Off the Record (An Avery Shaw Mystery Book 10)

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Not much of anything,” I replied.

  “Not much of anything?” Eliot poked my side, seemingly amused that I remained angry enough to keep a little distance between us. “We went kayaking.”

  “I got blisters,” I interjected, holding up my hand for proof.

  Eliot ignored me. “We went hiking.”

  “I got blisters on my feet.”

  “I went fishing while she read on a blanket near the lake.”

  “I got attacked by these water beetles that were so big I swear they were extras in Alien.”

  “We had bonfires every night.”

  “Which were awesome because I got s’mores,” I conceded.

  “We lazed around and read books together some afternoons.”

  “Eliot prefers it when I read romantic suspense books, because then I can read the sex scenes out loud,” I offered.

  “We went to a festival,” Eliot added. “Where we discovered a dead body.”

  Jake jolted, his expression unreadable as he gripped his glass of water. “You discovered a dead body?”

  “Her side – including her head – was sticking out from beneath a tent,” Eliot explained. “We were heading toward the Ferris wheel because … well … I’ve always had a certain fantasy regarding Ferris wheels. We noticed something was off right away and called the cops.”

  “Her name was Tansy Gilbert,” I interjected. “Her neck was broken and the cops have no suspects. But I have a feeling they’re not really looking, because they’re claiming a transient did it … like that’s not the oldest lame story in the bad true crime book.”

  Eliot made a strange throat-clearing sound as he leaned back in the booth and regarded me. “How do you know that?”

  “That her name was Tansy Gilbert? It was in the newspaper.”

  “Not that.” Eliot wagged a finger. He could tell when I was deflecting. “How do you know that the cops have no suspects?”

  “Oh, well, um … .”

  “Spill.”

  “I called the reporter handling the case for that rag they call a newspaper,” I huffed out, annoyed. “She was clueless. Hasn’t done one bit of digging. She also likes boy bands, which is a whole other issue.”

  Eliot waited, expectant.

  “Oh, geez.” I pushed my hair back behind my ears. “Why are you looking at me like that? I wanted to know if they had a suspect. We found her, for crying out loud! It’s not as if I’m inserting myself into the investigation. I’m not.”

  “Uh-huh.” Eliot pressed the tip of his tongue to the back of his bottom teeth as he tilted his head to the side, considering.

  “Don’t look at me that way.” I adopted a belligerent expression. “I’ve been good. There’s no reason to be suspicious, because I’m being an absolute angel.” I looked to Jake for help. “Are you going to back me up here?”

  “I’m still waiting for him to yell at you about picking a fight with Ludington,” Jake countered. “He let that go pretty quickly. I thought for sure there’d be some yelling, maybe a little threatening, and definitely some overt posturing.”

  “I don’t posture,” Eliot snapped, finding his voice.

  “I was talking about Avery.”

  “Oh, well, that makes sense.” Eliot dragged his hand through his hair. “She postures all of the time.”

  I worked overtime to tamp down my irritation as I glared at Jake. “Thanks so much for your help.”

  “I didn’t realize that I was supposed to be helping,” Jake said dryly. “Believe it or not, I care whether you get hurt. Going after Ludington the way you did could’ve ended with you in the hospital – or worse – and him in jail for murder.”

  “I’m stronger than him.”

  “You also have limits to your aggression, although they’re few and far between,” Jake pointed out. “I’m worried that one day you’ll push Ludington to the point where he actually tries to kill you.”

  “He tried today.”

  “I mean with a knife or something.”

  “Oh, well … .” I hadn’t really considered that possibility. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. He’s not very coordinated. You saw how I dropped him without getting up from the bench.”

  “And what if he’d had better reflexes?”

  I shrugged. “Then I would’ve figured out something else. I always do.”

  “Uh-huh.” Jake didn’t look convinced when he fixed his attention on Eliot. “Why aren’t you yelling at her?”

  “Because now isn’t the time,” Eliot replied, seemingly unruffled about being confronted about his attitude. “She’s had a long couple of weeks. I’m not giving her a reason to pick an annoying fight.

