by Diane Bator
“Is that poison?” Gilda asked over his shoulder. “No wonder he died. I didn’t think those ninja stars alone would kill him. There’s not enough blood.”
“May I remind you that I’m the cop and you shouldn’t even be near the crime scene?” Thayer stood with his hands on his hips. “I get to solve the mystery. You need to sit behind your desk and call your students. Classes will be cancelled again tonight.”
“I don’t think you get a say in what I think or do. In case you’ve forgotten, you lost that privilege a long time ago.” She wanted to say more, but another glimpse of Erik put things into perspective. Arguing with Thayer was pointless and petty. She headed toward the doorway.
“Still clinging to that grudge, are you? Maybe I should just haul you down to the station now to do a complete background check.” He waved the other investigators over and motioned to the body. “Check the whole building for clues. Different MO, but we might be looking for the same killer. I’ll call Fabio and get a team in here. Gilda, call Mick.”
“Done,” she said. “At least one of us is good at our job.”
In the lobby, Mick leaned against her desk and waved a cardboard tray full of French fries. “Thayer getting on your nerves already?”
“No more than usual.” She grabbed a fry and jabbed it in the glob of ketchup. Too much like blood. She lost her appetite and gagged. “Sorry.”
Mick ate her fry. “You okay, Sherlock?”
“Not as good as you, apparently.” Another gag. She focused on straightening her desk.
“My thoughts exactly. You don’t seem overly shaken up over Erik’s death.” Thayer approached the desk then frowned. “Is that my lunch?”
“Was it in the brown bag on Gilda’s desk?” Mick asked.
“You know it was,” Thayer said.
“In my defense, Officer, I thought it was hers.”
Thayer flared his nostrils. “That’s Detective, and since when do you two share lunch?”
“We share a lot of things you don’t know about.” Mick turned to wink at Gilda.
Thayer snorted and grabbed the cardboard tray now only half full of fries.
Mick’s playing on Thayer’s jealousy lightened her mood a touch. Only a touch. Erik was still dead and Gilda had no idea how the two men could even think about eating. She sat behind her desk and sighed.
“When did you last see Erik alive?” Thayer asked.
“Yesterday. We had a staff meeting.” Gilda turned on the computer and rubbed her face with both hands. Let the police search for clues, she was done meddling. Her head pounded and she wanted to go home. Two bodies in one week and a whack on the head was more than enough excitement for her.
“What did you discuss at this staff meeting?” Thayer asked.
Mick sat beside Gilda and rested his feet on the desktop, next to her paperwork. “We asked Gilda to stop playing detective before she got hurt. When I left, she and Razi were still here. Thursday we held classes as usual. Minus Walter.”
“But you already know that.” She sighed. “Since you came to interrogate me in my garden before I came to work yesterday.”
Mick frowned. “He did?”
“He even walked me to work afterward.” She toyed with her pen. “And followed me home last night.”
“That was nice of you,” Mick said. “I’m amazed you didn’t give her a ride in your cruiser to waste even more tax payers’ money.”
Thayer turned and, fries and all, returned to the dojo.
Mick’s jaw tensed and, for a brief second, Gilda was sure he’d throw something at the back of Thayer’s head. Instead, he dug a ten dollar bill out of his pocket. “Be a darling and go to Café Beanz for coffee and muffins. My treat.”
“What’s the catch?” She narrowed her eyes.
“I plan to go yell at Thayer to get out of my dojo with his munchies,” he said. “By the way, stop at the police station and tell Thayer’s boss he’s not only harassing you, he’s also mishandling the investigation.”
She shook her head, which made the pain worse. “He’ll just say the harassment is because of the murders since we’re all suspects.”
“Don’t worry.” Mick smiled. “Thayer’s already cleared you. He thinks you’re a ditz.”
“He does not.” Gilda took the ten. “I’ll get coffee and muffins, but you can forget the rest. I’m not laying false charges against anyone.”
“They’re not false.” He shook his head. “The guy’s bothering you, so you need to cut him down to size. While you’re at it, tell him to lay off me too. He’s had a guy in a black car tailing me all over town.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s Gary and you need to talk to him.”
