I read an article about brain injuries and all the problems that people with brain injuries can have with the way their brain works. How they have problems with memories and how it affects people differently. Ever since then, I’ve been thinking about all the different times I’ve been clunked in the head. I’m beginning to wonder if somewhere along the line, someone hit me one too many times.
Like when Seamus smacked me with the swing or when Teagan thumped me with the frying pan. Both were accidents, but your brain isn’t any less broken just because it was unintentional. It would explain a lot. When I asked Teagan what she thought, she said I was just what I am and to stop trying to figure out my weirdness.
Big help.
She was still talking. “We need to get back to the office to talk to the security people. I got this.” She snagged the dinner check. “I’ll call you if anything happens. Call me when you figure out what you’re arguing with yourself about.”
“How did you know?”
“Really? Dingleberry, I can read your mind. It’s really very scary in there.”
“You have no idea.”
When we got home, A.J. spent some quality uncle time with Evelyn while Suzi and I chatted in the kitchen. I did some prep work for tomorrow. I plan on doing some serious cooking and stocking up Jessie’s mother’s freezer. I haven’t done it in a while, and I do my best thinking while I’m cooking.
That’s not true.
Shower and cleaning thinking is probably the best, but I intend to do some cleaning tomorrow, too. One of the things I love about this house is it basically keeps itself clean. Either that or there is just so much more room there’s a place for everything and everything gets stuffed back in its place.
Suzi was such a slob before she had Evelyn. I couldn’t convince her that staying organized just makes your life easier. I’m organized because I’m basically lazy. I don’t like looking for things. If I’m organized, I know where everything is.
Suzi says now that she has Evelyn, she understands the concept, and she’d much rather spend a few minutes folding the laundry and putting it away while Evelyn is asleep in the evening than run around in the morning trying to find the other purple sock.
I feel like I saved her from the dark side, so maybe there is more to it than just being lazy.
Once Evelyn and Suzi were headed up to bed, A.J. and I settled in a bit. I was trying to decide if I was awake enough to take a shower and change into loungewear when he brought me a cup of tea — I’m still amazed he makes such a good cup of tea — and sat next to me. That usually means we aren’t going to discuss anything. If he wants to talk to me, he usually sits across from me so he can look me in the eye.
“I need to talk to you about a couple of things.”
I blinked a few times. “That’s supposed to be my line.”
He didn’t laugh. “This thing with your sister is getting serious. Gordon is dead. You and your sister need to back away and let the cops figure it out.”
“We aren’t doing anything.” Why did I feel so defensive? Probably because he’s right, but I’m not ready to admit that out loud.
“Every time your sister feels like there is any danger, she generously shares that danger with you. Do you have any idea how much that scares me?”
I started to get angry. I’m not real clear on why, but I’m real clear on how much. I went from lovely evening to pissed-beyond-reason in about three seconds.
“We are family. That will never change. I’m not going to tell Teagan that I won’t be there for her.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“Then what are you asking me to do?”
“I’m asking you to be careful and to let me or Jessie know when Teagan lights the family Bat Signal.”
“What?”
“When Teagan calls you, she does so because she needs your help thinking things through. That means she isn’t thinking all that clearly, and you’re the one that has to be reasonable.”
The way his voice changed when he said I was the one that had to be reasonable was so cute I had to laugh. My anger gauge went down about seventeen points.
He continued. “All we are asking is when you guys are going to put yourself in danger, which Jessie and I are one hundred percent sure you’re going to do, that you let us know first. Like tonight, you guys didn’t call until it was all over.”
“Nothing happened.”
“Yeah, well, we want to make sure that if something does happen, we are there before it happens.”
“So you and Jessie have decided that you’re in charge of keeping me and Teagan safe?”
He knew he was walking on thin ice — between old-fashioned O’Flynn girls and independent women of today — but he nodded the affirmative anyway.
“Thank you.”
“What? I thought you were going to be mad.”
“Because you love me enough to worry about me? Nope. You don’t need to worry, Teagan and I aren’t going to do anything stupid, but I like the fact that you guys worry.”
I have no idea what the other things he wanted to talk about might be. We never got around to discussing anything else.
I love my life.
NINE
OKAY, SO DOING something stupid only took about twelve hours, but it isn’t my fault.
Teagan called. Early. “Dingleberry, what are you doing today?”
“I’ve got some work to do, and then I’m planning my wedding. I think maybe it’s time for us to back off and let the police figure all this out. Or the team that you put together using Adeline’s people can handle it. We shouldn’t be messing around in this stuff, Teagan.”
“A.J. got to you. Fine, I’ll do it myself.”
“What do you mean, A.J. got to me?”
“Jessie had the same conversation with me last night. To leave it alone. Not to step in anything.”
“All A.J. asked of me was that if I’m gonna do anything stupid, which means doing anything with you, that I let him know the plan before I do it.”
“Jessie wasn’t that understanding. He told me to back off. Plain and simple.”