  “We’re in the process of moving,” he continued. “In fact, we closed on the house this morning. It’s officially ours. We dropped off the first load when we were finished at the title company.”

  “Sounds exciting.” Jake forced a smile, but I could tell he was still grappling with the reality that Eliot and I were moving in together. It was one thing for us to date – there was always a possibility that we would break up – but moving in together seemed more permanent. Jake and I could never be together. Our lives diverged in incompatible ways, but that didn’t mean we forgot the love we used to share. Over the years it mellowed into something else – an enduring friendship – but we still struggled with the shifting reality every so often. “When will you be out of the Roseville house?”

  “Hopefully soon,” Eliot replied, smiling at the waitress as she delivered our food. “That house is tiny. Plus, Avery has ticked off the neighbors to such a degree I’m surprised they haven’t banded together to go all Roseville on her behind yet. I’d like to get her out before that happens.”

  “She does have a way with people,” Jake agreed, smirking. “What about the new neighbors? Have you met them?”

  I nodded. “They don’t like me.”

  “They don’t? How do you know that?”

  “She doesn’t,” Eliot answered for me. “She got it in her head this morning that everyone was staring at us. I explained that it was because they were curious – you know, we’re the new element – but she refused to listen. She’s kind of a pain sometimes.”

  Jake’s eyebrow winged up. “Sometimes?”

  “You know I’m sitting here, right?” I challenged, making a face. “I can hear when you talk about me.”

  “Of course you can.” Eliot patted my hand. “It’s going to be fine. Avery doesn’t deal well with change. That’s why I didn’t yell about the fight with Ludington – although I haven’t ruled out paying that asshat a visit so we can have a little talk. Avery can handle only so much on any given day. She’s at her limit today.”

  Jake snorted. “You know her pretty well.”

  “Yes, well, she’s a strange and wonderful creature who enjoys maintaining a pattern of bad behavior that’s fairly easy to predict. That makes handling her easy.”

  “I’m still here,” I muttered, digging into my chili fries. “You guys are lucky the French illness is making me so weak that I have to focus on lunch instead of you. Otherwise you’d be in a world of hurt.”

  “I’ll be forever grateful,” Jake teased, focusing on his lunch. He ordered a salad, which made me feel mildly guilty about my heaping pile of chili-covered goodness. Of course, that feeling lasted only seconds. Who needs that?

  After polishing off the bulk of my lunch, I turned the conversation to a topic that I knew would make Jake uncomfortable. “So, have you seen Cara? Is she still acting all Fatal Attraction where you’re concerned?”

  Eliot lifted his chin, surprised. “Next time you want to transition to a new subject, you might want to ease into it, Trouble.”

  I ignored him and kept my gaze on Jake. “Well?”

  Jake pressed his lips together as he decided how to answer. Cara was his ex-girlfriend – the breakup coming a few weeks ago – and she’d been less than pleasant since he’d dropped the hammer. I was a sore spot in their
relationship. Cara wanted me out of Jake’s life, but he refused. After backing him into a corner and forcing him to pull the plug, Cara grew angry and started saying horrible things about him in certain circles. Jake was an elected official, so Cara’s antics might prove problematic at some point … although Jake refused to acknowledge that because he felt guilty about hurting her. He always was a putz when it came to women – present company notwithstanding, of course.

  “Cara is … fine.” Jake’s jaw clenched when he said the word “fine.”

  “That’s good,” Eliot said cautiously. “If she’s calming down, that’s probably best for everyone.”

  “I need more clarification,” I announced. “Is she ‘fine’ like she’s getting over everything and taking a step back because she realized she was acting crazy? Or is she ‘fine’ like the shark in Jaws, and you’re just accepting the fact that she’s a homicidal eating machine who might chomp on you at some point?”

  Jake heaved a sigh as he regarded me. “She still seems upset. She blames me for breaking her heart. I’ve heard that she’s told a few people that I’m doing some kinky stuff with you guys. I’m sorry about that, by the way. I hoped she would leave you out of it.”

