by Lucy Quinn
“Sure. That’s a good plan.”
“Excellent,” Evie said. “Sunshine, hon, I think you can splurge and get a burger too. The diet can start tomorrow.”
Sunshine let out a low growl. “Careful,” Dora said. “She’s very touchy about her weight.”
Windy asked, “Why does Sunshine need a diet? If anything, she needs to put on a couple pounds for what she’s about to go through.”
Go through? Dora envisioned a harrowing journey across the Canadian border in the middle of the night, days without food or water and…
“Wait,” Evie said. “What do you mean by that?”
Windy grinned at them. “She’s pregnant. She and I have known for a while now. I take it you’re just catching on.”
Dora thought about how Sunshine had been eating more than usual, and how every animal she’d encountered was drawn to the pup. She’d certainly had ample opportunity to get pregnant too.
“Oh my god, Sunshine!” Evie exclaimed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Sunshine let out a moan that sounded like annoyance to Dora. She thought about how the dog had growled at them when they’d mentioned her weight. “She tried.”
Evie gasped. “Goodness, who is the father?”
Sunshine hopped into Windy’s lap. “Evie,” Dora warned. “No judgement.”
“I’m not judging. I just want to know what the puppies are going to look like.”
Windy had her forehead against Sunshine’s as if they were communicating telepathically, which Dora was close to believing because Windy said, “I think that’s going to have to remain a surprise. And it will be a wonderful one when the time comes.”
Dora reached over to ruffle the dog’s head. “It sure will. Congratulations, girl. You’re going to be a wonderful mother.”
Sunshine leaned into Dora’s hand and let out a little noise of pleasure.
After the car was filled with gas, the women stopped at a roadside burger joint and sat at a picnic table that overlooked the Pacific Ocean while they waited for their orders. It was unusually warm, and Dora tilted her face toward the sun, trying to enjoy a simple moment that didn’t revolve around running from the police or solving murders.
The moment was short-lived, however, when Windy said, “Matt—Kyle called me right before his death and gave me a set of numbers.”
“What?” Dora whipped her head around. “You didn’t tell us that.”
Windy chewed on her bottom lip, appearing sheepish. “I know. I just wasn’t sure if I could trust you at first. I was going to pass on the information when you got back from town today, but you went and solved the crime before I had a chance. I don’t even know what they mean, anyway.”
“Do you still have the numbers?” Evie asked.
“Sure.” She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and rattled them off, but both Dora and Evie stared at Windy with blank expressions. “You don’t know what they are either then?”
“No idea,” Dora said, annoyed that she couldn’t place a series of numbers. Numbers were her thing. She should be able to place them. But there were too many to be a bank account number, address, phone number, social security number, or any other obvious combinations. She eyed the paper still clutched in Windy’s hand. “Do you think I could see that for a minute?”
“Sure.” Windy handed it over without hesitation, making Dora believe that the woman had come to trust them.
Evie moved to stand over Dora’s shoulder. “It’s not a combination or safe lock. Too many numbers.”
Dora nodded. “I was thinking maybe coordinates. But there are even too many for that too.” She pulled their phone out of her pocket and tapped in the numbers. Nothing at all useful came up. After blowing out a frustrated breath, she ran a hand through her short hair.
“It’s time to call Luke,” Evie said.
Dora turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow. “For what? Just to make myself miss him more?”
Evie gave her a sympathetic look. “No, sweetie. That man seems to know things. Like lock-picking and alligator charming. His talents are… unusual. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he figured this out, too.”
Dora couldn’t argue with that logic. Luke was full of surprises. “All right.” She took a long sip of her soda, delighting in the sweet flavor coating her tongue, and then pulled out a burner phone they’d picked up along the way and dialed his number. After the call, she’d trash it just in case his line was being monitored.
“Hello?” His familiar voice nearly brought tears to her eyes.
“Hey you,” she said.
“Dor,” he practically breathed into the phone. “Are you all right? Did you get the flash drive?”
