by L. B. Carter
“Dead meaning…”
“Exactly.”
Nor considered. “That could make sense. Someone took out hubby as a threat and when that didn’t work, when she hired us, they took out whoever she sent with Lynn, too?” Nor was appalled that someone so deplorable existed in the world. “Why go to that trouble?”
Reed scoffed. “Why with any of our clients? World domination, fatuous greed… academic pettiness.” Reed shrugged. “Either way.”
Nor nodded, thrusting a hand through his hair. “We can nix the alleged from our report. These two murders are tied.”
The elderly man to Nor’s left glanced over. He had a hearing aid visible under the tufts of wispy grey hair jutting from his bowler hat, so unless he’d paid a significant chunk of his retirement account for it, it seemed unlikely he’d heard from two barstools down. They really should’ve had this conversation in private. Nor had been too impatient to wait at home for Reed to return after his shift ended late that night. He also hoped to corner Andrew. More so, now that Katheryn might be their contact.
Reed pointed at something random on the menu between them and said loudly, “No, these two burgers are not fried.” Then he pretended to notice the man. “Can I get you anything else, sir?” The old man shook his head, the newspaper crossword capturing his attention again. Reed spoke again keeping his lips very close together, ventriloquist-style. “I asked if she enjoyed having her daughter join her.” He shook his head. “She said the politics of academia were not something she’d wanted to drag her daughter into.”
“And you think that—”
“Reed!” Barb’s shrill voice cut like an arrow through the diner’s mellow Monday afternoon atmosphere. Reed winced. They both turned to see her floating head framed in the window to the kitchen. Her flustered expression lightened when she noticed Nor was there too. “Sorry to interrupt. Can you take this order to table 9, dear? Tammy had to dip out to pick up her son from the principal’s office. Then you can get back to… helping this customer.”
Reed sighed heavily and took off to do his boss’ bidding. He was gone just long enough for Nor’s mind to whir over the possibility that Shayna’s aunt might know exactly what their missing specimen was.
If that was the case, on the other hand, why hadn’t she come up to collect it? Or had her colleague already snatched it? What colleague?
“Earth to Nor!”
Nor blinked finding Reed’s hand waving in front of his eyes. He pushed it aside to continue their conversation where they’d left off.
“So you think that Professor Tate and her colleagues are fighting over—”
“—the specimen,” Reed finished, nodding. “It’s too coincidental otherwise.”
“Dr Tate didn’t give any clue what it was? It’d be helpful if we knew what we were looking for. Or which colleague she disagreed with?”
Reed’s mouth twisted in frustration. “No. She’s a professor. It’s not like they are known for being clear and direct. Students might actually learn something if that were true. I asked her if she might meet up with me at BSTU. No dice. She said to avoid being ‘scooped,’ as she called it, by other scientists, she couldn’t tell me the details.”
Nor swore. The gentleman gave an affronted glance askance, with a deep frown that furrowed his wrinkles, then rustled his paper open. They were not making any friends in this town. “What now?” Nor felt lost. He was used to just following Father’s orders.
“Didn’t you say you had another lead? Your teammate guy?”
“Andrew.” Nor nodded. That was true. It was the only useful piece of information he so daintily extracted from Shayna Tate. “According to Shayna Tate—”
“The cheerleader? Look at you: talking to girls! My baby brother’s growing up.” He wiped a non-existent tear from the corner of his eye.
“According to Shayna Tate,” Nor started again, his patience thinning, “Andrew dated Jennifer Tate to get in to BSTU.”
Reed stood straight. “Did he now?” Eyes narrowed, Reed asked, “I’ll guess he lost that. Katheryn said she had no connections left here.”
“Katheryn?” Nor questioned. “You’re on a first name basis now?”
Reed grinned and used a suggestive eyebrow motion. “Even phones cannot limit my ability to get intimate, little bro.”
Nor rolled his eyes. “Okay, that aside. If she has no connections—”
Reed snorted. “Oh my sweet, sweet little brother. You may be growing up but you are still so naive. People lie. All the time. We do it constantly. And get paid for it!”
