by JB Lynn
“Lousy. Can I go in?”
“Sure.” He waved his arm, indicating I should enter.
As I expected, Dominic was sitting in his bed and Delveccio was sitting in a visitor’s chair. What I hadn’t expected was the third person in the room.
Smiling widely, Dominic waved at me.
I grinned back. For the first time since I’d known him, the little boy looked almost healthy. “Hey, kiddo.”
“Hi, Maggie,” he managed to croak, holding out his arms indicating he wanted a hug.
Rushing to comply, I had to blink back happy tears as he squeezed me.
“Let her breathe, Dom,” Delveccio said with a chuckle.
Straightening after the little boy released me, I focused on the other person in the room. “Hi.”
“Hi,” the beautiful, olive-skinned woman replied.
“You look good,” I told her honestly. I bit my tongue to prevent myself from adding, “You look sane.”
Angelina Delveccio, Dominic’s mother, who I’d broken out of the facility where my own mother resided, smiled back. “I feel good.”
“And Dominic’s doing good now that she’s here,” the mob boss pointed out.
“He certainly is.” I gave the little boy a thumb’s up.
“Let’s get some pudding,” Delveccio suggested, heaving his portly frame out of the chair. “We’ll bring you back some,” he promised his grandson.
Together, the two of us left the room.
Gino looked up, waiting for instructions.
“Sit on them,” Delveccio ordered before lumbering down the hall.
I fell into step beside him.
“It’s a goddamn miracle the effect she’s had on that boy,” the mobster marveled. “My nephew wasn’t too happy when he walked into Dom’s room and found her there, but even he’s had to admit that she’s better than any medication these quacks have pumped into his veins.”
I was a little surprised to hear that Angel knew where his cousin was. He hadn’t mentioned it. The paranoid part of me worried that she’d somehow let slip that I was the one who’d helped engineer her escape.
“Now they’re saying he’s almost ready to go home,” the mobster continued.
“That’s great news,” I said. “He’ll do even better once he’s out of here. Katie certainly did.”
“And how’s my favorite card shark?” the mobster, who’d lost more than his fair share of Go Fish games to my card-cheating niece, asked fondly.
“Getting stronger every day.” It was a safe answer.
Reaching the cafeteria, I went and bought us each a chocolate pudding, while he grabbed spoons and a table in the corner.
As I put the sweet treat in front of him and slid into my own seat, he said, “I heard Vinny is giving you some trouble.”
“He tried to run me off the road, he wrecked my car, and would have killed me if he had the chance,” I replied mildly, digging my spoon into the pudding. I wasn’t even that upset about it. Patrick was right, I had changed. “So if that’s how you define a little trouble, yeah, he’s giving me a little trouble.”
The mob boss chuckled. “You never mince words, do you?”
“Not when the safety of my family is at stake.”
He nodded and stirred his pudding. “From what I hear, Vinny ain’t your biggest threat.”
“What do you mean?”
“Other unsavory, albeit well-dressed, types have been asking questions around town about your family.”
I looked away knowing he was talking about Redcoat’s men.
“You need to be careful,” Delveccio warned.
I nodded. “Someone attacked my friend earlier at my aunt’s shop. I don’t know if it was Vinny or someone else.”
“The pretty boy?” Delveccio asked.
I looked at him sharply. “So you know about it?”
“You think that I don’t have eyes in every corner of this hospital with my grandson lying in that bed? I knew the moment you walked into the ER.”
“Makes sense.”
“I’ll have my people watch out for him while he’s here.”
“Thank you,” I said with a sigh of relief.
“But there’s nothing I can do to help you out there,” Delveccio warned. “You’re on your own.”
“I understand.” It was one of the things that scared me most.
I wasn’t the only one who was spooked. When I pulled into the driveway of the B&B half an hour later, Marshal Griswald hurried out to greet me.
He scanned our surroundings as he approached. “You okay?”
I nodded.
“Brian told me what happened. Any idea of who attacked Zeke?”
“Didn’t see or hear anything. Just found him on the floor.” It was an honest answer. One I was glad for, because I really didn’t want to have to lie to the man.
“Do you think it was your father?”
“No,” I answered automatically.
Griswald raised his eyebrows at the certainty in my tone.
“You’ve met my dad,” I hurried to explain. “He can’t do anything unnoticed. That’s why he’s such a lousy thief.”
