Maggie Lee (Book 7): The Hitwoman and the 7 Cops

by JB Lynn

  “DeeDee!” I screamed, running toward the storm door. If she was in the yard, I had to get to her. “DeeDee, where are you?”

  Bursting outside, I scanned the yard and saw no sign of her. “DeeDee?” Terror made my voice squeak. “Where are you, girl?” I ran around the house looking for her.

  She was nowhere to be found.

  “DeeDee,” I sobbed, hysterical now as I imagined her dying alone. “DeeDee!”

  Unable to see through my tears, I stumbled around the property searching for her.

  Tripping, I would have fallen, but a strong arm snaked around my waist, holding me upright.

  “Easy, Mags.” His voice, warm and steady, acted as a salve to my soul, immediately soothing my ragged nerves.

  “Patrick.” I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder.

  “Detective Mulligan,” he reminded me gently. “Rule Number One.”

  Detective Patrick Mulligan, my murder mentor, has all these Life Lessons. Rule Number One is Don’t Get Caught.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he murmured.

  “There’s blood and Templeton and DeeDee and Dad and there’s a detective and a marshal and Loretta and Susan and Piss is hurt,” I told him in one breath, not bothering to pause for proper punctuation.

  “The cat?”

  Apparently, the only thing I said that made the slightest bit of sense was the very last thing.

  “Yes. Piss. The cat.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Inside. I have to get her to a vet, and I have to find DeeDee, and Templeton’s hurt, and Dad’s on the loose—“

  “Breathe, Mags. You’re not going to be able to do anything if you pass out.”

  “Margaret? Margaret?” Aunt Susan called from around the house.

  “Tell you what,” Patrick said quickly. “I’ll take care of the cat and find the dog.”

  “There’s a marshal and a police detective here,” I told him.

  “I’m a detective,” he reminded me with a grim grin.

  Marshal Griswald rounded the corner. I moved to separate myself from Patrick and was surprised when he kept a firm grip on me. The marshal’s gaze, as he took in the sight of me leaning against the redhead, was assessing. “Marshal Mike Griswald,” he introduced himself.

  “Detective Patrick Mulligan,” my favorite cop replied. “You’re related to Larry Griswald?”

  “My uncle.”

  “I’ve worked with him quite a bit.” Patrick released me to shake Mike’s hand. “Good man. Good to meet you.”

  The Marshal shook his hand, but didn’t bother to disguise his curiosity about Patrick’s relationship with me.

  Patrick smiled easily. “I worked an escaped prisoner case with your uncle not long ago and met the”—he waved his hand to encompass the B&B—“whole family. They’re quite a crew, aren’t they?”

  The marshal nodded.

  “I was heading home and heard the call on my radio about the trouble here. Figured I’d swing by and see what was going on. Since Miss Lee’s father is testifying against the Lubovsky family, I was worried that they’d done something to try to dissuade him.”

  The marshal nodded again. “Not out of the realm of possibility since Witness Protection has temporarily lost track of him.”

  Patrick frowned. “That can’t be good.”

  “To put it mildly.” Mike turned his attention to me. “Your aunt is looking for you, Miss Lee.”

  “You haven’t seen my dog, have you?”

  He shook his head.

  “Well if you do, she’s a Doberman Pinscher. About seventy-five pounds. She’s scary looking, but a real sweetheart. Don’t shoot her or anything.”

  “I don’t normally shoot dogs,” he assured me, sounding more than slightly offended. “It’s not in my job description.”

  “The dog was stabbed by a bad cop recently,” Patrick interjected.

  “My uncle mentioned that. Said the dog saved your life.” He looked at me pointedly.

  I swallowed hard, another wave of guilt that I’d done something to endanger Doomsday, causing a painful lump in my throat. I blinked away sudden tears.

  “I told her I’d look for the dog. I carried her to the vet after she was hurt last time and I admit I developed a soft spot for the mutt.” Patrick shrugged as though he was embarrassed by the admission. “As long as it won’t interfere with your case.”

