2 Last Diner Standing

by Terri L. Austin

  Henry shifted out of reverse when I heard a deafening crash. For a second, I tried to figure out what had happened. Then I realized a bullet had ripped through the cargo door window and whizzed past my ear.

  Sullivan threw himself into the backseat, tossing me down until I lay across the floor. He covered me with his body. “Get us out of here,” he yelled.

  Henry peeled out, balls to the wall. I heard two more pings.

  Oh my God. Someone was shooting at us. My brain finally caught up to the reality of the situation. Took it long enough.

  We raced through the streets, twisting, turning, with the wind whipping loudly around us through the shattered window. I felt nauseous and scared. My cheeks were cold, but the rest of me, covered in Sullivan, was warm. He placed his hand protectively on the top of my head, his other hand on my hip.

  Eventually, he eased off me just a bit, his knee wedged between my thighs. “Are they still behind us?” he yelled up at Henry.

  “Don’t see ’em.”

  “Keep driving, make sure.”

  He moved away from me and the cold hit, making me shiver. He sat on the bench seat, poking his head up, looking out of the busted back window.

  Then he faced forward, keeping his head low. I crawled up to join him, but he placed a hand on my shoulder. “Stay down,” he yelled above the howling wind.

  I sat on the floor but leaned my back against the door. What a crazy freaking night. I glanced at my phone and read the message from Ax. He and Stoner Joe were home, but hadn’t discovered anything about Crystal from the other dancers.

  After half an hour of circling the city, we finally stopped on a dark, deserted road. When Henry pulled over to the shoulder and the wind died down, quiet descended over the car. I blew out a breath, could see it fog in front of my face.

  “What now?” Henry asked Sullivan.

  “We need to get to one of the safe houses,” he said.

  “How do you know they haven’t all been compromised?” I asked. I stretched my legs and climbed up onto the seat next to Sullivan. I ran a hand through my cycloned mane, trying to brush out all the tangles.

  “I don’t.” He rubbed his forehead.

  “There’s no place safe, boss. She’s right, we have to assume they’re all a target.”

  “I know a place,” I said, “but you’re not going to like it.”

  “It’s not much, but I’ve got some sleeping bags you can pitch down here. You’ll have to use the bathroom upstairs,” Axton said.

  I glanced around the dated rumpus room. Red and white shuffleboard tiles covered each end of the long narrow floor. The walls were patterned in green and white checkered wallpaper that gave me eyestrain, and two burnt orange lamps hung on chains in opposite corners.

  Sullivan nodded. “I appreciate it. But you can’t tell anyone we’re here.”

  Stoner Joe stroked a braided string on his purple tuque. He pointed at Henry. “Dude, you look familiar. Did I see you in an episode of Law and Order?”

  I rolled my eyes. Poor Joe’s brain was fried. I didn’t think he was all that smart to begin with, but add in years of pot usage and he’s were down to a handful of functioning cells.

  “Ax, why don’t you take Henry upstairs and show him the facilities?”

  Axton glanced from Sullivan to me. “Right. Come on, Joe.” I was surprised Ax didn’t whistle and pat his leg, like he was calling a dog.

  Joe shuffled after Ax and Henry. Once I heard the door shut, I gazed up at Sullivan.

  “What’s going to happen now?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll figure something out.” He hesitated. “I’m sorry I put you in danger tonight.”

  Sullivan feeling guilty. That was a new one. And I realized he wasn’t going to help me find Asshat’s assailant. We weren’t going to team up like Superman and Batman to stave off the forces of evil—oh my God, I was starting to think like Axton. I rubbed my temples.

  I was on my own in the Asshat investigation. Sullivan had his own problems, but his new threat added to my worries. It was important to me that he was alive and well and involved in various criminal enterprises. Well, I wished he would get out of his various criminal enterprises and go legit. I cared about him.

  Damn it, when did that happen?

