Skin Puppet: Reightman & Bailey Book Three

by Jeffery Craig

“Stay away from him, Melba. He’s not someone you want to mess with.”

  She considered his worried face and decided not to push it. “Okay.”

  “Melba…”

  “I said okay, Tom. I was just curious.” As they said their goodbyes, she thought about the file sitting on her desk. If Grokov was a potential problem, she wanted to know before Zhou Li decided to tangle with him further. After taking a quick look at her watch, she realized she was about to be very late for her dress fitting appointment with Moon. Muttering a short, heartfelt thanks that she’d skipped the main portion of her lunch, she dug out her phone and scrolled though her contact list.

  The phone at Passed Around rang a few times and then diverted her to voicemail. Melba left a quick message and then dialed Moon’s cell. When it directed her to leave a message, Melba ended the call, tossing the phone into her purse. “Moon’s probably with a customer,” she thought, relieved she wouldn’t be keeping Moon waiting.

  She pulled into the small parking lot and grabbed her purse, and high-tailed it across the street and down the sidewalk, making a concerted effort not to glance down at her watch every few steps. She walked by the store window, taking a quick glance at the summer ensembles on display, then hurried to the door. Given the handle a quick tug, she was pulled up short when the door refused to budge. She tried again, before noticing the small sign on the door was turned to “CLOSED.” She pulled out her phone and called SarahJune.

  “Hi, Melba.”

  “SarahJune, is today the day of my dress fittings?”

  “I think so, but let me check. I remember putting it on your calendar. Hold on a sec.”

  After a short wait, SarahJune was back on the line. “Yep. Why? Are you running late?”

  “Well, I was, but I’m outside Passed Around right now, and the door’s locked. The sign says she’s closed.”

  “Hmmm. That’s not like Moon. I’ve never known her to close in the middle of the day. Are there any lights on?”

  Melba pressed her face close to the glass door front. “Just one, way in the back. The rest of the place is dark.”

  “Did you try her cell phone?”

  “There wasn’t any answer. And before you ask, I left a message.”

  “I don’t know what to suggest, then. Maybe Madame Zhou knows something.”

  “Good thinking, SarahJune. I’ll stop by Green Dragon and check. I’ll be back at the office once I’m done there. If Moon calls, ask her when she wants me to stop back by.”

  “Will do. See you when you get here.”

  Melba checked the street for traffic and then jaywalked across. “I’m picking up Zhou’s bad habit,” she reflected as she skirted the row of parked cars and stepped up onto the curb. She glanced in the window in front of Jon’s studio and saw him walking a couple of college-age students through some familiar moves. The tiny bells on Green Dragon’s door gave a cheery chime as she made her way inside.

  Lindsi was behind the counter, unpacking boxes of dried herbs.

  “Hi, Lindsi. How’s it going?”

  “Good,” the girl replied in her usual monotone. She didn’t pause in her work or even look up from the pile of carefully wrapped sticks and leaves in front of her. “Madame Zhou’s in the back.”

  “Okay.” Melba walked past the counter and parted the carved, wooden beads hanging in the doorway that separated Zhou Li’s lair from the rest of the shop. “Zhou Li? Are you there?”

  “Yes, dear. Please, come on back.”

  Zhou was in her chair by the huge glass topped tea table with a large stack of books on the table in front of her. Each book sported a number of bright yellow sticky notes between their respective pages.

  “I have just been going through some of my reference books,” the old woman informed her. “I am marking certain entries which might be helpful to Lindsi as she learns her way around.”

  Melba took a seat in her accustomed chair and considered the number of flagged pages. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.”

  Zhou grinned across the table. “Probably not, at least, at first. I remember when my father first presented me with a similar stack. I was quite taken aback. It is nice to see you, as always, but you look a bit flushed. Is something the matter?”

  “No, but I was wondering if you’ve seen Moon today?”

  “No, why do you ask?”

  “I thought I had an appointment to have my new dresses marked for alterations. When I went by just now, the door was locked and the lights were off, and there was a closed sign on the door.”

