5 Highball Exit (12 page)

CHAPTER 26

Elegant Dressing is a premier clothing store in Sarasota, representing all the big name designers, and selling both women’s clothes and men’s. Clay had brought me here to buy what he called “the one good suit” that everyone apparently needs in their wardrobe. Turned out that the bank was unimpressed by my black suit and they still wanted their money.

Gary Hunt was about forty, slim and impeccably dressed in a charcoal suit with a pink striped tie. Now even faux pearls give me hives, and I’ll never be into dressing like a member of the Christian Right at a Republican convention, but still I wished I’d been wearing my funeral suit instead of black jeans, a tee-shirt and flip-flops. He was just so perfect. And he was also beyond annoyed with us. He knew we didn’t belong in a store like his, could tell we weren’t there to buy a good suit.

I watched a master at work with awe and amazement. It didn’t take Aunt Kay long to sort Gary out. If a room of screaming kids didn’t scare her there was no way this supercilious ass was going to accomplish it. He sure tried, though. Within five minutes she had him thinking she was either on the way to the police or else she was there to blackmail him. I wasn’t sure which of those scenarios she was actively working on and neither was he, but he wasn’t taking any chances by pissing her off. He quickly decided he needed to chat with us in the privacy of his office.

Aunt Kay followed him past the counters of cashmere sweaters and Gucci loafers as though it were stuff waiting for a Goodwill truck. She didn’t care that she should be wearing a good suit instead of hot pink.

The office was all dark shiny wood and the desk was covered in open books of material samples. Gary didn’t ask us to sit down. “I was never told that girl’s name. I just walked into the hotel room and knew she was the mother of the little girl we were supposed to adopt.”

“And Holly didn’t like you being a john,” I said.

He flushed. “Yeah, well she was in the room too, selling what I was buying, so what made her so high and mighty?”

Aunt Kay waved his words aside. “What happened next?”

“She told me I was never going to get her child and ran out of the room.”

“And of course you called Cal and complained,” I said.

He turned to look at me. His nose twitched like he’d caught a bad smell. “I called Angel Escort and told them I wasn’t happy with their service. It took them an hour to send over a replacement for that girl, one well below my normal standards. I haven’t used their service since.”

“Poor you.” My sarcasm was lost on him.

Aunt Kay was focused on finding out about Holly. “And you never saw or heard from Holly again?”

“No. I wanted no part of a crazy woman like her.”

He shouldn’t have said that in a tone of righteous indignation like he was the injured party. It made me want to strike him, to hurt him bad so I left him with something to worry over. “W-e-l-l,” I drew the word out like I was really uncertain, “I hope it won’t be necessary to bring you into it . . . with the police and everything. You see, Holly is dead and questions are being asked, but I’m sure you have nothing to be concerned about.”

I walked to the door and then turned back as if I remembered something. “And that private detective the family hired, I’m sure he’ll be discreet. He just wants to find the men Holly was involved with.” Why should I be the only one up at nights worrying? “I hope your wife won’t be too upset. And . . . well, never mind, no one will likely be charged for that so you won’t have to testify.”

He made a strangling sort of noise. I didn’t stop to see if he was merely expressing an opinion or having a stroke. I didn’t care much either way.

Aunt Kay joined me by the tie counter, linking her arm in mine and beaming up at me like a master who was proud of a star student.

We stepped out into the heat.

“To think, that shit intimidated me when Clay and I went in to buy my suit.”

Aunt Kay opened her eyes wide in mock surprise. “I didn’t think anyone could intimidate you.”

“I just bluster louder and swear more when people are getting to me.”

She laughed. “Oh, right. In that case I’ve seen you intimidated.” Her smile faded. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

“Sure, but tell me anyway.”

“Cal Vachess knew about the child, although he told us he didn’t. When Mr. Hunt called in outrage to complain, I’m sure he mentioned Holly’s baby.”

“Could be. Or maybe Gary Hunt just complained that the girl the escort service sent ran out on him. He wouldn’t want them to know anything personal.”

