ELEVEN
At six, I pulled up in front of Kitty’s place. She had told me to come alone. So I was sort of surprised to see an unfamiliar black Charger in the driveway. The kind that could outrun a red Mustang. I had to force myself to walk past it to the front door. Fast cars are my weakness, and I’m not good with temptation.
The door was unlocked, so I walked right in.
“Hello?”
“We’re back here,” yelled Kitty.
I plunked my purse down on the bench and continued down the hall. I stopped dead in the doorway.
The living room had become one big spiderweb. And that was me, the fly, looking directly at the spider.
“Hi, Red.” Mac grinned at me. He was standing by the back window, holding a beer. “You look good in civvies.” He eyed my slim jeans and wraparound red blouse.
“For crissake!” I turned to Kitty. “A little warning maybe?”
She shrugged her small shoulders and looked innocent. But I knew better. I was beginning to suspect Kitty had an agenda beyond the job at hand.
“I needed the advice of a security expert,” she said. “Since there was already one involved with this case…”
I plunked down on the cream couch. “But can he be trusted?”
She waved away my concern with her hand and became all businesslike. “That’s taken care of. We have mutual business interests. Now listen to this, Del. We’ve been doing research. We know our con artist’s name is Maria Perez. No police record. Hardly any personal info. It’s probably one of her aliases.”
“She rents a small bungalow in Aldershot,” said Mac. “Right in the middle of don’t-notice-me land.” Aldershot was a leafy suburb on the lake, peopled mainly by retired folk.
“Unlikely to be much security, according to Mac here. It’s a rental, after all,” said Kitty. “Landlords don’t pay for extras.”
I nodded. She would know, being a landlord herself.
Mac leaned back against the sliding glass doors. “You’d be surprised how many thieves don’t bother to secure their own homes. Must think they’re the only bad guys around, for some reason.”
I watched him with interest. Perhaps he had something there. First thing next week, I was going to look into increasing security for my little condo.
I addressed Kitty again. “So. What’s your plan? How do we get her out of the house?”
Kitty smiled. “Leave that to me. She will be out of the house tomorrow night.”
I cocked my head at her. I could ask what she had in mind. Or I could let it go. Did I really need to know everything?
Kitty had lots of connections I didn’t know about. Probably I didn’t want to know about them.
Safer to let it go.
“Okay,” I said. “So we make plans for tomorrow night. I can understand why you would want to pick Mac’s brain about the likelihood of us running into trouble with security systems. But why is he still here?”
Kitty reached for her wineglass on the glass coffee table. “Well, that’s exactly it, Del. These are just educated guesses. We can’t predict everything.”
I grinned. “So you’ve conned him into coming along with me to steal back the necklace. For security reasons. To sweep and protect.” I chuckled at my own joke.
“What?” asked Mac.
I turned to him. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? She’s got you playing Little John to my Robin Hood. Welcome to the Merry Band.”
“Del,” said Kitty. “Stop torturing the poor man.”
Mac looked like he had been hit by a truck. “I need to talk to her alone. Do you mind?” he said to Kitty.
A satisfied smile spread across her face. “Be my guest. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
We watched her amble into the hall and shut the door behind her.
Mac turned back to me.
“Are you completely nuts?” he said.
It was nice to see our relationship had progressed to this stage.
“You don’t have to come along,” I said reasonably. “That was Kitty’s idea, not mine. I can do this alone with Ritz.” We’d certainly done things like it before. Not always successfully, mind you.
I decided to get a little devious. “Dino won’t be there, if that’s what’s worrying you. He’s stuck in New York.” I counted on the fact that Mac hadn’t forgotten who’d given him the broken nose.
He glared at me. His voice got lower and meaner. “I’m not worried about Dino. I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.”
Bull’s-eye! I had to hide my smile. No man likes to be reminded of a fight he didn’t win. Looking at him now, I had no doubt Mac could hold his own against any of my relatives. He obviously worked out. I felt a rush of desire. Control yourself, Del.
He was taut like a spring now. Kept hitting one big fist against the palm of his other hand.
“It’s one thing to keep my mouth shut about things that don’t concern me.” He was talking about not reporting us to the police after that earlier job, no doubt.
He continued. “And it’s one thing to provide advice from a distance. Happy to do that for a good client like your aunt. I’m a security pro. Hell, I manage a security company.”
“A really good one,” I agreed. “All my uncles agree.”
Mac shot me another look. It was wicked of me to play the uncle card, I admit.
“I get a lot of business from your family. But this goes a little beyond the usual service agreement. ”
I cleared my throat. “It’s merely a different type of surveillance. You could tell us what we need to avoid. From a safe distance. Outside. You wouldn’t have to go into the house. Just look the place over. Let me know the score.” I was beginning to see the wisdom in it. Kitty was right. We could use an expert set of eyes. Also a lookout, since Dino wasn’t going to be there.
Mac frowned. “And I would be doing this…why? Other than to keep in good with your family.”
