For Love of Livvy (18 page)

A cool breeze fluttered through the back yard as I left the house and cranked over the engine in the dilapidated Volvo. She'd been a faithful car to Livvy for as long as I could remember. Loath to be rid of it, I knew the vehicle was on its last legs. Now who was the keeper of things? The little car rumbled along the back roads into Cranston and I arrived at my mother's in no time.

Laundered sheets hung on the clothes line set away from the deck and my mother stepped to the door when I'd climbed the few stairs. Brown eyes took in my appearance and a slight smile flittered across her features as I waltzed through the door. Could she tell I'd had sex? Nah, not possible, I answered.

"What's that grin for?” I asked immediately.

"Nothing, I'm just glad to see you. Are you hungry, can I make you some breakfast?"

"Yeah, just some toast and coffee is good,” I said while I gazed about the room and over my mother.

"I want to talk to you about Aunt Josephine and the dummies."

Her eyes turned toward mine and she blew out a small sigh.

"I wish you wouldn't call them dummies, it's very mean and rude, Lavinia."

"When I explain what I know, you'll agree with me.” Within a half hour, I'd not only explained Richmond's theories, but I'd told her of Aaron Grant and the investigation. Her eyes widened when I finished and she plunked down into a chair.

"Do you think Livvy was involved?"

"No, I know she wasn't. I also don't think she was killed either, but that's only conjecture. Could it be she had a condition that we didn't know about? Was she sick at all, ever? I don't recollect any medication in the cabinets when I cleared them out. Maybe there wasn't any medication or treatment for what she had."

"Maybe you're reaching far and wide, Lavinia. Are you grasping at anything that comes to mind because you refuse to believe Livvy may have been dishonest?"

"I guess so, but you have to admit there is some merit in them."

"What are your plans where Kenny and Frankie are concerned?"

I munched the toast. “Talk to them, I guess. I'm also going to finagle the stones from the cops if I can and bring these two creeps to justice. Cripes, I can't believe I have to do this to my own family."

The screen door opened and my father walked in. His eyes slid from me to my mother and back again.

"Do what to your own family?"

"Nothing, we were just talking about Kenny and Frankie,” I said.

"Stay away from those two bums. They've always been no good and never will be. D'ya hear me, Lavinia?"

"Yeah Dad, I hear you. You're right, of course."

His eyes narrowed when I agreed with him and distrust loomed on the horizon. We rarely agreed on much even though we adored each other, but when I did make the rare concession, he became suspicious.

"Huh.” He grunted and slid the newspaper onto the table.

I rose and kissed them both goodbye. Before I left the house, Mom asked if I'd be down for supper and I shrugged. She hadn't packed a bag of leftovers for me, but it was only breakfast time.

With a wave of my hand, I started the old car and headed back to Scituate.

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The Volvo chugged up Plainfield Pike and at the intersection of Route One Sixteen. I turned right and continued toward the village. The car rumbled, creaked and groaned its way north. I couldn't believe it when all the dashboard gauges went berserk, then quit working altogether. The car spluttered to a stop on the lonely stretch of road where traffic was nil. I was left stranded.

After I released the hood latch, I got out. It's not that I'm a mechanic, but I thought it was worth a lookie see. Just in case the battery cable was loose or something of that nature, I poked my head under the hood. A conglomeration of unknown stuff met my bewildered gaze. I had no clue where or what anything was except the battery which sat in plain view. The old cables jiggled under my fingertips and I realized they were solid so I glanced around at the other stuff in there. My fingers grasped tubes and wiggled them, nothing loose there. I tightened caps that didn't need it and decided to call it quits. The hood slammed shut as I disengaged it and let go.

Before I started the trek toward the village a few miles away, I locked the car doors. My cell phone couldn't get a signal, but on the bright side of things, the exercise would do me good. I hoofed along at a good pace and covered about a half mile when a pickup truck slowed next to me.

I glanced over, remembering how my mother had taught me to never speak to strangers and never ever take rides from them. Surprised, I realized my cousin Frankie sat behind the wheel of the truck. His smarmy grin put me on edge, but I greeted him like the long lost, very lost, cousin that he was.

"Hey dude, how's it goin'?” I asked with reluctance.