As she left the school, Thayer called out, “You can’t leave yet. I have more questions.”
Gilda kept walking, her head spinning, and hoped Mick would back her up. She ducked into Café Beanz, grateful for the air-conditioning and the aroma of freshly ground coffee. Comfort food. “Two large Jamaican Blue and two chocolate banana muffins, please.”
The barista set two large paper coffee cups on the counter. “Wow. I can’t believe you’re having coffee so soon after your latte. Must be a tough morning.”
“More than you know.” How had she forgotten about her vanilla bean latte? It would be cold by now.
“Oh, honey, everyone loves you and Mick.” The barista handed her a bag containing the two muffins. “There’s no reason your students won’t go back.”
Two dead bodies and a serial killer might do it. Gilda took the coffees and added milk and sugars. The smell of coffee made her gag. Maybe she should drop off Mick’s food and go home where nothing would make her nauseous or sick. She rubbed the lump on her head and prayed she didn’t have a concussion.
The police station stood right across the street from the coffee shop. If she stopped, their coffees would get cold. A plausible excuse. So was the nausea and the sudden yearning to go to sleep on a beach in Tahiti far, far away from the school, Thayer and Mick. Maybe she could go see Doc and get a note to excuse her from work for the rest of her life. Was that too drastic?
Thayer opened the front door for her and grabbed the coffee she’d fixed for Mick. “Ah, payback can be sweet.”
She entered the lobby and was about to stop him but reconsidered. Thayer drank his coffee black. Mick’s had enough sugar and milk to make her body vibrate for an hour and a half. If nothing else, Thayer’s attempt at retribution would be good for a laugh.
He stood in front of the desk to make sure Mick was watching before he took a huge mouthful of sweet coffee. A second later, he spit it all over the desk, the floor and Mick. “What did you put in there?”
Mick howled. “Double milk, triple sugar. Good job, Gilda. That was even better than my idea.” He took the cup and pried off the lid. “You’re not the sharpest dart in the board, are you?”
Thayer huffed and disappeared down the hallway. “You people are sick.”
“Muffin?” Gilda handed Mick the bag. “Chocolate chip banana. Your favorite.”
“Ah, you know me well. You’re the best, Sherlock,” he said. “Are you okay? You look kind of pale.”
“I’ll be fine. I think it was the whack on the head.” Or finding Erik’s body a week after finding Walter’s. Or the lack of sleep. She glanced into the dojo. “What do you think the odds are of getting Thayer to personally clean up his mess?”
Mick snorted. “About the same as getting me to clean up mine.”
“Slim to none then.” Gilda sat and drafted an e-mail to inform the students while they waited for Thayer to return with more questions. The more she typed, the worse she felt. “No classes until Monday. I’m really starting to hate Fridays, you know.” She frowned and wiped away a tear. “By the way, I won’t be here next Friday. Or any Friday after that.”
He patted her hand, leaving behind a dab of chocolate. “I agree. We should stay closed on Fridays from now on.”
“I’ll send out these e-mai
ls then go home.” More tears overwhelmed her before she had a chance to stop them. She buried her face in her hands.
“Sherlock?” Mick’s chair squawked. “Hey, honey, are you okay?”
“No.” She gasped for air, but the walls seemed to close in.
He pulled her close. “Come on, babe, hold it together. Don’t fall apart in front of Thayer or he’ll eat you alive.”
“I’m sorry, I—”
“Don’t worry about it. You probably need a good cry. Believe me, I get it, but Thayer will see it as a sign of weakness,” he said. “He’ll think you have something to hide. Why don’t you go wash up? I’ll keep him busy.”
Gilda wiped her face with the back of one hand and zigzagged around the investigators to go splash her face with cold water. Mick was right Thayer would pounce on her weaknesses in front of everyone and there was no way to hide her red, puffy eyes.