“Okay, fine. If it’s the truth, then…” Nor swiveled on the barstool. “Then I’d guess when Jennifer left town and broke up with Andrew, she wanted a clean cut, telling her mom to abandon him, too.”
“That’s like some kind of fucked up mother-daughter double relationship there. Andrew gets double dumped at the end of it. Poor schmuck. That can’t be the motive, though, since his sorry ass hit the curb after the murders,” Reed reasoned. “And he’d have to somehow know about the specimen.”
“Well. Maybe your Katheryn’s colleague hired Andrew, abusing his vengeful rage to persuade him to grab the specimen? ” Nor knew he was starting to sound crazy. He didn’t care. He was desperate to find some logic to the mystery.
Reed sighed and said in a slow, patient tone. “Nor. First of all, she’s not ‘my’ Katheryn, although I wouldn’t mind a short fling. Smart is hot.” He continued to count off on his fingers, ignoring Nor’s groan. “Second, you can’t assume he’s out for revenge. Father would be ashamed about that jump to conclusions. Third, you think a high school kid is capable of killing? And getting away with it?”
Nor sighed, dejected.
“And fourth, why on Earth would a professor ring up some kid he didn’t know, his hated colleague’s daughter’s ex-boyfriend and tell him to commit murder and ‘hand over the Vial of Power’?” Reed adopted a movie announcer voice to express his doubt about the idea.
“Father always told you not to get dramatic.”
“I’m not the one inventing some crazy plo—”’
“Reed!” Barb’s voice pierced the little bubble they’d been in, awakening them to their surroundings. The clink of silverware on china plates and low murmur of voices over the faint jazz from the jukebox slid back into Nor’s awareness. Right. They were in public. Discussing a murder. Or two. Nor checked the old man and found that he’d fallen asleep, his chin pressing into his chest and a light snore rustling the paper drooping in front of him. Unless he was faking it… Nor shook himself. Paranoia again.
Reed went off to do another food trip and check on the customers he’d left stranded in various booths during their discussion, which left Nor to dip back into his mental speculations.
If he placed Katheryn at the center, then it explained everything. He could imagine the play-out: she disagreed on the plans for the specimen and contacted Father; her colleague got wind of it and threatened, or had Andrew threaten, her by taking out her husband; she got someone, maybe even her daughter, to meet up with Lynn and the colleague got his or her hands on the details and crashed the car, stealing the specimen.
What if it were two killers? What if the ex-husband got involved, the professor took him out and hired their organization? Then the daughter, who grew up with her dad and, therefore, had allegiance to him, tried to get it from Katheryn a second time? That was even less plausible. It would be a family feud to trump Romeo and Juliet.
“I don’t think even school work is worth however much thinking you’re doing right now,” a high-pitched voice joked next to Nor. He jerked around, spinning so fast his chair did a full one-eighty and he ended up staring out the windows into the parking lot.
Twilight was already giving the parked cars a dusky orange glow and the sign was beaming ‘Barb’s Diner’ into the darkened tree tops in violent neon colors. A soft, small hand gripped his forearm, spinning him back around. Dozens of metal bracelets clinked together when the hand
let go to shove some unruly red frizz from a smiling, freckled face. Nor recognized her from somewhere.
“I’m Tilly, Liam’s sister,” she reminded him.
“Right,” he nodded. She’d introduced herself the same way when he met her at the diner, as had her brother. The girl who knew everything. She could be instrumental in parsing out his psychotic-sounding ideas. He automatically looked around for the rest of her group.
“Looking for Sirena?” the girl guessed, unnervingly accurately. “She’s not here. I’m here with other friends.” She waved behind her at a busy table. “She told Kayna she didn’t want to run into anyone at the diner and at first I thought she meant JT, of course, but Sally told me what she’d heard about pottery class.” She raised an accusing brow and crossed her arms. The action cinched the flowing hippy-type dress similar to the one Mother wore in her younger pictures, exposing that Tilly was a thin wisp of a girl under all that material, physically weak even if her personality was forward.
