Above the Fold & Below the Belt (An Avery Shaw Mystery Book 14)

by Amanda M. Lee

  “DJ, where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you.”

  Something jolted in the back of my mind as Doug turned to the man, a bright smile on his face, and waved.

  “I’ll be over there in a few minutes,” he yelled back. “That’s David Parker. We went to high school together. He’s a big fan of the cause.”

  “Yeah.” I licked my lips, uncomfortable. “He called you DJ.”

  “Douglas John. That’s my given name. When I was a kid — actually, all through high school — I went by DJ. Some people still call me that even though I feel I’ve outgrown it.”

  Alarm bells sounded. “Really?” My mind was working fast. “Did you used to date Lily Paddington?” I simply blurted it out because I didn’t have time to play games.

  Whatever he was expecting, that wasn’t it. The color drained from Doug’s face and all hint of amusement fled his eyes as they locked with mine. “Why would you ask that?”

  He didn’t even bother denying it. Oh, well ... crud.

  I took a large step away from him. “I should be going.”

  “Why did you ask that?” Doug pressed.

  “It doesn’t matter.” I had so many thoughts buzzing through my brain I didn’t know where to start sorting them. “I have to get back to the shop. Eliot is expecting me.”

  “Is that your boyfriend? The one everyone says is so dangerous.”

  “He’s nowhere near as dangerous as I am,” I countered. “I have to go. It was good to see you. I’m sure we’ll be talking soon.”

  His eyes were dark and dead. “I have no doubt.”

  29 Twenty-Nine

  I felt Doug’s eyes on me as I crossed the street. I didn’t bother turning around — that would be giving him power he didn’t deserve — but I knew he was watching me.

  Fawn was behind the counter when I entered the shop. She didn’t bother hiding her eye roll when she realized who was coming through the door. “Don’t you have something you’re supposed to be doing?”

  “I do. Where is Eliot?”

  “Oh, didn’t he tell you? He decided to start a new life far away from you. I think it’s for the best.”

  Her attitude rankled on the best of days. Today was not one of those days. I strode to the spot in front of her and slammed my hand on the glass case to make sure she was paying attention. “Listen, you moron, where is he? I have to talk to him right now!” I wasn’t one to panic, but I recognized I needed help, and he was my best option. “Where did he go?”

  Fawn’s expression was withering. “If he didn’t tell you ... .”

  I wanted to shake her until penny candy started pouring out of her empty head. “You are just un-freaking-believable.” I growled as I dug in my pocket for my phone and pulled up his contact information. I texted him first and waited. When he didn’t respond right away I called him. When his voicemail switched on, it took everything I had not to unleash a string of obscenities that were powerful enough to curl his hair from miles away. “I need you to call me right now!” I barked the second I heard the beep. “I figured it out. All of it. I need your help. I’m heading out to find you. ”

  I disconnected and rolled my neck as I focused on Fawn. She looked curious ... and amused. She was clearly basking in her power position. “I’m going to give you one more chance to tell me where he is.”

  “I don’t know where he is. He said he had to run an errand and would be back shortly. I would suggest you wait for him here ... but I don’t like you so, personally, I would be happier if you left.”

  “Oh, the feeling is mutual,” I shot back. “I just ... .” I wanted to mess with her, pull her hair until she cried. I didn’t have time. Doug would make sure of that. “If Eliot comes back here, tell him not to leave. It’s important.”

  “I’m not your messenger service,” she countered primly. “If you have something to say to him, you should say it yourself. He’s made it very clear that he wants me to stay out of your relationship.

  “I think it’s because he’s worried that he’ll see how much better I am if we spend too much time together,” she continued. “He’s loyal, so he doesn’t want to accept the truth. But he’s also smart, and eventually he will figure out that you’re mismatched.”

  Ugh. I didn’t have time for high school games. “You and I are going to have a long talk when this is over. I mean ... a really long talk. If you think I’m annoying now, just wait until I’m all hopped up on caffeine and sugar, and there’s nothing holding me back. Right now, I have to find Eliot. I figured it out.”

