Overdose in Paradise

by Deborah Brown

  Caspian smirked at me, guessing that I’d at least thought about it.

  “Any other business issues?” Didier asked. Not getting a response, he held up his bottle. “To a thriving partnership.”

  After we all drank, Liam looked at Brad. “You still got the same girlfriend?” he asked, putting Brad in the hot seat. All eyes zeroed in on him, waiting for the answer.

  “One of these days…” Brad shook his finger at Liam. “You’re going to get a girlfriend, and you’re going to hate payback.”

  “I like Emerson,” Mother said.

  “Me too.” I tipped my glass in Brad’s direction.

  “You get a background check done?” Spoon asked.

  “The one to ask is Madison. So, did you?” Fab flashed me a narrow-eyed smile.

  “I’m happy to announce that the report on Ms. Emerson Grace came back clean as a whistle. No mental health issues anywhere in the family.” I’d asked GC to run the additional check, since my brother had a track record of choosing unstable women.

  “Good heavens! If her mother finds out…” Mother sighed. “She’ll flip.

  “Emerson knows,” Brad said. “I can’t have a relationship with her and be sneaking around. To my surprise, she laughed and said she wished she had a sister like you. I felt I needed to warn her that sometimes you’re a big pain.”

  That had everyone laughing.

  “I gave Emerson a copy of the report,” I said. “A couple of days later, she sent back a note saying, ‘I’m disappointed. It was rather boring.’”

  Mila, who’d been sitting quietly between me and Brad, concentrating on dissecting her pizza, stood up on her booster seat and held out her arms to me. I picked her up, plopped her in my lap, and cleaned pizza sauce off her face.

  “Doesn’t Mila have a bedtime?” Mother tapped her watch.

  The table got quiet.

  “She does,” Brad grumbled. “But not on the nights when we have guests. I didn’t like being sent to bed as a child—I always figured I was missing out on something—and I’m not doing it to my daughter.” He stared at Mother.

  Brad and I had hated being sent away from the action. Oftentimes, we’d done our best to eavesdrop and were disappointed to find the adults a yawn.

  “You know I’m here for parenting advice,” Mother said in a soft tone.

  “I do. Actually, Emerson helped me to realize that, like all parents, I’ll make mistakes and that Mila and I will get through them.”

  Spoon put his arm around Mother and squeezed, and whatever she had on the tip of her tongue, she left unsaid.

  “This seems like as good time as any…” Caspian laughed devilishly. “Do you, my dear, have any new cases that you haven’t shared?” His dark stare had his daughter in the crosshairs.

  Sizing up the silent interaction between father and daughter, I knew he was onto the fact that Fab shared only what she wanted to, in a lot of cases, leaving out pertinent details. I scrutinized her closely, waiting for her response, and she appeared speechless for a moment.

  Didier smiled. It was okay with him that his father-in-law had put his wife off her guard with his question.

  “It’s been quiet,” Fab said. “I’m using Toady on the riskier jobs. Right now, he’s off retrieving a boat for a client whose high school-age son decided to throw a party onboard without asking. Then got the bright idea to move it down to Lauderdale and keep it hidden for his friends to use. As though no one would notice.” She shook her head.

  “Toe!” Mila clapped.

  Brad rolled his eyes. “I stopped by to see Didier at his office and that old rodent was sitting there. He takes one look at Mila and lets out some ear-splitting noise that I was sure would have her in tears. Lucky for him that didn’t happen, or he’d be d-e-a-d. To my horror, she wanted down to go play with her new friend, egging him on for more sound effects, to which he obliged her.”

  Brad had met Toady when he bought a house out in Alligator Alley, where the war veteran was his neighbor. Now the man looked after the property for Brad, discouraging two-legged trespassers with a shotgun.

  “He’s over six feet, so rodent isn’t quite accurate,” I said.

  Brad snorted. “In some ways, Mila’s too much like you, warming up to the oddest people.”

  “One thing about Toe,” I said. “Mila is safe in his presence. Anyone bothers her, and they’ll find their arm ripped off and shoved up their—”

  “Madison Westin,” Mother gasped.

