Peril for Your Thoughts (Mind Reader Mystery) (16 page)

Wednesday morning Nikos the Greek burst into Jaz’s and my
side of the house, looking three sheets to the wind and out of breath. His
thick, wavy, black hair stood out in all directions, and he still wore the same
clothes he’d had on the day before when we all did “time.”

 “
Why
would you call my mother?” he
blurted, all wide-eyed and possessed, sending Prissy bolting down the hall to
Jaz’s bedroom. Little good that would do her since Jaz didn’t stir before noon
unless she was headed into work.

 I calmly finished eating my Wheaties—the
breakfast of champions, because that’s what I was, of course—and dabbed the
corners of my mouth with a napkin. I was showered, fully dressed in a cute
lavender spring suit, and ready for my day as I glanced at my watch. I’d been
expecting him, and quite frankly, I’d thought it would be sooner than now. That
meant I owed Jaz twenty bucks. I pursed my lips. Just another reason to be
angry with the detective.

 “Get a clue, Detective. It’s a little thing
called payback,” I said with a smug smile as I inspected my perfectly clipped,
filed, and buffed nails.

 “What are you, five?” he sputtered.

 “As I recall, you tattled first.” I slapped
my palms down on the table and stood, glaring daggers at him. “You want to know
what I am, Detective? I’m itchy! See these hives? I spent my evening smothered
in aloe and wrapped in Duct Tape, while the relatives’ relatives came to view
poor little Kalliope’s rabies and consulted with yet again even
more
relatives, who then proceeded to try out further home remedies that date back
to the Stone Age. Good times, Detective.” I narrowed my eyes and repeated with
a hiss, “Good times!”

 Nikos’s eyes lost their dazed crazy look
only to open wide as his eyebrows arched sky high, then he burst out laughing.
When he finally recovered, he said, “You win!”

 I crossed my arms and looked down my nose at
him and sniffed sharply, then frowned, lifting my wrist to my nose—careful not
to touch it, of course. “I still smell from dumpster diving.”

 He rolled his eyes. “You don’t smell,
Ballas. It’s all in your head.”

 I nearly snorted as I thought,
If you
only knew
. But then I sniffed again and winced. “I’m telling you, I smell.
See?” I thrust my wrist up beneath his nose, definitely careful not to touch it.
Lord only knew when the last time he used a neti pot to thoroughly clean out
his sinus cavities. I shuddered.

 He took a big sniff and then shook his head
no.

 I puckered my brow. “Why don’t you smell
this?” I smelled a third time and was ready to face the dreaded inevitable.
“That’s it. I need to see a doctor. I hate doctors, but I don’t want to die.
Something could be seriously wrong with me. What if the odor seeped into my
pores permanently?”

 He grabbed my arm before I could avoid him
and inhaled deeply.
I think your brain has permanently left your skull and
you need to see a shrink
.

 I gasped and yanked my arm away.

 He gave me a funny look. “What? I didn’t say
anything?”

 “You didn’t have to.” I pointed my finger at
him. “It’s written all over your face, which isn’t that attractive at the
moment, I might add. You think I’m crazy.”

 He blinked. “Wait, you think I’m
attractive?”

 “Ah, men! Who needs them?” I threw my hands
up in the air and started to pace. “And you think
I’m
the crazy one.”

 “I don’t think you’re crazy,” Nik the nice
guy said in a much calmer, more pacifying tone before adding, “I think you’re a
little paranoid. You smell fine.”

 I gaped at him. “Fine? You think I smell
just fine?”
Not good or amazing, after I’d let the comment about him being
attractive slip? Hmph!
Good thing he couldn’t read my thoughts, because I’d
show him exactly what I was: aka royally peeved!

 He rubbed his forehead. “Women really are
from another planet,” he muttered.

 “So, how
is
your mother these days?”
I smirked. “Did you enjoy your quality time together?”