  I realized I’d been staring at him like he was an alien pod person from one of Axton’s movies, so I looked away. “I’ll bring sheets and towels tomorrow.”

  He pulled out his wallet and handed me a wad of cash. “Take this. Bring some food, too.”

  “You know, I think I’ll start calling you the Bossy Jackass again,” I said, tucking the bills into my pocket. That’s what I called him before I discovered his name. Apparently it still fit.

  “Do you want me to beg?”

  I scoffed. “Yes, I’d love it. But I’ll settle for a please.”

  He glared at me instead.

  “Fine, I’ll be by tomorrow evening.” I moved to climb the stairs, but his hand snagged mine, pulled me back.

  “Thank you.”

  I didn’t linger. I was afraid I might hop on him and ride him like one of the strippers at The Bottom Dollar.

  I jogged upstairs to confer with Ax in the dining alcove and looked around the house for the first time. Green garland, two decorated trees—with dueling themes of Star Trek and Star Wars—and mistletoe abounded. There was even a miniature snow-covered village set up on the dining room table with X-men figurines mingling amongst the villagers.

  “Ax, it looks like Christmas threw up in here.”

  He shoved his hands into the pockets of his faded jeans and grinned. “I like it. It’s the season of yuletide and cheer and all that. You need to give in, Rose.” He unpocketed one hand and poked my shoulder. “I know you like, harbor the spirit of the season somewhere.”

  I couldn’t even begin to think about the season and presents and cheer. I had too many problems. “Nobody can know that Sullivan’s staying here. He’s not trusting his own people at this point.”

  Ax nodded and stroked a patch of facial hair. “You got it. What else do you need?”

  “Clay Davidson and Stuart Weiner.”

  I waited until he finished laughing. “Yes, I said Weiner. That’s Baldy and Weasel to you. Anyway, Stuart chased me through the parking lot of the strip club tonight. That’s where Sullivan picked me up.”

  “I’m on it,” he said, still grinning.

  “I’m going to get some supplies and bring them over tomorrow. You have to keep Stoner Joe in the house. He’s like a geyser, you never know when he’s going to spew out information.”

  “Yeah,” he said, “I’ll make up a batch of brownies and dole them out, judicious like. Just make sure you bring over lots of chips tomorrow. And Funions. He loves those.”

  I touched his shoulder. “Ax, I know you might have some bad feelings about Sullivan and you have every right—”

  “Rose,” he grabbed my hand and patted it. “He helped you, man. I’m not harshing on the dude.”

  Axton Fuller Graystone had the purest heart of anyone I’d ever known.

  The next morning, I filled Roxy in on the excitement of the previous night. Except the kiss. I wanted to keep it to myself.

  My tale was a long one and she had oodles of questions. We continued to talk as we got ready to open for business. “You can’t tell anyone about Sullivan, Rox. I mean no one.”

  She shoved a second piece of gum into her mouth. “I got it. But shit, someone shot at you?”

  “Say it a little louder next time. I don’t think they heard you over in Kansas.” I didn’t want Ma to get wind of what went down. She’d only worry and she had enough on her plate. Namely chicken. She remained in the kitchen, stirring some chicken concoction over the stove as if it were witches’ brew.
/>   Roxy glanced over her shoulder to make sure we were alone. “You get so dramatic when it involves Sullivan.”

  “Not the point,” I said. “You have to be discreet. Also, I texted Janelle last night after I got home. We’re going to put some pressure on Sheik’s brother, LD, see if he’s heard from Marcus.”

  She grabbed the napkin holders on the counter and shoved two in my direction. I automatically began filling them.

  “Why the personal visit?” she asked.

  “He probably won’t talk to us over the phone. Janelle threatened to rip his balls off the last time we saw him. We’re going to his garage this time.”

  She made a face as she attempted to stuff more napkins than the holder could handle, causing one side to bulge. “What makes you think he’ll talk to you in person?”