  “Sorry,” I said, somewhat apologetically.

  Creole leaned over and whispered, “Try to behave. Save your antics for when we get home.” His eyes twinkled.

  I reached over and grabbed a spoon, putting it in Mila’s hand. My hand wrapped around hers, we banged the spoon on the table. “Where’s dessert?”

  Chapter Six

  “Where are you going?” Fab demanded, appearing in Creole’s living room via the patio doors. She sized up my work outfit of jean skirt and top.

  I squealed and jumped. “Doorbell. Knock. Something before you barge in.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind for next time.” Fab dumped her bag on the couch and sat primly, her brow arched in a well?

  “I’ve got to check on The Cottages. I thought about calling you, but you hate going there.”

  Fab made a face. “Haven’t I always gone along? Mostly anyway. Why should today be different?”

  “Calm down. I planned to drive up to the manse and lay on the horn. Happy now?” I stared down at the three pairs of shoes I had lined up.

  “Tennis shoes.” She pointed. “I’ve got a job and need you for backup.”

  I groaned. “If I’m scaling a building or running, I’m changing into sweats. I’m not marring my legs with scrapes and scratches.”

  “I’ll explain in the car.” Fab picked up my bag and hers and headed to the door.

  I locked up and followed her, sliding into the passenger side of the Hummer. “You never mentioned a new case at dinner.”

  “It’s not that big of a deal. My client wants me to check out his current security system and make recommendations.”

  “Hmm…” I tapped my cheek, more to annoy her than indicate any deep thought going on. “Sounds a little too up-and-up for one of your clients.” I fished my ringing phone out of my pocket. Looking at the screen, I groaned, “This can’t be good.” An automated voice asked if I’d accept a collect call from the jail. I pressed 1 and the speaker button. “Good morning.”

  “For some people,” Dr. A growled. “That lawyer you sent over just left, after calling me an arrogant SOB and telling me she had a busy day. What the…”

  I tugged on Fab’s shirt. Coffee, I mouthed. “I take it that you two didn’t hit it off.” I squeezed my eyes shut. Stay calm, I talked myself down, this isn’t your first rodeo with high-maintenance personalities.

  “I’ve got a proposition for you and it pays good. I’m hiring you to find me a first-class criminal defense attorney and do it today. Get his/her ass down to this jail with a plan to get me out of here.” He calmed down, barely. “I’d do it myself, but I’m short on resources. I’d call Doc, but the last thing he needs is for his blood pressure to go through the roof. Besides, I trust you.”

  I only knew one other attorney that fit Dr. A’s description, and I was certain he wouldn’t take my calls. “I…uh…will get on it for you.”

  “Another thing: I’m going to hound the hell out of you, now that I know you’ll take my calls.”

  “I can’t promise overnight results, but I can promise that I’ll get on it and find you a lawyer.”

  “You mind if I call later for an update?”

  “Call anytime, and if I run out of things to say, I’ll pass you off to Fab.”

  “That should be fun.” He half-laughed, and the call ended.

  “I’ll take a shot of tequila in my coffee.”

  Fab scrunched up her nose and turned into the drive-thru lane.

  I craned my neck to look
back over the seat. “Go back and park in front. GC’s here and he’s just the man I need to talk to. I’m thinking you should call one of your shyster connections and have them on standby to get the good doc out on bail while I work on finding him a lawyer.”

  “Don’t go all uppity on me.” Fab swung around the back side of the building. “Every one of my so-called shyster connections, you also have on speed dial. You make the call.”

  “Not all of them.” I almost laughed at my own whiny tone.

  Fab pulled up and parked in front of GC’s table. He looked up and I waved. He continued to stare without a sign of recognition.

  “Let’s hurry before he gets up and disappears.” I jumped out of the SUV, crossed the sidewalk, pulled out a chair, and sat down, Fab next to me. “Happy you didn’t make a run for it. Now I don’t have to ask my friend here to nick you in the butt.”

  “Leave your ugly disguise at home?” Fab asked.

  The last time we ran into him here, he had on an oversized, worn-out men’s shirt meant to disguise his well-honed abs, a hat slung low over his mop of brown hair, and sunglasses covering the rest of his face.

