Worked to Death (Working Stiff Mysteries Book 2) (20 page)

"No they did not. All they found was Pickles asleep on your bed. And might I say that he was none too happy about the intrusion. He bit one of the guys on the rump." She started laughing.

Oh great. Now I was probably facing a lawsuit from the city.

*  *  *

A couple hours later and I was well fed and totally bored. Ms. Lanier was dozing in front of the television, and I was staring out the kitchen window.

I decided to take Pickles out for a little run around the yard. I slipped out the door, quietly tugging Pickles behind me. It was no surprise that my energy level was higher than his despite yet another stressful day. His run around the yard consisted of his walking along the fence line sniffing here and there and dropping blobs of drool around the yard for good measure.

I stood on my front porch and surveyed the boarded up kitchen door.

Ms. Lanier said that Ty and Devon had boarded it up for me after the bomb squad had done their damage. I was grateful but embarrassed. It hadn't been Paget's fault. She'd only gone on what that lying little twerp Teensy Jamison had told her, but still…

To have the bomb squad searching my house? I was pretty sure I'd left my dirty clothes in a pile on the bedroom floor, and I knew for sure that my bras were hanging from the shower rod.

I sat on the porch swing and shivered slightly in the night breeze. The cold weather was coming back for one last gasp. We rarely had a true winter here in central Alabama. More like a few cold days here and there with warm days in between. It was hell on the wardrobe selection, but I found that my standard jeans, boots, and tank tops worked well. I only had to know whether to throw on a sweater, coat, or jacket over the mix.

"I'm glad Paget is okay," his voice didn't surprise me as much as aggravate the interruption into my silent musings.

"Yeah, thanks for checking in," I said, feeling a sudden irritation bordering on anger at Colin.

I didn't make eye contact with him but just kept up my slow swinging action.

He stepped up onto the porch and leaned against one large, white column.

"You'll be glad to know that I brought back Stella," he motioned to the street in front of the house and there sat my precious car.

I sat up straighter. "Is she okay?" My mood cautiously perked up.

"Yes, they didn't damage it. They had planned to sell it. But gave it to Allyson as hush money payment, just like you thought they would. She said to thank you for the disgusting bag of garbage that she found in the trunk."

I laughed out loud. "That bag held a potential piece of evidence in the Mick Thibault case."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" He placed his hands on his hips and waited.

"Never mind. I don't think it will turn out to be anything. But, why was Allyson in my trunk?"

"That's where she found your purse." He pointed to my purse that sat on the porch nearby.

"I guess I owe her yet another thank you then," I said, reluctantly.

"It was a dangerous idea, Mandy. You two shouldn't have done that on your own."

"But it worked, didn't it?" I couldn't help the little surge of pride that raced through me.

"Yes, it worked."

A few beats of silence.

"It was right of Allyson to give me the heads up. We were able to take down Hank when he arrived with the stolen car. We've arrested him for kidnapping, and we'll get him on everything else when we flip him. Blue is already talking. It's just a matter of time. Thanks to you and your attack by Blue and your kidnapping by Hank—now we have some leverage to hold over them. It was exactly what we needed to make a move on the operation."

"Hmmph. Glad I could help." I grunted. All this gratefulness to Allyson in one week put me back into my pout.

I could feel him grinning from across the porch.

He stepped forward out of the darkness and stopped my motion long enough to join me on the swing.

Then we started up again. Back and forth.

Something inside me felt like it was broken. I wanted to tell him what I was feeling, but I couldn't figure out how to get the words out. So, I stuck to business.

"What's going to happen to Tumpka Brown?" I pulled my sweater tighter around my body.

"Once we flip these guys, we'll get to him. We have the U.S. Marshalls outside the reservation now. As soon as Brown steps off, we'll pick him up."

I glanced over at him. "So, it is sort of over then? Your case?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I don't think you'll be kidnapped any more this week."

"Famous last words," I said, my tone bitter even to my own ears.

Silence followed.

"So if Brady Blue talked, did he ever say why he attacked that mechanic at Hollon Brothers?"

Colin responded, "Yeah, apparently Mick had brought his car in a few days before he died, then after he died, and the drugs went missing—they thought that someone at the garage had nabbed them. That's why Hank grabbed you, too. If you remember?"

"Oh, I remember." I swallowed down the bad memory. "What about Mick Thibault and his part in all this? Are you going to pursue that any further," I asked, wondering if he'd wrapped up everything in a neat little package before he swooped out of town again.

"Well, we didn't really have anything to tie him to all this. Nothing of any real significance that matters to our investigation anyway. Hank isn't talking. He lawyered up. But I think a deal will be made."

"Okay then." I kept swinging.

"Mandy, I'm sorry you got mixed up in all this. I hope you understand that I was working a case, and I had to manage that along with my feelings for you."

I dug my heels into the porch, stopping the swing. I turned to face him.

"So, you
do
have feelings for me? What are they? 'Cause I can't tell anymore." I couldn't believe I was saying this, but here it was…all laid out for him.

He was silent a moment then reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind my left ear. Something similar to what Devon had done only yesterday.

"You know I have feelings for you," his voice was soft, seductive.

Infuriating.

"No, I don't know. You're here. You're gone. You're sweet. You're all business. Who knows?"

He cleared his throat.

"You know that my job is…difficult." His voice had turned a little less soft now. Defensive.