  “I’m not sure he will, but we have to try. I stopped by Crystal’s last night, but she wasn’t home. And other than Bank Teller Brenda’s husband, which is number two on my list of places to visit, LD’s the only angle I can work right now.”

  She sighed dramatically. “All right, I’ll come with you. You never know when you might need a little backup.”

  I gazed at the flounces, bows, and ruffles on her red and white dress. She looked like a five-year-old on her way to a birthday party, not ball-busting backup. But I wasn’t picky and I knew how scrappy she could be.

  “It’s a date. Speaking of dates, how was yours with Tariq?”

  “He’s kind of awesome.”

  “Is he a good kisser?”

  “None of your beeswax.”

  “That good, huh?”

  Before we opened, I went to the office and roused Dillon from his slumber behind the desk. “Get to work, kid, before I sic Roxy on you.”

  Grumbling, he stood and ambled to the dining room. “This job is stressing me out.”

  As soon as I flipped the open sign, Roxy and I hustled. At eight, in the middle of a rush on eggnog French toast, a very tall man in his sixties with a potbelly and skinny legs thundered into the diner. With his thick mane of silver hair, coupled with his brown suede coat and western shirt, he had the look of a used car salesman.

  Rudy Jorgenson—Ma’s nemesis. The theme song from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly ran through my head.

  He pointed at me. “I want to talk to Ma.”

  Customers stopped eating and stared at him. There was an anxiety to the silence. We all held our collective breaths. In the corner, Roxy, her blue eyes as wide and round as marbles, stopped chomping her gum.

  I kept my gaze trained on him, but kicked the kitchen door open with the heel my foot. “Ma,” I called over my shoulder, “trouble’s done come to town.” I stepped aside so the swinging door wouldn’t hit me in the ass as Ma walked out of the kitchen.

  When she saw him, she placed her hand on one hip and sneered. “Well, well, well. Look who’s here. Come to take your medicine like a man, Rudy?”

  He took two steps forward and Ma mirrored him, until they stood a foot apart.

  “You’re trying to horn in on my lunch business.” He nodded at me. “That little gal was handing out flyers in my parking lot.”

  I slowly stepped from behind the counter so I could be on hand in case violence broke out. Not that I thought Rudy couldn’t fend for himself, but I didn’t think he’d fight back against a seventy-nine-year-old woman.

  Ma smirked. “You bet she did. And she’s going to do it again.”

  The hell I was.

  He bared his clenched teeth. “You’re going to tick me off, Ma. And I don’t think you’re ready for the fallout.”

  “Get the little girl a tissue, toots. I think he’s going to cry,” Ma said.

  Rudy pushed back the edges of his coat and placed his hands on his hips. “Don’t push me.”

  “I’m going to push you right out of business. You’re nothing but a snake, trying to steal away my breakfast customers. That was a mistake, sonny.”

  “Your chicken special was a mistake, old woman.”

  She squinted her eyes at the insult, causing her wrinkles to deepen. “You thought you could go against Ma Ferguson? You fool. I’m going to hang your ass out to dry. I own breakfast in this town.”

  Oh dear. I made a move to step between them. “I think there’s enough room in this town for Ma’s and Rudy’s breakfast. There’s no need for name calling.”

  She fixed her slightly mad eyes on me. “You going against me, toots?”

  I backed away. “No, not at all.”

  Rudy turned his back on Ma. “Listen up everyone, it’s buy one get one free on unlimited pancakes at Rudy’s Roundup Restaurant.” He whipped around and speared Ma with his glance. “And we have fruit toppings.”

  She gasped. “Well, it’s buy one lunch special get two free here at Ma’s Diner. And no one can touch my chicken specials. Certainly not someone who squirts ketchup on noodles and calls it spaghetti.”

  Rudy turned purple. “Choke on my dust, woman.” And he stormed out of the diner, leaving the cold air swirling around our feet.

  Ma glanced over at me. “Saddle up, toots. I have a feeling lunch is going to be hopping.” Then she marched into the kitchen.