  GC snorted. “Against my better judgment, I’m going to ask. What do you want?” He flagged down a server. “Coffee’s on me. Let’s make this quick. I’m meeting someone.”

  I ordered for both of us.

  “Female? Run a background check yet?” Fab teased.

  “Time’s ticking. Unless you thought it would be fun to annoy me. It worked. You can go now.”

  “If I didn’t know you, I’d be offended by your surly rudeness.” I smiled.

  The man smirked.

  “On that fancy phone of yours…” I pointed to where it lay on the table in front of him. “…does there happen to be contact information for a criminal lawyer, one you’d want representing you if necessary?”

  “As a matter of fact… I do know one. Just relocated here and is opening an office, but he’s not interested in defending criminals anymore.”

  “Then why bring him up?” Fab snapped.

  “How about I pony up cash? Name your amount. Then could you come up with a name? Say in the next five minutes?” I returned his glare.

  “Must be something in the air,” Fab said. “Everyone’s grumpy these days.”

  I smiled at the server as he delivered our coffees, ready to pick up my cup and leave, since it didn’t appear that GC’s attitude would lighten up anytime soon.

  “Damn. Of course, he’d be early,” GC mumbled, then raised his voice to say, “Would you mind leaving now? I’ll call you later.”

  “Just a few more minutes to see what you’re hiding. Then we’ll leave.” Fab unleashed “creepy girl smile” on him.

  “I’m Alex and your brother’s neighbor,” GC stated flatly. “Don’t you damn forget.”

  “Hey, bro.” The man who appeared at the table was GC’s twin but at least ten years older. He pulled up a chair. “Introduce me.” His voice was deep and dark and he smiled wolfishly, checking the two of us out; his eyes going back to Fab.

  I reached out and held up her left hand, displaying the diamond that could put out both his eyes.

  He chuckled. “Another good one gets away.”

  “Be happy. She’s way more high-maintenance than your usual,” GC said. “The one you’re ogling is Fab and the redhead is Madison.”

  GC’s bookend was an easy six feet, shoulders wider than his brother’s, with tousled brown hair and dark-brown eyes with laugh lines. He was dressed in the standard beach uniform of shorts and a short-sleeved shirt.

  “Since you’re…related?” I asked. He nodded. “You’re aware of Alex’s limited social skills. I assume you have a name?”

  He held out his hand, which Fab intercepted and shook. “Lucas Mark.”

  I held out my knuckles, which he bumped without hesitation.

  “You wouldn’t by chance be a criminal lawyer, would you?” Fab asked.

  GC growled.

  Lucas laughed and said, “Yes.” He looked at his brother, his expression saying, What?

  “Good deduction.” I beamed at Fab.

  “This has been fun,” GC said, conveying otherwise. “Don’t let us hold you up. I’m certain you have somewhere else to be.”

  I stood and motioned to Fab. “I was hoping you could help. Guess not. I’ll find my own criminal lawyer by the end of the day.” I engaged in a stare-down with GC, not expecting him to be the first to look away.

  “You can be a real asshole,” Lucas told his brother. “Maybe I can be of help to these two ladies.”

  “Trust me. You don’t want to get involved.” GC waved. “See you around.”

  “I get it.” Fab looked down her nose at GC. “It’s your nice way of saying your bro is short on skills.”

  I managed to pull off walking back to the car as if I didn’t have a care in the world.

  Fab slid behind the wheel.

  “That ended badly.” I adjusted my seat into a reclining position. “What time is your appointment?”

  “Whenever we get there. Mr. Mott is out of town right now.”

  “Cottages and then Mr. Mott. When we’re done, we can go get tacos and tequila shots.”

  Chapter Seven

  Fab backed into Mac’s driveway and parked. Conveniently, Mac lived right across the street from The Cottages. Not only was it a short walk to work, but she could keep an eye on the property at all hours.

  “Mac’s got a connection with our old lawyer. I’m going to see if I can get her to act as a go-between…if she still has a relationship with that office.” My phone rang, and a number I didn’t recognize popped up. I answered. “If you’re selling something, I’m not interested.”

