by Diane Bator
Mick reached into the casket, tugged the cloth from beneath Erik’s pale fingers and tucked it into his suit jacket. “Looks like someone left a gift for Erik, but I doubt he’ll need it as much as we do.”
Gilda covered her mouth to keep from gagging. She peeled away from him and prayed he’d go sit with Razi, Xavier, and Yoshida and wouldn’t follow her. Since the three men were near Erik’s family, she had no such luck.
Mick touched the small of her back and led her to an empty pew. “We can go to Café Beanz later to check it out.”
“What’s wrong with you?" Erik’s dad stormed toward them. “Isn’t it bad enough you killed my son? What are you trying to do to him now?”
“Just saying good-bye to my friend,” Mick said.
“Good idea.” His face grew red and he folded his arms across his barrel chest. “Maybe you and your girlfriend should leave. There are enough troublemakers here. In fact, take the whole gang with you. You should all go home and leave my family alone.”
Mick’s body tensed against Gilda’s. “If that’s what you wish, then out of respect for you and your family, we’ll leave. Come on, Gilda. I’ll buy you a coffee.”
“Okay. That’s good.” Erik’s dad deflated slightly. He seemed ill prepared for Mick to back down so easy. “The rest of you as well. Get out.”
“Just one more thing.” When Mick held up a hand, the room went still.
“Oh no,” Gilda said. “Please, don’t make a scene.”
“Erik was a good kid. I was very proud of all he accomplished at our school. He would’ve been a great sensei one day. I’m sorry for your loss.” He draped one arm around Gilda’s waist and led her out of the chapel.
“Where did that come from?” She kept her voice low, not looking back to see if the other black belts followed. “That was actually really nice.”
He scowled. “I’m not always a jerk.”
“I wouldn’t work for you if you were.”
“Good to know.” He gave her a squeeze. “You want to go for a swim?”
Her step faltered. “I’m not really dressed for it.”
Mick grinned. “If we go around midnight, you won’t need to be dressed at all.”
“Skinny-dipping?” Heat surged through her and radiated out the ends of her hair. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Won’t we get caught?”
“Not where I go,” he said.
Gilda’s imagination worked overtime as they reached the coffee shop. Had he kept his distance from her earlier to give her time to think or had he come onto her at Razi’s and on the beach last night in an attempt to throw her off his trail?
Mick nudged her over by the window and slipped onto the bench beside her. He unrolled the scrap of cloth he’d taken from the casket. “The second kanji. I was right.”
“But who put it in his hands?” she asked. “A lot of people paid their last respects. How do we narrow it down?”
“Gut feeling? I’d say—” Interrupted by the waitress, he scrunched the fabric in his hand then seemed to tense when he noticed something behind Gilda. “Large coffee, cream, and sugar.”
Gilda ordered a low-fat latte with cinnamon and chocolate curls.
When the waitress left, Mick skirted around to her side of the table and lowered his head. “Well aren’t they cozy?”
“Who?”
He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb to where Chloe sat across the room head-to-head with Thayer.
“Do you think he’s asking questions about you?” Gilda asked.
He shook his head. “I think she’s cheating on me.”
“I thought you two broke up.” Gilda bit her lower lip. He’d hung out with her at the beach only the night before. Cripes, that made Gilda the other woman. Her palms sweated.
“We did.” Mick narrowed his eyes. “You know something. What’s going on?”
She kept all thoughts of him cheating on Chloe locked up. “I’ve been asking questions. A lot of things I didn’t want to know came up.”
“About all of us, I’m sure,” he said. “We’ll talk about the kanji later.”
When he stood, Gilda grabbed his jacket sleeve. “You’re not planning to do anything stupid, are you?”
“Would it bother you if I did? You hate Thayer as much as I do.” Mick winked. “I’m getting my coffee to go so I don’t have to look at them, then I’m going to get out of this monkey suit. I’ve got work to do.”
“Do you want me to come into the school today? I have some paperwork. It’ll be easier to focus if I’m not alone.”
