands around her throat. “The kiss of death.”

  In the IT office, Eric sat at his desk, rubbing his head. He looked up and smiled when I entered. “Hey, Rose, you’re becoming quite a regular around here.”

  “Actually, today I have a different favor to ask you.”

  “I don’t know. This might cost you another sandwich.” When I handed him my computer his smile changed to a look of horror. “What the hell did you do, hurl it off a building?”

  “My apartment was ransacked last night. Everything I own was broken, smashed or shredded.” I ran my fingers over my ponytail.