by Wendy Byrne
"Be thankful he's not an escort." Alice winked at me. "You know, man candy, a gigolo. That's still his Plan B. There are a lot of unattached single women in the area. And he's not all that bad looking except for some excess ear hair."
I needed to change the subject fast as my stomach gurgled in protest to the idea. Before I could think of anything, Viola said, "The real reason we stopped by unannounced is that Joseph came by my house looking for you. I told him you'd moved, and I didn't have your new address. Neither one of you was answering your phones, so we couldn't give you a heads up in case he figured out where you'd moved to."
"Mine's in my truck," Gabe said.
I forgot I'd left my phone shut off and plugged into the charger, but I was too distracted to clarify. "Joseph? As in my ex-husband?" The idea that he actually left Manhattan to come find me sent a chill or two up my spine. "Did he say what he wanted?"
"Nope," Viola said. "Just that he needed to get in touch with you, and you'd been blocking his calls."
"He must want those wine bottles you stole," Alice added while Gabe raised his eyebrows.
I shrugged and made an I-screwed-up face at him. "Long story."
"I bet," he whispered.
This was serious. The man didn't step foot in Brooklyn, let alone Iowa. It couldn't be the wine bottles. He wouldn't be that desperate. Those bottles were a drop in the bucket in terms of his vast fortune.
"Fat chance he'll figure out where I'm staying." I could only hope I was right about that.
"Open your housewarming present," Dolly said.
"You're going to love it," Alice added.
Gabe wrapped his arm over my shoulder. "Aren't you going to open it and see what it is?"
I plastered a phony smile on my face. I figured it could be anything from a stun gun to a Chinese star to… Yeah…didn't want to go there.
Because they looked like they might die if I didn't open it in the next few seconds, I ripped off the paper. "Nunchucks?" The long wooden sticks were held together by chain and were normally used by karate types, not by me and certainly not by eighty-somethings.
"They have your name engraved on them," Dolly added.
"We all have a set and didn't want them to get mixed up, so we had Barney do the engraving for us. I think it's what we need to add to our repertoire of skills," Alice said.
"What repertoire of skills?" Gabe straightened and stared at his grandmother. "You ladies aren't thinking…"
Viola patted his hand. "Don't worry, dear. We've got everything under control."
Gabe looked at me like it was my fault. Okay, it kind of was, but they were willing participants to the madness that encompassed my life.
"We can't stay. Henry is waiting for us," Ramona said.
"Besides, if he's out there too long, he might fall asleep or go home and forget we're in here," Alice said. "But we did want to let you know your picture is all over the Inez Journal as well." She slapped a newspaper into my hand, but I was afraid to look, suspecting it was a reprint of what had been published in the Winterset Gazette.
They moved toward the door. I hugged them all. "Thanks for the gift and coming over."
I hated to see them go, but at the same time, I couldn't wait for them to leave. Gabe closed the door behind them and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
"Tell me you are not planning on investigating the murder in Winterset."
I sealed my lips together for as long as I could. Gabe was a really good starer. In fact, I was pretty sure the CIA could use him for interrogation, so maybe my imagination hadn't been too far off the mark when I hypothesized that was his real job.
I blew out a breath. "Chaz is headed in the wrong direction. And his sister had a fight with the victim and is now lead in the local community theater play because of Lori's death. And you do know that the victim spent a lot of time in Inez, so it seems conceivable that the murderer could actually be hiding in plain sight right here in our town."
He shook his head and grasped my hands so that I had no choice but to look him in the eyes. "Last time this happened, I understood why you became personally involved, because your father was the prime suspect. But you nearly died."
"But I didn't. Besides, Chaz thinks it's this guy by the name Gus, but he's a sweet guy as far as I can tell, and I think the detective is taking the easy way out because Gus recently got out of prison." I bit my lip. Probably the wrong thing to say. "But…"
Gabe closed his eyes for a few seconds. "Are you kidding me? This is the guy you're trying to get off the hook for murder?"
