Greed in Paradise (Paradise Series) (10 page)

Mother, clearly not happy, snapped, “Brad stop. Madison and I spoke earlier and they’re just friends. Nothing else!”

Fab reached her fork across the table and helped herself to a grilled green pepper off my plate.

I smacked her fork away and pointed to the vegetable platter in the middle of the table. “Whatever you want, the answer is yes.”

“Oh good, you’re still feeling guilty about lying to me.” She gave me an evil little smile.

“You lied to your best friend?” Liam said in a stage whisper.

Creole whispered, “I don’t tolerate lying. I don’t lie and expect the same in return.”

“She overworks that angle and so does her boyfriend.” I glared at the two of them.

They could’ve cared less that they annoyed me. Didier chuckled and put his arm around Fab, pulling her close. She made a face.

“What’s the case?” I asked.

“Missing cat,” Fab managed to say with a straight face.

She clearly wanted to make a scene and I wasn’t taking the bait. She’d never take an animal case. I ignored her and turned to Creole.

Liam spoke up. “Career day at school is coming up and I want you and Fab to come talk to my class.”

“No, Liam,” Julie said a little harshly. “Those two get into too much trouble.”

Liam took it in stride, looking upset but never saying a word, a credit to his mother. Brad and I would’ve badgered ours until we were sent to our rooms.

“Sometime as hard as we try, the unexpected does happen,” I said to Liam. “I wouldn’t want to make it sound cool that people sometimes get hurt.” I pretty much knew Julie would never allow Liam to accompany me on a job, even a missing cat job. I realized that I might just enjoy being the mother of a teenager and it came as a pleasant surprise.

Fab stood up. “Great food as usual, bro.” She leaned down and kissed Brad’s cheek. “We’re going to sneak off and do naughty things.” She linked her arm through Didier’s.

“What kind of stuff?” Liam said, clearly excited by the idea.

“Ignore her. She makes stuff up, too.” I raised my brows at Julie over his head, she should be happy I put an end to any sex talk.

“Tomorrow, early,” Fab said, as she scooted around the table. “We’ve got stuff to do.” She leaned over and whispered, “Don’t think I won’t send Didier to find you if you get petulant and think you’re going to change your mind.” Her laugh trailed behind her.

Fab ran around and kissed Mother’s cheek, and then she and Didier cut around the pool and down the stairs to the beach.

“What’s that French bastard doing in your bedroom?” Creole growled.

I leaned in and almost kissed his lips, catching myself and drawing back. “Calm down, he’s never been in my bedroom and is not ever going to be.”

“You could’ve kissed me. You wanted to,” he said gruffly. “Next time, there will be no almost.” He pulled me out of my chair. “I’ve got to go buy some drugs. Set a date for our dinner.”

“You need to think about what I said. Don’t tell me you weren’t listening or don’t remember, that would start a fight.”

He kissed me hard on the lips and slid his fingers under my bathing suit bottom and pinched me. He hugged Mother and shook Doc’s hand. “Welcome to the family,” he told Doc.

Doc held out his hand to Mother, she stood and he laid a big kiss on her lips. “Thank you for including me, this has been fun.” Mother walked him to the door.

I arched my brows at Brad. “You should have chosen someone far more irritating than kindly Doc Rivers; you know the kind of men she picks for me.”

Mother returned and stood at the French doors. “Okay, I get it, no more fix-ups. I liked Doc, although he’s bossy. During dinner I confessed that I wasn’t available and told him that I was dreadfully sorry that my children used him to punish me for my meddling behavior.”

“Couldn’t you go out on one date before deciding to be exclusive?” Brad asked, annoyed.

“I told Doc about Spoon and he told me he knew and liked him.” Mother frowned at Brad. “Besides, he doesn’t tolerate cigars and the loss of them caused momentary panic, but he handed me back my holder at the front door.”

Julie put a slice of key lime pie in front of me. She made a raspberry sauce for the plate and added whipped cream. I wanted to lick my lips.

“It’s not too late to give Brian a chance, I could call him,” Mother said. “You’d find that the two of you have a lot in common. Can you say that about Creole?”

“Who? NO!” I shook my head. “You got your way Mother; I told him I wouldn’t be using him for sex.” I tried to sound casual but I’d had enough of the Creole lecture. “If it’s the grandchildren issue again, get Brad and Julie to procreate.” I winked at Brad.

