“Silly old Al. I never liked him that much anyway. Do you see those two men over there? They’ve been looking at us ever since they arrived. What say we let them buy us some champagne?”
She raised her hand and waved to the men, who started walking towards them. Kitten was back in control, which was just how she liked things to be.
CHAPTER 4
“Looks like I timed that perfectly,” Jake said as he sauntered into DeeDee’s kitchen, her husky dog Balto at his heels, and kissed her on the cheek. “Is that bacon I smell cooking?”
Balto woofed.
“Balto’s hungry after our walk on the beach,” Jake said, pulling out a stool and sitting at the counter. “Me too, come to think of it. There’s something about the fresh morning air and making calls about a murder. See? Balto’s nodding. I can tell he agrees with me.”
DeeDee turned away from the stove and placed one of her hands on her hip. “I’ve never known you two not to be hungry. How about Red? Have you taken care of him?”
Red, Al’s Doberman Pinscher, was staying with DeeDee while Al and Cassie were temporarily living at The Four Seasons Hotel. It made sense, since DeeDee had plenty of outdoor space and lived near the beach. Balto and Red weren’t really playmates, but they had a healthy respect for one another. DeeDee suspected Red wasn’t impressed by Balto’s adoration for Al, Red’s master, and there was a bit of a doggy rivalry going on.
Jake nodded. “Yep, he’s fed and watered.” He poured a glass of orange juice from the jug on the countertop. “I spoke to Al while I was out,” he said. Looking down at Balto, he laughed. “I swear that dog knows what we’re saying. It used to just be the words ‘ferry’ and ‘food’ that set him off. Now, you only have to mention ‘Al’, and he’s spinning around like he’s chasing his tail. See what I mean?”
DeeDee looked down at Balto, who was circling Jake’s stool with gusto.
“Lie down, Balto,” she commanded. Balto hesitated. He looked over at her with his one brown eye and one blue eye, before falling to the floor.
“Good boy,” DeeDee said, walking over and rewarding him with a small piece of bacon.
“Hey, what about me?” Jake protested. “I’m a good boy, too.”
DeeDee grinned, and leaned in to kiss him. “I know you are. Yours is coming.” Her lips lingered on his, and she had to tear herself back to the stove before the bacon burned. Jake groaned. “I can wait for breakfast if that’s an alternative.”
DeeDee smiled to herself as she dished out two plates of bacon, avocado, and poached eggs on sourdough toast. Things had been going great with Jake since their break-up at the start of the year, when they’d spent some time apart. “Nice try, buster, but I thought you had a possible murder to solve.”
She joined Jake at the counter, where she served their breakfast. Pouring coffee for both of them, she asked, “What did Al have to say?”
“He wanted to know if I’d talked to my contact at the Seattle Police Department,” Jake said, between bites of his eggs and bacon.
“And have you?”
Jake’s eyes widened. “It’s only 10:00 in the morning. A woman died at the table our friends were supposed to be dining at last night. There were whispers as we were leaving the restaurant that she was murdered. What do you think?”
DeeDee tilted her head to one side. “Hmm, I’d say you probably made that call several hours ago.”
“You’d be right. After everything Al has done for us, the least I can do is help him sort this thing out. I’m glad he asked us. Although, I’d be grateful if you didn’t go chasing after suspects like you usually do. Leave that to Al and me.”
DeeDee knew Jake was referring to several close escapes she’d had in previous murder investigations in which they’d been involved. For some unknown reason, murder seemed to follow her around. She was almost getting used to it, although that wasn’t to say she liked it.
“I promise,” she said solemnly. “Anyway, what did you find out from the police?”
Jake’s sparkling blue eyes rested on hers. “Seems like the whispers could be right. Initial indications from the coroner are that the woman was poisoned, but that still has to be confirmed.”
DeeDee raised her hand to her mouth. “Oh, how horrible. Who was she?”