“And yet, here you are calling me.”
“Jessie doesn’t make my professional life decisions. Or any of my decisions for that matter. He’s welcome to give me his opinion, and I will listen and take it into consideration, but he doesn’t rule my life.”
“Why is it that when I wasn’t involving A.J. in my stuff, you got all huffy and said I wasn’t being a real girlfriend? Now, your fiancé asks pretty much the same kind of consideration you expected of me, and it’s all about him trying to control you.”
“Because you aren’t me, and I’m not you, and are you going to do this or not?”
“Depends. What is this?”
“Lola is coming over to talk to the head of human resources. They’re going to tell her that Gord didn’t have the insurance she wants to collect on. He didn’t work for me long enough for it to kick in.”
“Head of human resources? Really? I thought that what’s-her-name just handed out booklets when you guys hired someone, and if anything else came up, it was a meeting over donuts in the break room. I didn’t know you guys got so fancy.”
“We didn’t. The head of human resources is actually a cop that’s coming in to talk to her and maybe figure something out. We moved all the crap out of my old office last night and put a desk and some other stuff in there so that it looks pretty official. We put up a nameplate and everything. Thank God for twenty-four hour stores. I would have bet my retirement that you couldn’t get a nameplate done at three in the morning.”
“When did all this get started?”
“After dinner last night. I went back to the office, and we talked to the security guy. He called a friend of his on the force. It’s a long story, but I think there’s a lot going on that we don’t know about. This could actually turn out more like that ridiculous story you came up with last night than you ever could have imagined.”
&nb
sp; “You think the Fishers were really in cahoots with the Gryzbowskis? I can’t see Mr. Fisher and Honey with the likes of Gord and Lola planning some great heist.”
“Cahoots? Heist? Cara, you sound farcical.”
“Farcical? You’re one to talk. Where do you want me, and when? I swear, Teagan, if you get me killed, I’m gonna be mad at you forever.”
“I promise not to get you killed. I’m pretty sure you won’t even get maimed. At least, nothing that will show for the wedding. And I promise, once we get this done, I’ll help you plan your dream wedding. You’re doing it at your own house, right? How hard can it be? We can get it wrapped up in a couple of days.”
“Thanks for wanting to rush through the preparations of one of the most important days of my life. I feel the love.”
“Not the wedding planning, dingleberry. I was talking about getting the problems here at the office wrapped up in a couple of days. Then I promise you will have my undivided attention. We’ll get everybody together, and we’ll plan the wedding of your dreams.”
“Okay. That’s better. Now I won’t have to run you over with my car.”
“Where did that come from? Why would you run me over with your car?”
“I wouldn’t. It would really hurt my feelings if you forced me into doing something like that.”
“You’ve officially lost your mind, Cara.”
“No, you drop kicked it out the window years ago.”
“Okay, I’m on my way to the office. Lola will be there at nine. Probably earlier because she’s really anxious. Don’t be late.”
“I’m never late.” I knocked on the table just because I probably jinxed my never-lateness and knocking on wood can fix that sort of thing. “You never told me what I’m doing.”
“Come business casual. See you at eight forty five.” And she hung up on me.
I filled A.J. in on what I knew, which wasn’t much. Just that there would be a cop there, which made him feel better and worse all at the same time.
The good news is the cop would protect me.
The bad news is there was reason to have a cop there.
There was a time in my life when business casual would have meant jeans and a t-shirt, but I’ve grown.
I pulled on a white long-sleeved blouse and some really cute black dress pants that are almost a cigarette pant, and did my makeup. Before I left the house, I added a black ribbon tie that I’ve had forever, and I don’t think I’ve ever worn. A cute fitted black blazer and really well-constructed black ballet flats — I love being tall, I can get away with flats when others would require heels — and some basic jewelry, and I was good to go.
I got to Teagan’s office half an hour before Lola was expected and was surprised to see her. She wasn’t at the office; she was sitting across the street at the end of the row of taxis parked across from the office building at all times of the day. I’ve never quite figured out why they park there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone get in one of their cars.
Lola was staring hard.
You would think she’d be staring at the spot where her loving husband was killed, but she wasn’t. She was staring at the front door. Obviously waiting.
I pulled in the parking lot for the bank kitty-corner from my sister’s building and called her.
“Don’t even tell me you aren’t coming.”
“I’m here. At the bank.”
“Why are you at the bank?”
“I just drove past your building, and Lola is sitting at the end of the taxi line, staring at your door. Are you in the building yet?”
“No, they told me to come in about the same time I always do. I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes, which is why I asked you to be there in fifteen minutes.”
“I have visions of her running across the street and confronting you before you can even get in the door.”
“Why would she hurt me if she is trying to get insurance money from me?”
“Maybe the sound of you going kersplat on her windshield is more important to her than money that any moron would know she wasn’t going to get.”
“If she believed that, why did she show up asking questions?”