  “And you are certain of the agreed upon time?”

  “Yes. I even checked with SarahJune. I thought maybe you knew something.”

  “No, I am afraid not. It is unlike Moon to fail to be present, especially when she has a prearranged appointment.” Zhou removed her glasses and brushed away a stray piece of lint.

  Melba noticed her dark eyes failed to shine with their usual gleam, and pushed down the worry welling up in her chest. For a brief instant, Zhou Li looked every year of her remarkable age, and the sudden dullness in her eyes looked strangely alien in a face that was usually so animated and alive.

  “Are you all right, Madame Zhou?”

  “Perfectly. Why do you ask?”

  “No reason.”

  Zhou Li gave her a puzzled look before replacing her glasses. “That is much better. I despise it when my eyeglasses become smudged. It makes reading fine print even more of a chore. Now, about Moon; I am sure there is no reason for us to be worried. It is possibly just a misunderstanding about the time. I assume you tried to reach her by telephone.”

  “Yes, and before you ask, I left a message as well.”

  “Then, there is nothing to do but wait until we hear from her. She is, after all, a grown woman. I will let you know if I hear from her. Now, if you would be so kind, there is one volume on the shelf behind me that is somewhat heavy. Would you mind reaching it down for me, dear?”

  “Sure. I’ll be happy to.”

  Zhou Li pointed out the book in question, and Melba lugged it down from the shelf and carried it to the sitting area. “Do you want it on the table with the rest?”

  “Yes, please, but give me a moment to rearrange things to make some room.”

  Once the tome was on the table and positioned to Madame’s satisfaction, Melba said her goodbyes and went back through the curtain to the front. Lindsi was still absorbed in her appointed task, but now had a small pile of what looked like dried and desiccated ears in front of her.

  “What are those?”

  “Mushrooms,” Lindsi replied. “At least, that’s what the packing slip says.”

  “I thought for a minute they were ears.”

  At that, Lindsi stopped her sorting and looked up. “That would be weird.”

  Melba could only nod in agreement. “See you later,” she waved as she headed for the door.

  The chimes sounded their farewell, and after checking for cars, Melba once again jaywalked across the street.

  “Have any luck?” SarahJune asked when she entered the front door.

  “Nope, but I’m not going to worry about it. There’s plenty of time to get the alterations done. Is Toby in the back?”

  “Yes, he is. He just got back a little while ago. He brought lunch.”

  Melba suddenly remembered her own uneaten lunch sitting on her car seat. She contemplated leaving it there, but decided it would smell things up pretty bad by the end of the day. Plus, she’d snagged the entire second basket of garlic rolls, and they’d make the perfect snack. “I’ll be back in a sec,” she told a confused SarahJune as she hurried past the reception desk.

  Once she retrieved her salad and the rolls, she crossed the street again and slowed her pace when she recognized the woman walking toward her. “Hello,” she called out while closing the distance between them. “Checking out our neck of the woods today?”

  Jill Anthony gave her a tentative smile and nodded. “Kind of. I thought I’d familia
rize myself with the area. Actually, I was hoping I’d run into you while I was out an about.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “I wanted to apologize for being rude the other day. I totally overreacted, and I hope there aren’t any hard feelings.”

  Regardless of her views on Jake Anthony, Melba didn’t think it was fair to just brush off his sister. “No hard feelings. Consider it just an awkward first meeting.”

  “Thanks. That’s very kind of you.” Jill eyed the take out boxes in Melba’s hands and smiled in recognitions. “Angelo’s?”

  “Yes. I had a lunch appointment that didn’t go quite as expected and had my food packed up to-go.”

  “I love Angelo’s. Their garlic rolls are the best.”

  “I agree. I hadn’t been for a few months, and almost forgot how good they are.” She hesitated for a moment, weighing the cost of sharing her little secret, before deciding it was only neighborly to share. “As a matter of fact, the container on top is full of them. If you have time, you could come on in and I’ll show you around. I might even share a couple of these babies.”