  Fawn’s agitation came out to play. “You figured what out?”

  “All of it.”

  “Well ... how great for you,” she drawled. “I’m sure Eliot will fall all over himself to congratulate you.”

  I didn’t care about that ... er, at least not right now. I needed his help. “Just have him call me the second you see him. I don’t want to be dramatic, but it’s a matter of life and death.”

  “Your death?” Fawn looked hopeful.

  “Actually ... yeah.”

  “Well, then I’ll definitely make sure your safety is a top priority.”

  Her tone was so fake there could be no mistaking she meant the statement to be sarcastic. “I will make you pay for this,” I warned as I strode toward the door. “You haven’t been on the receiving end of a full Avery Shaw insult extravaganza, but you’ll soon learn what a mistake you made messing with me.”

  “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “You should be.”

  ONCE I LEFT THE SHOP I spent several minutes scanning the crowd for Eliot. He wasn’t there, at least as far as I could tell. I very much doubted he’d left the area with so much going on. That meant he was close. With so many people around, though, finding him wouldn’t be easy.

  Jake was another story. I tracked his distinctive form fast. He stood on the steps of the courthouse, two deputies flanking him, and watched the activity unfold with quiet eyes. I could tell he didn’t like what he saw. Still, he would help me. If I couldn’t find Eliot, Jake was the next best thing.

  I took a step in his direction, intent on bringing him into the fold, but a hint of movement to my left caught my attention. It was Doug, which wasn’t surprising. But the look on his face was absolutely chilling. He might not have realized exactly how I figured things out, but he definitely recognized that my knowledge base had shifted. There could be no mistaking the mayhem on his features.

  I flicked my eyes back to Jake. Doug was capable of cutting me off if I headed in that direction. I could call Jake, but it was so loud on the street the odds of him hearing were slim. The best chance I had was to text him – but I needed to get away from Doug to do it. That left only one option, so I took it.

  I didn’t bother glancing over my shoulder. Instead, I dug in my pocket for keys and headed toward the stairwell that led to Eliot’s old apartment. I could lock myself inside and wait things out. Jake or Eliot would eventually appear and then I would be fine. Once Doug was in custody, I could move forward with my story on Savage. Then I would be able to write two stories and take over the entire front page of the Sunday edition.

  Life would be glorious.

  I simply had to barricade myself in the apartment to wait it out.

  I took the steps two at a time when I hit the stairwell. I was breathless by the time I made the second-floor landing, keys in hand. I heard the street door open at the exact moment I managed to unlock the apartment door, and my heart lodged in my throat as I pushed forward to finish my escape. Clearly Doug had followed me and was ready to make his move.

  “I need to use your bathroom,” Grandpa announced just as I was about to slam the door shut.

  I pulled up short, surprised, and shifted my eyes down the stairs. “Oh, it’s you.”

  “It’s me,” he agreed. “I need to use your bathroom.”

  “They have porta-potties on the street,” I reminded him.

  If looks could kill, I’d be dead. “I
can’t use a porta-potty and you know it. I need to be able to read while doing my business.”

  Sadly, I did know that. The man was notorious for leaving bits and pieces of newspapers on the bathroom floor whenever he settled to do his business. “I have other things going on,” I argued, annoyance bubbling up. “I don’t have time for your crap. Besides, you’re a man. Shouldn’t you be in control of your own destiny on stuff like this? I’ll take care of the kids, you take care of the rest?”

  He narrowed his eyes to dangerous slits. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

  “No.” I saw no reason to lie. I was in a foul mood. He’d yet to make things better, so I was fine making them worse. “Find someplace else to go to the bathroom.”

  “Oh, you’re such a baby.” He turned on his heel and made to leave, allowing me to move into the apartment.