  “No problem. I’ve been known to walk my neighbor’s Husky just so I can play a game of fetch.” He cleared his throat and turned serious. “Your aunt wants you to go with them to the hospital. Under the circumstances, it would probably be best.”

  “Circumstances?” I asked, my voice squeaking nervously.

  “A crime scene team is going to go over the place and see if they can figure out what happened. If you go to the hospital, we can question you all there.”

  I glanced at the B&B thinking about Piss and her bleeding paws. “But I was with you. You know I don’t know anything.”

  “About the whereabouts of your father.”

  “I don’t know where he is. I can’t go to the hospital. I just can’t. I—”

  “Are you trying to avoid me, Miss Lee?” Every muscled in his body tensed and the marshal’s tone was suddenly harder and harsher.

  I blinked at him. In reality I would like to avoid him. I’d like to avoid anyone and everyone remotely involved with law enforcement, since, I am, a murderer. But of course I couldn’t tell him that, so I told him the truth. “My cat’s hurt. She stepped on some of the broken glass. She needs medical attention. If I go to the hospital I can’t—”

  “I’ll take her to the emergency vet clinic,” Patrick interrupted.

  “She’s in the basement. I left her on the couch.”

  “Problem solved. Thanks, Mulligan.” Mike relaxed a bit and motioned for me to accompany him. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”

  Resisting the urge to look back at Patrick, I followed the marshal while mentally repeating Rule Number One.

  Don’t get caught.

  Don’t get caught.

  Chapter Four

  The ride, as we followed the ambulance with its flashing lights and blaring siren, was uncomfortable.

  Detective Brian and Marshal Mike sat in the front seat of their government-issued sedan while I perched in the middle seat in the rear, sandwiched between Aunt Susan and Aunt Loretta who were living up to their “witches” nickname.

  Susan had started the moment we’d piled into the car. “This is all Archie’s fault.”

  “You don’t know that,” I’d automatically countered. I knew it could be my fault because of my illegal dealings, or Templeton’s since he frequented poker games with mobsters and was a regular at the local pawn shop.

  “Don’t you dare defend that man,” Susan railed. “It’s bad enough when your mother does it, but you don’t get to do it too.”

  “Leave the child alone,” Loretta admonished. “She’s right. We don’t know it’s Archie’s fault.”

  “We don’t know? We don’t know?”

  Both men in the front of the vehicle flinched as Susan’s voice hit a note that set my teeth on edge.

  “What we know is that every time he comes back into our lives, every single time, something terrible happens.”

  “Not every time,” Loretta corrected, twisting the mascara-blackened tissue she’d used to blot away her tears.

  “Name one. Name one time.”

  In a misguided attempt to keep the peace, or maybe he was trying to protect his eardrums, the marshal entered the fray. “Ladies, we don’t know—”

  “We know. We know!” Susan screeched.

  I shrunk down in my seat, wishing I were anywhere else besides there.

  “Sit up, Margaret.” Susan grabbed my shoulder and tugged upward as though that would fix my posture.

  “Why are they going this way?” Loretta fretted. “They should have taken Dogwood to Elm.”

  “I’m sure the ambulance ca
n find its way to the hospital just fine,” I soothed, deciding it was more appealing to deal with her hysterics than the ravings of Susan.

  She patted my hand gratefully. “Of course you’re right, dear.”

  Susan couldn’t help but butt in with, “Just like I’m right about Archie.”

  “Will you please just shut up?” I requested in a roaring whisper.

  “Margaret! You weren’t raised to be so disrespectful.”

  “I said please,” I reminded her.

  “Girls—” Loretta dabbed ineffectually at fresh tears.

  Susan and I rounded on each other and said in unison, “Now look what you’ve done.”

  We stared at each other accusingly; each convinced we were in the right. Who knows how long our duel would have lasted if the sound of laughter hadn’t drifted to us from the front seat.

  Incredulously, I turned to discover the source. Detective Bashful’s shoulders were shaking uncontrollably as he leaned over the steering wheel.