  “I have plenty of time!” Jill assured her. They walked to the front of the Reightman & Bailey Agency and Jill explained. “Jake and my mother are busy painting backdrops. I was told—rather pointedly—I didn’t have the right eye for it, and it was suggested that I find something else to do with my time today.”

  “Well, now you’ve found something. Come on in.”

  “What kind of business is the Reightman and Bailey Agency?” Jill asked as they entered the front door.

  “We’re a full-service private investigative agency,” Melba explained.

  “You’re a private detective?” Before Melba could answer in the affirmative, Jill got a good look at the reception area. “Wow! This place is something. Who did the interior design?”

  Melba took a minute to answer, trying to see the room through the eyes of her visitor. “I guess it is pretty impressive,” she decided. “My partner, Toby. The ‘Bailey’ in the Reightman and Bailey. He does a pretty good job.”

  “A pretty good job? Are you crazy? This is fantastic. It’s like something from New York or Los Angeles.”

  “Thanks. I like it, but I wouldn’t know about New York or LA. Are you a coffee drinker, or would you prefer a soda to go with a couple of these rolls?”

  “Just water, thanks. Caffeine makes me jittery, so I try to stay totally away from it.”

  Melba found herself wondering how anyone could survive without at least some high-octane brew, but recalled her own near addiction. She’d weaned herself off of all but two cups in the morning and replaced it with Zhou Li’s teas, but those cups at the start of the day were mandatory as far as she was concerned. “Water it is, then. Oh, let me introduce you to our office manager. SarahJune, this is Jill. I think I told you about the new children’s theatre that’s opening down the street.”

  SarahJune quickly met Melba’s eyes before pasting a sunny smile on her face. “Pleased to meet you, Jill. Welcome to Capital Street. It’s nice to see new businesses going in. You must be very excited.”

  “Thanks, and yes, I guess I am.”

  For some reason, to Melba, the statement didn’t ring quite true. Given the things they’d learned about her brother, Jake, she wouldn’t be surprised if Jill was feeling overshadowed. “I’ll get you some water and take you back to meet Toby. Don’t offer him a roll though, because before you know it, he’ll eat them all and we’ll be left with nothing.”

  “Got it. Not a single Angelo’s garlic roll for Toby.”

  Melba glanced back over her shoulder as Jill preceded her down the hall. SarahJune rolled her eyes, and they shared a small, secret smirk. She turned and followed her guest, doing her best to answer Jill’s eager questions. For an instant, she heard the tiniest bit of insincerity in the woman’s voice. Her compliments and observations about the space seemed too effusive. She wasn’t quite sure what it was exactly, but over the years, Melba had learned to trust her instincts and made a careful mental note. After narrowing her eyes in thought, she magnanimously decided to try to be hospitable. She also decided not to be too generous with her stash of bread.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Saturday morning, Toby practically sprang out of bed. Saturdays were lazy days, but his normal morning routine wasn’t going to cut it today. He was filled with restless energy and a sense of anticipation. It took him a minute to figure out what was going on, and then he had it; today, he was spending the afternoon with Jon Chiang. He was both excited and nervous about the prospect. He and Jon had never spent any significant time alone together. Outside of the martial arts studio, every encounter included Melba or Madame Zhou, and usually, it was the four of them sharing lunch or an occasional dinner.

  He finished off the pot of coffee and considered his options. The weather looked promising, so maybe a run was in order. At least his energy would be put to use. He rinsed his cup and headed for the shower, and once basic grooming was completed, he pulled on a pair of running shorts and a soft, ragged t-shirt. He laced up his shoes, locked up, and headed downstairs. When he hit the sidewalk, he stretched while planning his route. He set off toward the city park at a good pace, enjoying the pull of muscle and the steady rhythm of feet hitting pavement. A mile or so in, he pulled off his t-shirt without breaking stride and tied it around his waist. He focused on feel of the breeze on his skin and the sun on his shoulders, and the tension in his upper body slowly melted away as his mind let go of all the tangled thoughts which had plagued him for the last couple of days. He slowed things down as he neared his section of Capital Street, feeling far better than when he started. Easing off into a walk, he passed the small parking lot.

