“You're naked.”
Kendra looked down and pulled the sweater tighter. “Oh, yeah.”
Dan whipped a U-turn. “We'll go to my place.”
*****
Dan pulled Maxine's car into the driveway of his modest beach bungalow at 632 Beach View Street and shut off the engine. The sun hadn't come up yet but the sky was slowly turning from black to purple to blue. The porch light was on as well as the living room light.
When Dan climbed from the Ford Focus he glanced across the street at Mrs. MacGee's house. As usual she was standing at her front window like a sentry on duty. She let the curtain drop back into place when she saw Dan look.
She don't miss a thing, Dan thought.
Kendra got out of the car and looked around. “This your place?” she asked.
“Yep. Home sweet home,” Dan replied.
They walked up the steps onto the porch and Dan opened the front door. As Kendra stepped up to the doormat she looked down and read The Coasts.
“You married?” she asked.
“No.” Dan stepped aside and motioned for Kendra to enter. He closed the door behind them.
Maxine, dressed in her dark blue scrubs and white Crocs, exited the kitchen holding a hot cup of coffee. She stopped dead in her tracks.
“Good morning,” Dan said.
“Good morning,” Maxine responded.
“Good morning,” Kendra said.
“Good morning,” said Maxine.
“I'm Kendra.”
“I'm Maxine.”
“And I'm Dan,” Dan said, clapping his hands together.
“Where's Mel?” Maxine asked.
“He's fine. He's with Red,” Dan replied.
Kendra walked toward Maxine with her hand extended. “It's nice to meet you, Maxine.”
Maxine took her hand and gave it a slight shake. “It's nice to meet you as well, Kendra. Can I get you something … coffee … clothing?”
Kendra smiled foolishly. “Both would be nice.”
“Dan, make Kendra a cup of coffee” Maxine said, and then started down the hallway. “I'll grab her something to put on.”
Dan headed for the kitchen.
When Maxine returned to the living room she was carrying a gray, long-sleeved T-shirt of Dan's that said Salt Life on the back and again down one of the sleeves, and a pair of her own black stretch pants. “Here you go,” she said, handing the clothes to the young woman.
“Thank you,” said Kendra. She removed the sweater she was wearing. Maxine glanced down at the perfectly sculpted breasts and quickly turned her head. “Let me see what's taking him so long.”
Dan was pouring coffee into a mug when Maxine walked into the kitchen.
“How do you think she likes her coffee?” Dan asked.
“I have no idea,” Maxine replied. “Why don't you ask her?”
“How do you like your coffee?” Dan shouted.
“Black!” Kendra hollered back.
Dan picked up the mug and turned. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“Why wouldn't I be?” Maxine inquired.
“Because I brought her here.”
“I'm sure men bring home naked porn stars to their girlfriends in the wee hours of the morning all the time.”
Dan grinned. “Only in heaven.”
“Funny.”
“Hey, I thought you said you weren't worried about Kendra because I'm an out-of-shape old fart.”
“I wasn't, until I saw her perfect boobs.”
“They're perfect? I want to see!”
“You'd better not.”
Kendra was sitting in the recliner flipping through the TV stations when the two walked back into the living room. Dan handed her the coffee.
“Thank you,” Kendra said.
“Would you like something to eat?” Maxine asked.
“I don't want to put you to any trouble.”
“It's no trouble,” Maxine assured her.
“I'm sorry about this,” Kendra said.
Dan heard a noise at the back door and went to investigate.
“Sorry about what?” Maxine asked.
“Having him bring me here. I'm sure I'm not the type of person you want in your home.”
“I don't know what type of person you are.”
“You know what I do for a living.”
“Yes.”
“Does it bother you?”
“I'm not going to judge you because of what you do for a living, if that's what you're asking.”
Kendra's eyes went to the television for a second and then back to Maxine.
Maxine pulled a chair from the dining room table and sat down so she could see the television as well.
Kendra looked her up and down. “You must be a nurse.”
“Bingo.” Maxine sipped her coffee.
“I wanted to be a nurse when I was a little girl. Obviously that didn't happen. But I've played a nurse in a few of my movies. Probably not the same thing, though.”
Maxine thought back to Dan's stay at the Lower Keys Psychiatric Center and their first sexual encounter in the janitor's closet. “You might be surprised,” she said.
Kendra cocked her head but didn't pry.
Dan walked into the room with his dog, Buddy, close behind.
“Our guest would like something for breakfast,” Maxine informed him.
“Um, okay.” Dan spun on his toes and returned to the kitchen.
Kendra watched as Buddy lumbered over to his bed and laid down. “He's very well behaved,” she commented.
“He's getting better,” Maxine said as she watched her boyfriend leave the room. “He's cut down on his drinking quite a bit and he's following simple commands now.”
Kendra looked at Maxine and then toward the kitchen. Both women burst into laughter.
“What's so funny?” Dan called out.
“Nothing!” Maxine shouted back.
Chapter Nineteen
After Maxine had gone to work and Kendra had eaten her two eggs, bacon, and toast, she fell asleep in the recliner; Dan tossed a thin blanket over her and quietly went out the front door.