  I was about to slam the door to give him a proper goodbye when I heard an odd noise at the bottom of the stairs. I turned and found Grandpa pressed to a wall as Doug crowded into his space at the bottom of the stairs, a knife clutched in his hand. Grandpa wisely raised his hands in surrender, but I didn’t miss the look of murderous intent on his face.

  “What is this nonsense?”

  My heart gave a little jolt. I was so close to safety. Eliot and Jake both would’ve been proud of my reaction, that I tried to act smart instead of strategic. Now things were ... scattered, which meant I was going to have to wing it.

  Ah, well. Thankfully I was good at winging it.

  “What are you doing, Doug?” I kept my voice even as I regarded him. A flight of stairs separated us, which should’ve been enough to keep me safe. Grandpa’s presence changed things.

  “I’m here to talk to you,” he replied simply. “You’re up for that, right?”

  I stared at the knife. It was large, mean and pointed directly at my grandfather’s ample stomach. “If you want to talk, we can do that.” I chose my words carefully. “Let my grandfather go and I’ll listen to whatever you have to say. You can come upstairs with me and ... we’ll talk until the sun sets.”

  “Don’t be stupid,” Grandpa barked, his eyes flashing. “You can’t invite him up there. He’s obviously a crazy person.”

  “Shut up,” Doug ordered, prodding Grandpa with the sharp end of the knife. “If you open your mouth again, I’ll shut it myself.”

  The look on Grandpa’s face didn’t reflect fear. In fact, what I saw there was anger. That left me feeling unsettled, to say the least.

  “Maybe I should make you shut me up,” Grandpa suggested, refusing to back down. “While you’re busy with me, Avery can lock herself in the apartment. The police will be here in seconds given how many are across the street. That could be the best outcome.”

  “You want to die?” Doug sneered.

  “Do I want to die? No. I’ll die for the mouthy wonder up there. I’m her grandfather. That’s my job.”

  Even though the situation was spiraling and required my full attention, my frustration bubbled up. “Because I’m a girl, right? You don’t think I can take care of myself and you need to be my protector because I’m a girl.”

  “I said nothing of the sort,” he shouted. “Why do you only hear what you want to hear? I never said it wasn’t okay that you’re a girl.”

  “You thought it.”

  “I did not.” He kept his eyes on Doug, as if gauging his chances of winning a fight. Doug was in his twenties and looked fit, so he seemed resigned to watching things play out in another manner ... which was a good thing.

  “We’ll argue about this later,” I said after a beat, forcing my attention to Doug. I needed to find a way out of this. There was every chance Eliot would come looking for me. If Fawn knew what was good for her, she would tell him right away that I’d stopped by. The apartment was the most rational place to look. “I want to talk to Doug.”

  “Oh, you want to talk to me now, do you?” Doug cocked a challenging eyebrow. “You didn’t want to talk to me on the street twenty minutes ago. You couldn’t get away from me fast enough.”

  “Yes, well ... you have body odor.” Now wasn’t the time to insult him, but my mouth always has a mind of its own. I can never control it, even in the direst of situations.

  “You’re not funny.” Doug’s expression was dour. “I think you should come down here.”

  “I would rather not.”

  “No?” He poked Grandpa more viciously. To my grandfather’s credit, he didn’t cry out, which frustrated Doug. “Do you want him to die?”

  “Here’s the problem,” I replied calmly, rubbing my sweaty palms on the thighs of my jeans. “You’re going to kill me if I come down there. I have no doubt about that. You killed your father, after all. He was your flesh and blood.”

  “What makes you think I killed my father?”

  “You were in love with his third wife.” I hadn’t yet untied all the knots of the story, but I understood the basics. “You dated Lily, were in love with her, and then she married your father. That was either a cruel blow or part of a plan.”

  “I didn’t kill my father.” The denial was hollow, completely unbelievable, something Doug must have realized because he adjusted his stance and moved closer to Grandpa. “Come down here.”