  “That’s not professional,” Fab said, motioning for me to hit the speaker button.

  When have I ever forgotten to let her listen in? Only when I talk to Creole.

  “Lucas Mark. What’s the job?”

  “How did you get my number?”

  “Baby bro isn’t as crafty as he thinks. Left his phone on the table when he went to the men’s room, and I, even craftier, scrolled through his contacts and found your number.”

  “Just so we’re agreed that when he finds out, and odds are high that he will, I wasn’t the one to track you down and hound you until you caved. Got it?”

  He snorted a laugh. “Deal.”

  “I’ve got a friend sitting in jail for an overdose death that he didn’t supply the drugs for. Can you get him another bail hearing? I’ve got a bondsman on standby.” Next call would be to Fab’s friend to put him on notice that his services would be needed. He’d never let us down in the past. “That would give me additional time to compile a list of lawyers, so he can choose who he wants.”

  “I can do that. But just know that it will depend on the facts of the case.”

  “You have time for a jail visit tomorrow? I’ve got a connection that can get me on the visitor list.”

  “Text me with the details, and I’ll meet you there.”

  “If you can make this happen, I’ll owe you one, in addition to whatever you charge.”

  “Not a word of this to Alex. This will be our secret for now.”

  My neck hairs warned me there’d be trouble in the future. “He’s going to find out, so be prepared. And he’s not going to buy, ‘Oh, I forgot to tell you.’”

  Lucas roared with laughter. “See you tomorrow.”

  Disconnecting, I said, “Remind me to do an internet search on Lucas Mark and see what turns up. I’d rather have a more in-depth background check, but I can hardly ask GC to investigate his own brother.” I opened the door and, instead of getting out, leaned my head against the seat and made a couple of calls, including calling in a favor to secure a jail visit.

  “What if Lucas can’t come through and you’re wasting time?” Fab asked.

  “A hunch! I’m thinking Lucas was the one GC was about to recommend before he changed his mind. What does your inner Fab think
?”

  “Who?” She got out and slammed the door.

  I watched her cross the street, her shoulders shaking.

  I inherited the ten-unit beachfront property from my aunt. Since I took over, I’d updated each of the units, inside and out. It used to be a place that criminals called home, but after learning the same lessons over and over, I’d weeded them out. They occasionally snuck back in, but I’d honed my felon radar and sent them packing, whether they wanted to go or not.

  “You’re not as funny as you think,” I yelled after Fab and moved out of the driveway to let Kevin Cory, our resident sheriff’s deputy, breeze by in his squad car.

  Kevin parked at the far end, in front of his cottage, got out and waved, then started in my direction.

  Mac had come out of the office, her multi-colored gauze tent dress flowing behind her. She’d been headed in our direction but changed course when Kevin’s car pulled in and went to intercept him. She sliced her neck with her finger, the gesture clearly meant solely for the deputy’s eyes.

  Kevin ignored her and yelled, “Did you get Joseph out of jail?”

  It couldn’t be my tenant Joseph, as no one had called me. But what other Joseph was there? Fab came to a halt close enough to hear everything Kevin had to say, a slight smile on her face.

  Mac planted herself in front of Kevin, arms akimbo. “I can explain.”

  At the sight of her pink-and-white, black-clawed animal slippers, I did a double take and returned my attention to the conversation. “Are you telling me that Joseph is in jail and no one called me?” What started in a reasonable tone of voice ended in a yell. “I suppose you arrested him?” I stalked toward Kevin, and Fab grabbed my arm.

  “If you hit him, you’ll go to jail,” she reminded me.

  Kevin put his hands in the air. “I didn’t have any choice. Joseph picked a fight, which he lost, and the other guy pressed charges. Didn’t know until a few minutes ago that he was transferred from the hospital to the jail this morning.”

  “The hospital!” I shrieked.

  “If I have to get my hearing checked, you’re paying the bill,” Fab griped.

  Mac stepped forward, waving her arms in a dramatic fashion. “I didn’t call because it was late and he wasn’t going to be released from the hospital right away anyway. I figured a call could wait until I knew the amount for bail.”