As she returned, Mick sat at the keyboard typing a single letter at a time. He concentrated so hard she was surprised his tongue wasn’t sticking out of one corner.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to help, but I think it’ll take me until Christmas to get this done. I don’t exactly have your typing skills.” He moved out of her chair.
“That’s not good considering its July.” She sat at the keyboard and was almost done when Mick cleared his throat.
“Uh-oh. Here comes the pretty boy,” he said. “Brace yourself.”
She finished the e-mail and hit send. “I’m going home..”
“Tell him to take a flying leap then leave.” Mick grinned. “Better yet, let me tell him.”
“I’ll tell him.” She reached for her purse and stood. Her vision dimmed and the room spun. “Thayer, I’m leaving.”
“Wait a minute. I need—”
“Gilda, are you okay?” A loud voice broke into the conversation like a sledgehammer as Marion flew into the lobby. “Honey, you don’t look so good.”
“Somebody clobbered me.” She rubbed the tender lump the assailant had left behind.
Marion ran a hand over Gilda’s scalp. “Wow, that thing’s bigger than Thayer’s brain. Did one of these clowns at least call an ambulance to get you checked out? I think you need a bodyguard before one of these morons gets you killed.”
Mick’s mouth opened then he bowed his head.
“You’re hired,” Gilda said. “Actually, I’m fine. I’m going home to take a nap.”
“Oh no you’re not.” Marion came around the desk. “You’re pale and in shock and I’m taking you to the hospital.”
Thayer emerged from the dojo. “Who’s going to the hospital?”
“Gilda,” Marion said. “She has a concussion and needs medical attention.”
“A concussion?” Mick’s jaw dropped. “Honestly, she seemed fine, considering everything. I’ll take her to the hospital.”
Thayer placed his hands on the counter. “You can’t have her. She’s my witness.”
“You’re conducting an investigation and can’t leave.”
“And you have to stay to lock up the school when we’re done,” Thayer said.
“Oh, pack the testosterone away.” Marion waved them both off. “You two are pathetic. Step aside, boys, this girl needs a doctor and you have to give her peace and quiet.”
“I’ll send an officer to escort you.” Thayer moved aside.
When Mick blocked their exit, Marion glowered. “Step aside, Sensei. I’ll take care of Gilda. You keep Thayer out of trouble.”
“Thanks, Marion,” Mick blew out a heavy breath. “Take good care of her.”
At the hospital, Gilda became surrounded by more doctors and nurses than necessary. Apparently she was a local celebrity after finding not one, but two bodies in the span of a week. The lump on her head got full attention, as did the fading bruises on her face, and everyone told her she needed a better hobby. She was in and out of the emergency room in record time.
Marion was leading Gilda to the exit when an altercation broke out in the waiting area.
When Thayer yelled, Gilda groaned. “Why can’t he just leave me alone?”
“I’m here to take Gilda home.” Mick didn’t sound much calmer than Thayer. “She’s my employee, and this happened on the job. I need to make sure she’s okay. ”
“If you were any kind of boss, you would’ve called an ambulance for her earlier,” Thayer said. “Get out of my way before I call for backup.”
“You saw her before I did. Why didn’t you call for help?” Mick asked.
“I had a dead body to deal with. You sent her out for coffee.”
Marion growled. “They’re both stupid. Don’t worry, Gilda. I’ll deal with them.” She stormed down the hallway and bellowed, “Both of you go away and leave that poor girl alone.”
The nurse led Gilda into a room as the voices outside grew louder. “You’re better off staying here for a minute. I’ll get rid of them so Marion can take you home.”
Gilda sat and closed her eyes, her hands trembling in her lap. What on earth was wrong with them? Two of her friends were dead and Mick and Thayer were arguing over her. She liked her life a lot better when she could walk through her day without anyone noticing her.
Marion blew into the room and ranted about what she’d love to do to Mick and Thayer if she ever met them in a dark alley. “Sorry about that, hon. No more men. No more bodies. Nothing but peace and quiet for the rest of today. We can watch sappy movies, eat buttery popcorn, and put our feet up.”
She sighed as her head throbbed. “Sounds perfect.”