“Not yet. We’re on our way to pick it up.” She launched into the story of solving Kyle’s murder.
“You handcuffed him to his steering wheel?” Luke asked with a chuckle.
She snorted. “We had to do something, and it was better than tying him up and shoving him in the trunk.”
“That’s what he deserved,” Luke said. “So, you never found out if Kyle killed the woman or if it was her husband?”
“Nope. We just know that Jared killed Kyle, but Kyle left Windy some numbers. We don’t know what they mean, and we figured since you seem to be full of surprises that you might know or be able to figure it out.”
“You never know. Hit me.”
Dora recited the numbers and glanced over at Evie and Windy, who had their heads down while they devoured their burgers. Her stomach growled as she stared at her own untouched lunch.
“Hmm. Could be a combination of numbers or a cipher of some sort. I’ll work on it. Once I figure it out, I’ll find a way to tip off the investigation team.”
Dora was quiet as she thought about what Evie had said about Luke. He did seem to know things. More things than a regular everyday chef should know. “Luke?”
“Yeah?”
“What did you do before you went to culinary school?”
He chuckled. “What most people do. I went to college for a while before I dropped out, and then I worked a variety of odd jobs before I realized I wanted to cook for a living.”
“Odd jobs, huh? Like what?” she asked, intensely curious.
“Too many to list right now,” he said, sounding slightly amused. But then his tone turned serious as he said, “Listen, Dor, I need to see you. Where are you now?”
“Um, should I really be saying that over the phone?” Her heart was beating too rapidly. She wanted to see him more than anything.
“It’s all right. My line is safe.” He said it with such authority that she didn’t even question him.
“Southern Oregon, on the coast. We’re headed east,” she said.
“Can you be in Reno by noon tomorrow?” he asked.
“Um, probably. Let me check.” She pulled up the map on the smartphone and frowned. “It’s a little out of the way.”
“That’s probably better in the long run. You don’t want to take a direct route to your final destination.”
He had a point. She nodded as she said, “Yeah. I can see that.”
“Tomorrow, noon at the London Tower casino. We can meet at the buffet.”
Her mouth watered, and without another thought, she said, “We’ll be there.”
“Good. I’m looking forward to it.” The phone line went dead, and Dora couldn’t help the goofy grin on her face as she rejoined her crew.
23
Evie was tired and cranky and seriously ready for a decent hotel room. The VW Bug wasn’t nearly as comfortable as the bus had been. At least in the bus she’d have been able to spread out in the back and take a nap while Dora or Windy drove. Instead, she’d been cramped in the back seat with Sunshine, who was stretched out taking up even more room than Evie was.
“Are we almost there yet?” Evie said, rubbing her eyes.
“Ten more miles, Evie,” Windy called over her shoulder from the driver’s seat. Dora had her head against the window and appeared to
be asleep.
How Dora could sleep when she knew she was going to see Luke shortly was beyond Evie. If she knew Trace was going to be waiting for her at the casino, she’d have been bouncing in her seat. As it was, she could barely keep the green-eyed monster at bay. She was so jealous she could spit. The ache in her heart was getting to her. It had been too long since she’d seen or heard from her man.
Twenty minutes later, after hitting a minor traffic jam, Windy pulled into a large parking lot, and the three of them, along with Sunshine, unfolded themselves from the small car.
“Oh, ouch,” Dora said, holding her lower back with both hands. “I need a massage in the worst way.”
“I bet Luke will help you with that,” Evie muttered under her breath and instantly felt like a jerk for being so grumpy.
Dora put her arm around her friend and pulled her in for a side hug. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t have to. Evie knew that was Dora’s way of sympathizing.
“I love you, Dor.”
“I know, Evie.”
Windy paused to pick Sunshine up in her arms. “I’ll carry you, girl. I know it’s hard walking for three or four.”
Evie rolled her eyes at the other woman, but her lips twitched with amusement. She was mostly over her jealousy. Windy hadn’t been anything but wonderful to her dog, and Evie had to admit that a girl in Sunshine’s condition could use all the friends she could get.
