Can't Keep a Brunette Down (22 page)

"How short-term?" She glanced around, dismayed there were no other people in sight. Gary could throw her body in the lake and never be caught.

"Thirty days," he said. "Mick repaid the full amount plus interest in ten. I liked the kid from the start. He was smart, honest, and hated owing anyone money."

"That's it? He borrowed money and repaid it. That's the end of your story?"

"Hardly." Gary stopped and turned to meet her gaze. "Yoshida never wanted to open a school in Sandstone Cove. It was Mick who pushed to open the school near the beach, but once he had the money and had found a building, Yoshida upped the ante. He wanted a bigger cut when he realized Mick's crazy ideas would work."

Gilda looked toward the waves. "So Mick came back to you for more money."

"No. He was smart enough to liquidate more than enough assets so he could do some renovations and buy merchandise. The next time we met, it was by chance in a local bar. He joked about hiring a hit man to make Yoshida disappear."

Her breath stuck in her throat. Had she been wrong, and Yoshida could be the next victim? "Are you sure it was a joke?"

"When I made him an offer, he flat-out refused," Gary said.

"That was years ago. What if he'd changed his mind since then? He and Yoshida have had a few ugly run-ins lately."

"So I've heard. Were any attempts made on Yoshida's life?"

"Not that I know of." She paused. "How would I find out?"

He scratched his chin. "Maybe he filed a report."

"I doubt it. He doesn't seem like the type of person who'd run to the police. I think he'd stew about it and get revenge." Gilda hadn't seriously considered Yoshida a suspect until that moment.

"Seriously?" Gary took her arm as if he sensed the sudden weakness in her legs, and they resumed their walk toward the point. "Do you really think Yoshida would simply seek revenge on whoever wronged him?"

"I think it's far more likely than him going to the police." Her head throbbed. "Do you know Yoshida very well?"

He grimaced. "We've met. He struck me as being cold-blooded and greedy."

An accurate assessment as far as she was concerned. Yoshida frightened her, especially now when he seemed to make the effort to remember names and put in appearances at the funerals. Mick had hosted many events over the past two years, yet Yoshida had remained distant. Now it seemed like he wanted to be seen. Why choose to be involved now?

"He's been around town a lot more lately, hasn't he?" Gary seemed to read her thoughts.

She raised her eyebrows. "Yoshida? Yeah. It's a bit unnerving."

"And you're wondering what he's up to."

Gilda shrugged him off. "The thought hadn't really crossed my mind until lately."

"He has a girlfriend."

"Jade Levy. So I heard."

He deflated then chuckled. "Mick was right. You're shrewd."

"It was a guess. Actually, I've heard a lot of different rumors." She turned to let the wind blow the hair off her face. Billowing, black storm clouds rolled across Lake Erie toward them. "When did Mick talk to you about me?"

"We bumped into each other at the café the other day and spent more time talking about you than anything else." He shrugged. "We both have an interest in your personal well-being."

Gilda flinched. "I thought you would've talked about Chloe and Mick's debt."

"We did." Gary laughed. "Don't get me wrong, honey. Business first. Mick heard rumors people have seen us together lately. He made me promise not to hurt you."

Her eyes widened. "He threatened
you
? Was he crazy?"

"Oh, he's something, but I'm not sure crazy is the right word," he said. "It seems he cares a great deal about you."

Gilda snorted. "I doubt that. The only person Mick Williams cares about is himself. As far as he's concerned, the whole world revolves around him and whatever he wants."

"I can tell you for a fact you're wrong." He picked up a stone and tossed it into the waves. "Maybe losing both Walter and Erik made him realize what's important."

"He told you that?"

"That and more, honey. Much, much more."

"How did you know about Yoshida and Jade?" She wasn't ready to hear about his and Mick's conversation about her yet.

"You and I have a mutual friend who knows the truth." He scooped up another stone and clenched it in his fist. "I hear Chloe stopped by to see you the other night. What did she want?"

Gilda hesitated. "For me to stay away from you and Mick."

"Me?" He laughed. "Is she afraid you'll become her new stepmother?"

"Probably."