"Not bad, how about you? How's life been treatin’ ya?"

"Pretty fair until my car died. You must have seen it back there on the side of the road. What are you doing out here in God's country?"

"I figured that was your car. Why are you drivin’ that old bomber anyway? You must make good cake at the college to afford somethin’ better. Can I give ya a lift into the village?"

"Sure, thanks.” Nerves jangling, I couldn't think of a good enough reason to refuse. I walked around the vehicle and climbed inside. It was then I realized he hadn't answered my question. “After my car was stolen a while back, I decided that I'd drive Livvy's car,” I said.

"Where to, Aunt Lavinia's house?” His sly glance slid sideways.

Beady, sneaky eyes they were. Chills snaked along my spine. He'd still never said why he was here. I nodded and said, “Yeah, I just left my mom's and need to get home to meet Lola,” I lied, but it was a small lie.

"She's a fine woman, that Lola. She got a man in her life yet?"

"I'm not sure. Her brother is a cop and that kind of stands in the way of her relationships. He's such a macho guy, you know. He hassles every man she's interested in.” Another lie. I was on the fast track to hell.

"Right, I know him. A real jerk, he is.” His eyes slid toward me again as he smirked. “You know what? Kenny and I were just talkin’ about you the other day.” Frankie turned the truck left at the intersection. We sidled up to the front of the house and he put the truck in park.

"You were?”
Probably discussing cement overshoes
.

"We been thinkin’ that you might be interested in sellin’ the shop in Providence, you know, Inspirata?"

My eyes widened a fraction as I stared at him, but I shook my head. “I'm not sure what I'm doing with it yet, but I'll keep your interest in mind should I decide to sell.” I hopped out of the truck and thanked him with a nervous smile.

Dark eyes slithered toward me and his lips turned to more of a leer than anything else. “You might keep in mind that it's in your best interest to sell to us. Seein’ as we're family an all."

"I'll do that,” I said, and stumbled backed onto the sidewalk away from the truck and the slimy creep.

"You oughta be more careful Vinnie. It's dangerous out on the back roads where there's nobody to help you should somethin’ happen,” he warned. Foreboding coal black eyes glared at me and I shivered.

My innards quaked as he spoke, but I continued to smile and agreed with him. I stepped past the front gate of my walkway and waved a hand at him before scuttling through the front door of the house.

I leaned against the inside wall and said a prayer of thanks for making it back home alive and in one piece. Small favors and all that. So much for talking to the jerk and the other dummy about the gems, I chided myself.

Unable to curb my curiosity, I still wondered why Frankie was out this direction. There was only one answer. He was here to harass me or search the house. Maybe my imagination was on a roll, but it was certain that things were hurtling into a downward spiral.

I plunked down in an overstuffed chair as my eyes traveled the room and my mind traversed dark avenues. The lion stood across the room and his beauty soothed my frantic nerves. The warm patina and fine sculptured muscles stood out on the powerful body. The pedestal he balanced on caught my attention and I scrambled from the chair for another close inspection. Marcus and I had looked the animal over, but we'd hardly considered the pedestal.

Unsure of what I sought, my hands played over the surface that held the lion. Pieces of wood fit together in a seamless fashion, smooth under my fingertips. I removed the lion and returned to scrutinize the three foot stand. Again my hands stroked the wood up and down as I peered at the surface.
Nothing there.
I tipped the cylindrical piece toward me to feel underneath. Nothing there either. Well, it was clear that the lion had held only one secret and no more. I harrumphed and slammed back into the chair. Whatever Livvy knew, she'd damned well kept it to herself.

A fire tanker and brush truck launched from the pad in front of the fire station and screamed by my house, tearing down the street. I heard the sirens fade in the distance, my thoughts turned inward to Frankie and Kenny.

Just as I slouched down farther in the chair, the outer front door slid open and a brief knock landed on my door. Don't even let it be another package, I thought in despair.

The door handle rested under my hand while my heart thumped like a set of drums. I turned the handle and opened the door with a swift jerk. My eyes slid upwards over a massive chest and settled on deep chocolate eyes that gleamed in the light. I blew a soft stream of air through my lips and stepped back to allow his entry.

"Glad to see you, Aaron. Where have you been?” I asked.