“Let’s move,” Dora said. “I’m starving.”
“Starving for a piece of that man-meat waiting for you at the buffet,” Evie shot back.
Dora laughed. “Sure, but if there are crab legs, he’s going to have competition.”
“Well, of course. Crab legs trump almost everything.” She winked at her friend, and the two of them followed Windy into the casino, arm in arm.
Once they were inside, Evie trailed behind Dora, unable to face seeing her reunite with Luke. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see her friend happy, she was just having trouble coping with the fact that she was missing Trace so much. It would be easier if she let them have their reunion to themselves. “Hey, Dora?”
Dora paused and glanced back at her. “Yeah?”
“I think I’m gonna splurge a little and play the slots for a minute.” She held up a five-dollar bill. “I deserve a little fun, right?”
Pursing her lips, Dora studied her for a minute. Then something shifted in her gaze as if she understood that Evie needed a moment to herself. “Sure. When you’ve had enough, come look for me at the buffet.”
Evie gave her a grateful smile just as Sunshine ran up and clawed gently at her shin. “Hey, sweetie pie. You want to play the slots with me?”
Sunshine wagged her tail and licked Evie’s leg.
Laughing, Evie picked her up. “You sure do know how to have a good time.”
“That’s for sure,” Windy said. “Sexy time with half the town of Clamshell Cove and now gambling. All she needs is a cocktail and she’d be the talk of the town.”
“No booze for the mama-to-be, but Grandma could use a mimosa.” Evie took a seat at the nearest slot machine and waved over one of the cocktail waitresses and ordered her drink.
“I’m off to the play craps,” Windy said and gave them both a finger wave.
Dora and Evie watched her go. Finally, Dora shook her head. “Any bets she runs the table?”
Evie snickered. “I wouldn’t be surprised. Go. See your man. Sunshine and I are gonna see how far we can get on this five bucks.”
Dora squeezed her shoulder, gave her a grateful smile, and then took off so fast it made Evie laugh. She was glad for her friend. She just couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for herself. “Ready to play some quarters, Sunshine?” she asked her dog.
Sunshine, who was sitting on Evie’s lap, let out a little yip and pawed at the buttons on the machine.
Laughing, Evie fed her five-dollar bill into the machine. She knew it wouldn’t last long since she was at a quarter machine, but she didn’t really care. As long as she got her mimosa and a chance to collect herself, that was all that mattered.
She turned her attention to the machine and let out a bark of laughter when she noticed it was called Puppy Princesses. The graphics were all toy breed dogs, each of them dolled up with bows and tiaras. “Looks like this is the perfect game for you, Sunshine. Get five princess pups in a row, and we’ll be rolling in the quarters.”
The cocktail waitress arrived with Evie’s mimosa. Evie handed her a tip and a grateful smile. “Right on time.”
The waitress patted Sunshine’s head and said, “Good luck, girl. I hope you hit the jackpot.”
“You and me both,” Evie said and raised the glass in a mock toast. Once the waitress moved on, Evie took a long sip and watched as Sunshine smacked her paw on the play button. The machine spun and stopped on a row of hearts that earned Sunshine back her money. “Nice. Let’s see what else you can do.”
On Evie’s command, Sunshine hit the button again and was completely transfixed as the machine whirled and this time landed on a row of three cats and two dogs. Since the cats weren’t in a row, there was no payout. “You were robbed.”
Sunshine bobbed her head and hit the button again. This time when the wheel stopped, five puppies with tiaras were all in a row, and the machine was making a loud chiming noise, indicating they’d hit the jackpot.
“Oh my freaking cow! Sunshine, you did it!” She lifted her pup into the air and twirled her around in excitement.
“I always knew Sunshine was lucky,” a familiar voice said from behind her.
Trace.
Evie spun around, still holding Sunshine tightly in her arms. Unless her eyes were deceiving her, the tall rock star with brilliant blue eyes was right there, staring at her. Her heart got lodged in her throat as her eyes stung with tears. “You’re here.”
