Bunco Babes Tell All

by Maria Geraci

  The smell of onions and beef wafted through the air, making Kitty’s mouth water. She never did get to eat lunch.

  “That’s my beef stew simmering,” DeeDee said, noticing Kitty’s reaction. “If you want, I could fix you up a bowl. We could eat it in the kitchen and you can talk to Earl later.”

  “I’m sorry. I can’t wait.”

  DeeDee shook her head. “I’ll tell Earl you’re here. But don’t say I didn’t tell you so.”

  She returned a few minutes later. “He says to come on back. It’s the part in Perry Mason where you find out who the killer is, so I suggest you keep your mouth shut until he talks first.”

  Kitty followed her down a short hallway into a den. Earl was sitting in a recliner, his bare feet propped up, totally engrossed in his program. After a couple of minutes, Earl scowled at the set and turned it off with the remote. “Anyone could’ve seen that ending coming a mile away. I hate it when you can figure out the killer in the first fifteen minutes.”

  Kitty nodded sympathetically. Her grandmother had loved Perry Mason too.

  “I guess I know why you’re here,” Earl said.

  Fuck. That could only mean that outlandish figure wasn’t a glitch like she’d prayed.

  “I wanted to clear this up in person.” Kitty automatically folded her hands in her lap. “I understand that you’d want to try to up the offer, but the amount is somewhat unreasonable. Don’t you think?” She waited for Earl to respond. “I don’t think you’re going to get a better offer than ours, Mr. Handy.”

  “Already have.”

  “What?”

  Earl raised his chin a notch and wiggled his nose in appreciation. The beef stew smell had reached the den. “DeeDee’s a damn pain in the ass, but she can cook. Want to stay for supper?”

  “Um, maybe. First we need to clear this up. I thought we had a deal,” Kitty said.

  Earl’s gaze sharpened. “And I thought you were smarter than that. A deal’s a deal when the paper’s signed. And even then a good ambulance chaser can get you out of it. One of the few things the buzzards are good for.”

  She tried not to look rattled. “May I ask what the other buyer has offered? Have you checked their financing? Maybe it won’t go through,” she added hopefully.

  “Vince already checked it out. Fella’s good as gold.” Ted had used a similar expression to describe Earl’s word. The irony of it wasn’t lost on Kitty.

  “I thought you said you had enough money.”

  “I said that? Well, I was wrong. You can never have enough money.”

  Now she understood DeeDee’s statement about Earl pissing people off. Kitty would happily stand at the front of the line to wring his neck.

  “Bottom line,” Kitty said. “How much do you want?”

  Earl pondered this a minute. “I’d be willing to negotiate something lower than my counteroffer.”

  “We can do five percent over our original offer,” Kitty said. “But not a penny more.” God, please, let Earl take the offer.

  “Other fella’s offered me more than that.”

  Kitty frowned. “Has it occurred to you that it’s pretty coincidental to get two offers for that land in the same week?” Walt Walter’s words suddenly came crashing into her head. “By any chance, did the other offer come from a company named . . . TNT?”

  Earl shifted in his seat. “As a matter of fact, it did.”

  Kitty narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. “Mr. Handy, are you familiar with the Dolphin Isles subdivision in Whispering Bay?”

  “Dolphin like Flipper?”

  “It’s a neighborhood of grotesque cookie-cutter slapstick homes that will get wiped out by a weak hurricane wind and it’s owned by TNT. Is that the sort of construction you want on the beach?”

  Earl looked taken aback.

  He was weakening. She could see it. If only there was something she could use to convince him how important this deal was. She remembered the way his face looked when he’d talked about Gram, and how he’d mentioned her to DeeDee. Maybe he’d even been to Gram’s house before. After all, it was one of the oldest residences in Whispering Bay. “Mr. Handy, how well did you know my grandmother?”

  Earl’s eyes went soft. “She was my first girl,” he admitted. “Damn fine woman. Even if she did marry that fella from Alabama.”