  I shook my head. “You took advantage of the spectacle in front of the courthouse. I’m guessing Lily married your father to get his money and realized afterward that he was a tightwad. Others told her — you probably told her — but she thought she was different, strong and pretty enough to get him to change his ways. That’s a failing of a lot of women, thinking they’ll be the one to change the defective man.

  “She couldn’t stay in the marriage because your father got more and more militant about things the older he got,” I continued. “He wouldn’t share his money, and the only reason she agreed to marry him was because she had a specific idea in her head, one in which she didn’t have to work and he took care of her.”

  “You don’t know anything about Lily,” he spat, his eyes filling with ire. “She’s a good person. He confused her.”

  Something about his demeanor made me realize that Doug and Lily didn’t enter an agreement for her to marry his father together. Up until that point, it was a possibility I’d considered, that they were both cold-blooded enough to plot Dan’s downfall from the start. “She broke your heart.” It made sense ... in an odd way. “You were in love, but she was more practical. At least that’s probably how she described what happened.

  “You didn’t have the money to offer her the lifestyle she wanted,” I continued. “She thought your father did. He rubbed elbows with Bart Savage, after all. There had to be money there. She worked as an intern at the radio station for a brief period, set her sights on Savage, but failed to reel him in. That left your father.”

  “He bamboozled her,” Doug argued. “He enjoyed stealing her from me and then he used her. It wasn’t fair.”

  “Life isn’t fair.” Part of me felt sorry for Doug. What kind of father steals his son’s girlfriend, for crying out loud? Still, he was demented in a way I didn’t initially recognize. That was on me. “Did your father teach you to shoot?”

  “That’s one of the few things we did together,” he acknowledged. “I was good at it, even though I never particularly liked hunting. He made me go anyway, said it would turn me into a man. He had a lot of antiquated ideas.

  “It came in handy, though,” he continued. “I knew he would be at the center of things for this trial, so I bided my time. I waited until I had the perfect opportunity … and then I took it.”

  “That was probably smart,” I said. “You thought law enforcement would assume he was killed because of his ties to Savage. It was an easy way to cover up personal motive. Did you do it because you thought you would inherit?”

  Doug snorted, the sound utterly disdainful. “No. I knew better than that. My father told me I was disinherited for taking my mother’s side in their divorce. There’s no money. It goes t
o my grandfather.”

  “That has to bother you.” I knew it would bother me. “Your grandfather is even worse than your father.”

  “Oh, you have no idea.” His expression turned whimsical. “They really were a match made in Heaven. They should’ve married each other.”

  “So ... it was revenge? Plain and simple, nothing else.”

  “It was revenge,” he confirmed. “It was clean revenge, too. I got away with it. No one was looking at me. I expected the initial interrogation from the cops – and it went exactly as I thought it would – but they’d moved on from me. You ruined things. I saw when you put it together in front of the food truck. I don’t know how you did it, but you put it together and I can’t let you live. I won’t go to jail.

  “He was a terrible father and he got what he deserved,” he said, his voice cracking. “I put up with a lot from him. I lived without a father most of my life because he was so caught up in himself. All he had to do was stay away from Lily.”

  “Yeah, well ... parents don’t always do what you want them to do.” I thought of my mother and sighed. “Trust me. You either need to learn to suck it up or retreat to an island parents can’t visit. Actually … I wonder if that place really exists. That would be so cool.” I shook myself out of the potential reverie and rejoined the conversation. “You’re hardly alone when it comes to weird parents. I know a thing or two about it myself.”

  “She really does,” Grandpa agreed. “Her mother is a pain in the rear. She spends all her time telling Avery and me what to do because she’s bossy. I hate bossy people.”

  He was the bossiest person I knew, so his comment was mildly entertaining. Still, now was not the time to dwell on it. “I figured it out when Jenny mentioned that Lily had a serious boyfriend before marrying your father and there was discussion about how he was the one who got away. His name was DJ.”

  “And you heard someone call me DJ outside. It was as simple as that.” Doug turned morose. “I can’t believe I got tripped up on that.”