Griswald nodded slowly. “Has Susan told you?” he asked, changing the topic of conversation.
“Told me what?”
“What her decision is about my proposal.”
I studied his face, trying to read the answer there, but his expression was deliberately bland.
“No,” I sighed. “All she told me was that she’d come to a decision and that she was going to tell you first. Did she tell you?”
“She told me she was going to tell me, but then she went out.” A faint thread of frustration weaved its way into his words.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured. “She has a lot on her mind.”
Griswald shrugged. “What’s one more day of waiting? Speaking of which, Armani’s waiting for you inside.”
“Okay, thanks.” I hurried inside wondering what Armani wanted now.
I found her on a sofa in the sitting room, Piss curled in her lap, purring contentedly as my friend stroked her.
“Zeke was attacked in the shop,” I said as a greeting.
Armani looked up, alarmed. “Really?”
“It would have been nice if you’d given us a heads-up.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t see it.”
I frowned. “Maybe you need to polish your crystal ball.”
Armani flinched.
“Easy, sugar,” Piss purred. “She does her best.”
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and apologized. “Sorry. It’s just been a stressful day.”
“That’s one of the reasons you need to take the road trip.”
Opening my eyes I glared at her. “Drop the road trip. It’s never happening.”
“Never say never,” she argued, but then she changed the subject to something safer. “I like your cat.”
“And she likes you,” I said, listening to the steady chugging of Piss. “Did you buy your lottery tickets?”
“Ticket. I only need one.”
I chuckled.
“Why’s that funny?” she asked.
“Isn’t that what people always say? They only need one to win?”
“In my case it’s true. Is Zeke okay?”
“They’re keeping him overnight for observation.”
“Who?” Aunt Leslie asked shuffling into the room.
“Zeke,” Armani supplied.
I studied my aunt, the slightly dazed look in her eyes. “Are you high again?”
Leslie shook her head.
Armani peered at her more closely. “Yeah, she is.”
I sighed. “And you’d been doing so well.”
Leslie shrugged. “I needed something to take the edge off when Mary went missing.”
“So basically it’s your dad’s fault, chica,” Armani told me helpfully.
“Most things are,” I agreed.
“And yet he’ll have his redeeming moments,�
� she continued.
I looked at her sharply.
“I see it,” she assured me. “But things will get worse before they get better.”
Chapter 13
Standing outside after watching Armani drive away, I wondered what life would be like if I could just go on a road trip. Not that it mattered—I had too many things to take care of here. On that depressing thought, I turned to go back inside.
“Hey, what about our deal?” someone squawked.
Turning around, I found a crow staring at me. “Are you talking to me?”
“You gonna welch on our deal after I saved your little friend from becoming a crispy critter?”
“Of course not. What’s your name?”
“They call me Mooch. Mike the Mooch.”
“How appropriate,” God drawled from my bra.
“He saved your life,” I reminded him.
“He cut a deal and I was part of it,” the lizard countered.
“Ungrateful little jerk,” the bird crowed.
“Wait here, Mooch,” I told him. “I’ll be right back.”
I hurried inside to find him the piece of bread I owed him and ran into Katie and Angel in the kitchen.
Angel was having a rather heated discussion on his phone. “…end of the bargain.” Seeing me, he pressed the phone to his shoulder. “Can you take her for a little while?”
“Of course.”
He hurried out of the room.
I looked down at my niece. “Want to feed a bird?”
She nodded excitedly.
“Me feed,” DeeDee whined from where she was locked up in the basement.
I grabbed two pieces of bread, let the dog out, and led Katie outside.
DeeDee raced ahead, running off to find the perfect spot. Katie followed me to one of the picnic tables.
“There he is.” I pointed out the crow to her. “His name is Mike.”
“Hi Mike!” Katie waved to him.
“Is she a talking two-leg too?” the bird asked.
I shook my head.
“He’s pretty,” Katie said.
I looked back at the bird wondering if anyone had ever described a crow as “pretty” before. The way he preened beneath the compliment made me think it was a rare occurrence.
I handed Katie the first piece of bread. “Toss it to him.”
She threw the entire slice in his direction.
He immediately swooped down and tried to lift it, but he struggled to get airborne with it.
I chuckled.
Dropping the bread, he told me, “It’s not heavy, it’s just bulky and it’s hard to get the right grip.”
I laughed harder at that. How many times had I heard a man give that particular excuse about something?
