Full Tilt (8 page)

"You guys are confusing me," Beenie said. "Why are you grinning like that? Someone obviously tried to kill me from what I understand Shouldn't we start a manhunt? I demand to know who did this, and as soon as I find out there's going to be some serious ass-kicking."

* * * * *

"I need to go by the office," Jamie told Max an hour later. Beenie had wolfed down a hearty breakfast while talking about wrestling to Big John and Snakeman, who listened without comment. They simply sat at the table, heads cocked to one side, mouth agape, as though waiting for the real Beenie to stand up.

"I'll drive you," Max said.

"Will you be okay?" Jamie asked Beenie.

"Damn right." He pulled a baseball bat from beneath the table. "I'm going to hang around and make sure there's no trouble."

"I can't take any more," Deedee said. "I've lost my dog
and
my friend."

Beenie was still entertaining the wrestlers. "Either of you guys got wrestling groupies?"

* * * * *

Jamie arrived at work and found two security guards at the front door and Vera discussing paint samples with one of the painters. "What do you think of this color?" she asked Jamie. "It's called Sand. It would make the room look larger, and fingerprints won't show as badly."

Jamie looked at it. It looked like plain old beige to her. "I like it."

"Check out your office."

Jamie discovered, much to her amazement, her office was finished, right down to the cherry desk, matching credenza, and two large filing cabinets. The walls had been painted a soft rose color, which blended with the loveseat and two matching chairs. Silk flowers adorned the coffee table. Men were installing new computers and the phone company was running cable and hooking up phones that would match the decor throughout.

Max came up beside her. "What do you think?"

Jamie had tears in her eyes when she turned to him. "I don't know what to say."

"I thought it looked like you when I selected it."

Jamie's breath caught in the back of her throat.
"You
picked it out?"

He nodded. "I let the decorator decide on the other furniture, but I wanted to choose yours. I hope you don't mind."

"Max, I can never thank you enough."

"I wanted you to have a nice place to work."

Vera was grinning when Jamie came out. "Wait until you see the rest of the place. We have a beautiful mahogany table and executive chairs in the conference room, and all new appliances in the kitchen." She suddenly frowned. "I'm going to kick your butt to kingdom come if you try to sell it."

"She's not going to sell it," Max said.

Jamie couldn't stop smiling. "Have you seen Mike Henderson?"

Vera nodded. "He has been here all night. Says he has several articles he wants to run by you. You'll find him in his office." She handed Jamie two sheets of paper. "I attended the chamber of commerce meeting, and the garden club meeting, and took notes so Mike could concentrate on the important staff. I'm also covering the Lancasters' wedding this evening. Helen, bless her heart, answers the phone while I'm out."

Jamie couldn't hide her surprise. "Very good. Anything else?"

Vera grinned. "I saved the best for last. You're not going to believe this. I sold twelve ads this week."

Jamie's eyes narrowed. "You didn't threaten anybody, did you?"

Vera looked insulted. "For your information, I was the epitome of professionalism. I think everyone is so excited with the place they're working twice as hard. And the raises didn't hurt."

"Raises?"

"The ones you insisted your employees deserved," Max said with a wink.

Jamie nodded. "Oh, yeah. I'm surprised they went into effect so quickly."

"And Muffin is pushing the home office for those bonuses you requested."

"We're getting a bonus, too?" Vera said.

"Of course," Jamie said, realizing Max was trying to make her look good.

"Muffin says everyone will get theirs within a week," Max added.

"Who is Muffin?" Vera asked.

"Max's computer," Jamie replied. "She's really awesome, but she's going through menopause right now so Max had to disable her for a little while. She's back now and feeling much better."

Vera sighed. "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer."

"I have to run," Max said. "I'm upgrading the security system back at the house, and I'm late. I'll be back as soon as I can and help out."

Jamie nodded. "Vera, please ask Mike to come into my office. I need to see what he has."

* * * * *

Max greeted the men who were to put in the new security system. "Sorry I'm late," he said.