“So she could be close enough to strangle you?”
“She’s been close enough to strangle me more than once.”
“There have always been people around that would help you. If she kersplats you… ”
“Enough with the kersplats, dingleberry. I’ll go in the back way.”
“Didn’t the cops tell you to do everything the way you normally do?”
“You’re right.”
“I’m not even going to make you say that again. I’m going to sit right here in the parking lot where I can see her. When you park your car, before you get out, call me. I’ll watch your back while you walk in. If she even moves, I’ll do a little kersplatting of my own.”
“You’re being overly dramatic, Cara.”
“Maybe, but if I lost you, I would lose my mind, so just humor me.”
“I’ll call.”
I saw Teagan drive up a few minutes later.
She really needs to wash her car. That worries me. Teagan’s car is always perfect. You can tell a lot about a person by how far out of her normal she is.
She disappeared into the parking lot, and a couple moments later, my phone chirped. Scared the crap out of me even though I fully expected the call. It’s just that Teagan usually takes a minute to get out of the car. Checks her makeup. Grabs her bag and briefcase. That kind of thing.
“I’m here, dingleberry.”
“I see that.”
“Has Lola moved?”
“Nope, still seems to be staring into space.”
“She hasn’t moved at all?”
“Not a muscle.”
“Crap. I hope she’s not sitting there dead.”
“What are the chances?”
“I guess about the same that her husband was over here dead in the parking lot.”
“Okay, you’re freaking me out, Teagan.”
Just as Teagan was reaching for the door handle, either Lola adjusted herself in the seat, or rigor mortis took over.
“She moved. She isn’t making any effort to come kill you — I don’t think — but she moved.”
“Good. Give it a few, and then come on in.”
I arrived at the door at exactly the same time as Lola. It was an accident, but if it ever comes up, I’m taking full credit for genius.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning. You’re Teagan’s sister, right?”
“Yes, ma’am. I work for her part-time on an as-needed basis. Whenever she needs help.”
“No offense, but your sister needs more help than you can give her, and I don’t mean the clerical type.”
“No offense taken. You aren’t the first to say that.” I gave her a smile. I know that was a mean thing to say about Teagan and everything, but I was trying to build a bond with Lola in the time it takes to get to the reception desk.
Lola muttered. “I don’t know if I would work for her. You can end up dead.”
What a strange thing for a new widow to say. She didn’t seem the least upset by the fact that her husband lay bleeding in the parking lot just past the glass doors not all that long ago.
Maybe she is a gypsy because she seemed to read my mind.
“I know I don’t seem all that upset about my Gordie being killed and all, but you have to understand, I leave all that to God. You know, being a preacher and all.”
That seemed like the least wifely and least preachery thing I’d ever heard. I gave her a warm smile and told her that I understood. Which I totally don’t.
Before anything else could be said, Lindsey showed up from around the corner. She greeted me first, which seemed natural. Even if having the boss’s personal assistant show up at the desk before she was asked for was a little heavy-handed. Still, it hardly seemed like they had a whole sting operation going on in the other room. “Cara,
I’m glad you could make it. We are upside down with the transition and new business we’ve got going on. Teagan asked if you could just hang out in the conference room until I can get all the needed documents to you. That would be great.”
“No problem. I’m gonna get a cup of tea. Then I’ll head that way.”
I headed toward the little supply cart. Not because I wanted tea. Because I wanted to listen.
Lindsey talked to the receptionist for a minute or two.
I guess it would look bad if they brought Lola straight back. Most boss-type people keep you waiting even if they don’t have anything pressing to do. It’s like making sure that you are always at the head of the table or that your chair is higher so that you look down at the people you are dealing with. Old-school, but it still works. Humans haven’t changed as much as they give themselves credit for.
Lindsey addressed Lola.
“Ms. Gryzbowski, if you would follow me, please?”
What good is it to accidentally on purpose overhear this stuff if they aren’t going to say anything worth hearing?
Teagan hasn’t filled me in on any of it. I’m flying blind.
I was shuffling back to the conference room, trying hard to make the short walk last as long as possible just in case there was something to hear or see, when someone grabbed me and pulled me into an office.
I didn’t scream.
Not because it didn’t scare the royal bejesus out of me, but because I was concentrating on not spilling my tea.
Teagan was standing in front of me. She whispered so quietly I’m not sure if I heard her or read her lips. “You did good. Sorry, I couldn’t figure out how else to get you in here.”
I met her tone and volume. “What’s going on?”
She just pointed. Wedged between a couple of computers that looked like they lived there all the time, I could see a setup — not like the ones they show you on television — that was snooping on what was happening on the other side of the wall. There were cords and wires hanging everywhere and it wasn’t the neat professional appearance we have all become accustomed to when thinking we are watching reality TV.
A really big and extraordinarily handsome guy — I’m guessing a cop — tried to stand, but satisfied himself with the cutest half smile and a wave.
Strong Tea Page 14