I was trying to think of a way to de-escalate the situation that had gone from zero to eighty in two seconds. "It wasn't like he was a bad guy and went to prison. He had a drinking problem." I held up my hands to stop him from interrupting. "He got in a car accident that killed somebody."
"Does that make the person less dead because he has an excuse according to you?" He started to stomp away, but I grabbed his arm.
"Why are you so angry? I get that you're worried about me and the Qs, but this seems to be about something else."
He flexed his jaw several times while emotion I couldn't quite identify simmered in his gaze. "Why do you think I lived with Doc and Vi since I was a kid?" Despite his outburst, his voice was lower and more controlled.
I looked into his eyes and spotted the hint of tears. "Oh Gabe, I'm so sorry. Your mom and dad were killed by a drunk driver, weren't they?"
"Worse than that." His voice had gone so low I had to strain to hear him. "My father was driving, killed my mother, and nearly killed me. He's still in jail for involuntary manslaughter, and I hope he never gets out."
I got a queasy feeling inside my stomach as I searched for something to say. "I'm so sorry."
His gaze hardened. "It is what it is."
"I had no idea." The air between us seemed to plummet twenty degrees as he glanced at my hand on his arm before I slid it away.
Everything I didn't know about him suddenly shifted into place, including the fact that he didn't drink and his commitment to his grandparents. Awkwardness settled between us as neither one of us knew what to say next.
When someone pounded on the door seconds later, I must have jumped five feet into the air. Gabe looked at me, then at the door, and shook his head. "That's not the Qs."
I nodded. "Maybe it's my father." My voice went up on the end as a clear indicator I didn't really believe it. OMG, what if it was Gus? He probably could have—
"Isabella, it's me, Joseph. I need your help."
Gabe's eyebrows rose. I ignored the skepticism, especially after our discussion seconds ago. Moving in what felt like slow motion, I made my way toward the door, uncertainty causing me to rethink my idea a dozen times on my way there.
CHAPTER NINE
Joseph pushed his way inside, bolted the door, and glanced at me then stared at Gabe and gestured with his thumb. "Who's he?"
"He's none of your business. Just tell me why you're here and then leave as quickly as possible." I crossed my arms over my chest.
"I'm not saying anything in front of him." He slid his gaze toward Gabe.
Gabe threw him the evil eye in return. I sighed, giving the gesture more emphasis than usual. I didn't want to get in the middle of this male territorial thing, especially when I wasn't anybody's territory. Instead, I folded my arms across my chest trying to convey I wasn't having any of this kind of man-trouble.
"I'll do whatever you want me to, babe." Since Gabe had never called me that before, I figured it was for Joseph's benefit, as if the fact the guy was in my apartment late at night needed further explanation other than the obvious. Part of me wanted to see Joseph squirm a little more than usual. The other part wanted to get rid of him as quickly as possible. I wonder if I can do both simultaneously?
"I've got this. He's harmless." I gave Gabe a quick kiss on the lips. I wasn't without my own sense of game. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
He muttered, "Text me later." Before he left, he
gave Joseph a world-class evil eye intimidation like only Gabe could.
I resisted the smile when I looked at Joseph's face. He could go toe-to-toe in Manhattan, but clearly Gabe had him nervous—or maybe his skittish expression had more to do with the reason he'd shown up on my doorstep. I couldn't help but be curious about what was so urgent.
I threw my shoulders back and rolled my eyes. "What do you want?" I tapped my toe to ratchet up the I'm-in-charge vibe.
"I'm sorry I was such an idiot during the divorce." He sounded halfway contrite, but his gaze remained downcast, which made me suspicious.
He was buttering me up. I just didn't know for what yet. On the other hand, watching him squirm brought me some joy.
"You drove all this way when you could have sent me a text? A card? Flowers? Seems like overkill to travel a thousand miles to say that." I walked toward the windows facing the street to give myself time to think about what I might say. But then decided screw this tiptoeing thing and went for brutal honesty. "Why are you really here?"