  Kitty jerked up in her chair. Earl and her grandmother had been sweethearts?

  It was shameless. But she had to use it.

  “I know I told you that I wanted this deal to go through because of the commission. But it’s not just because I want money, Mr. Handy. I want the commission so I can buy my grandmother’s house.”

  Earl’s eyebrows shot up. “The one on Seville Street?”

  Kitty nodded. “My mother wants to bulldoze it.”

  “God damn it!”

  It was just the reaction she was hoping for. “And if this deal falls through, that’s exactly what will happen.”

  Earl stared at the blank TV for a few seconds before he let out a deep holler that startled Kitty. “DeeDee!”

  DeeDee poked her head in the door. “Who died?”

  “Get Vince on the phone. Now!”

  DeeDee raised her brows at Kitty. “I don’t know what you said to him, but you’re good.”

  Ted was ecstatic. “Only five percent?” he asked over the phone.

  “Yep.” She had to keep her answers short or she would burst out in a wave of giddy gibberish. “Earl signed the contract right in front of me.”

  “Fantastic! How did you pull it off?”

  Kitty paused a moment. “Let’s just say . . . I pushed the right buttons.”

  28

  Steve picked her up at exactly six. She wore a lime green halter dress that faked some cleavage. She’d thought about wearing the black pumps, but at the last second decided against them. They were too dressy and way too obvious. Instead she went with a pair of four-inch wedgies that were almost as flattering. It was nice not to have to worry how tall she’d appear in the shoes. Steve’s height was a definite advantage there.

  “You look great,” he said, helping her into his truck.

  “Thanks. So do you.” Like earlier, he was dressed in dark slacks, but these were made of a richer material, maybe a wool-silk combo? It was a great Armani rip-off. And for the first time, she noticed he wore cologne. Okay, so yes. This was definitely a date. If she’d known that, she’d have worn the black stilettos.

  They drove into Panama City Beach to a quaint seafood restaurant Kitty had never been to. The atmosphere was intimate and the waiters all wore tuxes. She tried not to appear shocked at the prices.

  “So what are we celebrating?” she asked. “You mentioned a new job today.”

  “I was a little premature this afternoon.” He didn’t seem too upset though.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Something else will come along. It always does.”

  Maybe it was a bad time to bring it up, but she had to know. “I still feel terrible about that cabinet. Were you able to replace it?”

  “It’s on order.”

  “I’d like to split the cost with you. After all, it was my fault too.”

  “It’s not a problem,” he said.

  “What about Caro? Is she going to get in trouble?”

  “I told you, I know the owner pretty well. It’s no big deal.”

  Steve turned his attention to the wine list. Kitty supposed he didn’t feel like talking about it anymore. Not that she could blame him, poor guy. The cabinet must have cost a small fortune to replace, and then to find out the job he was counting on wasn’t going to happen . . . She decided then and there to pay for dinner. Steve would probably put up a weak protest, but she’d convince him it was the practical thing. And after today’s deal, she could definitely afford it.

  The food was delicious. The service impeccable.

  Steve watched her slurp up the last of her lobster ravioli. “I like a girl with a healthy appetite.”

&nbs
p; She blushed. “I never got around to lunch today,” she said, pushing her plate away.

  “Big office-supply trip?”

  “I had some serious damage control to do on a deal.”

  He studied her face. “You don’t look happy about it.”

  “I’m over the moon, actually. It’s just that . . .” She hesitated, but Steve seemed to know a little about the real estate business. Maybe he was the perfect person to talk to about this. “I think I took unfair advantage of a personal relationship.”

  “All’s fair in business.”

  “I thought that was love and war.”

  “That too.”

  Kitty glanced around the restaurant and lowered her voice. “Normally, I wouldn’t have done it, it’s just that with the commission off this deal, I can afford to buy my grandmother’s house now. And then there’s this company here in town that drives me nuts. TNT Properties. They’re despicable.”

  Steve took a sip of his wine. “What do they do? Run some sort of child-slavery ring?” he joked.

