Chloe Babineaux Private Investigator

by Lisa Clancey

  Chapter Nineteen

  Friday morning came with a dulling of my headache. I felt as though I was going to live. It was a pretty good feeling until reality hit, and I realized I still had no idea who was shooting at me.

  My father came by before going to work, as well as Cody and Morgan. Morgan didn’t have to go far since I was in the same hospital she worked in. My doctor popped in briefly to say I was definitely going home today. Hallelujah, I was going home today. But not until lunch. Great. It was going be a long day.

  I sent my mother home for a shower and a nap. She said she slept well, but I wanted time alone. I felt like I was watched all night. I didn’t know why I felt like that because I heard my mother snore all night. I was the one that actually needed the nap.

  After breakfast and before my mother got back, Rick and all my friends called. I told them all I was going home around lunch. I made plans with my friends to come for pizza or some other takeout to celebrate my freedom.

  My book was in my purse, so all I did was read, watch TV and talk to my mother when she returned. You would think I would have been in hog’s heaven. I love reading and watching TV. I was bored out of my mind. I had things to do. I had to find the person with the killing fetish.

  Cheri came at lunch, thank goodness. “You look hundred percent better than yesterday,” she said, smiling. “Your color’s back. Yesterday you were as white as a sheet.”

  “Ahh,” I said, “that explains all the strange looks. People were searching for me among the sheets on the bed. But you have to admit my puking kept Dick Weed at arm’s length and at the foot of the bed and away from my friends.” She laughed, and I added, “It’s true if he would have started his piggish come-ons, I swear I would have thrown up on him.”

  “You could have thrown up on cue?” she asked with raised eyebrows.

  “Yes. Yesterday I could have thrown up on cue.” I shook my head and said, “Man, I hope he doesn’t drop by today, I don’t feel like throwing up.”

  My mother shook her head, rolled her eyes and said, “I am so proud of the way she expresses herself.”

  “Her femininity oozes from her every pore, doesn’t it?” Cheri grinned.

  I narrowed my eyes, and snarled, “Bite me.”

  As I was saying, ‘bite me,’ the door opened, and Cody and Rick walked in. Rick was trying to hide a grin, and Cody rolled his eyes and said, “Tell me you weren’t telling Mama to bite you.”

  “No, I was telling you to bite me because I knew you were hovering at the door listening,” I said dryly.

  Rick didn’t say anything, but he did laugh. He seemed to like my sense of humor. Or should I say, he liked it when it wasn’t aimed at him?

  Cody made a face and said, “You make it so worth our time to come here and give you an update on the shooting.”

  “Did you find out anything?” my mother asked hopefully.

  “No, unfortunately, we didn’t. It seems no one can tell us anything more than you did.” He grimaced and nodded his head toward me.

  “Well, then I’m so glad you made an effort to update me on all the astonishing and astounding information.” Cody rolled his eyes but only kept his comments to himself because Mama was in the room.

  “We did find out it was a Silverado,” Rick answered looking at me.

  “Silverado. Why does that sound familiar?” I shook my head. “I just can’t remember.”

  “It may come to you later,” Cheri said, holding my hand.

  I glanced at Cody, but looked at Rick and said, “You know, Rick, Cody might have told you ya’ll had to come here to give me this vast amount of information about the shooting. But the truth is he wanted to hunt down Morgan so they could smooch in a linen closet. Pull up a chair until they’re through.” I added quickly, “Smooching.”

  Everyone laughed, but Cody shook his head and fought a grin. “I’m not gonna hunt her down to smooch.”

  “Don’t listen, Mama!” I said with a raised voice, “Don’t listen! They’re just smooching. Really!”

  “Chloebeth!” my mother admonished me, grinning.

  I looked at Cody, laughed and winked. Cody didn’t wink back. He lowered his voice and as he looked at Rick said, “See what I have to put up with?”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I said rolling my eyes, “everybody feels sorry for you. Blah, blah, blah, it’s so hard being married to a woman like Morgan. Hell, if I weren't straight, I’d be all over her.”

  “Chloebeth!” Again, my mother fussed at me. Two Chloebeth’s in as many minutes. Good but not a record.

  “What?” I asked, “I’m giving him a compliment. His wife’s hot.” I glanced at Rick, grinned and continued, “Or is she beautiful?”

  Cheri looked from me to Rick and then asked Cody, “Am I missing something here?”

  “I feel like that a lot,” Cody grumbled.

  Rick grinned and explained, “While in the ER, after the explosion, I met Morgan and told your wife her photo on your desk doesn’t do her justice. Chloe accused me of flirting with her.” Cody narrowed his eyes at him, so Rick continued, “I told Chloe I was telling Morgan the truth, she is beautiful.” He pointed with his chin at me, “But she…is hot.” He laughed.

  “Now, before ya’ll get your panties in a twist, remember, I was this close,” I held up my index finger and thumb about two inches apart, “to an explosion. So in all actuality, smoke was still wafting from my clothes.” Everyone laughed including Cody, and I gave a ‘what are you doing?’ look to Rick.

  Rick, Cody, and Cheri went back to work, which left my mother and me. Oh, we had a thrill a minute. I took a nice nap. The nurse had taken out my IV so I wasn’t tethered and they weren’t coming in the room for anything. I wasn’t even on pain medicine. So, I really enjoyed my nap.

  It was finally time to go home. The nurse came with papers to sign and told me I could change while she hunted down a wheelchair. Hospital rules say patients couldn’t walk out; they have to be wheeled. Clean jeans and a sweatshirt had been brought from my apartment by Cheri so at least I didn’t have to put my bloody clothes back on—not that I could, they were evidence. I was going to burn those clothes, the sweater for sure if I ever got them back.

  “Why don’t you let me fix you something to eat?” my mother said, going to my refrigerator after driving me home.

  “No, go home and have Daddy pick up something for ya’ll to eat tonight. You deserve it. It could be tiring sitting in a hospital unless you had a nice nap when I did.”

  She turned from my refrigerator and said, groaning and shaking her head, “All you have is a half gallon of milk and yogurt. And I did take a nap.”

  “Good, then you’ll feel like going out,” I said, opening a kitchen cabinet. “I have cans of ravioli and cereal, so I won’t starve. Besides,” I said with a shrug. “I have friends coming over for pizza later to celebrate my freedom.”

  I put my arm around her shoulder and walked her to the door and said, “I love you. Thank you so much for staying with me last night and today. Go home, relax, drink a cup of hot tea and call Daddy and tell him ya’ll are going out tonight for supper.”

  She put her arm around my waist and asked, “Are you sure, baby? I don’t want to leave you.”

  “I’m sure.” I gave her a kiss on the cheek and watched her walk down the stairs to the parking lot.

  We might drive each other crazy, but we’re family.