"Let her worry. It'll do her good to have no control over things for once. She's all bark and no bite. She might carry my last name and my DNA, but that's all she's got."

"Good to know." Gilda spotted a flat, white stone and picked it up. She pulled back her arm and tossed the stone into the waves. "What about your friend who knows things about Yoshida?"

"Consider yourself safe," Gary said.

She brushed a stray strand of hair out of her mouth. "Why is that?"

He threw the rock into the white caps. "Word is getting around town you're under my protection. Anyone who dares lay a hand on you will be dealt with accordingly."

Gilda's stomach sank. His words did little to comfort her.

 

Despite having her nerves rattled, Gilda didn't take the short route home. She jogged across town, through the park to think, then back to the beach. Slipping off her running shoes, she waded through the water to cool her feet before she padded home barefoot.

She wanted to call Marion and find out if she'd heard more about either murder. Odd how Marion had been scarce since their trip to the hospital. They hadn't even talked about their weekly brunch at The Cove. Was she afraid Gilda was the killer?

"You don't listen very well, do you?" Thayer caught up to her on the way home from the beach. "I told you to stay away from Gary del Garda."

"Are you stalking me?" she asked. "You really need a better hobby, you know."

He paused to open her front gate then followed her to the front steps. "I'm investigating two murders, and you just happen to have found both bodies. I'm not out of line to think you may be involved."

"I told you before. I never killed anyone."

"And I told you I know you didn't." Thayer flicked something off his shirt. "You couldn't hurt a bug in your own garden."

She tossed her shoes near the front door and sat on a step. No way was he getting into her house without a warrant. Not that she had anything to hide. It was more about making clear where he stood. "Then what is it you really want?"

"To tell you to stay away from Gary." He straightened his pale-blue shirt. "He's a bookie and a convicted murderer, not to mention he's at least twice your age."

"I know you've been talking to Chloe," she said. "What's age got to do with anything?"

Thayer sat next to her. "I'm just trying to point out you should date someone your own age. Someone who knows everything about you and would do anything for you."

"Like Mick or Razi?" she asked.

"No, someone like me." His face reddened. "You and I had a great thing going, way back when. Maybe we should give things a second chance."

"Will you please give up already? You're a liar and a cheater, and you never think of anyone except yourself." She picked a giant rhododendron that lay on the lowest step.

"That's hurtful."

Gilda sniffed the blossoms. "You'll get over the agony. I've had to deal with the mess you left me for the past two years, and I don't plan to make that same mistake again. Go find someone else who will swallow your cheesy lines."

"There is no one else, sweetie. You're the only girl I want in my life now. You're sweet and honest and—"

"And you can't have me, so suddenly I'm far more interesting than ever before." She tapped his chin with the rhododendron. "My answer's still no."

He first glanced then lunged in her direction and planted a firm kiss on her lips. Gilda squirmed at first and tried to back away. Then she let him finish his hard, dry kiss. When he sat back with a wide grin on his face, she shoved him backward into the red rosebush.

"What was that for?" He thrashed amid thorns and a shower of red rose petals. "Get me out of here. This thing's going to eat me."

"It can't eat you. It's a rosebush. The worst it can do is prick you and draw blood," she said, watching him struggle. "It seems you should be right at home in the thorns. You and the bush have a lot in common."

He crawled onto the flagstone walkway, leaving a trail of broken foliage. "You're a witch."

Gilda stood, prepared to defend herself if he tried anything else. "Because I'm completely over you? Keep the roses. At least you'll smell nice at the office."

"Funny." Thayer brushed petals and leaves off his clothes. The whole time, he cursed her and her garden.

"Do you want me to call ahead and ask Fabio to get you some rose dust?" she asked. "I don't want you to get bugs or anything."

With one last curse, Thayer stormed away, still picking thorns out of his clothing.

Her gaze locked on a blue sedan across the street where Gary howled and wiped tears from his eyes. At least she'd made his day.

After a quick shower, she made a protein shake before the doorbell rang. She scowled at the door and sipped her drink. Six rings later, curiosity got the best of her.

