Snow Blind-J Collins 4 (4 page)

“I wasn’t screwing around.” I unfolded the map I’d shoved in my jeans pocket and flipped it over, detail-ing what I’d found out from the files and from Reva.

When he didn’t respond, I kept a stream-of-consciousness dialogue going, expecting some fact I missed would jump out at him.

“You wouldn’t think Luella would want to spend so much time with Mr. Sloane, being she’s the director and all. Yet, if he is paying her extra . . . oh, like 35K, I see why she’d do it.”

No response.

Why didn’t my information make him happy?

“Wasn’t that what Amery wanted us to find out?”

“We have a better idea of who is involved. And yes, there’s definitely something going on, but without catching Luella cashing a check, or us breaking into the admin offices to track Vernon Sloane’s payment records, I don’t see how any of this will set Amery’s mind at ease.”

“We could sit tight until Luella shows up to take Vernon out and then follow them.”

“To what end?”

I reached for my smokes and lit up while I let my temper wane. “Here’s where I remind you this is the reason I argued against this case. Legally, Amery is powerless. Her grandfather can do whatever the hell he pleases with his money. It sucks that Prairie 27

Gardens just arbitrarily raised their rates and are dis-placing old people. Do I think the rate increase has bearing on this case? No. Granted, there is an issue with Gramps sneaking out and the lax security measures, but it doesn’t seem Amery is asking us to focus on that issue. Was she?”

“No.”

“In order to make any kind of accurate assessment of Prairie Gardens supposed security problems, we’d have to be there, or live there twenty-four/seven and God knows there isn’t a retainer big enough to make me do that. Amery doesn’t have that kind of cash or she would’ve hired a lawyer to deal with the power of attorney or legal guardianship bullshit.”

His smile was half-feral. “Jerking a knot in my tail, partner?”

“I know you, Kev. You were all soft and sweet with her, which means you’ve developed a big-time crush.”

“So?”

“So, are you thinking helping her out will make you more appealing on the ‘Trust me I’m a big dick’ front?”

“Did it for you and Martinez? He’s constantly mooning around you.”

I wasn’t surprised he’d brought up that sticky situation. I’d worked for my lover, Tony Martinez, once officially before we hooked up, once as a favor after we’d established a relationship. True, our relationship came about only because Martinez had hired me, and as much as my inner tough girl sneered, I’d be utterly 28

lost without that relationship.

Still. Kevin was comparing what I had with Tony to his crushlike feelings for Amery? Wrong.

“It’s not the same.”

“Why not?”

“Because Tony and I knew each other months before we became involved.”

“You mean before you slept with him.”

“I can’t believe you’d be stupid enough to sleep with her right off the bat.”

Kevin aimed his gaze at the brownish pile of snow outside his grimy window.

“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“Jesus. When?”

“Yesterday.” He squirmed. “She showed up around quitting time, right after you’d left. We went out for happy hour, one thing led to another and . . .”

“And she made your Mr. Happy
very
happy.”

Silence.

“Thrilled as I am that you finally got laid—”

“Tread lightly here, Jules. I’m not going to provide a play-by-play of how she ended up in my bed.”

Damn. “Am I your friend right now? Or your business partner?”

“Partner.”

I sucked down the last of my cigarette, swishing the spent butt in my empty Diet Pepsi can. “I vote we go with my original suggestion and follow Luella and 29

Vernon. It’s not like we have anything else to do.”

“True.” Kevin closed his eyes, nestling his neck in the headrest. “What time was Luella picking Vernon up?”

“One o’clock. About five minutes from now.” I glanced at his profile and saw the smoking hot man he was. No wonder Amery jumped him last night.

Sometimes I forgot my partner was such a delish dish.

When Reva caught sight of my “hot partner” her baby blues would bug right out of her head.

“Christ, I’m tired.”

“Marathon sex ’til the wee hours will do that to you.”

“You would know.”

Not recently. Not that I’d share that tidbit with him. “Shouldn’t you park where we can watch both entrances?”

“Probably.” He drove us to a better vantage point.

“Do you know what Luella looks like?”

“Indian. But we shouldn’t have a problem recognizing Vernon.”

“Yeah? Describe him, smarty.”