“To bring a bit of justice to the world. To take down a really evil con artist.” I pointed a finger at him. “Maria Perez is bad through and through. I hate people who steal from others.” I hated even more the people who tried to pull one over on me. But that was a given.
I had to appeal to his code of honor. My pride was at stake, so I ramped up the pleading. “Come on, Mac! Where’s your sense of justice? We’re doing a good thing with this job. We’re going to take back that necklace and return it to its rightful owner.”
Those warm brown eyes squinted at me. “How do I know you’re really going to give back the necklace instead of just keeping it yourself?”
“Don’t be stupid.” Now I did sound exasperated.
He folded his arms across his chest. “Explain.”
I said each word slowly, as if talking to a child. “If we were going to keep the necklace, we would have done so in the first place. Instead of handing it over to Maria.”
It took a few seconds for that to sink in. Then he nodded. “Fair enough.”
“So you’re in?” I watched his face carefully.
There was a moment of awkward silence. He ran a big hand through his thick hair.
“I’m not exactly sure why I’m doing this,” he said.
“There’s another reason. Because you have the hots for me and have since high school,” I said brightly.
He barked a harsh laugh. “Tell me the plan,” he said.
TWELVE
I told him the plan.
“I always had a thing for Robin Hood. And particularly for Maid Marian,” he said at last.
“Which reminds me. We should all wear black hoodies. And dark glasses.“
“I thought you said there was no chance of being caught,” said Mac.
Oops. “Hardly any chance. This way, hardly any chance of be
ing identified either.”
“From a distance,” said Mac. He folded his arms across his chest.
“Do you really plan to stick around for a close-up?” I shot back. “Mac, if you’re afraid, you don’t have to do this.”
“I’m not afraid. I’m just…” He struggled for words. “You’re a complete wacko. You know that, right?”
“Not at all,” I said primly. “I’m merely an ordinary gal who sees a lot of wrong happening in the world and wants to right it.”
“Ordinary.” Mac shook his head. “Are all the women in your family so damned fearless?”
“Wait until you meet my mother.” I shivered for effect.
It took about an hour to go over all the details with Kitty. After that, Mac and I left the house together. I could almost feel the heat from his body as he walked beside me. I snuck a glance at him, catching the strong body and rugged face in profile.
The night air was crisp, but I felt uncomfortably warm all over.
I lingered by his Charger as he clicked open the lock.
“Hot car,” I said. “Hope you have good security on that.”
Mac gave me that crooked smile. “Why? Are you planning to steal it?”
I turned back to my car. “Nope. I like my Pony. Suits me.”
“A red Mustang. How fitting.” Mac shook his head. “I always had a thing for wild horses.”
“Can’t be tamed,” I said, walking over to the driver’s side.
“Now that sounds like a challenge,” Mac said softly.
It was dark. It was the next night. I was feeling antsy.
“I wish Dino was back,” I said.
Ritz looked over at me. “Why? He’s not a security whiz like this Mac guy.”
“I don’t know,” I said, hugging my arms to my chest. “I’m getting bad vibes.”
“Oh no.” Ritz groaned. “Not another one of your premonitions.”
“That’s why I wish Dino was here. He takes my premonitions seriously.” Unlike some people, I said to myself.
We had parked down the road from Maria Perez’s house. It was a really quiet street. Not a soul in sight. As per the plan, Mac was going to drive a Stonehouse Security van and park it in the driveway. That way, we would look semi-legit if anyone saw us lurking around the place.
In the rearview mirror of the Mustang, I saw Mac pull the van into the driveway. “Let’s go,” I said to Ritz. I flung myself out of the car and pocketed the keys. I left the doors unlocked in case we needed to get away quickly.
Mac had gone the whole route. Not only did he have the van, but he was wearing a Stonehouse Security jacket and a ballcap with the company logo on it. I stayed back across the street as he walked up the sidewalk to the front door.
I couldn’t see what he was doing there, but he didn’t stay very long. I saw him go around the corner of the house to check the side door and a few windows. A few minutes later he joined us across the street.
“The place is clean. No security system. Just a deadbolt on the front door.”
“I can take care of that,” said Ritz.
Mac looked at me, all curious.
I shrugged. “Her dad owns The Lock on Locke. You know, the locksmiths in Hamilton.”
“I can open anything,” said Ritz. “And this doesn’t even take explosives.”
I saw Mac swallow.
“Are you carrying…?” he said.
“No, she isn’t,” I said. I hoped she wasn’t. “Come on, Ritz. Mac, you stay in the van, like you’re writing up an order. Text me if you see trouble coming.”
“Will do,” he said.
Ritz and I waited for him to cross the street and disappear into the van. Then we scooted across the street and up the sidewalk.
The house was all in darkness. It was one of those low yellow-brick bungalows that would have been desirable in the 1960s. Not huge but neat and well kept on the outside. Completely unremarkable. Thus perfect for staying under the radar.
I took all this in as Ritz tripped the lock with her tools. It took less than three minutes. I timed her, as is my habit. Ridiculous how easy that was for her to do.