  Toby never thought much about how he appeared to others while he was out and about getting his exercise. Oh, he knew he was considered to be good looking and maybe even kind of hot, if a lean runner’s build was what turned you on. His legs and ass were pretty spectacular from all the running, but his upper body had always seemed less defined and muscular. Several weeks of intense physical training had changed that. Clean sweat glistened in the morning sun, highlighting the line of his neck, shoulders, and back. The fine trail of hair inching down from his navel collected tiny droplets of moisture and shimmered golden in the light. The nylon shorts clung to his butt and upper thighs, and his skin was slightly flushed from exercise.

  As he walked past the windows of Green Dragon and the martial arts studio, he didn’t notice Jon Chiang, who was momentarily distracted from his Saturday morning beginner’s class by the sight of a mostly unclothed Toby Bailey. Unknown to Toby, at that moment, Jon was jolted by a sudden case of nerves and longing, amazingly similar to Toby’s earlier that morning. Toby had been unsure how exactly to characterize the totality of his feelings, but Jon had no problem. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, the instructor turned back to class, realizing the pull of attraction he’d felt toward the young man had reached the point of no return. Surprisingly, he didn’t mind it one bit, and was looking forward to the plans they had made for the rest of the day.

  Once back in his apartment, Toby pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and finished half of it in one swallow. He walked to the French doors, pulled the blinds and opened the doors to let in the morning air. He wandered out to the terrace and took a seat in a chair, ignoring the heavy canvas covering which protected the upholstery from the worst of the winter elements. “It’s time to get this place back into shape,” he decided as he surveyed the empty planters and the table umbrella still encased in its protective cocoon. “Maybe I can pick up some plants for myself while we’re shopping for Madame Zhou.”

  Usually, he just filled the containers with a lot of whatever green, tropical foliage caught his attention, but maybe it was time to add a little color. Problem was, he didn’t have any idea what sort of plants might work. The terrace got plenty of sun during the summer, which was part of its appeal, but the blazing heat might limit his choices. He did
n’t want anything too fussy, knowing he wouldn’t spend the time needed for proper care. He liked the way plants looked, however, years spent weeding and mulching Grams’ gardens and vegetable patch had totally cured him of any need to go all out on his own patio. Deciding to turn his problem over to an expert, he went inside for his phone.

  Grams answered on the third ring, her cheerful voice in perfect harmony with the bright, clear day. “Toby Bailey, I was wondering what time you’d call. I’m surprised to hear from you this early! Usually, you’re still snuggled under the covers on a Saturday morning.”

  “Good morning, Grams. I went for a run this morning and decided now was a good time to check on my best girl. Did you get plenty of beauty rest last night?”

  “I slept just fine, Toby. Although, I’m not too sure it did anything for my looks.”

  “Well, you don’t need it anyway. You’re already the most beautiful lady in three counties. What are you up to this morning?”

  “I’ve cleaned the kitchen and have a load of sheets hanging out on the line. Nothing makes them smell as good as fresh air. I was making a grocery list when the phone rang. We have a covered luncheon at the church tomorrow, and I thought I’d make a couple of pies.”

  “Peach?”

  “Now, you know better. The peaches aren’t out at the farmer’s stands yet, and I don’t like the ones from the store. Somehow, they just don’t taste the same, no matter how much I doctor them. Today, I’m thinking it’ll be strawberry-rhubarb. I have the rhubarb I put away last summer, and I heard they have a batch of early berries down at Sims’ fruit stand. I hope they have some tomatoes too, but I’m not betting on it. Weather’s just been too cool.”

  “Sounds like you have a pretty busy day ahead of you. Hey, did you get the invitation I sent?”

  “I sure did. The postman brought it yesterday. Looks like you and Melba are throwing some kind of a party!”

  “Yeah, although it’s mainly Madame Zhou’s doing. She has it in her head we need to open with a big to-do, and it’s easier to just go along with her. Melba says no matter how much we argue, she’ll still get her way.”