"No problem," the man in charge said. "We've already started installing upstairs if you want to take a look."

"I noticed you're setting up cameras outside like I asked."

"Yes. We'd like to use the small office off the kitchen to set up TV monitors. Hope that's okay."

Max nodded. "How long will it take?"

"The job is a little more elaborate than I'd originally thought it would be, so we'll need a couple of extra days. You understand we're moving as quickly as we can."

"Yes, and I appreciate it. Okay, show me what you've got."

* * * * *

Jamie and Mike worked straight through to lunch. Vera sent out for sandwiches. "I'm really impressed with all you've done," Jamie told Mike, as they lunched at her desk. "How do you like working with Vera?"

"She can be bossy at times, but she works hard. If I need research or other information for my articles, Vera has it to me in no time. Makes my job a lot easier. And she loves taking pictures. I didn't know she was an amateur photographer."

Jamie nodded. "She took a class at the community college. They offer them free for senior citizens. Last I heard she was taking ballroom dancing."

"Why didn't I know that?" Mike asked. "I should do an article on that. Maybe get more seniors in this town involved."

"I need a break," Jamie told Mike once they sent the front page and Lifestyles section to layout.

"I need to check on my mom anyway," Mike said, hurrying to his office.

Jamie called Deedee to check on Beenie's condition.

"I'm worried about him," Deedee said. "He's been in the bathroom for hours with a girlie magazine. Do you think he's gone straight?"

"I don't see how," Jamie said. "I thought homosexuality was a genetic thing. You know, once gay, always gay? Maybe he doesn't remember coming out of the closet."

Deedee sighed. "Sounds complicated. I asked him to go through my catalogs so I could pick out an outfit for Election Day, and he looked at me like I was crazy. I don't know who's going to do my makeup and hair now. I just want my old Beenie back."

"I'm sure he'll come around," Jamie said before she hung up.

Mike returned shortly after, assuring Jamie all was well with his mother. "She's doing a lot better. Gave me a scare in the beginning, though."

"I'm glad to hear it," Jamie said. "Listen, Mike, I have to tell you, I'm impressed with all you've done the past few days. You got a lot accomplished."

"I realized it was time I took on more responsibility. I guess my mom getting sick was a wake-up call," he added. "I'm just surprised you put up with me for so long."

"You're a darn good editor, and this newspaper is lucky to have you." Jamie wouldn't tell him how close she'd come to telling him to hit the road at times, but with the salary she offered, she couldn't have afforded to hire a replacement. "Keep up the good work."

* * * * *

At three o'clock, Max left the installation crew and climbed into his car. "Are you there, Muffin?" he asked.

"No, I'm shopping at Saks."

"I need answers. Someone attacked Deedee's assistant last night."

"Beenie?" she said.

"Yeah. Probably the same person who took Deedee's dog." Max quickly filled her in.

"That sucks," Muffin said. "How's Beenie?"

"He's okay, but Deedee's worried as hell. Have you got anything on Swamp Dog yet?"

"I keep bumping into firewalls. There's a record of him serving in Vietnam, but every time I try to dig deeper, I hit a dead end. The government is doing everything in its power to protect that information." She sounded frustrated.

"Think, Muffin. Sometimes things are not as hard as they seem. You're programmed to think like a computer
and
a human being. There's a reason for that."

"Max, what the hell are you talking about?"

"What would a computer do if it couldn't get the information?"

"It would simply tell you there was no data available."

"Right. What would
I
do?"

"You'd say, screw it and find the information anyway."

"So, Muffin?"

"Yeah, yeah. Keep looking. What's on your agenda?"

"I've got to go through three years of the city budget."

"Good thing you're a speed-reader."

"By the way, how's it going with the laptop at MIT?"

"He's not very bright."

"You're going to be hard-pressed to find anyone brighter than you, dear."

"What I'd like to know is why it's so important that I learn about Mustangs and replacement parts."

"Jamie's car was hit a couple of times in the shootings. I'd like to get it repaired." He went on to explain the actual damage, and Jamie's sentimental attachment to the car.