She halted. “Sherri, remember Holly told Sunny she gave Angel to friends? Friends might mean high school for Holly. She doesn’t seem to have made many friends since. If there was anyone closer to her than Sunny, they would have been driving her to appointments. And if she needed someone to look after Angel, wouldn’t she go back to the people she knew?”

“She did go back to people she knew. She came to you.”

“But where did she go after I said I couldn’t take Angel? She never came to you?”

“Don’t you think I’d have mentioned it if she had? Besides, I wouldn’t be anyone’s idea of a mother substitute.”

“So who is it? Who did she take Angel to?”

“Maybe her parents.”

Aunt Kay shook her head. “I don’t think so. Remember, her mother knew nothing about a baby when I saw her in May.”

Then she said, “I wish I could see Hannah.”

She sighed. “I suppose our next stop should be Marnie Mitchell. We’ll see her after lunch.” Her voice left no room for dissent. “I have to go to the hospital for a test. You can drop me off there and go find a yearbook from Holly’s class while I’m gone.”

“Bernice asked me to have lunch with her.”

“Oh.” The surprise was clear on her face. “Wait a minute, we have a deal, and this week is mine.”

“Even slaves are allowed to eat.”

“Are you really going to have lunch with her?”

“There are a few suggestions I’d like to make to Bernice.”

“Okay.” It was reluctant and then she added, “Wait until after my test and then I’ll come with you.”

“No. This isn’t going to be a Hallmark moment and you don’t want to hear what I’ve got to say to her.”

“Yes I do.”

I laughed. “Not going to happen,” I said, although she’d probably enjoy our shit-slinging fest a whole lot. “You find out where Holly’s parents are and when they can see us. I’ll pick you up after I deal with Bernice.”

CHAPTER 27

I dropped Aunt Kay off and went back to the beach house to put on my dragon-slayer outfit. Forty minutes later I checked myself out in the mirror and said, “Hello, Mamma.” There she was, my mother, Ruth Ann Jenkins, wearing a leopard print top that crossed in front of her breasts and a skin-tight black leather skirt that was a little too short to be polite. To heighten the impact and make sure nothing important was overlooked a wide red belt separated the leather from the leopard. But best of all were the red leather stilettos with the platform soles. They brought me to my ideal height of six feet. Trashy but sexy is the look I do best.

Damn, I looked good . . . like a transvestite on the way to a gay bar for happy hour! My Chinese-red painted lips kissed the image in the mirror. “Welcome back.” I checked out the view from the rear. “Coming and going, you’ll give the bitch a heart attack.”

I stopped just inside the door of the restaurant and let the full impact of my outfit hit her.

Bernice didn’t faint and she didn’t spew out her disgust when I sat down across from her. That was a big disappointment. I could only hope that the pressure built up from holding all the venom in would rupture something vital.

She picked up the menu and said, “Let’s have the tuna. Jimmy loved it. Remember?”

Remember? The only way I could forget would be to cut off my head.

The waiter scurried over to our table. “Would you like a drink to start?”

What in hell was the fool talking about? I’d need a bucketful of booze if I was going to sit across from Bernice for an hour and not turn homicidal.

Bernice looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

I gave him my brightest smile. “Why don’t you just bring by a bottle of Glenlivet and a bucket of ice and I’ll take care of it from there?”

The waiter looked startled. He turned to Bernice for help.

She said, “Bring her a Chardonnay.” Then she ordered the grilled tuna for both of us. She waited until our server left before saying, “Still have your little vice, I see.”

“What little vice would that be?”

“Oh, you know what I’m talking about.”

“Without my little vice I’d have no hobby.”

“More like no reason to live.” Bernice may have plumped up, but she hadn’t lost her edge.

“I didn’t come here to discuss my drinking habits.” I looked away from her, trying to get my emotions under control. I couldn’t let her win this soon in our scrimmage.

“They have karaoke here on Thursday nights,” I said. “I think hell probably comes with karaoke.”

“Yes, karaoke that only has Barry Manilow songs.” The silver bangles on her arm jangled as she lifted her glass of water. “Your father makes me happy.”

“Your happiness is not high on my totem pole.”

I took my first good look at her. Dr. Travis, Jimmy’s father, was a plastic surgeon and his wife had benefited greatly from his profession. I hated to admit it, but she looked ten years younger than the age on her birth certificate.

