He had a point. We both knew it. “Okay. Fine. I’ll figure it out.”
“Thank you.” He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “How are you feeling otherwise?”
“It’s been a long night. I have to go through that file Russell Warren gave me. There’s obviously something in there I’m supposed to see.”
“We’ll do that together.”
I tilted my head to the side, surprised. “So ... you’re going to help me?”
Eliot nodded. “You’re in too deep to get out now. We have to figure it out. We’re going to do it as a team.”
Relief washed over me, cool and soothing. “Thank you. I think I need your brain.”
“Yes, well, that’s why I’m here. We should probably move this into the bedroom and shut the door before my mother gets back. I don’t want to explain it to her.”
I couldn’t blame him, and still ... . “So, just so I’m clear, lying to your mother is fine. Lying to you is a spank-worthy event.”
Eliot snickered. “Basically. Although spanking wasn’t really what I had in mind by way of punishment.”
“What were you thinking?”
“Every time you break the lie code, you have to eat vegan for a month.”
Horror smacked me across the face, rammed itself down my throat and then settled into an uncomfortable ball in the pit of my stomach. “You really are diabolical.”
“I had a lot of time to think while waiting for you to come home.”
“Well, that’s good. I need your big brain to help me go through this stuff.” I planted a kiss on the corner of his mouth. “Are we okay?”
He nodded. “We are. You’re in trouble for not telling me about that speakeasy, though. I can’t believe you kept that to yourself.”
“Hey, you’re the investigator,” I reminded him. “You should’ve already known it was there.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Eliot pushed me to my feet. “Grab your stuff and go into the bedroom. I need to get my truck. I parked it on the side street so you wouldn’t see it.”
Oh, well, that explained that. “That was kind of a lie. That doesn’t seem fair.”
“Don’t push me.”
“I figured it was too soon.”
“Definitely too soon.”
26 Twenty-Six
Eliot and I were up late. We spent a lot of time talking about the information in the file Russell supplied me with. We weren’t sure what to make of it.
“He’s pointing the finger at Phil Keane,” Eliot said as we got ready the next morning, his hair wet from the shower as he splashed aftershave on his face. “That’s what I take from the information.”
“I do, too,” I agreed as I ran a flat iron over my hair. It was probably a wasted effort because the humidity was supposed to be off the charts again, but it was habit. “Do you understand what’s in that packet?”
Eliot shrugged. “Maybe.”
I waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, my temper came out to play. “Do you want to share with the class?”
“I haven’t decided yet. I think I’m still punishing you.”
My mouth dropped open. “That’s not fair! We made up — both last night and more extensively this morning. The punishment is over until I lie again.”
“I didn’t agree to that.”
“Well, you should have.”
“Just because you believe that, doesn’t mean I agree.”
“Eliot ... .” I was frustrated. He was supposed to be over this by now.
“Avery, we agreed to a new relationship standard. I have the right to still be angry about what went down last night, which happened to break our old relationship standard.”
I wanted to argue, but he wasn’t wrong. “Fine.” I blew out a sigh. “Don’t help me. I thought you would want to do it because you’re so smart, but clearly I was wrong. I’ll just figure it out myself ... and take on the danger myself.” When Eliot didn’t immediately respond, I raised my eyes to the mirror and found him glaring. “What?”
“You’re very good at manipulating people. I’ve known that since we met, and yet you still manage to amaze me every once in a while.”
“I have to use the gifts at my disposal. I don’t have a choice about figuring this out any longer. I’m too involved and drawing attention. That means I have to chase this until the end. If you don’t want to help, I understand. Clearly, you have more important things to do.”
“Yup. You’re good at that.” Eliot shook his head. “I’ll help you. We both know it. As for what’s in that file, I want to do some checking. I have a few ideas.”
“I’d love to hear them.”
“Then we’ll talk ... but over breakfast. I promised my mother we’d take her to a nice brunch. That’s one of her favorite things to do at home, go to brunch. I made reservations at a restaurant on Hall Road, so we’ll take the file with us, hit the buffet and then see what we come up with.”
I didn’t have any better options, so I reluctantly agreed. “It had better be a good brunch.”
“It’s renowned throughout the county. They have prime rib and an entire table of desserts.”
“Prime rib for breakfast?”
“They have other stuff, too. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“I wasn’t complaining about the prime rib. I was merely curious.”
“You should eat a lot of it because you’re looking down the barrel of a vegan lifestyle.”
I glowered at him. “That is not funny.”
“It’s kind of funny. Do you know my favorite thing about all of this? Your future is completely in your hands, so it’s up to you whether you’ll be forced to start eating bean curd and meat substitute products.”
Oh, well, now he was just being mean. “Let’s gather your mother and go. I want to hear your ideas.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
THE RESTAURANT WAS BUSTLING with activity, which surprised me. I couldn’t understand why people were purposely up this early on a Sunday morning. Still, the food offerings were amazing, and I was happy for a new adventure.
Once we were all settled around the table, Maggie decided to wade into the churning waters of our relationship and ask the obvious question.
“Have you guys been fighting?”
“No,” I automatically answered.