Xavier stood on the front step holding a bouquet of burgundy sunflowers, their faces bowed to the wooden floor. "I'm sorry. I never meant to kill you."

Gilda blinked then curled her fingers into a fist and prayed for the strength not to punch him in the nose. At least he didn't bring her more coffee. "Then why did you poison me? I could've died, you know."

"I never intended for anyone to die. That's why I used such a small amount and spread it out over a long time," he said. "I was mad at Mick and took it out on you. Not a smart move, considering you're Thayer's girlfriend, but—"

"I'm not Thayer's girlfriend." She snapped. "I'm not Thayer's anything. Are you trying to say that you poisoned me more than once?"

Xavier frowned. "You might want to tell him that. He's telling everyone in town you two are back together and plan to get married next summer on Ponderer's Point."

"Well, I'm sure he won't be doing that now," she said. "I shoved him into a rosebush, so I hope he got the point."

"I did poison you more than once. Five times, actually." He stepped back. "I'm sorry. It was wrong, and I feel like dog doo. I even decided to turn myself in to the police after I leave here."

"I don't know what to say." She closed her eyes and let the tension drain away. She studied the sunflowers. "I don't know what to say. I should call the police."

"But then Thayer would come back," Xavier said. "His stupidity isn't your fault, you know. He's a jerk all on his own, no help required."

"I'm well aware." She sat on the top step, which she seemed to be wearing a groove in lately.

"I heard a rumor he'd cheated on you. I wish I'd known earlier. I would've poisoned him instead." Xavier sat next to her. "You deserve a lot better than that."

Gilda blinked, both flattered and repulsed at the same time. "Why do you have this fascination with poison? What makes you think you can feed poison to people, and somehow we'd be okay with it?"

"Poor judgment," he said. "Doc called and lectured me until my ears burst into flames. He said he'd tell Thayer to give me a misdemeanor assault charge, or something like that, but first I had to undergo a psych evaluation."

"Did you?"

"My appointment is Friday afternoon. I don't think Doc told the cops yet." Xavier fidgeted with a red petal that lay on the step beside him. "Doesn't that seem odd to you? I mean, I know the police are focused on finding a murderer, but after what I did, I thought they'd have locked me in solitary by now."

Gilda kicked away a broken twig. "Unless Doc hasn't given them a full report about the poison yet."

"Huh." Xavier pulled at his lower lip. "Or if he has, Thayer blew him off. I mean, no one got sick or died, right?"

Were Doc, Thayer, and Fabio focused on another suspect, or did they consider the poisonings more evidence against Xavier and were biding their time until he made another move?

"I should go talk to Doc," he said. "I need to settle this before it festers. Jail's probably a lot safer than being at the karate school right now." When he left, he bowed his head and dragged his feet down the sidewalk.

Gilda remained on the front step, absorbed in thought. Unlike with Walter's murder, the doors of the school had been locked when she found Erik. She'd used her key to get inside. Logically, the killer must have locked the door from the inside to carry out the murder, then escaped after knocking her out cold. Someone must have seen the killer leave. If it actually was one of the black belts, no one would have even realized there was a problem.

 

Gilda's work life invaded her dream world, where all the black belts made special guest appearances. All of the wrongs. All of the secrets. All of the lies. They all swirled into a suffocating fog. Walter. Erik. Xavier. Razi. Mick.

She sat up and opened her eyes with her heart beating like she'd run a marathon.

Mick, who'd said he loved her before she kneed him in the crotch and quit her job. Not her finest moment. She pulled her pillow over her face and groaned. He would hold her to her word, which meant she needed a new job, a new school to train in, and new friends. She might even have to leave Sandstone Cove. Maybe Gary had some contacts and could help her create a new identity and disappear. Either that, or she'd have to move in with her mom.

Even after a shower and breakfast, the world didn't seem any brighter. She slid on her sunglasses and decided to walk to the corner store to buy a copy of every newspaper on the shelf…to begin her job search and apartment hunt in Erie.

She opened the front door of her house and froze. "What happened to you?"

Mick sat on the top step wearing the same clothes he had on the day before. His hair rumpled, he handed her a coffee and averted his eyes. "You."