  “Worse,” she muttered.

  “Worse than child slavery?”

  “They came to town two years ago and built this subdivision called Dolphin Isles. Have you seen it?”

  “I believe Gus does their plumbing.”

  “Then that’s the only thing over there that isn’t substandard. It’s awful. Row after row of these crummy little identical houses with almost no yard. No soul, no character. Who would want to live in a place like that?”

  “Someone who wants to own a new home?”

  “Do you know how many existing homes are currently on the market in Whispering Bay? Over two hundred. Most of them built in the fifties and sixties. Houses built during a time when people took pride in what they did.” She frowned. “Nathan was at Dolphin Isles today, looking for a job on-site. I told him not to bother.”

  He scowled. “Isn’t that his decision?”

  “The only experience he’ll get there is learning how to build a crappy house.”

  “Sounds like sour grapes to me. I think you’re just pissed because this place has cut into your business.”

  Kitty flushed. “You work construction. Don’t you take pride in what you build?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “Then you should understand what I’m talking about. It’s companies like TNT that are responsible for the decline of America.”

  He snorted. “The decline of America? That’s a little melodramatic, don’t you think?”

  Kitty felt her face go hot. “No, it’s not. And thanks to me, or rather my newest client, we just saved Whispering Bay from more crappy TNT development.”

  His eyes narrowed. “What client?”

  “It’s sort of on the QT.” Steve raised a brow at her. “You know, hush-hush,” she explained.

  “I know what ‘on the QT’ means.”

  Oh hell. She’d already blabbed to half the town. Other than Gus and big-mouth Joey, who was Steve going to tell? She’d come close to confiding in him about it the other night. Eventually the sale was going to be announced in the business section of the Whispering Bay Gazette and then everyone in town would be talking about it. And despite the Babes’ predictions of gloom and doom, if companies like Publix were thinking of coming to Whispering Bay, the majority of the town would crown her a hero.

  “I’m representing a developer who’s going to build condos on the beach—Ferguson and Associates. TNT must have gotten wind of it because they put in a bid for the same piece of land. A ridiculously high bid that could only have been meant to choke out my client.”

  His jaw tightened. “So, by using this personal connection, you got the seller to agree to the deal at a lower bid?” He paused. “That’s pretty impressive.” He didn’t sound impressed though.

  “Like you said, it’s all a matter of pushing the right buttons.”

  He gave her a chilly smile. “You despise a company like TNT for building affordable housing, yet you rep a company that wants to litter the beaches with condos?”

  Kitty straightened in her seat. “I’ve seen the renderings for the condos. They’re a string of tasteful low-rise buildings that mesh with the natural landscape.”

  “That’s one way to spin it.”

  “Obviously, you’re out of your league here.” Kitty gulped down the rest of her wine.

  “You think TNT Properties is guilty of shoddy workmanship and the decline of American values, but you use a personal relationship to throw a deal your client’s way. A client who’s going to build some ‘tasteful’ condos on the beach? Maybe I’m out of my league, sweetheart, but at least I’m not fooling myself. I know a spade when I see one.”

  She almost choked on her wine. “I thought you of all people would understand why I did it. What was all that gushing over my grandmother’s house about?” she asked, her voice rising to a near shout. An elderly woman at the next table turned to stare at them. Kitty lowered her voice to a hiss. “Do you even like old houses? Or was that just a ploy to get me into bed?”

  “I didn’t have to get you into bed, you practically fell into it.”

  She took a deep breath and counted to ten. “Obviously we’re not going to agree. Maybe we should call it a night.”

  “Good idea.” Steve motioned to the waiter for the bill.

  “Did you enjoy your meal?” the waiter asked in a pleasant voice.

  “Yes,” they both answered in unison without looking up.

  Kitty made a move for the bill, but Steve was faster. “What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.

  “You’re out of work and you have a kitchen cabinet to replace. Remember?”