“Yes.” Eliot bobbed his head. “We had a big argument last night but we’re mostly over it now. I am considering punishing Avery a bit further, but I’m still thinking about it.”
“Uh-huh.” Maggie sipped her tea as she regarded us. “You guys are kind of a weird couple, aren’t you?”
“Being normal is boring,” I replied. “As for us arguing, I’ve apologized, and Eliot is being magnanimous in victory. He won’t punish me further. He’s too big of a person for that.”
“That was good, Trouble,” Eliot noted as he cut into his pancakes. “It won’t work, but it was very good. I can see why you’ve gotten away with murder most of your life.”
“That’s a gross exaggeration.”
“I think you should eat your prime rib,” Eliot countered before focusing on his mother. “How was the movie last night?”
“Lovely.” Maggie’s smile was benign. “It’s going to win awards. Just you wait.”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
“It would’ve been better if you were with me so I didn’t have to see it alone, but I’m over it. I get that Avery is the most important person in your life now and that I’m a second-class citizen. I’m fine with it.”
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. “And you say I’m good,” I snickered after a beat.
“She’s good, too,” Eliot agreed. “You have that in common.”
“I’m just glad Avery is feeling better,” Maggie prattled on. “I was worried she was really sick. But when I saw the dress shoes on the living room floor when I came in last night, I figured she got over her ailment quickly.”
Crap! I knew I’d forgotten someth
ing. “Um ... .”
“We’re not going to get into this,” Eliot said smoothly. “Avery and I had a long talk last night. We’ve come to a new agreement, and I think it’s going to be one that I enjoy a great deal. In exchange, I’m going to help her figure out what’s going on with her mobsters.”
Maggie’s eyes widened. “So, you’re joining the team?”
Eliot slid her a sidelong look. “I wasn’t aware that you were part of the team.”
“Of course, I am! I was part of the team before you even considered joining. That means I outrank you.”
“I’ve been on this particular team for a year,” Eliot argued. “As for this specific investigation, I’m helping now. That means we need to discuss a few things, including the information Russell Warren handed over last night.”
“Wait ... what?” Maggie was flabbergasted. “You met with that guy last night? Is that who you got dressed up for?”
I didn’t like where this line of questioning was going. “I didn’t get dressed up.”
“You wore shoes other than Converse or your Nike comfort slides,” Eliot countered. “That’s dressing up.”
“Not even close. You should’ve seen what Carly and Lexie wore. Carly’s dress was so tight it looked as if she was smuggling a watermelon, and Lexie’s boobs were like this.” I held my hands in front of my chest so Eliot could get a proper picture. “She said she wasn’t going to pay for a drink all night, and she was right.”
“I’m so glad I wasn’t there to witness that,” Eliot said dryly.
Something occurred to me and I shifted gears fast. “Wait ... I left something out of my story. I forgot until now. I was so flustered when I found you in the living room I didn’t even think about it.”
Eliot’s shoulders stiffened. “Am I going to want to hear about this?”
“Yeah.” I was certain that was true. “I forgot to tell you about the best part.”
“I was there for the best part. It happened in our bedroom.”
Maggie was scandalized. “Eliot!” She slapped his knee under the table. “It is not appropriate to talk about things like that on Sunday ... and at brunch.”
Eliot was unruffled. “It’s not as if I explained it in detail.”
“It’s still inappropriate.”
“Yeah, Eliot,” I teased. “If you keep boasting like that you’ll need to be punished. Go and get him, Maggie.”
“I was thinking you should both be punished,” Maggie countered. “Neither one of you is particularly respectful when it comes to certain things.”
Whoops. This conversation was taking a turn I didn’t expect ... or need. “So, back to the best part of my story,” I prodded.
“I definitely want to hear that,” Eliot supplied. “What did you forget to tell me?”
“Derrick was there.”
Whatever he was expecting, that wasn’t it. Eliot furrowed his brow. “Your cousin Derrick?”
“Yup.”
“What was he doing there?”
“I don’t know, but he didn’t want me approaching him.” I ran down our brief exchange, even handing over my phone so Eliot could read the texts. When I was done, Eliot was perplexed.
“He was undercover,” Eliot mused, rubbing his chin. “He didn’t want anyone tying you to him.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“I’m not sure what that means,” Maggie wondered. “Why would he be undercover in a bar?”
“It’s not a real bar,” I explained. “It’s in this Prohibition-era house on the river. I did some research on the house after my first visit. It was built where it was so mobsters could smuggle whiskey from Canada up the river.”
“I know what house you’re talking about,” Eliot said. “I’ve seen it before. It’s beautiful. I considered trying to find out who owned it when we started looking for a house, but then I thought better of it. We don’t need that much space — although the river is nice — and older homes come with issues; a lot of them are electrical. I didn’t want to deal with that.”
“Even if you decided otherwise, I guarantee that Phil Keane isn’t going to sell that place,” I offered. “He’s turned it into something of a status symbol. I’m not joking. It’s got this big wrought iron fence at the front so it looks like a regular house, and then, in the back, the door looks normal. It’s kind of like having a walkout basement the way it’s set up. It’s not until you go inside that you realize it’s a bar.”