 “Funny,” he snarled as I thought,
Look
who’s laughing now, Hot Shot
! “You know perfectly well there was nothing
quality
about our time together after you got her all worked up,” he added.

 “Awww, what’s the matter? A big guy like you
is afraid of a small, little woman like your ma?”

 He scowled. “In this case, size
doesn’t
matter! Do you know what I had to endure? She barged into the station, dragged
me out of there by my ear, and then put me in a time-out in my own damn
kitchen. One minute per year. I had to sit for thirty-four minutes! All while
listening to her lecture me about the use of guns and violence and bad guys and
putting you in danger.”

“Oh my,” I snickered, trying to maintain a straight face. I
could picture the whole scene perfectly.

“After my time-out, I tried to tell her that was my job. Then
I had to listen to another rant on how maybe it was time I changed my
occupation and became a nice accountant like my cousin Apollo. My ears still
hurt. Then when she saw my scrapes and bruises, she called in reinforcements
and nearly hauled me into the emergency room. She only allowed me to stay home
if I agreed to let her take care of me all night long. I’ve been poked and
prodded more than any human being should ever have to endure in an entire
lifetime, especially by their ma.”

 I couldn’t stop giggling. “Okay, okay. I’d
say that was a tie. You’re a grown man. Why did you go along with everything?”

“You of all people should know the answer to that. For the
same reason you let your mother take you home. When it comes to Greek mamas,
sometimes it’s easier just to let them have their way. Defying them is
not
worth the price you’d have to pay.”

“Touché.” Once I got my giggles under control, I said, “What
do you say we call a truce and get back to work?”

“Uh, I don’t think so,” Detective Stevens said, back on
duty. “Working together is what got us in trouble in the first place. And my
captain will have my badge if I break protocol again.”

“Okay,” I said, but that didn’t mean I would stop
investigating on my own. I would just operate on a need-to-know basis. And he
most definitely didn’t need to know.

He stood with his hands on his hips and studied me. “I don’t
like it.”

“You don’t like what?” I asked innocently and sniffed,
wondering if maybe he smelled something after all.

“You agreed with me way too quickly.”

“Just trying to keep the peace, officer.” I relaxed in
relief.

“Mmm hmm. I catch you anywhere near this case, you’re going
to be in the middle of World War III. Understood?”

“War. Hmm. Good Lord, ya’all.” I waved my hand at him, then
placed my palm on my chest, trying to look as sincere as I could. “Why on earth
would I want to start World War III with you?”

 “Beats the hell out of me.” He scrubbed his
hands over his face. “I’m probably the one who smells. I’ve got to go home and shower
before I’m late for work.”

 “Good idea. You do that.” I batted my eyelashes
at him, and he gave me a look that said,
You call that a truce
? “Sorry,
I’ve got something in my lashes.” I rubbed my eye. “It’s better now. I
promise.”

 “Riiight,” he said, pointing his finger at
me. “Stay out of trouble. I mean it. Don’t make me call both our mamas. They’ll
fix you right up.”

 I saluted him, and he just shook his head,
leaving me to finish my coffee with glee. The sun wasn’t shining today, yet my
morning had never looked brighter.

Later Wednesday afternoon, I decided to make my move. I’d
waited until Detective Stevens had left for work and had given him enough time
to visit Vixen. I was sure after Johnny had made it clear that he was the man
Ana was having the affair with and not Sully, the detective would want to talk
to Ana. He was the cop, not me, and yet even I knew that was the next logical
step.

 “Where are you going?” Jaz asked, finally
getting up and fixing herself coffee. She set Prissy down. “And why was Miss
Priss in bed with me? She never turns to me unless something scares her and
you’re indisposed. So tell me, darling, what happened while I was sleeping?”

 “Nothing really, just a little visit from
our neighbor. Let’s just say his night was as rough as mine was.” I handed her a
twenty-dollar bill. “You won.”