Nor was silent. What could he say to excuse the verbal punches he’d unleashed on the already bruised girl?
Tilly didn’t let it go. “What gives? I thought you were one of the nice ones when you gave her a ride to school, and everyone was talking about how friendly you and your brother were and sweet to help your aunt and uncle with their work, but now it seems like that’s all a front.”
Well the aunt and uncle were. Mother would be in tears if she heard his selflessness was actually interpreted as selfishness, and maybe that was even valid. Nor was so focused on the mission, he was placing civilians right in his crossfire.
“You’re just as much of an asshole as JT, maybe even worse with the way you’ve turned face after luring us all in like that and getting us to trust you.”
Her accusation stung as much as the look he’d seen on Sirena’s face before he tailed his quarry from the pottery room.
Tilly’s cheeks started to match the color of her freckles the more heated her scolding got, and her arm bands, several on both arms, jangled constantly as she flailed about with indignant gestures. “I offered help settling in before and you didn’t accept, so now I’m going to force it on you whether you want it or not, because frankly I think you need it. My advice for the new kid at school? Don’t be a jerkface and don’t get involved with Her Royal Bitchiness Shayna Tate, and definitely don’t expect to make friends after aligning with that girl, particularly if you piss off JT, because he’s got a huge influence over all the athletes and cool crowd not to mention the money to make your new life here pretty poopy,” Tilly spat waspishly.
She stopped mid-tirade without warning, lifted her hands to her mid-chest in a prayer pose and breathed slowly for five…ten seconds. When she lifted her chin and opened her eyes again, she was calmer, more advisory, when she snipped, “It’s a little late for that advice now I guess, so good luck with the backlash and keep away from my friends, especially Sirena.” With finality, she spun toward the register, hair and dress swaying.
Reed had returned for that last bit, watching the exchange like an avid tennis spectator. He gave a slow clap for the frustrated redhead’s scene. “Usually I like having the honor of putting down my little brother, but that was pure beauty. Just so I’m aware why we’re berating him, what exactly did he do?”
Shit. Nor hadn’t wanted Reed to hear the details of his tactics. No doubt his brother wouldn’t like it, even if he did agree on the “stay away from Sirena” part of Tilly’s threat.
“Your brother is a dick,” she stated tartly.
“Again, I agree. Regarding what in particular, on this occasion? Did he do something to you?” Reed’s eyes flicked to Nor with venom. That wasn’t going to go away when he found out it wasn’t Tilly whom Nor had offended.
“The rumor is he ganged up with school slut Shayna and dissed my girl Sirena right to her face.” The gossip had gotten it mostly right, even with her condensed version. “I’m no tattle,” she tattled, “but I also heard that he then hooked up with Shayna in the bathroom.”
Reed’s expression grew solemn. His eyes were slits when he turned to Nor. Even the pink apron couldn’t lighten the disapproval. It was the only way to get information, to get their next lead, Nor wanted to explain. They had decided Nor would take on the cheerleader.
It wouldn’t matter. As much as Reed complained about the locals, his reason for distancing themselves from the civilians was a noble one. He wanted to protect them from the danger. Damage to reputations by mouth counted. They were supposed to depart having solved their case without leaving behind any footprints, for the benefit of having no trail by which to trace them and also for the protection of all bystanders. As Nor had felt in pottery, this mission had him stumbling blindly through the foliage, crushing far too many delicate leaves and petals like Sirena underfoot. He didn’t need Reed to tell him that was bad. His conscience was already heavy.
“Don’t worry, Miss…?”
“Tilly. Liam’s sister, if you know him.”
“I do.” Reed’s eyes were darker now that he was aware the girl in front of him was also related to the guy who’d helped them deal with JT at the beach, another moment of regret for Nor. “Well, don’t worry, Tilly. I will be sure to ensure my brother remembers how to not be a dick.” Reed’s next dish served would be a heaping pile of punishment-by-training and Nor wouldn’t be allowed to box any up as leftovers for later.
“Good.” She sounded mollified by Reed’s sincerity.
“Now, can I get you anything? Or were you just here to kick my brother’s ass? Because that’s fine, too.”