Jake rubbed his chin. “Her name was Megan Reilly. She was twenty-eight years old and dining with her boyfriend, Luke Robertson. It turns out he’s a Seattle cop. His coworkers at the Police Department are pretty upset about it, as you can imagine. Given the circumstances, there’s going to be a lot of heat on this case. As soon as they learn anything else, my contact will let me know. In the meantime, he gave me Luke’s number so I can get in touch with him directly.”
DeeDee sipped her coffee in silence. The reality of their lucky escape the previous evening was beginning to sink in. To think that it might have been her friend Cassie who had died…she shuddered.
“Al said he spoke to Rob first thing this morning,” Jake continued, “and asked him to check out some names Cassie thought of last night.”
“You mean, people that might want to kill her?”
Jake nodded. “The thing is, Al told me he thinks Cassie’s in denial. She’s finding it hard to believe anyone would want to kill her for something she’s done. He’s inclined to agree with her. He thinks if Cassie was the intended victim, it’s more likely someone was trying to kill him as well, or get at Cassie as revenge on him for his past.”
DeeDee pushed her plate away.
“Don’t you want to finish that?” Jake said, staring at her half-eaten breakfast.
DeeDee shook her head, and pushed it over to him. “Did Al have any ideas who might be after him?”
Jake gave a piece of bacon to Balto, who was hovering at his feet. “Yes, he said there were a couple of people, but he didn’t share any details. Just said that he would deal with it. My concern is…no, never mind.”
Jake’s crinkled brow indicated to DeeDee he wasn’t happy about something. She pressed him for more information. “What do you mean, Jake?”
Jake thought for a few moments, leaning his elbow on the counter and resting his chin on his fist. “Let’s see…how shall I put this? I suspect Al’s way of dealing with things might be a little more reckless than you or I would care for. Al’s kind of a law unto himself. He thinks nothing of taking justice into his own hands. If we find out who killed Megan, and that someone had meant to murder Cassie or Al, he won’t be waiting for the police to put the killer behind bars.”
DeeDee’s voice was a whisper. “You think Al would kill them? But then he could go to jail, and that would break Cassie’s heart. She’s been through enough, what with Johnny dying, and now this.”
Jake shrugged. “Hopefully, it won’t come to that. I’ll try my best to keep an eye on him, but he’s a loose cannon. I have no idea who the people are he was referring to, so I’m pretty much in the dark.” He took the last bite of his toast, and stood up. “I’ll clear these things up while you finish your coffee.”
DeeDee watched Jake take the dishes over to the sink. She noticed Balto had stirred from where he’d been sitting at the foot of Jake’s stool, and was on alert in the kitchen doorway. She exchanged a look with Jake, as the sound of a car pulling up outside reached them. Balto went mad with excitement when he heard footsteps approaching the front door, and he bolted out through the hallway in that direction.
DeeDee grinned at Jake. “There’s only one man Balto goes quite that crazy for. I mean, he likes you, Jake, but you know you’ve been relegated from his No. 1 Guy spot, right?”
With a smirk, Jake put down the dishcloth he was holding and said, “I’ll let Al in.”
CHAPTER 5
“Are you sure you’re feeling all right, sweetheart? You’ve hardly eaten a thing.”
Mario Carlucci looked across the table to where his dinner date, Kitten Knight, was idly pushing around the food on her plate with her fork. The lighting in Canlis restaurant was dim, and the gl
ow from the candle in the glass jar on the table was kind to Kitten, whose appearance was less put-together than usual. Her long, thick platinum braid had come loose from where it had been wrapped at the back of her head earlier in the evening, and snaked down one shoulder. Kitten’s eyes were smudged with eyeliner and mascara that looked as if it had been rubbed out of place, and her trademark scarlet lips were misshapen, perhaps due to trying to apply her lipstick with an unsteady hand, the same one that now gripped her wine glass as if her life depended on it.
Kitten took a swig of wine and stared at Mario, her glassy eyes lifeless. She shrugged. “I’m here, aren’t I? I thought that’s what you wanted.”