 “Nice.” Jaz laughed, taking the money and
tucking it into her bra. “Serves him right after what he did to you. If only
Boomer was Greek, all would be right in my world.”

 “Trust me, dating a Greek is not worth
everything that goes along with it.”

 She shrugged. “Yeah, but I’m not the one who
would have to live with it because we’re not dating. I just meant I’d love to
sic that kind of punishment on him.”

 “If you say so.” I grabbed my purse.

 “Don’t even start with that again.” She
stabbed her cereal spoon in my direction.

 “I’m not starting with anything.” I glanced
at my watch. “And I really do have to go.”

 “You still haven’t told me where.”

 
Need-to-know basis, Kalli, need to know
,
I reminded myself. For her own protection, I said, “To the grocery store. We’re
out of a few things.”

 “Like replacement sponges for the ones you
keep throwing out?” Jaz said with a knowing tone.

I gasped.

“That’s right, chica. I know everything. Not to mention I
haven’t had to replace that sponge in six months, and it looks like new. It
doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what you’ve been up to, missy. Just
try not to get caught today. We don’t need to be in any more trouble with Starsky
and Hutch than we already are. And if you buy anything from
her
, you’re
dead to me.”

 “Jaz, you know I would never—”

 “I know.” She sighed. “I just feel better
ordering you about since I know I can’t go with you.”

 “You’ll be with me in spirit,” I said.

 “Good, because something tells me you’re going
to need me.”

 I left the house, wondering why I had this
odd feeling in my gut. Almost like indigestion. Like my food hadn’t digested
right, souring my stomach big-time. I popped a couple of antacids, hoping my
mother’s aloe and Duct Tape hadn’t given me stomach cancer. I made a mental
note to have that checked out at the doctor’s as well. Maybe I could just see
Pop’s friend the animal doctor. Ma could arrange it in no time. I had to do
something. For now, I put everything out of my mind and focused on the task at
hand: solving this blasted murder case so I could get my life back.

 I pulled into the parking lot of Vixen and
couldn’t believe my eyes. The place was packed for a Wednesday. Then I read the
sign: Super Spring Sale. All of Jaz’s fabulous finds were displayed front and
center in the storefront window for all to see. But what I saw was my cousin
Eleni’s car, Mrs. Flannigan’s car, Jaz’s former employee Amy Fisher, and Jaz’s
spring collection. Ana had taken everything from Jaz, including her ex-lover
Johnny. It was a good thing Jaz wasn’t here, or no telling what she would do.

 I climbed out of my car and slipped inside
the busy store to scope the situation out. See just how bad things had really
gotten. No one noticed me as I stood in the corner, observing. Jaz’s finds were
flying off the shelves. It was bittersweet knowing she’d been spot on in her
eye for finding bestsellers, yet the sales were going straight into Ana’s cash
register.

I saw Johnny Hogan walk in and head straight for Ana. She
pulled him aside, and they got into a heated argument, drawing a few stares.
She shot him a menacing look and then promptly ignored him. He balled his
fists and then walked off toward the back. Glancing around, he slipped into a
room when no one was looking.

 No one except me, that is.

 Guess the honeymoon was over already. And
what could he want from that back room? I started to walk in that direction
when something made me freeze in my tracks. Max Rolland crossed my line of
sight. What on earth was he doing here? We’d been friends for as long as I could
remember, but I didn’t ever remember him so much as giving Ana or her shop a
second look. He stunned me further when he came to a stop right beside her with
a smile I’d only ever seen directed at me before. Ana’s whole face softened as
they chatted intimately. I didn’t know what to do, feeling like a kid with her
hand caught in the cookie jar.

 Suddenly Ana’s gaze landed on me, yet she
didn’t look surprised to see me. Her lips tipped up ever so slightly, but then
she masked all emotion except pure adoration for Max, which he seemed to be
eating right up. Until he noticed me, that is. He blinked as though surprised
and then excused himself from her side. He walked straight toward me and didn’t
stop until he stood directly in front of me.