"I'll get on it right away since it concerns Jamie," Muffin said.

Max spent the next hour going over the city budget. "I'm going to take a ride, Muffin. I need directions to Highway 24."

"Where on Highway 24? You got any crossroads, or am I supposed to do this blindly? Forget it, I already know the answer."

Five minutes later, she ran a printout. "Here are the directions," she said. "What are you looking for?"

"The sewage treatment facility that never was. A lot of money was allocated for it, and taxpayers are still getting hit. I'd like to know why the city never finished it. Oh, before you do that, get Jamie on the phone."

Silence.

"Please."

Jamie picked up on the first ring.

"How are things going with the newspaper?" Max asked.

"Surprisingly well."

"Okay, if you don't need me, I'm going to take a drive."

"Anything I need to know?"

"I want to look at that sewage treatment facility the town was promised."

" 'Bout time, Holt."

"Listen, Swifty, I've been chasing a killer, okay? Cut me some slack here."

"Well, there's not much to see as far as the facility is concerned. Of course the powers that be in this town are full of excuses as to why it's still unfinished."

"I'll check back with you."

Jamie heard a click from the other end. She smiled. Max Holt was obviously on the job, and she knew he wouldn't stop until he found what he was looking for.

Twenty minutes later Max pulled in front of a partially erected building. "Muffin, are you there?"

"Yeah, did you find the facility?"

"What there is of it. There's a sign out front listing Davidson Construction as the contractor. I need the address."

* * * * *

Jamie was in her office proofreading when Max came through the door. "Don't you ever knock?"

"This is important."

She motioned him to a chair, and he sat. "I'm listening."

"First things first. How's Beenie?"

"He likes women now."

"He was probably better off as he was. Women have a way of driving a man crazy."

Jamie tossed him a dark look.

"What do you know about Davidson Construction? That's the company that was hired to work on the treatment facility."

"All I know is a man died on the project and everything came to a halt," Jamie said. "The family sued, it's been in litigation for a couple of years, and the city is trying to settle out of court."

"Which explains why people haven't pushed," Max said. "It could stay in litigation forever, and the city could collect a ransom in interest on the money that was put aside for it.
If
the money is still there." He looked thoughtful. "I've gone over the city budget. It's clean. Too clean. Which tells me it's not the real budget."

"Come again?"

"The real budget is probably tucked so far away that only the people in the know can find it. Have you ever heard of a company called EPSCO?"

"No. Where did you see it?"

"Alexa scribbled the name at the bottom of the last page of the city budget printout. She didn't say anything, but I have a feeling it's important. Muffin is still searching but so far nothing has come up."

"Maybe it's a fake company. Maybe it doesn't really exist."

"I've thought of that. I think EPSCO is a password to something else."

"Like what?"

He shrugged. "Don't know yet, but I intend to find out. Uh, Jamie?"

She glanced down at the work in front of her. "Yeah?"

"You're looking mighty good today, Swifty."

"I don't have time for this, Max."

"I like you in jeans, you know. You've got a nice behind. I have to tell you when I see that behind my mind runs amuck."

She looked up. He was such a blatant flirt. "Stop turning yourself on, Max."

He stood and leaned over her desk so that his face was only an inch from her, bringing with him the smell of a light aftershave that made her want to get closer and get a better whiff.

"And here I thought I was turning you on."

She was startled at the look in his eyes, dark, probing, intense. Toe-curling. She held her breath, afraid to release it in fear it would come gushing out.

He smiled as though he knew precisely what he was doing to her. "You're not married yet," he said.

"I believe in long engagements," Jamie replied.

"And I believe in long honeymoons."

"It takes time to get to know people," Jamie said. "Perhaps if you'd taken time to get to know Bunny you wouldn't be a divorced man right now."

"I was younger then, just looking for eye candy. I've matured."

Jamie gave him one of her looks. "Right."

* * * * *

Muffin came on as soon as they climbed inside the car. "Max, I have something for you."