Julie, blue eyes as big as saucers, made a face at Brad and nodded her head in Liam’s direction, who hadn’t heard a word, too busy on his phone.

“Are your eggs still good?” I asked Julie.

Liam looked up. “We didn’t bring eggs,” he said, looking around. “What are you two talking about?”

Julie’s cheeks burned and she put a finger to her lips.

I laughed and grabbed my key lime pie and went into the kitchen where I could run my finger around the plate, catching every drop of the yummy sauce.

Fab screeched into a parking space in front of The Bakery Café. “I’ve got this crappy job that should have gone to you.”

“A freebie?” Fab hated that I regularly took cases from people who couldn’t pay, she continually reminded me her half of the partnership wants cash.

“I don’t do free. We both get paid.”

“Ah, Brick. What does he want?” I wouldn’t admit this, but it excited me to think about working for Brick again.

“Brick’s niece, Lina Famosa, recently broke up with her boyfriend and since she owned the house, she had him forcibly removed and his belongings followed. Lina believes he came back and stole her cat. Butthole feigned ignorance with one of Brick’s men, but prepared himself for a visit armed with a gun.”

“I don’t think that’s his real name.” Some days it’s just too much fun to annoy Fab. “You owe me.” I turned and saw Zach sitting at a table rolling small die cast cars across the table top. Father and son smiled at one another in mutual admiration. Zach looked completely at ease; he’d stepped into fatherhood effortlessly. He looked up and saw me observing them. He nodded but looked uncomfortable to see me.

Fab jerked on my arm. “We’re taking our order to go.” She placed the order, knowing not to skimp on the whipped cream on my caramel coffee.

I forced myself to turn away. “Why do people think it’s okay to dump a pet outside? The cat could have wandered off and gotten lost.”

“Lina says Pussy ruled the house and never went outside. She came home and the window was propped open, says she never opens them because she’s too lazy to get screens. She’s certain the fur ball couldn’t open it himself.” Fab handed me a picture.

The thought of not having screens made me shudder; it was like a welcome mat to bugs. “Black and white short hair, good-sized cat.” I flipped the picture over. “Says here the cat’s name is Foster, not Pussy.” I tried not to smile. “First stop: the boyfriend’s house. I have religious pamphlets in the back. We’ll save his soul and snoop around.”

“Tolbert told me you fixed him up with some old men friends. Why can’t I think of stuff like that?” Fab asked.

“Maybe because you don’t know any old men.” It would be mean to laugh, her face serious. Fab had forged a tight bond with the preacher.

“They converged on him at the farm, insisted he join them in their weekly lunch and a friendly game of cards afterward. Tolbert said they wouldn’t take no for an answer and blackmailed him by saying how upset you would be if he didn’t go.”

“I don’t care how they got him out of the house. He can’t sit there by himself all day with no friends. It’s not like any of those men are felons.”

Fab bumped her way off the highway and across the gravel into the driveway of Lina’s ex, Earl Buck. It was a small, weathered white shotgun-style home that termites had treated like a buffet. It suffered from dry rot, and stuck in the middle of an acre or more, it looked lonely without a single tree or plant and no protection from the sweltering heat.

“Hard to tell if anyone’s home.” I glanced around and spotted a junker car that looked like it hadn’t been driven in ages, along with what appeared to be a motorcycle under a tarp and a large pile of bicycles in varied states of disrepair.

The only things on the front porch that looked used were the stairs. A full ashtray sat on the top step; one old, useless beach chair sat alone, the webbing for its seat lying on the ground. I fanned the pamphlets in my hand.

“Get up here,” I whispered to Fab. Before I could reach for the bell, the door opened.

“You friends of Earl’s?” A girl not far past her teens stared with big brown clouded-over eyes, stringy hair and the scent of weed floating out the door.

I changed my game plan on the spot. “We’re looking for Foster. You give us information and you’ll get money for junk food.”

“Earl would kill me if I told anyone what he did.” She clamped her hand over her mouth, her eyes filled with fear.

“I won’t be telling Earl anything if you start talking.” I channeled my mother’s tone of voice that went with the “you’re in trouble now” look.

She stepped back. “I didn’t have nothing to do with getting rid of Foster,” she whined. “I wanted to keep him.”