  My gaze found Roxy’s. She rolled her eyes and resumed chomping.

  Chapter 16

  We usually hit a lull at ten, but business was brisk this morning. Jorge helped us bus since Dillon was on chicken suit duty. At ten-thirty, Dane Harker walked in. Incredibly handsome, he looked like a fish out of water with his Burberry coat and expensive suit. He ran a hand over his short, dark hair as he wiped his feet on the mat. He stepped up to the counter where I’d just served a plate of eggs to an old timer.

  “Can we talk?” he asked in a low voice.

  “Sure, give me a sec.” I topped off Bill’s coffee cup with a smile before leading Dane into the office.

  I stuck my hands in my back pockets. “Sorry I don’t have a lot of time, we’re crazy busy. Do you have news about Janelle’s case?”

  “No, sorry. I just wanted to let you know Penn’s Cigar Bar caught fire last night. There’s talk of arson.”

  I tried to look surprised. “Was anyone hurt?”

  “No, fortunately. But since Sullivan owns it, I thought you’d like a heads up.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Are you still in contact with him?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “He called to check on me.”

  His light blue eyes searched mine. “The police want to question him. He hasn’t been seen for a couple of days. His employees don’t know where he is. It looks suspicious.”

  Not only did Sullivan have someone after him, now the police wanted him, too. “How do you know all this?”

  “There was a breakfast fundraiser this morning. The police chief, Martin Mathers, was the guest speaker. There was lots of talk about the fire. Anyway, I just thought you’d want to know.”

  “What about Janelle’s situation? There are other suspects in Sheik’s attack. Lots of suspects. He had ex-girlfriends with jealous husbands. He owed money to everyone.”

  He reached out and squeezed my shoulder. “I don’t want to see her go to jail for something she didn’t do, either. Shoot me a list of your suspects. And please, be careful?”

  I thought it was a little lame I had to do his legwork for him, but if it helped Janelle, it was worth it.

  Throughout the day, Roxy, Jorge, and I worked at a furious pace until our new closing time. By three o’clock, I was hungry, achy, and bitchy. Roxy was worse.

  “I hate this. Do you know how much I made in tips today? Less than yesterday and I worked twice as hard.” She grabbed a rag and wiped down the counter.

  I stuffed sugar and artificial sweetener packets into white caddies at each table. “I know.”
>
  Dillon flapped into the diner. “I’m exhausted, man.”

  “Yes, I’m sure flashing your chicken butt and flipping people off was very draining,” I said.

  Roxy snort laughed.

  Before we left, I yelled at Ma and the boys through the kitchen door. “See you tomorrow.”

  Ray glanced up at me, his brow so furrowed I couldn’t see his eyes. Jorge threw me a tired wave. Ma sat on a tall stool next to a stainless steel countertop, with her chin resting on her palm and said nothing. This lunch thing was wearing her out. But she was hardheaded and wouldn’t give in until she was ready.

  Roxy and I hopped in the car and sped over to Janelle’s. The kids were already home from school, but Sondra was there to babysit. Damon looked a lot better, but was quiet—an unusual state for him. Sherise and Sondra’s boys were glued to the TV.

  In Janelle’s car, I sank into the front seat and Roxy slid in the back. She slipped on a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses and stared out the window.

  “How are you holding up, Janelle?” I asked.

  “Eh. Asshat’s still in a coma. They’re not sure if he’s going to come out of it. I wished his ass dead too many times to count, but now that he’s almost there, I feel bad.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I said. “And we’re going to find out who did this.” I gave her the rundown on the strip club scuttlebutt from the night before. Minus anything pertaining to Sullivan.

  “So no news on Chicken Licker?”

  “Nope, not yet. I stopped by her place, but no answer.”

  “Maybe we should head over to her house after we see LD,” Janelle said.

  I glanced at Roxy in the backseat and raised my brows. “Not sure if that’s a good idea, Janelle. You and Chicken Licker in the same room?”