She shook her head with a tinkling sound. It sounded like she was wearing jingly jewelry in her ears too, maybe even bells. That was helpful for keeping track of her, like a cat. However, it was not a good idea for any stealthing. She wasn’t their murderer. That was additionally evidenced by the fact that Nor was still alive; if she did decide to become a killer, Nor had no doubt the butter knife on the napkin in front of him would be firmly lodged in his gut in seconds, with no back-up from his brother.
“I want to place an order, too. His patooty isn’t worth my coming over here. I need an order of fries and a chocolate shake, to go, please.”
“Sirena’s usual,” Reed recognized. He nodded. “Good idea.”
“Yeah, Stew thought some sugar might counter the sourness she’d been force-fed today,” she flung at Nor.
Nor had forgotten about Sirena’s boyfriend. Mostly because he hadn’t been around when everything with JT went down, having vanished after also being a victim to JT’s insufferable superiority complex. Well, it was obvious she made a good choice dating him if he thought to get Sirena her favorite things when she’d had a rough day.
“I’ll put a rush on that and get it right out to you,” Reed promised and headed into the kitchen rather than the usual tactic of shouting through the opening.
“For what it’s worth,” Nor mumbled into his lap where his fingers were ripping apart bits of napkin, “I’m sorry.”
She huffed out air. “Don’t apologize to me, buddy. You owe that to Sirena.”
He let out a breath. “I know. I didn’t intend to hurt her.”
“Regretting it now that you’re realizing you picked the wrong side, are you?”
“Yes. No. I regretted it before I did it.” He shook his head. A few bits of napkin fluttered to land on the smudged silver base of the barstool. How could he make her understand while maintaining their confidentiality? How could he ever make it up to Sirena without exposing them? “It had to happen.” He glanced up. She was staring at him with a mix of distrust and anger. Her green eyes, though wary, were reassessing him. So, he spoke directly into them. “I’m trying to... find something, and that meant I needed to ask Shayna Tate about it.” He figured that much was okay. It wasn’t much more than people could infer from watching him cozy up to the girl. “I’m sorry Sirena got hurt in the process. I just couldn’t see a way around it. It pained me to do it.”
S
he huffed again and looked away. “There’s always a way around. You just didn’t try hard enough to find it.”
Nor’s fingers paused on the remaining jagged edge of the napkin. She was right. Mother would have said the same thing. Nor could almost hear her admonishing Father when he had some narrow-minded, over-zealous, extreme plan for a mission that put his team in high-risk situations. Tilly shared more than his Mother’s dress style.
“You’re right.” He looked up. She half-turned toward him, peeking from the corners of her eyes with uncertainty. Her lashes were the same copper tone as her frizz. “I’ll make it up to her.” Somehow. “And I’m going to make sure that the rest of my... search takes the least destructive path from now on.” He meant it. In honor of Mother. Out of respect for Reed and Valerie. To keep alive the Green Team.
Tilly took him in with approval, and a slight smile pulled at her thin, red lips. “You’d better be speaking the truth, Norton Stanley.” He resisted the wince at hearing his full name. Only Father called him Norton. Without knowing it, she’d used a strong obedience tool. “If you go all nice again and pull another one-eighty…” The threat dangled, leaving his imagination to fill what nightmares her wrath might entail.
She was spindly, yet evidence suggested she had a wide network behind her to know everything he did. A dangerous enemy, Tilly had the ability to spread her own rumors, which perhaps superseded the existing stories Nor generated himself, and could likely amass a good number of people to be her backing and muscle, Liam included who was more than twice the strength of his sister based on how he helped manhandle an unconscious JT.
Nor held up his hands; the small portion of white material remaining in his right hand looked like a white flag of surrender. The bits he’d ripped off floated down onto his lap and the floor like falling leaves. “I promise.”
The leeriness on her long, thin face conveyed how little she realized the contractual obligation Nor abided by such a vow. Used to abide by. The last promise he’d made, to Sirena, had been broken, severed ruthlessly by the sword held in his own hand.