We hurried into the house and closed the door behind us. We didn’t need to turn on the lights because the streetlight shone through the front window.
“Check the bedrooms,” I said. “I’ll do the fridge.”
Ritz nodded and scurried down the hall.
I could see the kitchen off to the left. It’s a curious thing, but many people hide their valuables in plastic containers in the freezer. They think it’s safer than a bedroom. This house might have a freezer downstairs, but I was counting on the fact that it was a rental. No extras included.
It was an old-fashioned fridge in an equally dated kitchen. The freezer was on the top, unlike in most appliances sold today. I opened it. Hardly anything there. A few microwave dinners and ice-cube trays. Sort of like mine at home.
I closed the freezer and pulled out a kitchen chair to wait for Ritz.
I could have continued searching, but honestly, Ritz was better at it than I was. And chances were, she’d find something in the master bedroom.
So I looked around the kitchen and wondered what it would be like to live there. With a husband and family. Children. Did I want children? Yes, I had to admit I’d always wanted kids. And I was getting on. Thirty-five was staring me in the face. Time was running out.
But you needed a husband to have kids. Well, at least a man, for part of the process.
Then I wondered about Mac. Did he want kids?
Bad train of thought, I scolded myself. But I couldn’t resist. Maybe he did have kids. I’d never asked him. Had he been married before? I needed to ask Kitty. She’d know, or she could find out. I could text her. She was on standby anyway, ready to text me if anything went wrong at her end.
That’s when I realized I had left my cell phone in the car.
Crap. It would be sitting there in the cup holder, having a nice little sleep. It wouldn’t alert me to anything.
I groaned. Served me right for being so infatuated with a man. I only ever slipped up when my mind was on a man.
Everything is okay, I told myself. You can check by peeking out the front door. I rose from the chair and started for the foyer.
“Here, catch!” said Ritz. She was already in the hall. I put my hands up in time to catch a small flannel sack with a drawstring.
“Damn you, Ritz! I might have dropped it.”
“Diamonds don’t break,” she said.
I loosened the drawstring and peered in the bag. “Holy shit, Ritz. There’s more than our necklace in here.”
“Insurance,” she said.
I was going to quiz her about what she meant by that when I heard a sound.
The door swung open before I could reach it. Mac stood on the front step, and he wasn’t alone. Maria Perez was directly behind him, and she had a gun.
THIRTEEN
“Get inside.” Maria poked the gun into Mac’s back.
Mac walked over the door sill and into the hall. His face was a portrait in fury. I had obviously missed a few texts. But he had allowed himself to be caught while on sentry duty. That was a whole lot worse. I would have felt sorry for him, but I was doing my best to clear my head of all emotion.
I needed a clear head.
Maria kept the gun steady as she closed the door behind her. I couldn’t tell the make of gun from here, but it looked like she knew how to use it.
“I thought you were mob,” said Maria, looking at me. “Your big boy here seems like a novice. What are you doing, running a daycare?”
I could see Mac stiffen at that.
I shrugged. “Everyone has to start somewhere.”
So far, Maria had seen only
me. I was holding the bag of goodies. Ritz had retreated back into the shadows behind her.
Hopefully, Maria wouldn’t even know Ritz was there.
“Put the jewelry down,” Maria said. Her voice was ice cold.
I should have been scared. In truth, my heart was beating triple time. But I’d go to hell and back before I’d show fear to this dame.
“Nope,” I said. All eyes swung to me.
Ritz moved a little to the right. She could take Maria out with a karate chop, I knew. But she had to get close enough to reach her.
“The jewelry.” Maria gestured with her free hand. “Put it on the table there, or I’ll shoot.”
I glanced at the little hall table. Then I looked back at her. “Nope,” I said again.
“Huh?” Maria said.
“No you won’t.” I shrugged again. Big, nonchalant shrug. Like I didn’t have a care in the world.
“Won’t what?” asked Mac. He was clearly baffled. Probably from having watched too many cop shows. They always get it wrong in cop shows.
“Won’t shoot,” I said with confidence. I turned back to address Maria. “See? There are two of us. You can maybe shoot one of us. But the other will jump you. And we’re mob-trained,” I said. Well, I was. I didn’t know about Mac. “So you won’t leave this room alive.” I was actually relishing this moment.
“And you’re willing to take that chance?” The gun moved to aim at me.
“Sweetheart, more to the point, are you?” I was pretty sure about this. “You kill me, he kills you. No question about that. So we’re no further ahead. Is this a good day to die, sister?”
The gun drooped a bit. She was clearly thinking it through. We all waited in silence.
“So what do you suggest?” she said.
Think, Del. Think! “A compromise. We take the Morton necklace. You get to keep the rest of the haul. We all go home happy.” Except she was already home. And she didn’t look very happy.
I was right about that. This woman didn’t look sane. A black look crossed her face. “No, I don’t think so,” she said. Her eyes shone like a madwoman’s, and she lifted the gun.
The Case of the Angry First Wife Page 5