  Eliot waved off the apology. “Don’t worry about it. I sleep with a woman who wants me to dress like an intergalactic princess. It doesn’t get any kinkier than that.”

  I was pretty sure I could make it a lot kinkier if I gave it some thought. That sounded liked a challenge to me.

  Jake held his hands palms up. “It’s still not fair. She’s convinced that I’ve been having an affair with Avery before I got together with her. I’ve tried explaining that’s not the case, but she doesn’t listen.”

  “It’s because she’s crazy,” I supplied between fries. “You can tell. She has crazy eyes. She’s like that woman in that television show set at the prison … they have a character named Crazy Eyes … and just like her, Cara is due to snap and try to kill someone at any moment.”

  Jake was still as he leveled his gaze on me. “You watch way too much television. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  “You would love that show,” I countered. “There’s a ton of lesbian action and a lot of scenes set in the shower room. We’re talking endless nudity here, and it’s almost all of the female persuasion.”

  “Wait … what show is this?”

  Eliot chuckled as he used his napkin to wipe the corners of his mouth. “It is an interesting show. Orange is the New Black. Avery has become a Netflix addict. She watches that, Stranger Things and that Making a Murderer documentary twenty-four seven.”

  “Stranger Things is awesome,” I said, my enthusiasm growing. “Remember when we were sixteen and I made you reenact The Goonies because I was bored? That’s what that show reminds me of. It’s like The Goonies, E.T.: The Extraterrestrial and The Monster Squad all rolled into one.”

  “I can’t believe I missed it,” Jake deadpanned, shaking his head. “I promise to catch up as soon as humanly possible.”

  “You do that.”

  “I’m totally checking out that lesbian shower show first,” Jake added, causing Eliot to snicker. “As for Cara, I’m not sure what to say. She says she’s over me, but she waffles between anger and tears. I’m just trying to stay away from her.”

  “I know a way you can do that,” I offered.

  Jake is suspicious by nature, so of course he narrowed his eyes and pressed his palm flat on the table, as if bracing himself. “What did you have in mind?”

  “You can help us move.”

  I expected Jake to make up a bad excuse … or sputter … or find something interesting to stare at on the wall over my head. Instead he grinned. “I already promised to help.”

  “Oh, well … good.” I glanced at Eliot. “You didn’t tell me you roped in Jake to help.”

  “I’ve roped in several people to help on the big day. I probably haven’t mentioned any of them.”

  “Derrick?”

  “Yes.”

  “Mario?”

  “Yes.”

  “Marvin?”

  “Do I look stupid?” Eliot challenged, digging into his wallet to pay our bill. “If I wanted to listen to Adventures in Dating Poorly I’d invite Marvin. Obviously that’s not the case. Plus, well, he doesn’t strike me as the sort of guy who would actually move furniture. He strikes me as the sort of guy who would complain about moving furniture while holding pillows or something. We already have a person on the moving team who fits that bill.”

  “Who?”

  Eliot smiled. “You.”

  I was pretty sure I’d just been insulted. “Keep it up,” I warned, sliding out of the booth. “I’ll make you dress like one of Jabba’s slaves if you’re not careful.”

  “At least then I wouldn’t have to watch you waddle around like a seal in winter clothing just so you can use a lightsaber,” Eliot grumbled.

  I strolled ahead of Eliot and Jake, allowing them to gossip as I walked out of the restaurant. I took a moment to pull my phone from my pocket to see if I missed any texts or calls while eating. I was lost in thought as they talked about moving, the sound of a nearby garbage truck jolting me from my reverie. I glanced to my right and saw one of the county trucks backing toward a receptacle behind the diner. Festival week meant the Dumpsters would be emptied daily.

  I wrinkled my nose as I registered the smell, and then something caught my attention as the truck latched onto the receptacle. My heart rate sped up as I opened my mouth, disbelief washing over me as I tried to find the words to stop what was about to happen. My mouth kept working, but I couldn’t find the volume control, until finally I managed to force out one strangled word.