“Old man. Stooped over a cane. Fluffy white hair. Big nose. Wrinkled face. Dentures.” I hunkered down in my seat, cold, despite Kevin leaving the Jeep heater running.

Kevin snorted. “You just described Einstein. You have no fucking clue what old Vern looks like, do you?”

“Nope. Does it matter? How many old guys will be getting picked up in private vehicles by an Indian woman in the next few minutes?”

30

“Fine. So what if Luella takes him to Albertsons?”

“We’ll split up inside the store. See whether they’re shopping for groceries or picking up prescriptions. Same goes for anywhere else they end up.”

“Even if it’s a doctor’s office?”

“Yep.”

“And if they go both places?”

“We will, too.”

“You don’t think they’ll notice us following them?”

I glared at him. “How the fuck should I know?

You’re supposed to be the expert in this stealthy PI shit, Kev.”

He grunted.

Which pissed me off. “You know what? Forget it. I’m sick of trying to work around you, and the truth is, we shouldn’t have taken this goddamn case. I don’t give a crap what you tell Amery. Let her take the two hours we owe her in your bed.” I dug my cell phone out of my purse. Flipping it open, I scrolled through my short contacts list.

“What are you doing?”

“Leaving. Martinez will send someone to pick me up and take me back to the office.”

Kevin grabbed my phone and snapped it shut.

“Hey, what the hell—”

“Look.” He pointed to the carport at the front entrance. “I think Luella just pulled up.”

31

The driver’s side door on a silver Cadillac opened. A chunky woman climbed out, wearing a pink houndstooth checked coat, black slacks, her reddish-brown face visible beneath a rabbit fur trimmed hat.

Our tour guide, Dee, walked an elderly man out and met the woman on the sidewalk. He wasn’t the crippled old-timer I’d described. Maybe this was someone else.

“That’s him,” Kevin said. “Vernon Sloane.”

“You sure? He looks pretty spry for an eighty-five-year-old guy.”

“Alzheimer’s is a mental defect, Julie, not physical.

He’s exactly how Amery described him.”

I skipped the smart-ass retort. Vernon was feisty; he wouldn’t let Luella help him into the car. She skirted the back end and they were off.

32

Kevin put the Jeep in gear.

Luella putzed along little-old-lady-style; her speed never surpassed the posted legal limit. People like her caused traffic problems and gave people like me road rage.

First stop: Boyd’s Liquor Mart on Mt. Rushmore Road. Well, well. Wasn’t that interesting?

Kevin parked by the Dumpster.

“Who’s going in? You? Or me?”

“You.” I rummaged in the backseat until I found his brown Dakine knit winter hat. “Put that on.”

“Anything else, bossy?”

“Yeah, get me a pack of cigarettes and a pint of Jack Daniels.” I tossed him a crumpled fifty.

“Martinez’s drinking habits wearing off on you?”

“No. The Jack is for Reva.”

His mouth dropped open. “In the short amount of time you spent together she told you her favorite whiskey? What? Are you two drinking buddies now?”

As I watched Luella and Vernon enter the package store, I said, “It’d be nice to have someone to drink with since Kim is pregnant.”

“Don’t you spend all your free time sucking down free booze in Martinez’s bars?”

“No.” I faced Kevin and fussed with his collar.

“That’s better. Go.”

“Thanks, Mom.” He slammed the door.

I lit up, considering how long I’d do my Eskimo imitation in the freezing cold. On a whim I dialed Martinez.

33

He answered on the second ring. “Everything okay, blondie?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because it’s rare for you to call me during the day.”

“You’re always busy.”
Shit shit shit
. This was exactly why I didn’t call him; he made me feel guilty when I did. “Is it a bad time?”

“Hang on.” A clunk followed a muffled thump.

The line crackled. Background noises disappeared.

“Where are you?”

“On a stakeout. Where are you?”

“My office at Bare Assets.”

I flicked an ash out the window. “You alone?”

“I am now. Why?”

“I wondered if you wanna have phone sex.”

“With you?”

“No, with Kevin, Martinez. Jesus,
yes
with me.”

He paused. “Wells isn’t in the car with you.”

“Nope. Just little ol’ me, feeling
horn
-ibly naughty.”

“You’re just bored.”

“Pretty much.”

“I should be insulted.”