“And how did you find out about it again?” Eliot asked.
Uh-oh. I’d left that little part out of my retelling. “Um ... I forget.” I stared at the wall over Eliot’s shoulder and shoved a huge forkful of prime rib mixed with scrambled eggs into my mouth.
Eliot grabbed my plate before I could react.
“Hey!”
“You’ve already used your monthly lie,” Eliot reminded me. “It’s time to go vegan.”
That sounded like the worst thing ever. “Are you trying to starve me? There’s nothing vegan here.”
“Probably not,” Eliot agreed. “It’s a shame because you haven’t sampled the desserts yet either.”
“That’s mean.”
“I can be meaner.”
I saw he meant business, so I sucked in a breath and forced myself to relax. “I might have stopped by Andre’s house to see if he knew anything about Jay Truman and Sandusky Sanitation,” I admitted. “It was a very quick visit, and he pointed me toward the club.”
Eliot’s eyes narrowed as his knuckles turned white at the edge of my plate. “You saw Andre?”
“Who is Andre?” Maggie asked. “Is he another boyfriend Avery is far too friendly with?”
“No,” Eliot replied, grim. “He’s a gangbanger who has taken a shine to Avery. He feeds her information without taking the time to think about how much trouble she could find with it.”
“He’s not a gangbanger. I don’t like that word.”
“What would you call him?”
“A street philanthropist,” I answered automatically.
Eliot stared at me for a long time. Then, to my utter surprise, he handed back my plate and merely shook his head. “I don’t even know why I argue with you.”
“I ask myself that question at least once I week.” I sawed into my prime rib. “I needed information and I thought Andre was the easiest way to get it.”
“Have you seen him since?”
“No. He said he didn’t insert himself into battles between old white dudes.”
“That’s probably smart on his part,” Eliot muttered. “As for why Derrick was at the club, I can see two options. The first is that the sheriff’s department heard word Keane was running an illegal club and this is an operation completely separate from the fire. The second is that Jake is circling the same information you are, but from a different direction.”
“I think it’s more likely the latter,” I offered, my mouth full of food.
Eliot grinned. “I’ve never loved you more than right now.” He scratched at the side of his mouth to prompt me to use my napkin. “You’re a sensuous eater, Trouble.”
I swallowed before answering. “Everything I do is sensuous.”
“Sadly, you’re like catnip to me. I have no idea how it happened, but there it is. As for your assertion about the sheriff’s department’s involvement with the club, I definitely think you’re right. Jake is looking for something bigger than a blind pig takedown. He’s watching Keane for a reason.”
“Maybe the same reason Russell gave me that file last night.”
“Maybe,” Eliot agreed. “Still, I need to go through that information more carefully. We were both tired last night. I need to look at everything with a fresh eye.”
“I think that’s all we can do without more information,” I agreed. “In fact ... .” I lost my train of thought when I heard a familiar voice, snapping my head toward the door.
A woman stood there, a child in front of her, and she looked downright unhappy as she ga
ve the kid a hard shove.
“Stop dragging your feet, Serafina! We don’t have time for your nonsense. I don’t understand why you can’t pick up the pace.”
“What are you looking at?” Eliot asked, following my gaze. “Do you know them?”
I nodded, mesmerized as Kendra Walsh berated the daughter I’d only seen her doting on until now. “That’s the woman who lost her kid in the fire.”
“The kid that Russell saved?” Eliot’s expression was serious as he watched Kendra glare at the little girl, who looked afraid in the face of her mother’s wrath. “I’m no expert, but I thought mothers were supposed to spoil their kids rotten after almost losing them.”
“I would’ve thought that, too,” I admitted. “That’s not the way she was acting at the apartment complex.”
“How did she act?” Maggie asked. “I mean ... my first impression is that she’s not a nice woman. From the look on your face, I would guess you felt otherwise until now.”
“I didn’t really think about it either way,” I said. “She was upset when the kid was gone, making a big deal about her being missing and demanding the firefighters find Serafina. When Russell came out carrying the kid, she screamed and carried on as if she’d just won the lottery.”
Eliot’s gaze was keen when it connected with mine. “Do you think she did that to draw attention away from him?”
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t have said that the day it happened.”
“But now?”
“Um ... .” I watched as Kendra viciously tugged on Serafina’s arm to drag her out of the restaurant. She didn’t so much as look in my direction during the entire exchange. “That doesn’t even seem like the same woman I met the day of the fire. Heck, the day after the fire she was going on and on about finding a new place that had a playground for Serafina, like that was the best thing in the world.”
“Maybe she’s just having a bad day,” Maggie suggested. “I don’t condone the way she was acting, but it’s not unusual for a parent to have a bad day. Maybe that apartment fell through or she has a headache.”
“Yeah.” Something about the entire situation — other than the obvious, of course — bothered me. I simply couldn’t put my finger on why. “Maybe we should run her, too when we get back to the house. I didn’t bother before because I didn’t think it was important, but now I’m not so sure.”
On Deadline & Under Fire Page 25