“Nope. Go home and play in your garden. You’ve done enough for now, Sherlock. Let me take it from here.” He kissed her forehead then walked away, shoulders slumped, leaving Gilda alone in the booth at the back of the cafe.
When the barista handed him a cup of coffee, he left like he’d never even seen Chloe, Thayer, or Gilda. Like the things on his mind that didn’t include any of them.
She blew out a long, slow breath. After all he’d done to get so close to her, why put so much distance between them now?
Chapter 29
“Hello, Gilda.” Gary leaned against the hood of his car in the afternoon sunshine. Today he sat parked in front of her house facing downtown. “Sorry about your friend Erik. I knew him through Chloe. He was a good kid. A bit messed up, but still okay. The funeral home made him look really good.”
She folded her arms across her stomach. “I didn’t see you or Chloe at the funeral.”
“You and Mick left when we arrived. Something about a disagreement with Erik’s father,” he said. “Is there something going on I should know about? I mean, the two of you seem awfully chummy lately.”
She let her shoulders sag then walked over to sit on the porch. “I give up. What do you want from me?”
He followed her up the steps then leaned on the railing. “I want is to make sure you don’t get hurt. Bad things are going on around here lately and you seem like too nice a girl pushed into a bad position.”
“What position is that?”
“Hanging out with a murderer.”
“Why would you care?” Gilda blinked back tears.
He picked a marigold out of the same planter Chloe had butted her cigarette and tucked it in his buttonhole. “Despite our differences, I had a lot of respect for your father. I also know Mick and the boys you work with. Your friend Yoshida is a shady character, even from my perspective.”
“Funny. That’s what everyone else says about you, including Mick.” Or at least that’s probably what he would say that if she asked him.
Gary glanced at the street and sighed. “I chose a bumpy road through life.”
“To say the least.”
“I was in jail when your father was killed. I thought the man who shot him was a good friend up until the day I was arrested.” He paused. “While your father put the cuffs on me, he asked me one thing that made me think hard about what I was doing with my life.”
Gilda shivered despite the heat. “What did he ask you?”
“He asked when the last time was I saw my daughter.” Gary’s voice cracked. “I was in jail for the next ten years and didn’t see her until my release. Her mother kept her away from me. I know I spoil her and can’t make up that lost time no matter how hard I try.”
Her eyes stung with tears. “At least you get to try. My dad didn’t get a second chance.”
Gary handed her a small packet of tissues. “I’m aware of that, which is why I feel obligated to keep an eye on you now. Those men you work for are trouble. All of them. I want to keep you safe without being obvious until I have to be.”
A jolt of fear, closely resembling an electric shock, pulsed through her body. “You didn’t kill any of them, did you?”
“I had no reason to,” he said, “but if you asked me to, I’d be glad to make both Mick and Yoshida disappear free of charge.”
“No thanks.” She shook her head. “There’s been enough blood.”
“I ag
ree.” Gary smiled. “You are sweet on Mick, aren’t you? Chloe said she suspected something was up. She really only dated him because everyone else wanted him and she thinks I don’t like him.” He grimaced. “Apparently, she has my people skills.”
“Trust me, yours are far better than hers.”
“A lovely compliment, considering I’ve done nothing but make you nervous.” He handed her a blue business card. “If you ever need anything, give me a call. I’ll be glad to help. Think of me as your godfather, so to speak.”
“So to speak.” She laughed. His offer didn’t exactly give her warm fuzzies. Gary scared her and gave her nightmares, especially since the only side he was on was his. If she ever crossed him, she’d be on the naughty list, along with Mick and Yoshida, in a heartbeat. She covered her mouth. “Sorry.”
“Go ahead and laugh,” he said. “You look good when you smile, even bruised.”
“Thank you.” She cleared the emotion from her throat. “I mean that. I know my dad would have appreciated your offer and that you’re looking out for me.”
Gary winked then sauntered down the steps to his car.