A slow, easy smile crossed Mario’s face. High-maintenance women like Kitten needed careful handling, but he’d had years of practice. It was a fine line between treating them mean and then showering them with affection and baubles. It was time to reel her in. Judging by the mood she was in tonight, maybe she’d had enough of his games. The other women he’d been seeing weren’t even in the same league as Kitten, and he didn’t want to lose her.
Mario’s hand reached for Kitten’s knee under the table. “You know I love spending time with you. I was delighted when you called earlier to say you were at The Nest and in need of some company. Goodness knows, you saved me from a boring meeting with my bankers.” His hand edged up Kitten’s warm leg, under the hem of her skirt, and he felt her squirm back in her seat.
Undeterred, Mario kept talking. “The thing is, there’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask you. I was thinking it’s about time we became exclusive. What do you say?” He beamed at her expectantly.
Kitten’s eyes flickered, but her face gave nothing away. Mario had been hoping for a more positive reaction. There were plenty of women who would jump at an offer like that, but Kitten wasn’t like other women. That’s what he loved about her.
Mario leaned in closer to her. If Kitten wanted to play hard to get, he had it covered. “There’s a penthouse with your name on it at Waterfront Palace, my new property development. The interior designer is on standby for you to consult with. However you want to do the furnishings and decor is entirely up to you. It’s a blank canvas, and the budget’s very generous, within reason of course.”
Kitten’s gaze remained blank. “Can I think it over?” She pushed his hand away from her leg, and stood up, picking up her purse. “Excuse me, I’ll just be a moment.”
Mario inhaled. Kitten had some nerve. Maybe it would take more than an apartment for her to commit to him. He watched her sashay towards the ladies room, albeit slightly unsteady on her feet. She’d called him after 7:00 p.m., and judging by how her speech was slurring, he guessed she must have been in The Nest for several hours before that. When he’d picked her up outside The Thompson Hotel in his Porsche, she’d been laughing and giggling with her sister Maureen. Mario had hailed a cab for Maureen, a flirty middle-aged woman who wasn’t a beauty like her sister, but had a bubbly personality after a few drinks. When Mario had met her on previous occasions, he thought Maureen had a mean streak that was often directed towards Kitten. If he were a betting man, he would have said Maureen was jealous of her younger sister.
The waiter arrived at the table to clear the dishes. He lifted Kitten’s plate, which had barely been touched. “Was everything satisfactory with your meal, Mr. Carlucci?”
Mario looked up. “Yes, thank you. My companion wasn’t very hungry. My filet mignon was delicious, as always. Please, give my compliments to the chef.”
Mario’s eyes wandered around the room as he waited for Kitten to return. Canlis was a dressy, upscale dining restaurant, and its clientele looked the part. Ladies wore the latest styles and expensive jewelry, and the men wore suits or sport coats. He glanced over at several people he knew, nodding to them in recognition. The place was buzzing, and deservedly so. Canlis was frequently recognized as one of best restaurants in the United States.
Mario dined there often and was a generous tipper, so the staff had been known to find him a table on short notice, such as this particular evening. The fact that someone else’s reservation may have been bumped, and they had to wait at the bar, didn’t concern Mario. Growing up in a crime family had given him an expectation of always getting what he wanted. It had been a long time since he’d killed anyone, not since his father died and the family had gone legit. But he still had a gun, and he wasn’t afraid to use it.
When Kitten reappeared, her hair had been secured behind her head once more, and her eye makeup and lipstick were no longer smudged. She took a sip of water, reaching across the table for Mario’s hand.
Clutching her palm to his, Mario could feel her clammy skin.
“Mario, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I won’t be able to take you up on your offer. It’s very generous, but it’s…I just can’t.” There were tears forming in her eyes, and Mario reached into his pocket, handing her a freshly laundered monogrammed linen handkerchief.
“Kitten, there’s no need to decide now,” he said, worried. He could tell this wasn’t a bluff by Kitten. “I can tell you’re not yourself tonight. Take as long as you need. The interior designer, Briana Roberts, will be on site for the next few days and can show you around any time.” He squeezed her hand. “Oh, and I was thinking that old VW of yours has seen better days. I’ll have one of my team bring a lease car over for you in the morning.”