  “Young man,” Susan warned indignantly.

  Imagining how it all must have looked and sounded from his perspective, I found myself chuckling to.

  “Don’t you encourage—” Susan huffed.

  Unable to hold back any longer, the shy detective guffawed. “She said please.”

  “Knock it off, Brian,” the marshal warned sternly, even as the corners of his mouth twitched upward.

  The detective’s laughter was contagious and Loretta and I joined him. Susan, crossing her arms over her chest, sat ramrod straight, turning her head and pretending to stare out the side window. Mike did his professional best to hide his smile behind his hand. The rest of the trip passed in blessed silence.

  When we arrived at the emergency room, Loretta and Susan jumped out of the car and were accompanied by the marshal inside. I, glad for any break, stayed in the car while Brian parked.

  “I wasn’t laughing at you,” he apologized as we crossed the parking lot.

  “Sure you were. Who could blame you? My family’s antics are something to behold.”

  “You should see mine.”

  I glanced over at him. Now that he’d gotten over his initial nervousness, I noticed he was a good-looking guy with an engaging smile. “Susan’s not totally wrong. Bad things do tend to happen when my father’s around.”

  “But you were the one who got his Witness Protection deal, weren’t you?’

  I shrugged. “He’s still my dad.”

  “I get that.”

  “I really have no idea where he is.”

  He nodded, motioning for me to walk through the hospital’s automatic door first. “Uncle Larry said he didn’t think you would.”

  I came to an abrupt halt and whirled around. “Uncle Larry?”

  He hung his head sheepishly.

  “You’re not Mike’s brother?”

  “Cousins.”

  “And they let you work together?”

  A guarded expression shadowed his gaze. “Special circumstances.”

  “Archie Lee is that big a deal?”

  “No, but the Lubovsky family is.” Something in his tone made me think that there was something he wasn’t sharing, but before I could ask, Loretta hurried up to us.

  “Good news,” she enthused breathlessly.

  Aunt Susan, arms still crossed, followed a pace behind. “He’s not going to die,” she said drily. She didn’t sound enthused about the update.

  I mustered some faux enthusiasm. “That’s wonderful.”

  Susan rolled her eyes and marched away as Loretta enveloped me in a bear hug.

  I wrinkled my nose as I was assaulted by her too strong, too sweet perfume. I hugged her in return and then stepped back, desperate for some air.

  “They’re going to keep him overnight for observation, but they say once they’re done stitching him up, I can go see him.”

  Plastering on a smile, I nodded. “Wonderful.”

  My jeans pocket buzzed and I flashed a sincere grin. “Gotta take this.” I pulled out the cell phone. Glancing at the display, I realized I didn’t recognize the number. I felt a surge of hope. Maybe Patrick had found DeeDee.

  Walking away a few paces, I lifted the phone to my ear. “Hello.”

  “Greetings, Ms. Lee.”

  A shiver snaked down my spine as I recognized the cultured voice of the woman on the other end. “Ms. Whitehat” as she liked to be called, worked for a mysterious organization… and blackmailed me to do work for them occasionally.

  “This isn’t a good time,” I said quickly.

  “I’d imagine not, what with a U.S. Marshal and a police detective standing within earshot.”

  I closed my eyes, feeling sick to my stomach. She seemed to always know exactly what was going on in my life.

  Before I knew what was happening, a hand was pressed to my lips silently, and someone was trying to pry the phone from my fingers. Opening my eyes, I hung onto the phone and glared at Marshal Griswald.

  Luckily I had a free hand and he didn’t. Batting away the fingers that covered my mouth, I said quickly, to warn Ms. Whitehat, “I’m telling you I don’t want your stupid subscription.”

  Mike yanked the phone from me and pressed it to his ear. His eyes grew wide as he listened to what she said. He glanced at me with a mixture of surprise and revulsion.

  My heart sank. Whatever Whitehat was telling him, he was obviously shocked. She could be telling him about my contract killer status, or Archie’s location, or what had happened to Templeton.