"Somebody's after me." He sucked in a breath. "I need your help. It's a matter of life and death." He walked close, like he might want to touch me, but I gave him the if-you-get-any-closer-I'm-going-to-hit-you look, causing him to back off.
Was I nice enough to help out a low-down cheating dog of an ex? After substantial groveling…maybe. "A little melodramatic, aren't you?"
"I owe money to people you don't want to owe money to. And…I kind of did something illegal, and now I'm afraid they might try to kill me to keep me quiet. You helped your dad, and I'd hoped you'd do the same thing for me."
"Take cash out of one of those no-name Swiss bank accounts where you squirrelled away money." He looked pathetic with those wounded puppy dog eyes, but that didn't deter me. "Besides, I don't see how I can help."
"You could if you wanted to." He placed his hands on his hips and threw some condescension my way.
Oh no, he didn't. "Are you forgetting the part where I said I couldn't really help? Figuring out who murdered my father's friend was a fluke. Contact a good criminal attorney to keep your butt out of jail, or maybe hire a few bodyguards until this whole thing blows over."
He hemmed and hawed like he wanted to say something but couldn't. "Why are you abandoning me?"
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Barely. Okay, maybe I did after all. But do you blame me? "How about you go to the hotel in Iowa City, and we can talk about this in the morning?" Or maybe never. I didn't leave him the option to refuse and ushered him toward the door.
"You're going to leave me hanging?"
I scrutinized him. "Sure am. I'm tired, and being around you again is making me cranky. It's time for you to go."
He held the edge of the door like it was his lifeline. I stopped short of chuckling. The man personified drama queen. "But what if they're out there waiting for me?"
"You'll have to take your chances." I opened the door wide. Hint, Hint. "Goodnight, Joseph. If you're afraid, I suggest you take your issue to Sheriff Nate Crowder. I'm sure he'll be able to help you out." Without leaving him an option to refuse, I shoved him out the door and locked it behind him.
Despite overwhelming tiredness after the last couple of days, I suspected getting to sleep might be difficult. Instead of pondering the idea too long, I pulled out a bottle of wine. Between Gabe's revelation about his family, his cagey answer to my questions about the remainder of his life, and a hellish visit from my ex, I needed something to get my mind to settle. The idea that Joseph was worried about his safety would be laughable if he hadn't looked so pathetic.
Since I didn't have TV for diversion, as the cable company hadn't been scheduled yet, I turned on music, poured myself a glass, and munched on some leftover pizza. Then I made my nightly call to Gus hoping one of these times he'd answer, but no such luck.
Thinking about what had happened in Winterset didn't put my mind at ease. But after the second glass, I felt drowsiness set in. Just to be sure, I did a yoga routine to help settle my overactive muscles and tendons before I climbed into bed and snuggled under the covers. The tall windows of the apartment rattled with the breeze while the old building creaked and moaned in unfamiliar ways making it difficult to relax.
Thirty minutes later and still unable to settle enough to sleep, I threw off the covers and walked to the kitchen to fix some Sleepy Time Tea. Once it steeped, I gravitated toward the front windows, cup in hand, and peered outside.
Vastly different than my view from the bedroom I'd stayed in at Viola's where my window looked out over century-old houses nestled within sturdy oak trees, Inez's downtown area of small businesses had shuttered for the evening. Serenity had descended on the already-sleepy town, turning it into a virtual ghost town at night.
Nagging thoughts of Joseph persisted. Despite my lack of empathy, I couldn't shake that uncharacteristic fear I'd sensed in him. Since he wasn't known for his acting abilities, I had to assume he really was afraid.
But of what? Or should I say who? I tried to think of some of his business associates that might be somewhat shady but couldn't think of one. Then again, I didn't know everyone in his circle. There could very well be some disreputable types that I knew nothing about.
Maybe I should have let him stay? No. That would have been weird. There had been so much animosity between us, I couldn't ignore it all after an insincere apology. Still, I would feel bad if something happened to him.
But what were the chances? The guy was so slimy, he could slither his way out of anything. Of course, I hadn't figured that out until after we had married, but that was water under the bridge.