“He doesn’t like it,” Katie said worriedly.
“He’d probably like it better if it was torn into pieces,” I explained, handing her the second slice. “Tear off a smaller piece and give it to him.”
She did as instructed, throwing it, albeit badly, to the waiting bird. He picked it up and flew to the top of the fence, threw back his head and let it slide down his gullet.
Katie clapped her approval.
I retrieved the first piece of bread. “Toss him another small piece.”
Katie repeated the action.
Mike the Mooch swept down and picked it up. This time, he ate it where he stood. “Thanks.”
“He said thank you,” I told her.
She grinned. “You’re welcome, Mike.”
Then she tossed another piece, but this one was a particularly bad throw and landed only a foot away.
Unfazed by the proximity, Mike hopped forward and ate it, then looked up expectantly at her. “Put it here, doll.” He pecked the ground where he wanted it to land.
While I was distracted watching the girl and bird, the dog snuck up behind me and stole bread right out of my hand.
“DeeDee!” I yelled. “Drop that!”
She took off across the yard and I chased after her. “Bad dog. That’s not for you. Drop it!”
“Good dog!” God encouraged from my bra. “Eat it! Don’t let that two-bit hood get any more.”
DeeDee outran me and wolfed down the slice before I reached her.
Mike flew over us. “And they call me a mooch. Didn’t think you had the thieving gene in ya, good job, mutt.”
“DeeDee!” she barked. “Name is my DeeDee.”
“Pleased to meet ya, DeeDee.” He tipped a wing at her before flying back to land at Katie’s feet.
Giggling, Katie slowly fed the crow the rest of what she had.
I watched from a distance, admiring how happy and relaxed she seemed. At one point I realized that Angel was watching the same thing, but like me, he made no move to interrupt her idyllic moment.
For a few moments, I allowed myself to believe that this was my life. Happiness and giggles instead of chaos and danger.
Maybe that’s why, the moment Ms. Whitehat stepped into the backyard, it was like a sucker punch to my solar plexus, damn near knocking me off my feet.
Chapter 14
DeeDee sensed my terror as I ran toward Katie to protect her from the power-suited woman.
Faster than me, the dog threw herself between the woman and child, baring her teeth and snarling, “Away go. Away go.”
Whitehat, who usually appeared unshakeable, backed up a step.
“Good girl, DeeDee,” I praised as I reached them.
Before I could ask what the hell Whitehat thought she was doing invading my private space, Angel burst out of the kitchen and Griswald came hurrying up the driveway.
“I didn’t mean to startle anyone,” Whitehat said in a voice that dripped sickeningly sweet nervous insincerity instead of her usual composure. Even her posture had changed, her power suit no longer resembled an impenetrable suit of honor, but a boring uniform. “I just wanted to ask you folks a couple of questions.”
I blinked, unsure of what kind of game she was playing, but totally amazed by the transformation she’d made in a split second’s time.
“What kind of questions?” Griswald asked suspiciously.
“Well, I’m a realtor and I have clients that want to buy in this neighborhood,” Whitehat explained, staying in character. "The house they were looking at sold even before it officially went on the market, so I was wondering whether or not you knew of any other neighbors who might be interested in selling.” She looked to me to answer the question.
I shook my head. “Afraid not.”
She shrugged. “Well, I figured it was worth a shot to ask. I didn’t mean to disturb you.” She cast what appeared to be a genuinely benevolent smile at Katie, before raising her gaze to meet mine meaningfully.
An icy wave of fear washed over me as I realized she would have never shown up at the B&B unless it was an absolute emergency. Something was wrong, and without Zeke around to pass along the message, she’d been forced to come herself.
I just didn’t know how to ask her what was wrong without alerting Griswald and Angel.
“Belgard’s place will be sold,” God whispered softly.
Whitehat’s eyes widened at the sound of my chest squeaking.
I cleared my throat. “Actually,” I said, trying to sound calm, “there is a place that may go up for sale soon, but I’m in the process of getting my real estate license and would like the listing for myself.”
“We could list it together,” she offered. Despite the seriousness of the situation, her false excitement amused me and I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from grinning. “I could show you the ropes.”
I nodded slowly. “Fifty-fifty?”
“Of course,” she replied.
“Deal.” I crossed the space between us and shook her hand, surprised that her flesh was warm. Maybe ice water didn’t flow through her veins. “Come on, I’ll show you the house.”