“I’m here.” He flashed her a bright smile and engulfed both Evie and Sunshine into a bear hug.
“Careful,” Evie said with a laugh. “We’re going to be grandparents.”
Trace pulled back and looked down at her. “What?”
She stared up at him with watery eyes. “Sunshine is pregnant. We’re having puppies.”
“Oh? Who’s the lucky father?”
Evie shrugged. “No idea. Let’s hope he was cute.”
Trace laughed. “Any puppy of Sunshine’s is bound to be adorable.”
Evie leaned into him, pressing her face into his neck. “How did you get here?”
“Luke.” There was no need for any other explanation, and Evie reminded herself to thank the man later.
“I missed you,” Evie said, just breathing him in.
“I missed you, too, Evie girl.”
She wasn’t sure how long they stood there, but eventually one of the casino workers came over to deal with the blaring slot machine. Once he reset the machine, he handed Evie a receipt.
“Congratulations,” he said. “You’re three hundred dollars richer.”
Evie clutched the slip and then looked down at Sunshine. “I need to take you gambling more often.”
Trace lifted one of Sunshine’s paws and Evie gave her a high five.
“Today is turning out to be a lot better than I ever imagined,” Evie said, leaning into Trace as he guided them through the casino.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
Now that she wasn’t pining for her man, her stomach was starting to rumble. “Yes, actually.”
“Good. Me, too. Buffet?”
“Please.” They made their way over to the large buffet. On the way, they passed Windy, who was holding court at one of the tables. The older woman let out a whoop of excitement as she jumped up out of her chair and spun around.
Sunshine lifted her head and let out a bark, claiming Windy’s attention.
“Hey, sweetheart. Do you like craps?” Windy asked the dog.
Sunshine wiggled her little body, clearly ready to spend time with her other favorite person.
“Bring it on, Sunshine. Let’s do this.” Windy held Sunshine close and slid back into her chair.
Evie waited and watched as Windy asked Sunshine to blow on the dice. A moment later, another cheer went up, indicating Windy had won again.
Chuckling, Evie and Trace left Sunshine in Windy’s care and went to find Dora and Luke.
24
Dora sat next to Luke, her thigh pressing up against his, and decided she never wanted to leave the casino’s buffet. The place had everything she needed: unlimited refills of Bloody Marys, crab legs, and the sexy man she’d missed more than she cared to admit.
“You must’ve been hungry,” he said, eyeing the pile of cracked crab legs.
“You have no idea. We stopped for lunch yesterday, but we’ve mostly been surviving on road trip snacks.” She took a long sip of her Bloody Mary and sighed when the spicy concoction hit her tongue. So good.
“Do you want to know what I found out about those numbers?” he asked.
“I do!” Evie slipped into the booth across from them. “But I need food first.”
Dora glanced at the buffet. “No one is stopping you from grabbing a plate.”
“I’ll get it,” Trace said.
Evie beamed up at him. “Tons of crab, a couple of rolls, and whatever else looks good.”
“I’m on it.”
“And—” she started.
“Something for Sunshine,” he finished and winked before slipping into line.
Evie sighed. “Isn’t he the best?”
A waitress arrived and took her drink order. Evie requested a mimosa and ice water. When she was gone, Evie turned her attention to Luke. “Okay, I’m ready. What do you know?”
He smirked. “The numbers were coordinates and a PO box number.”
Dora’s eyes widened. “I never thought of that. Makes sense though. I wonder what’s in that box.”
“Evidence,” Luke said. “There was a phone with video of Roland Mitchem shooting his wife and then turning the gun on Kyle. He shot at Kyle but missed. And by some miracle, Kyle got away before the man could finish him off. It turns out Kyle was supposed to testify for the prosecution, but he got spooked and bugged out. The investigators in charge of the case think Jared threatened Kyle’s mother unless he disappeared. But that wasn’t enough for Jared. He was trying to protect his dad, and that’s why he tracked Kyle down and killed him. It was quite the messy family drama.”