Dan sat down on the top front step. Today's Citizen lay neatly folded next to him. He glanced at the weather forecast—perfect, like most days in paradise—while reaching into his pocket for his cell phone. Seven missed calls. Shit. He dialed.
“Hey, it's me,” said Dan. He picked up his cup of coffee from the step and took a drink.
“Where the hell have you been?” Red asked angrily.
“We're at my house.”
“I figured. You might have had the courtesy to let me know, asshole. I almost came looking for you two. Why didn't you take her back to the hotel?”
“She didn't want to go.”
“So you brought her to your house.”
“Yes.”
“What did Maxine have to say about that?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing.”
“Huh. Hold on a sec.” Dan heard Red's muffled voice reporting: “Everything's cool. They're at Dan's house.”
“You still with Harvey?” Dan asked.
“Yeah. He was getting pretty worried.”
“I bet he was. Wouldn't want anything to happen to his cash cow.”
“What do you mean?” Red asked.
“Hammer Jones made a comment that he paid a lot of money for Kendra to entertain his guests.”
“And?”
“And Kendra said she wasn't paid, that she just went there because Jones invited her.”
“You think Harvey set it up?”
“That's what I'm thinking. Probably why he called me instead of the cops.”
“Probably.”
“How's Mel doing?” Dan asked.
“He's sound asleep.”
“Can you wake him up and get him over here? He needs to take his medication before the satellites start following him and the chem-trails start infecting him.”
; “Sure thing,” Red said. “We'll be there toot sweet.”
“The tooter the sweeter,” Dan replied, and then hung up. The door opened behind him and Kendra walked out onto the porch holding a mug of coffee. Dan scooted over and Kendra sat down beside him. “Beautiful day,” she commented.
Dan idly scanned the headlines in the Citizen. Damn, she smells good. “They all are,” he said.
“The beach is right behind your house?” she asked.
“Yep. I got a package deal. The beach came with the ocean.”
Kendra managed a delicate little smile. “I live on the beach too, in Malibu.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Have you ever been?”
“To Malibu?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“It's beautiful. Maxine went to work?”
“Yes.”
“Most women wouldn't go to work and leave their boyfriends home alone with a porn star.”
“Most women aren't Maxine.”
“And I would imagine most boyfriends aren't you.”
Dan smiled. “I guess.”
“Thank you … for last night.”
“It was just eggs and bacon.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Don't worry about it. All in a day's work.”
“But I fired you.”
“What about Harvey?”
“What about him?”
“You threatened to fire him at the hotel the other day.”
Kendra blew into her mug and then sipped her coffee. “Yeah, but I would never do it. Everything I am, everything I have, I owe to him.”
Dan stared at the young girl but remained silent.
“What?” Kendra asked.
“Nothing,” Dan responded.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
Dan took a breath and slowly exhaled. “You said everything you are and everything you have you owe to Harvey.”
“Yes.”
“What do you have?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said you live in Malibu, on the beach.”
“Yes.”
“Do you own the house?”
“No. The production company owns it.”
“What do you drive?”
“A 'vette.”
“Is it yours?”
“It belongs to Preston.”
“Who pays you?” Dan asked.
“Preston pays me.”
“If he works for you, then why aren't you paying him? Does he work on commission?”
“He gets 10 percent plus.”
“Plus? What's the plus?”
“I don't know. He just says 10 percent plus. I guess the plus is for the things he has to pay for for me.”
“Like clothes?”
“I guess.”
“And the beach house, and the Corvette?”
“Sure, I guess.” Kendra took another gulp of her coffee.
“So the house and car are his and you're paying for them.”
Kendra thought for a second. “You're confusing me,” she said.
“Do you have a lawyer?”
“Preston has a lawyer. He handles everything. Can we talk about something else? I'm not good with money and stuff.”
“Sure, we can talk about something else.”
Kendra sat with her elbows on her knees and her chin resting on the rim of her coffee mug as she held it with both hands. She stared off across the street. “Why does that old lady keep staring out her window at us?” she asked.
“That's Mrs. MacGee, Beach View Streets very own neighborhood watch program.”
“I feel safe.”
Dan stood. “Come on. Would you like to meet her?”
“Meet her? Why?”
“If I know Edna MacGee, she has probably just taken fresh-baked muffins or something out of the oven and she has a fresh pot of coffee on.”
Kendra got to her feet. “I guess.”
As they walked across the street Dan said, “Besides, it'll be fun to watch the look on her face when she finds out you're a porn star.”
Chapter Twenty
When Dan and Kendra returned from Mrs. MacGee's, Red, Mel, and Preston Harvey were seated around Dan's dining room table. Red had fixed them all breakfast and made a fresh pot of coffee.
“You're out of eggs,” Red informed Dan.
“And bread,” Mel added.
“I'll put those items on the list,” Dan said sarcastically.
“Where were you two?” Harvey asked.
“Across the street,” Dan replied. “Talking to a neighbor.”
“Old Lady MacGee?” Red asked.