  “Anyone up for dessert?” the waiter asked, his tone more cautious now. “We have a delicious cherries jubilee on the menu tonight.”

  Steve pulled out his wallet and flung an American Express card on the table. She’d love to fling her own card down too. But it seemed childish. Plus, she suddenly remembered her credit cards were nearly maxed out. “I’m the one who invited you to dinner,” he said. “Remember?”

  “I’ll take that as a no on the dessert,” said the waiter. He scooped up the card and made a quick exit.

  Neither of them said a word the entire ride home. Steve pulled into her driveway but before he’d even turned off the engine, she’d already scrambled out of the truck. She could open her own damn door, thank you.

  “It’s been wonderful knowing you,” she said stonily, keeping her eyes trained on the rearview mirror next to his head. She had no desire to ever look Steve Pappas in the face again. “Please tell Nathan I wish him the best of luck in his endeavors.”

  Wait. There was more. But she was going to have to relent on the “never looking him in the face again” thing. What she had to say next, she wanted to make sure he heard. So she looked him directly in the eye. “And in case you haven’t figured it out by now, for some bizarre reason, Nathan admires you. So don’t let him down.”

  She slammed the car door a little too forcefully (she really hadn’t meant to slam it at all) and made as graceful an exit as possible under the circumstances.

  Once inside the house, she opened the refrigerator freezer and ripped into the Snickers bar she kept hidden behind the ice maker.

  How dare he criticize her?

  What did he know about real estate or business or anything important? He was just some thrice-divorced loser out-of-work construction worker who happened to be occasionally charming and really good in bed.

  Shea and Pilar had known that all along. Why hadn’t she listened to them?

  She picked up the phone and dialed Pilar’s number.

  29

  It was like one of those hokey MasterCard commercials. Pink-and-black-polka-dot thong from Victoria’s Secret: ten dollars. Early morning breakfast at the Bistro by the Beach with your best friends: twenty bucks. Looks on their faces when you tell them about the latest bump in your love life: priceless.

  Shea’s cheeks were red with in
dignation. “First he said you sucked in bed. And now he’s called you greedy?”

  “Pretty much,” Kitty said. Actually, it had been Ted who’d called her greedy, but Shea and Pilar didn’t have to know that part. Steve might not have said the G word, but he had certainly alluded to it. And she could hang up trying to explain the whole sucks-in-bed/didn’t-rock-my-world statement because they were apparently never going to get that one right.

  Pilar shook her head. “I still can’t believe you went out with him. We told you he was bad news.”

  “I know, I know. I should have listened,” Kitty said miserably.

  “Did you really tell him you thought Dolphin Isles was responsible for the decline in American values?” Shea asked, wide-eyed.

  “Yep.”

  Pilar glanced at her watch. “I have to leave by eight. Don’t let me stay a second longer.”

  “You’ve already reminded us three times,” Kitty said. “What are they going to do if you’re late for once in your life. Fire you?”

  Pilar ignored her.

  “I don’t agree with Steve the prick,” said Shea. “But you have to admit he has a point. It seems sort of, well, hypocritical to be so down on Dolphin Isles when you’re representing a company that’s going to be putting up condos.”

  “Whose side are you on?” Kitty demanded.

  Shea rolled her eyes. “Yours, of course. I’m always on your side. It’s just weird how the two of you got into this argument anyway.”

  Kitty sighed. “Speaking of Dolphin Isles, what were you doing there Saturday?”

  Shea looked startled. “At Dolphin Isles? When?”

  “Around one thirty. I had to have a close encounter with Walt Walters. He denied you were there, but it was so obvious he was lying—”

  Pilar’s watch went off. She stood and smoothed the non-existent wrinkles from the skirt of her Ann Taylor suit. “Gotta go. Despite popular opinion,” she said, glaring at Kitty, “I can’t keep Hillaman, Soloman, and Kaufman waiting.”

  “Don’t you ever get bored wearing the same thing every day?” Kitty asked.

  Pilar frowned. “This is a brand-new suit.”