Kitten started to protest. “Mario, I—”
“Nonsense. Not much, just a Mercedes or something. No strings. Keep it as long as you like.”
Kitten shook her head so hard that the braid on her head came undone once more. “Mario, you’re not listening to me. You’re a fine man, and a kind person, but I won’t deceive you. I don’t love you. You deserve to find someone who does.”
Mario’s face hardened. Kitten tried to pull her hand away from his, but he held onto her with a tight grip. There was only one explanation why Kitten would turn him down. And he wanted to hear it direct from her.
“He’s back, isn’t he?” Mario’s voice was low and menacing. “That idiot, Al De Duco.”
Kitten said nothing, but the look on her face told Mario all he needed to know. Kitten wasn’t the first woman he’d lost because of Al De Duco. He felt a twinge in his chest. Even though it had been thirty years ago, the pain of having his first love, Lola Forte, cruelly taken from him had never waned.
Mario and Lola had been childhood sweethearts in Chicago, both from crime families who worked for the “the Outfit.” Lola was a newly-certified kindergarten teacher, and Mario had just finished his engineering degree, when he proposed to her on their first trip abroad to Venice, Italy. When Mario got down on bended knee, the gondola they were traveling in had wobbled so much it almost capsized. He could never remember a day since then when he’d laughed so much or felt as happy. Lola and Mario planned to go back to Venice on their honeymoon the following year, after a large family wedding in Chicago.
“You’re thinking about Lola, aren’t you?” Kitten said sadly. “I know how much you loved her. That’s what it should be like, Mario. Don’t settle for anything less. You and I have fun together, but let’s not pretend it’s anything more than that.”
Mario dropped Kitten’s hand, gazing out the windows of Canlis at the city and the water of the Sound beyond. Mario had everything money could buy, but inside he still felt hollow. He was able to fill his days with work, and at night there was no shortage of beautiful women to occupy the space on the other side of his bed. Kitten was the only woman since Lola he’d considered getting serious with. And once again, Mario had Al De Duco to thank for ruining his chance at happiness. He thought he’d gotten away from Al when he left Chicago, only to find Al and Vinny had also moved to Seattle in recent years.
Kitten’s voice cut through his thoughts. “It wasn’t Al’s fault, what happened to Lola. He told me about it.”
Mario motioned to the waiter to bring the check. His tone was cold and businesslike. “I’ve ha
d enough of this conversation. Why you’re sticking up for that man, I have no idea. So tell me, have you seen him? Last I heard, he’d retired to the Caymans. Best place for him, as far as I’m concerned.”
Kitten sucked in her cheeks and stared coolly at Mario before she looked away. “No,” she said softly. “I haven’t seen him. Maureen bumped into him at an auction house. He told her he’d gotten married.”
Mario watched Kitten dab her eyes again with his handkerchief. She went to hand it back to him, but he waved her away. “Keep it,” he said, more gently. He handed his black Amex card to the waiter, and waited to resume the conversation until after the waiter had left.
“Kitten, my offer still stands. I won’t let you down like Al did. Maybe what you and I have together isn’t love, but like you said, two lonely people with a lot of respect for each other can still have a lot of fun together. And who’s to say it won’t grow into something more? I’m willing to give it a shot if you are. All I ask is that you don’t rule it out for now. What do you say?”
Kitten bowed her head. Mario tried one last time. “Look, I’ll tell you what. How about I give you some space for a while, then we go away next week to that place in the country you love, and talk it over again. We can leave Wednesday. It’s quiet there midweek. That’s a plan, right?”
Kitten glared at Mario. “I can’t do it on Wednesday. I have something to deal with that night.” She waved to the waiter and asked him to call her a cab.
“I’ll take you home, baby,” Mario protested, but Kitten stood up.
She leaned down and kissed Mario briefly on the lips, pausing to whisper in his ear. “If you have any sense at all Mario, you won’t wait for my call. I’m not sure what’s going to happen after next week, but I might be going away for a long time. Goodbye.”
Murder at Le Bijou Bistro Page 4