“Yes,” said Kendra. “Very nice lady.”
Harvey shoved a piece of toast into his mouth before he spoke. “What did she think of you?” Harvey asked.
“She said I was a delightful young lady.”
“Didn't tell her what ya did for a livin', did ya?”
“As a matter of fact, I did.”
Harvey gave a sleazoid chuckle. “The old bag clutch her chest?”
“Worse,” Dan replied. “She proceeded to tell us about the art film she appeared in while she was in college back in the fifties. Full frontal nudity, as she described it.”
“Eesh,” spluttered Red.
“She's a beautiful woman,” Mel offered. “I can just picture her naked now.”
“Please don't,” said Red. “The image might be contagious.”
Harvey mopped up the last of his egg yolk with his remaining toast and shoved it into his pie hole. “Who's giving us a ride back to the hotel?” he asked, getting up from his chair.
“Red,” Dan said. “Can you give them a ride back? I'm gonna take Mel with me over to Skip's. The ad came out in the paper this morning, and he'll probably be wondering why he's getting a bunch of phone calls.”
“Sure thing,” said Red.
*****
Skip Stoner lived at the corner of Flagler Avenue and Seventeenth Street in a small block house painted a funky green, about two blocks down from the Quik Mart where her worked. It was a modest one-story home with two bedrooms—but way out of the price range of a man who worked part time at a gas station, but then again, a lot of things about Skip never seemed to add up.
Skip's house had no driveway. A concrete apron ran from the street to the sidewalk, but a driveway had never been installed, probably for fear of losing most of the back yard. Dan parked the pink Volkswagen Bug on Seventeenth Street behind Skip's bright yellow 1974 Volkswagen Thing.
“Can I ring the doorbell?” Mel asked, as they walked across the street.
“I don't give a shit,” Dan replied.
They stepped upon to Skip's covered concrete patio and Dan quickly rang the bell.
“Hey!” shouted Mel
“What?”
“You said I could ring the bell.”
“Oooo, I forgot,” said Dan. “Go ahead and ring it if you want.”
“Too late now.”
“Ring it … ring it.”
As Mel reached for the button, Dan slapped his hand away.
“What did you do that for?” Mel asked.
“I think I heard him coming,” Dan replied.
“I didn't hear anything.”
“Oh, probably because I forgot to give you your ear pills this morning.”
“I take ear pills now?”
“Yeah. Didn't Maxine tell you?”
“No.”
“Maybe I didn't hear anything after all.” Dan rang the bell again.
“Hey!”
“What.”
“I could have rang it that time.”
“Go ahead,” Dan said.
Mel raised his hand and the door opened. “Dang it!”
Skip had his cell phone to his ear and raised his wait-a-minute finger. “I have no idea what you're talking about, dude,” he said in his Jeff Spicoliesque manner. “I'm not moving anywhere.” He took the phone away from his ear and hit
the end call icon. “People are so rude these days.” He pushed open the screen door. “Dan the Man and his sidekick, the Melinator! Come on in, dudes.”
Dan walked in, followed by Mel. They sat at Skip's kitchen table.
“Can I offer you boys a cup of coffee?” Skip asked. “It's instant, but it does what it's supposed to—give you a buzz or make you take a shit. Or if ya want I can whip up a fresh pot.”
“No, thanks,” said Dan.
“Yes, please,” Mel replied.
“He doesn't want any coffee,” Dan said.
“I'll have a water,” said Mel.
“So, to what do I owe this awesome pleasure?” Skip asked as he made his way to the cupboard for a glass.
“We put an ad in the paper,” Dan explained. “It says you're having a moving sale.”
Skip sat the glass of water in front of Mel. “Well that explains the three calls I've had this morning. Why would you do that? Are ya tryin' to get rid of the old Skipster?” There was a note of genuine hurt in his voice.
“No, nothing like that, Skip,” Dan reassured him, although the thought had occurred to him many times before. “Here's the deal: We're trying to catch two guys who stole five hundred bucks from me. We think they're targeting people who are getting ready to move.”
“It was Maxine's idea,” Mel said.
“It was not,” Dan argued.
“Yeah. Remember she said—”
“Quiet, Mel.”
“So, you're working on a case,” Skip said, “and you need the old Skipster's help.”
“No,” Dan replied. “We just need to use your house. These guys have already seen Me, Mel, and Red.”
“Oh,” said Skip. “So what's the plan, Dan the Man?”
“Just keep your cell phone on you and when people call about your moving sale, give them your address and tell them they can come by and look at the stuff any time tomorrow.”
“Why tomorrow? Why not today?”
“Because the day is almost half over and Red is busy today. Tomorrow will give us time to get things set up here.”
“Set up? What do you mean, set up?”
“We'll put some price tags on things, make it look like it's a real moving sale. Make things look legit.”
“What if the guys who took your money show up?” Skip asked.
“Red, Mel, and I will be hiding in the other room. We'll set up my camera and stream it live. We'll be able to see what's going on in here on our cell phones or a tablet.”
Deadly Moves Page 9