Chapter 30
The next morning, Gilda rolled over and opened her eyes, hoping for a glimpse of the clock. Instead, Mick lay practically nose-to-nose with her. Was she still dreaming? He exhaled and the scent of stale scotch assaulted her.
She shrieked and pulled all the blankets against her chest. “What are you doing here?”
Mick, clad only in blue plaid boxer shorts, seemed as surprised to be awakened as she was to see him. He tugged one of the blankets. “Sleeping until you screamed at me.”
“I didn’t scream, I shrieked.” She lowered her voice. “What are you doing in my bed? How did you get in here without me hearing you?”
“I know where you keep your spare key,” he said. “It seemed like the safest place to hide. I put the key back, by the way.”
Her heart thumped. She could reach out and touch him. A safe place to hide. Was that all she was to him? “Hide? From what?”
“Chloe. The killer. The guy I owe money to.” He nestled beneath the blankets. “You have a really comfy bed, you know. Of course, I’ve been sleeping on the couch in my office since Chloe changed the locks on my condo, so anything is more comfortable than that.”
Gilda rolled onto her back then sat up. “I get that you owe Gary money on the horse races, but why did Chloe change the locks on your condo? Did you drink milk straight out of the carton or something?”
“Daily.” Mick leaned on his elbow and smirked. “Since I owe Gary fifty grand, he took the keys to my condo as collateral. Chloe got hold of them. For the record, she and I have never lived together, nor do I want to. Actually, I’ve been trying to shake her off for weeks.”
“Fifty grand?” She struggled to breathe. Razi hadn’t exaggerated. “What kind of moron owes fifty grand to a bookie?”
He huffed. “One that trusts his former girlfriend to place a bet and instead of betting fifty bucks, she bets five thousand just to screw with him.”
“Oh, brother.” Gilda fell back onto her pillow. “I never thought I’d say this, but you’re an idiot. Get out of my bedroom.”
“You never thought you’d tell me to get out of your bedroom?” he asked.
She rolled over and hit him with her pillow. “You know what I mean.”
“Seriously, babe, I’m in real danger here. Someone has killed two black belts in my school and a gangster wants my head on a platter.” He wiggled closer. “Honey, your bedroom is the safest place in town.”
“That’s not exactly flattering, you know.” She shoved him away. “I thought you and Gary met for coffee. Why didn’t you tell him you wouldn’t make bets you couldn’t pay?”
“Because I can pay my debts. And, for the record, I did explain, but since the bet was made in my name, I’m doing the right thing. It’s just taking longer than I expected.”
Gilda fluffed up her pillow and lay on her stomach. “So, why don’t you kick Chloe out and move back into your condo?”
Mick rolled onto his back. “I needed time to cash in some other investments. Chloe isn’t willing to wait until I free up the cash. She convinced him to kick me out.”
“And you think Gary would much rather break your legs than wait for the money.”
“Speaking of Gary,” he said, “I ran into Happy the other day who said you’ve been hanging out with him a lot lately.”
Gilda sighed. “He and my dad went way back. Gary seems to feel some weird sense of responsibility for me, especially since I work for you.”
“Your dad’s a gambler?” he asked. “Does he owe money too?”
“No.” She hesitated. “My dad was a cop.”
Mick clapped his hands over his face. “Why didn’t I see that one coming? Did he retire? We could really use his help about now.”
Tears sprang to her eyes and her chin quivered. “One of Gary’s accomplices shot him during a robbery.”
His mouth dropped open and he reached for her hand. “Oh, man. I’m sorry, babe. That explains why you’re so nosy. You have the cop gene. He’d be proud of you.”
“Why are you really here?” she asked.
“In Sandstone Cove or in your bed?” A sheepish grin covered his face. When she scowled, he pulled her closer. “I’m kidding, Sherlock. You’re the only person in town who still talks to me, besides Razi and Xavier.”
“You’re a bad liar.”