"Working, did you miss me?” He chuckled and his eyes settled on my lips.

After my night with Marcus, I figured it was bad form to fall into Aarons arms. While I found him to be a devastatingly attractive man, Marcus warmed me to the bone with one look. I guess that I hadn't listened very well to the little inner voice.

"What're you doing later?” he asked with an engaging grin.

"Why do you ask?"

"Since we cut our date short, I wondered if you'd like to get a burger with me."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea, but first I have to get someone to retrieve my car. I broke down earlier and left it on the side of the road."

His smile broadened into laughter. “You do seem to have the worst luck I've ever seen. Come on, we'll take a ride. I'll see what I can do to get it started for you."

"You don't mind?” I asked. As he shook his head, I grabbed my purse and said, “Let's go."

"One question, does it have gas in it?"

A smirk crossed my lips as my glance took in his laughter.

"Uh yeah, it has gas.” My voice imitated his and he chuckled.

We drove along the reservoir and turned the last curve approaching the car. A police cruiser blocked the road while firefighters sprayed my Volvo. I jumped from the front seat of Aaron's truck. Clouds of black smoke billowed from the Volvo and I scrambled past the cruiser. The small car sat in ruins and I stared in disbelief.

The cop stepped toward me with orders to leave the scene. I stared at him for a moment until the words sank in. He stood between me and the Volvo. Bill MacNert ambled toward us with a grim face. I glanced back at the cop and then to MacNert. My stomach tight, I waited for the bad news.

Aaron stepped next to me and laid a hand on my arm in a light grasp. He nodded to MacNert and the officer.

"This car belongs to the lady,” he said.

I watched as his eyes traveled the scene. Aaron took over the situation while I stood in silence, dumbfounded that someone would do such a thing. But then, my life was fairly screwed up lately.

The cop stared at me and asked why the car was here.

"It broke down earlier and I managed to get a ride home. We were about to see if we could get it to run,” I said.

The cop nodded, but MacNert just stood there, his face a mask of concern. It was so unlike the firefighter to be quiet that my glance lingered on him.

"What is it, Bill? What's wrong?"

"Someone torched your car with gasoline, Vinnie. This wasn't a prank, it was dead serious. I'm sorry."

My knees shook and I leaned sideways. Things got far away and dark for a moment. Huge hands grabbed me and brought me back from the black swirling pit swirling. Aaron, like a mountain he was, let me lean into him for support.

The perp couldn't have been anyone other than my cousin Frankie. A vivid picture of him dancing gleefully after he torched the Volvo hurtled through my mind. Nasty, dirty rotten things concerning the creep skittered right behind these thoughts. I glanced at the police officer. Anger replaced lightheadedness as I faced the man.

He eyed me up and down, took stock of me for some reason and then he asked, “Aren't you the niece of Lavinia Ciano?"

"Yeah, why?” I said, a bit belligerent now.

The cop look slid into place onto his face at my attitude.

"I was the one who found her. Sorry about that, she was a fine woman. She did a lot for charity and even coached my son's soccer team."

It was a surprise to hear something pleasant from a lawman about my aunt. My face crumbled and tears rolled down my cheeks. Call it shock or whatever, but I was on overload and couldn't deal with another thing at the moment. Strong arms wrapped me into a WWF sized body. I stood there and slobbered like a fool. Aaron soothed me, his hand smoothed my hair and he held me tight.

My life seemed like a pile of shit that stunk worse and worse every moment. This policeman had offered a bit of sunlight in an otherwise dreary situation and it had overwhelmed me. I leaned into Aaron until I stopped sniveling. He handed me a hanky to wipe my face and blow my runny nose.

With great effort to get my emotions together, I inhaled deep breaths and glanced around. I watched men kick pebbles, shuffle their feet and look everywhere, but at me. Men, the macho tough guys, just can't take tears for some reason.

Slowly, Gribbert's Tow Truck idled alongside the police cruiser and the cop made way for the huge vehicle. The driver pulled up to the dilapidated vehicle and then got out. He hooked a heavy chain to the undercarriage and pressed a lever to haul the blackened chassis onto the flatbed. With a nod to me, he turned away and climbed back into the cab. I knew the remains of the old relic would go to the storage graveyard behind his garage.