  Thrusting the phone back at me without making eye contact, he hurried away and down the hall. I watched him disappear before I raised the phone back toward my head. “What did you say to him?”

  She laughed, not a pleasant tinkling sound, but something rough and almost metallic… like she was rusty at performing the action.

  “I told him that it was time to renew your subscription to Piggy Magazine.”

  “What?”

  “It’s got all the latest news for competitive eating enthusiasts.”

  “Oh,” I said slowly. “Thanks I guess.”

  “Your secrets are safe for now, Ms. Lee. If you want them to stay that way, you’ll have to do something for me.”

  Leaning against the wall, knowing I wasn’t going to like the request, I watched Susan and Loretta bickering in the distance, being watched carefully by Brian. “What?”

  “I need you to save a cop.”

  Another cop?

  Who was going to save me?

  Chapter Five

  I didn’t have time to worry about saving myself because the moment Ms. Whitehat delivered her decree and disconnected the call, I felt someone tugging on my sleeve.

  Turning to find Aunt Loretta nibbling on her lower lip like a bunny with a carrot, I asked, “Is something bothering you?”

  She nodded, glancing up and down the hall furtively.

  “Please tell me you’re not hiding my father.”

  “Of course not. I just don’t want those men to overhear.”

  “Hear what?” I leaned back against the wall, anticipating I’d need the support when she finally got around to saying whatever it was she was so nervous about.

  “I think it might have been Leo,” she confessed on a whisper.

  “Who?”

  “Leo. My ex.”

  Aunt Loretta had a lot of exes, so it was kind of hard to keep track of who was who. I smiled at her gently. “Which one is he again?”

  “Leo.”

  It took all my self-restraint to keep from raising my gaze skyward. I exhaled slowly before saying as pleasantly as I could, “So you’ve said, but without a context, I’m having trouble placing him.”

  “Leo. The one who wants The Corset. You know, the store you’re supposed to be helping me save.”

  I nodded, wondering why I’d ever agreed to try to help Loretta keep her beloved lingerie shop out of the clutches of this Leo fellow. It’s not like I even like lingerie. My idea of nice sleepwear is an o
versized T-shirt that doesn’t have holes or coffee stains. Most of mine have coffee stains, not that it matters, because it’s not like anyone ever sees them.

  “Have you found it yet?” Loretta prodded.

  “A sleep shirt?”

  “The deed. You said you’d help me find it.”

  “I’m trying, I’m trying, but honestly, without more to go on, it's hard.”

  “I’m sure Leo did it.”

  “Did what?” I asked carefully.

  She looked up and down the hallway, assuring herself no one was within earshot. “Attacked Templeton.”

  “If that’s what you think, maybe you should tell the marshal or detective. “

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because Leo is a police officer.”

  At that moment I was really glad I’d decided to lean against the wall. My knees practically buckled at the thought of another cop in my life. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  Loretta pressed her palm to my forehead as though checking me for a fever like she’d done when I was a kid. “You don’t look well, my dear. Are you feeling alright?”

  I wasn’t, but I couldn’t tell her that. “So you’re saying the man who gifted you the building The Corset is a cop?”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “How did he afford a building like that?” Of course as the question left my lips, I knew the answer. I hung my head, spearing my fingers through my hair, half-tempted to rip it out as I considered this latest problem. Loretta was going to war with a dirty cop. The last time I’d done that, Paul Kowalski had almost killed me. My stomach churned traitorously.

  “Are you okay, Miss Lee?” Brian called from the other end of the hallway.

  “You can’t tell anyone,” Loretta begged as he hurried toward us.

  I nodded my understanding.

  The detective peered at me worriedly. “Do you need to sit down?”

  “That would be nice,” I said weakly.

  Offering me a steadying arm to lean on, he led me to the nearest chair.

  “I’ll go get you a cup of water.” Loretta toddled off.

  The detective stepped back and watched me. “Did something happen?”

  I shook my head.