“Okay, you’re right. There are the girls at Café Beanz and your friend Happy, who creeps me out the way he checks me out every time I’m in there.” Mick blew out a sigh that made her hair flutter in her face. He brushed the stray strand off her face. “How can someone like you be so sweet? Life throws you curveballs and you deflect them every time.”
“What do you mean?” She should move away from him for her own sanity, but she wanted to melt against the warmth of his body.
“Thayer, for one,” he said. “Finding Walter and Erik dead. You’re either in denial or—”
She winced. “I’m not a killer.”
He ran his hand through her hair and met her gaze. “I never thought you were.”
“Even after what I did to Thayer?” Her heart raced so fast she was short of breath and found it hard to focus. “Everybody must think I’m...” She grasped for the right word.
Mick nuzzled her ear. “Sweet and innocent.”
She moved back before he completely distracted her. “No, I’m not. I’m mean and evil.”
“Sure you are,” he said.
“Thayer called me a witch after I shoved him into a rosebush.”
His eyes widened. When he burst into laughter, his breath warmed her face. “I’m sure he deserved it. You probably tell all of us off in your head all the time.”
“Now you’re a mind reader?”
“Body language reader.” Mick placed a hand on the curve of her waist then gave her a lingering kiss that made her stomach flutter and her toes curl. “You’re amazing, Sherlock. Too bad it took us all until now to realize that. Good to know I have a friend who will let me hide out when I’m in trouble.”
When he rolled out of her bed and padded down the hall to the bathroom, her self-esteem swelled and she smiled as she stretched. She finally had a shot at getting to know Mick even better than she’d dreamed. Too bad all he wanted was a friend who would let him hide out.
Her nostrils flared as her confidence took a fast nose dive. How dare he strike where she was most vulnerable? Mick Williams was in her bed and all he’d wanted was a place to hide. She groaned and pulled the blankets over her head. The thought was disheartening and then some.
When the bathroom door opened, she lunged across the bedroom and slammed the bedroom door. “You are such a louse.”
“Hey, what’s going on?” He tapped at the door then rattled the doorknob.
“A reality check.” She threw the blankets into a heap on the bed. “I am so tired of you and Thayer using
me. Doesn't anybody care what I want?”
“Have you lost your mind?” Mick yelled. “Come on, Gilda. My clothes are in there. Let me come in so we can talk.”
“No way.” Gilda pulled on shorts and a tank top. “Go make coffee while I get dressed.”
He thumped on the door. “All I want is my jeans and shirt.”
“You should’ve thought of that before you left them in here.” She pulled off the tank top and yanked on a sports bra. What was he doing to her?
Her mind was no longer in the bedroom but on Mick standing out in the hallway in his underwear which, ironically enough, led her thoughts back into the bedroom and made her growl. What was wrong with her? Desperation. She hadn’t dated anyone since she broke up with Thayer and had poured her heart and soul into her work, garden and training.
“Are you okay in there? Come on, Gilda. Let me in.” Mick paused then groaned. “Oh, crap. What are you doing here? This isn’t what you think.”
“Mick? ” The small hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she pressed her ear against the door. “Who are you talking to?”
“Me.” Thayer’s voice reverberated through the wood. “Why don’t you open the door and explain to me why his clothes are in your bedroom?”
She pulled on her tank top for the second time then picked up Mick’s clothes, which still smelled like musk and spearmint gum. Her heart skipped a beat. “I don’t have to explain anything to you. Get out of my house. How did you get in here, anyway?”
“Gilda, can you hurry?” Mick asked. “I don’t like the way he’s looking at my abs.”
“Shut up,” Thayer said. “Why are your clothes in her bedroom?”
Mick snorted. “Guess.”
“None of your business.” She opened the door and threw the jeans and T-shirt at Mick then pointed at Thayer. “What are you doing in my house? You should’ve knocked.”
“I did, but considering everything that’s gone on—”
Gilda huffed, hands clenched on her hips. “Did it ever occur to you I could be in the shower or asleep or even gone for a run?”