“Is he dead?” Fab demanded.

“He might be by now.” Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. “Earl took Foster to an animal shelter and wanted him put to sleep immediately, but accidently let it slip that it wasn’t his cat. Then he made up a story about Foster being a stray. They told him they had a five-day waiting period and he got mad. They kicked him out and demanded he leave or they’d call the sheriff. Earl’s scary when he’s mad. I usually hide.”

“Do you know which shelter?” I asked.

“I didn’t go with him. When he got back he screamed over the wait, saying he should’ve done it himself, put a bullet in Foster’s head. How much money do I get?”

I walked back to the SUV, grabbing my purse for cash. I didn’t have a good feeling about a happy ending for Foster. I returned and handed the girl the money.

“And you promise not to tell Earl? He can be real mean, although he’s always sorry after.”

“You’ll never see us again.” I jumped off the steps and started formulating the next plan of attack.

“That was too easy,” Fab said.

“The money I just gave her is an expense, in addition to our fee. Don’t forget when you submit your invoice.” I reached for my phone to find the closest shelter; nothing within twenty-five miles.

Fab’s phone rang and she glanced at the screen. “What’s up?”

If that were my call, she’d insist on listening in and had me trained to put it on speakerphone. I snapped my fingers so I could hear, but she ignored me.

“Keep me informed on what she’s up to.” Fab hung up. “Violet is making inquiries about selling an antique gun collection. Good thing Waynelle and I already talked about these guns of mine.”

“You’re going to make me ask? Who?”

“Gun dealer friend. I told him about Gus’s guns and it just so happens he has intimate knowledge of a couple of them, as he brokered the transaction. I have a little confession: on the way out of Tucker’s office, I lifted the envelope Gus left me. Inside I found a key, combo, and the exact location of the safe. I wonder if the reason he didn’t leave everything to his daughter was because he knew she’s such a devious bitch. Waynelle also told me she wanted a referral to a locksmith; she claimed the guns needed to be inventoried for probate.”

“You couldn’t steal my envelope, too?” I squinted at her. “How are you going to stop her? I’d bet they’ll be moved quickly.”

“Gus’s house is a couple of exits up. Let’s check it out.”

“Then after we get the Hummer washed, we can check out the rest of the property mentioned in the will.”

“I can’t believe you let Apple and Angie touch my SUV.” Fab wrinkled her nose.

“If I’m sharing the SUV, I want keys to your Mercedes.” I almost laughed at the look on her face; if correctly interpreted, it said, “Hell no.”

“I’m tired of your inability to share,” I said. “And in the future, if I can’t listen in to your phone calls, then mine are off-limits, too.”

The traffic light turned yellow; Fab took the time to smirk at me and then gunned it through the intersection. I resisted the urge to scream at her and instead ignored her, knowing full well it bothered her more.

“They do an excellent job because I’m a great tipper and require no sexual servicing.”

“Is it too late to wash my ears?” Fab stuck her tongue out.

It surprised us both when we turned off the highway to Pigeon Key and found Gus’s driveway roped off with cones and an armed rent-a-guard on duty. Fab slowed to just under the speed limit for once in her driving career and cruised slowly past the property. She made a U-turn, drove back, and pulled up alongside the security car, rolling her window down. “Do you know where the nearest gas station is?”

He swaggered over; Fab had that effect on men. His flirting skills were amateurish, and he gave the slowest and most detailed answer ever. Finally she thanked him and rolled up the window.

“Really, Fabiana? That was excruciating. You couldn’t hurry him along, or did you enjoy him looking down your top?”

“While he was preoccupied I scoped out the property. He’s the only one on duty.”

I rolled down the window, looking out at the ocean that stretched for miles, the breeze rustling through my hair, breathing in the salt air. If only Gus Ivers had a reputable attorney, one who would put a stop to whatever Violet’s childlike brain had concocted. Knowing Tucker, it wouldn’t surprise me if he had a hand in whatever she had planned to ensure she didn’t have to share the estate.

“You will pull into Clean Bubbles or pull over and I’ll drive,” I ordered.

Fab glared at me and cut across two lanes into the driveway. Angie hung inside the window of a pick-up truck talking to a guy. She stuck her arm out and waved, her T-shirt soaking wet, and plastered to her ample-sized chest. She wolf whistled and Apple hustled around the side of the building.