She drummed long red talons on the white tablecloth and considered me. She said, “All right, how about this—I make your father happy.”

“He’s always had low standards.”

The waiter set two glasses of wine on the table. I picked up my glass and took a very healthy swallow. Alcohol was all that was standing between me and killing the bitch.

A smug smile teased Bernice’s lips, as if I’d just proven her point. I set the glass down, although I wanted to drain it, and I lockedmy fingers together in my lap. “I thought the thing this year was younger men. There are lots of them around and most of them aren’t too discriminating when you have as much money as you do.”

“Oh, I tried one,” she said, all playful and pleased, “but he was a disappointment. The sex was great but he insisted on talking.”

“That can be so annoying. Perhaps you didn’t tip him enough.” We stirred our pot of hate, each adding a little hot pepper ofcruelty and made sure it was still simmering, until at last she leaned forward and said, “Don’t screw this up for me. Play nice and I promise you won’t regret it.”

“That will be a first!” The waiter came with a basket of rolls. I waited for him to leave before I added, “Regrets are all I ever got from the Travis family.” I wasn’t sipping the Chardonnay anymore.

Bernice leaned back in her chair. “So why did you keep the name?”

“Prettier than Jenkins and it gave you a bucketful of pain.” Ipicked up my glass. It was empty. I looked around. Where the hell had the waiter disappeared to? The place was almost empty and there wasn’t a waiter in sight. What did I have to do to get another drink?

“Why Tully?” I asked, really curious about this. “He’s the kind of guy who gives rednecks a bad name.”

She pulled away in mock surprise. “Don’t talk about your daddy that way. I’ve convinced him to stop scratching in public.” She smiled. It was a genuine smile, an unnerving sight and not one I was used to seeing on Bernice. “I won’t talk about love, you wouldn’t believe me if I did. I’ve been alone for a long time, alone in a marriage that died well before Jimmy did, but his death finished it.” Again that freaky smile. “I knew there was nothing left the day I walked in on my husband and his new nurse. She’s a lovely girl, very perky and alert. Just like her tits. When I saw them, the tits I mean, I recognized James’s handiwork at once. Implants must be a new employee benefit. The strange thing was I didn’t care anymore.” She picked up her water glass and laughed. “I ran into Tully about an hour later.”

Too bad she hadn’t run into a semi instead. “Fate plays such cruel tricks.”

“I wish it had been ten years ago. What a waste being unhappy is.” She cocked her head to the side. “When are you going to start afamily? It’s all your dad talks about.”

“I’m too busy staying alive to have a kid.”

“You might like having a little thing living in the house with you.”

“Fine, I’ll let the mold grow in the shower.”

“Well, all I’m saying is you’re just about past your sell-by date.”

“That’s more like it,” I said to her. “I knew the real Bernicecouldn’t stay gone for long.”

“Well, you know the true me, that’s for sure. You always bring out my best, but you’re pretty quick to stick the blade in as well.” She tipped her water glass towards me in a salute. “Not as skillful as me, of course.”

“You’re right. I never was in your league. Never could be the bitch you are.”

Our tuna arrived and I gave up on the second drink. On the way out the door we met two guys coming in. The first guy, short and stocky but dressed for success, took one look at me and said, “Woo, Momma, I think I’m in love.”

I planted my fist on my hip and asked, “You think you can handle this?”

“I’m willing to die trying,” he vowed, and he sincerely looked like he meant it.

When the door closed behind us, I tipped my sunglasses down and said to Bernice, “See, that’s why I dress like this.”

“Oh,” she said, nodding in understanding. “And here I thought it was because you’re a slut.”

Down, and playing from well behind, I headed for the truck, digging out my jumble of keys from my bag.

Bernice called, “And when are you going to get rid of that stupid pickup?”

I opened the door and threw my bag on the passenger seat. I pointed the ignition key at her. “When you get rid of that ridiculous blonde football helmet you wear.”

Her right hand started for her hair before she caught herself. Still losing and well behind but picking up points, I wiggled my butt up onto the seat before she thought of a comeback.