Darn it. Why couldn't I let it go? I wish I could forget about him and all his drama, but right now that seemed impossible, as evidenced by my lingering insomnia.
Hoping for the best after my cup of tea, I re-snuggled into bed, confident I'd be successful. Just as I started to doze off, a clanking sound came from the other side of the building. I bolted upright, my heart lodged in my throat. Unaccustomed to my new place, it might have been a normal nighttime sound. I'd adjust to the idiosyncrasies soon.
I fluffed my pillow and lay back down, determined to go to sleep. But just as I closed my eyes, I heard the noise again. This time it was accompanied by shouting as well. I opened the window, stuck out my head, and peered as far as I could. It was only after I did that I remembered what happened the last time I tried that trick at Clark Tower and quickly retreated inside. But not before I spotted some men down below.
OMG.
Was that Joseph? The person wore a dark blue coat like he'd had on. But it couldn't be him because this guy seemed to be…fighting. No way that could be him. Joseph didn't do fighting. But it sure looked like him. Maybe I should have taken his worries more seriously.
Should I call the police? Just as I was contemplating the idea I was off base, what sounded like gunshots pierced the otherwise quiet night.
No way. Not in Inez. It had to be a car backfiring.
Unable to let the idea go, I stuffed my feet into Uggs, threw on a coat, grabbed the nunchucks just in case, and flew down the stairs, cell phone in hand. I wasn't sure what I could accomplish, but if nothing else, I'd scare them away and call the police. First I needed to make sure I wasn't losing my mind and seeing and hearing things that weren't there.
"Joseph, is that you?" When I spoke, two burly looking men peered around the building. They didn't look familiar, and I was pretty sure I'd stepped into something I wanted no part of.
Instead of hanging around and seeing what would happen next, I turned and scampered away, hoping they weren't trailing me but too afraid to look. I dialed 9-1-1 on the fly and relayed the potential threat.
Feeling like the zombie apocalypse thundered behind me, I rushed away. Okay, I had a big imagination. Either that or I'd watched too many The Walking Dead episodes lately.
In either event, I could have sworn I heard heavy breathing coming from behind me. I calculated the possibility that I could make
it safely to my apartment or the police would get there before something bad happened, as one in a hundred thousand.
I grabbed the railing, but before I reached the first step, I stumbled or tripped or maybe someone grabbed me from behind and threw me to the ground. Any way I figured it, I was down for the count.
* * *
"What happened?" Nate's voice echoed in my head before his blurry vision came slowly into focus, and I found myself in his arms.
Okay, weird.
I was half-on, half-off the staircase, the phone lying by my fingertips. Nothing made sense for a few seconds until I tunneled through the last thing I remembered.
"I heard a fight and then I think maybe a gun."
"Where?"
"Around the corner of the building. As soon as I saw two men, I started to run back to my place, but they must have followed me, and I didn't make it before they yanked me or maybe I tripped. It's all a little fuzzy."
"Are you sure?"
I drew in a heavy sigh and tried to ignore his skepticism. "Joseph came to see me, something about being in trouble. I asked him to leave, and then I did some yoga, although to be honest, it wasn't my best effort." I was rambling again. I really needed to get over this bad habit. It had been a while since Nate made me nervous, but he was looking at me strangely.
"Were you drinking tonight?"
"A little wine but I stopped a while ago, and then I fixed myself some tea. My cable isn't hooked up yet, so I was kind of bored and couldn't…" I held out my hand to stop my rambling. "You think I got loaded and imagined all this?"
"I'm not saying that, but since nobody called in any gunshots…"
"That's because everyone who lives here is over eighty and hard of hearing. I'm telling you there was an argument. It may or may not have been Joseph, and then I heard what sounded like gunshots."
"Do you think it was a car backfiring?"
"You did not just ask me that." I fought down the urge to kick him in the shin despite the fact I'd thought the same thing originally. I doubted he'd arrest me for it as our relationship had evolved since I'd come here, but I wasn't going to take any chances.