"I know. We all have tough jobs, Colin. I just…I have a lot going on in my life right now, and I just… I can't get distracted. I need to take care of Paget. She's why I'm here."

He watched my face.

I studied his. The dark eyes that revealed nothing.

"Okay, so I'll stay gone for a bit, then. Is that what you want?"

His words bit at my heart. I tried to swallow but couldn't.

"I don't know what I want, Colin. As soon as I figure it out, I'll tell you."

The comment was ridiculous but true.

"Mandy, I'm sorry if I've hurt you."

I reached out and grabbed his hand. I held it to my chest. "Colin, I just…I need to know that I can count on someone. That they won't simply disappear. I'd like that to be you, but…"

He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to mine. Our lips just inches apart. I could feel his breath on my face.

I closed my eyes.

"I hear you," he said.

We sat like that a few moments and then…he was gone.

"You don't know diddly-squat." —Things We Say in the South

Fifteen minutes later, I'd let Pickles back into the house with Ms. Lanier and scribbled her a note. I had a one more thing to take care of tonight.

I couldn't rest until I'd fulfilled my promises. And it seemed like they were going to be connected in some strange way after all.

After slipping behind the wheel of Stella, I put the top down and cruised through town. It felt so good to know that this whole drug thing was almost over. Colin had brought down the big bads, and maybe they and their nasty business would soon be out of our town for good.

I pulled into the lot of B Positive. It was shut down for the night, but since I was the new manager, I had a key and a code to the alarm.

I made my way inside and to my new office. Mr. Andrulis had already cleared out his things. The clinic was only open on Saturday for a half day, but I noticed that he'd posted a note on the front door. The clinic would reopen on Monday morning at eight a.m. sharp. I smiled. That was one thing that had gone right this week—I had a great new job next week. I was actually excited about work for the first time in months.

I booted up the computer and logged in. It only took me a few minutes to find what I was looking for and to print a copy.

Before I left the office, I took my coffee cup from the break room and placed it on my desk in Mr. Andrulis' office—my office.

Back in Stella, I headed toward the home and office of Randall Jamison. It was time to settle this once and for all.

*  *  *

As I cruised through the dark, quiet streets of Millbrook, something occurred to me. It had been bothering me since the morning I'd pulled that car out of Matty and Mick's pool.

I caressed the steering wheel in front of me. I loved my car so much. I was so thankful that Colin was able to get it back. Some might think it was silly how I loved this car. But she was like a sentimental piece of my past that I never wanted to let go. I imagined that if some day she were to stop running or became too difficult to upkeep, I'd still keep her parked nearby. I'd never let something so important to me waste away. I'd want to keep it looking pristine even if it didn't run anymore. Of course, I'd have to fumigate the trunk when I got home as it was I mused.

My brain started doing a little spin cycle at the thought. Keeping something that I love from deteriorating.

Oh, good Lord.

I pulled into the next driveway and turned Stella around. I had to pick someone up before I headed to the Jamison house. I had a feeling that when I held this final meeting of the night that there was one person who knew way more than they were letting on.

And I'd seen it from the beginning. I just hadn't known what I was looking for.

*  *  *

Matty Thibault was sitting at her kitchen counter when I knocked on her sliding glass door. She was having a staring contest with a bottle of Jim Beam.

She looked up and waved me in, never moving from her spot at the counter.

I opened the door and stepped inside. "Hey Matty, what's happening?" I asked, hoping that she hadn't already been having some early evening drinks from the bottle that was only half full.

"I'm trying to decide if I should drink or not, what do you think?" she asked, but didn't make eye contact with me.

"I think you should pass. 'Cause I want you to take a little ride with me. I'm pretty sure I found what you are looking for."

This got her attention. She raised her eyes to look into my face.

"You found her? The other woman?" She stood up with a sudden quickness in her motions that surprised me.

"Well, let's just take a little ride. It's a nice night. I've got Stella, and it's not too cold to keep the top down. Just like old times."

She let out a little bark of laughter. "Yeah, except we don't have Ty or Penny or…Mick with us."

I gave her a small smile. "But Mick will always be with you. He loved you until the very end, and you know it. He never loved anyone but you, Matty."

Her eyelids seemed heavy, even as she raised them wider and stared into my face.

"You know?" she asked.

"I'm pretty sure I do. But let's talk about it when we get there, okay?" I stepped back out the door and waited for her to follow.

She looked back and forth between the bottle and me.

"I'm not sure I want to know anymore, Mandy. I think I might just like to take the rest of these anti-anxiety drugs that Dr. Cavello gave me this morning and chase them down with this bottle of bourbon. Maybe that's how I want to spend my night instead."

"Matty, no," my voice was louder than I'd intended, but it got her attention. "No," I said with a softer tone. "Mick wouldn't want that. Let's go wrap this thing up, and then and only then can your really begin to heal."

She rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand and then reached for her windbreaker that was hanging over the stool.

"Dr. Cavello came by this morning to give me the news," she said, and slipped on her jacket as she walked past me and out the door.

"I figured as much," I said. I already knew. I'd seen him at the hospital with Paget, and he'd told me the same information.

"It was what he wanted, you know that right?" She held out her arms in a sort of what-was-I-supposed-to-do gesture.

I wrapped my arm around her and led her to the car.

"I'm sure of it," I said.

If there was ever a time we needed to speak to an attorney, now was the time. Fortunately, that's exactly where I was already headed.