Rather than take her out some obscure exit, Marion marched her straight out the front door. “Those two aren’t smart, but they are devious.”
As they drove out of the hospital parking lot, Gilda spotted Mick and Thayer hovering near a rear exit of the emergency room. “How did you know they’d be there?”
“My sister’s the head nurse,” Marion said. “She’s the one who put you in that little room. Don’t worry. She’s got our backs.”
Gilda burst into laughter. “They will figure out we left and come bang on my door.”
“Yep. By then you’ll be on your couch with a big mug of tea and popcorn.” She pulled into Gilda’s short driveway. “What did you ever see in Thayer anyway? I get if you’ve got the hots for Mick, who doesn’t, but Thayer gives me the creeps.”
“He was different in high school. Sweet and athletic.” She unbuckled and led the way inside the house. “After he went to the police academy, he came back a total jerk.”
“That’s rough.” Marion forced her to sit on the couch with a fluffy blanket on her lap then went to make tea. “So what’s going on with Mick lately? Are he and Chloe together or did they split up?”
Mick was like Peter Pan, never wanting to grow up, not always taking responsibility and hardly noticing anything about anyone else. Somewhere deep inside there was a serious side most people rarely saw, yet lately she’d seen glimpses.
“I doubt they’ll last,” Gilda eased off the couch to check all the doors and windows. Satisfied no one else could get inside without attracting attention, she returned to the couch and snuggled up with the blanket. “They argue when they’re in the same room. He even told her not to come to the school anymore.”
“At least all you got was a mild concussion. I heard Erik ended up with throwing stars in his back.” Marion handed her a steaming mug and sat in the rocking chair. She turned on the television and flipped channels until she found Casablanca. “Who knocked you out?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see anyone.” She breathed in the soothing scent of chamomile. On the small screen, Humphrey Bogart drank and played a game of chess in Rick’s Café Américain. “Whoever was there was as quiet as a cat. Ninja-like.”
“A black belt maybe?” Marion sighed. “Poor Erik. Nobody deserves that, not even him.”
“What do you mean?” Gilda nestled down into the cushions.
“That boy’s been in trouble his
whole life. I thought Yoshida and Mick had finally straightened him out. Last I heard he was going to open his own school.”
That fit with what Gilda had heard as well, but didn’t realize the whole town already knew. “Do you know where he was planning to open his new school?”
Marion rocked and sipped her tea. “One of the tellers at the bank said he’d rented a rundown warehouse in Erie.”
“Why Erie?” Gilda yawned. Too much excitement for today. All she wanted was to be left alone, but Marion wouldn’t leave her side, with good reason.
“His daddy and step-mama moved there three years ago,” she said. “I guess he figured he’d live in their basement until business picked up, but his step-mama nixed that idea. He had to find his own place.”
First Walter, now Erik. Gilda set her cup aside. Someone seemed to seriously hate the black belts of Yoshida Martial Arts. It was only a matter of time before the next one fell.
Chapter 21
After Marion left for home, Gilda paced the living room then rechecked every door and window. Her head hurt, but she was tired of feeling caged. She grabbed her purse and headed for Happy Harvey’s Hangover Hut in search of a friend.
Happy threw his arms open wide when he saw her. “Gilda! Senti tanto a sua falta. You hardly ever come in since you broke up with that cop, yet suddenly you come in twice in one week. I am truly blessed. You look pale and tired, amiga.”
When he pulled her close, the scents of stale beer and Doritos surrounded her. She relaxed and took comfort from her old friend. Thayer was the least of her concerns.
“I’ve missed you too.” Gilda sighed. “I thought I’d pick up a bottle of wine.”
Happy raised his eyebrows. “Big trouble in Little Japan? Mick is getting out of hand? You would be wise to get a job somewhere else. Here, maybe.”
She swallowed hard, relieved the store was empty. “It’s been trying, but it’s nothing to do with Mick.” Well, not entirely to do with him, anyway.
“Oh, yes. Walter.” He hugged her hard again. “I’m so sorry, amiga. His death was truly awful. Did all your students come back after the funeral?”