  “Jake!”

  Jake snapped his head toward me, instantly alert. “What?”

  I pointed. I didn’t know what else to do.

  Jake and Eliot hurried to my side, both of them sucking in stunned gasps when they realized what we saw.

  “No way,” Jake muttered, hurrying away from me. He raised his hands to get the garbage truck driver’s attention and stop him before he further marred a potential crime scene. “Stop!”

  I slid a gaze to Eliot, opening my mouth and then snapping it shut. I had no idea what to say.

  “That’s two bodies in one week, Trouble,” Eliot gritted out, his expression dark as he stared at the hand hanging out of the trash receptacle. “I think you need to come up with a new pastime.”

  He wasn’t the only one who thought I needed to start branching out.

  12

  Twelve

  Her name was Teyona Davidson. She was twenty-two, black, and a waitress at one of the Main Street bars. She worked her shift the previous evening without complaint or incident. And because she lived only a few blocks away, she left right after closing to walk home. She never made it.

  I got all of that information from watching my cousin Derrick question people. He’s one of Jake’s most trusted investigators. Because he was the lead on the case, I had someone to blackmail should it become necessary to dig for information.

  I watched him walk into Flannigan’s, a faux Irish pub, and waited until he left to question the workers there. The man who owned the pub, Chester Dinkleman (yes, I refrained from making a joke. It seemed inappropriate given the death and all) appeared upset. He didn’t have much information to share – only that Teyona was a college student who worked four night shifts a week – and then he disappeared into his office. I swear he looked as if he was about to cry.

  I questioned some of the other workers, but all I found was that she kept to herself and didn’t cause problems. None of my co-workers (or myself, for that matter) fit that bill, so it was hard for me to wrap my head around a non-dramatic work environment. I found Eliot watching the scene when I escaped to Main Street after begging off a free shot of Hennessy. It seemed the Flannigan’s staff was going to start mourning early in the day.

  “What did you get?” Eliot asked, shifting his eyes to me.
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br />   “Seems like she was normal,” I replied. “She’s a college student at Macomb Community College. She picks up four shifts a week. She lives on the other side of Gratiot, and it wasn’t uncommon for her to walk home alone.”

  “Even at two in the morning?” Eliot appeared angry at the revelation. “That’s not exactly safe.”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. She grew up in the area. She probably thought she was safe.”

  “Even though there are gangbangers shooting each other across the corridor whenever somebody looks at somebody else the wrong way,” Eliot muttered. “I eavesdropped when Jake was talking to the medical examiner. I don’t think he saw me, but I guess it doesn’t matter if he did. You’re going to find out the information anyway.”

  “You’ve got that right.”

  Eliot’s smile was rueful. “I see days and days of obsessing in your future, which sucks while we’re packing, but there’s no way of calling you off now, so I’m going to help.”

  “You always do.”

  Eliot leaned over and brushed a soft kiss against my forehead. He seemed to sense my distress. “She was strangled. The medical examiner doesn’t have a firm time of death but he’s tentatively putting it between two and three. I overheard him talking to Derrick.”

  “So right after her shift ended,” I mused, rubbing the back of my neck. “That makes sense. Someone grabbed her off the street. They might’ve even killed her in the alley. This area is isolated after dark. No one would’ve seen what was happening.”

  “Jake has a full evidence tech team in there,” Eliot offered. “They’re gathering fibers and looking for anything left behind. There’s no blood, but they appear to be focusing on the area right by the restaurant wall.”

  “If she died there, that means the killer didn’t have to carry the body far to dispose of it.”

  “And no one would’ve been the wiser if you hadn’t seen her hand,” Eliot noted. “She might’ve gone undiscovered for a long time – maybe even forever.”

  “I felt as if I was trapped in quicksand,” I admitted. “My mouth didn’t seem to want to work. I had trouble finding the right words. Heck, I had trouble finding any words. How weird is that?”