“You aren’t. You’re actually thinking about saying yes.”

Martinez laughed softly.

“So I’ll take a rain check on the phone sex if you promise me the real deal tonight.” I inhaled, holding the smoke in my lungs a good long time before I exhaled.

He didn’t respond, but I heard him sigh. I could 34

almost see the resignation on his face.

“Forget it. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Julie, wait—”

“Crap. Our guy is on the move. Gotta go.” I punched the
Off
button and snapped the phone shut.

It’d drive him crazy if he couldn’t reach me. Might be a petty thing, but it guaranteed the outcome: Martinez in my bed tonight. We’d been hit-and-miss on the sex front lately, and I needed a grand-slam home run in a bad way. A doubleheader would even be better.

I finished my cigarette, staring in the side mirror.

Luella and Vernon climbed in the Cadillac. Kevin appeared a beat later.

He tossed the brown paper sack on my lap, eyeing the passing vehicle before he started the Jeep.

“What did they buy?”

“A liter of Jim Beam Select, a bottle of Prairie Berry Wine, chokecherry blend. A jug of that pre-mixed Mudslide crap, and a box of Swisher Sweets.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes, unless you count the jumbo box of extra-large Trojans.”

I whapped his arm. “Not funny.”

“The clerk knew them both by name.”

“That’s really not funny.”

“I know.” Kevin changed lanes, keeping the Cadillac in sight as we cruised up 8th Street past Dairy Queen and Wilson Park. “It gets better. Luella filled out the check and Vernon just signed it.”

35

“Shit.”

“Yeah. Makes me wonder how many other times she’s done it.”

“Aren’t you glad we followed them?”

He didn’t answer. I felt smug anyway.

I stared out the window at the tourist shops, closed except for Coleman Gold Company and Coyote Claw Sam’s. Someone had to sell Black Hills Gold jewelry and Sturgis Bike Rally T-shirts in the off-season. I glanced at the new Sonic Drive-In. For some reason Martinez had taken a liking to it so we’d eaten there frequently in the last few months.

We turned left on Cathedral Drive. Medical facilities had popped up like metal warts in this area in recent years. Luella’s Caddy bypassed Wendy’s and Taco Bell to chug up the hill to the Rapid City Medical Center.

She snagged a handicapped spot up front.

Kevin backed into a parking space in the very last row. “Glad I took the liquor store.”

“Huh uh. I’m not doing this alone.”

“As you so accurately pointed out earlier, I am the expert in stealth matters. My gut is telling me to stay in the car.” He flashed me his dimpled grin.

“Yeah? I hope your gut is happy when your balls freeze and fall off.” I slammed the car door.

Once inside the enclosed entryway, I took my time removing my gloves, unwrapping my scarf, and unbuttoning my coat. I kept a close eye on the receptionist’s desk. If I timed this right, I could sneak into 36

the waiting area without one of the Trained Attack Receptionists, known as TARs, grilling me about appointment time.

Truthfully, what nut job would hang out in a place full of sick old people if they didn’t have to?

Four people entered and I scooted in behind them to a split waiting area. I had a 50/50 shot of choosing correctly, so I swung around the wall on the right side.

Bingo. Luella and Vernon sat in the center section. I forced myself to move slowly, claiming a chair directly behind them.

I swiped a large-print edition of
Reader’s Digest
and settled in, studying the layout of the room and the clientele.

Nearly two dozen people were spread out, sniffling or sneezing or snoring. One codger in the far back corner hadn’t twitched. The top of his white head rested against the wall; his jowls were slack. He looked dead.

Still, I preferred the look of eternal slumber on those folks’ faces who were long in the tooth to some rotten kid’s ear-piercing shrieks.

Vernon and Luella didn’t exchange a single word.

I studied her. Lakota, probably, not a full-blood.

Sixtyish. Black hair chopped short surrounded a pudgy brownish-red face. Broad nose. Brown eyes beneath trendy, square-framed tortoiseshell glasses.

Apple-shaped Luella was definitely a sturdy, attractive woman. I still didn’t see her and Vern doing the wild thing though.

Thirty minutes ticked by.

37

I was about to give up when a nurse called out,

“Vernon Sloane?”

He followed the nurse to the doctors’ offices.

Luella stayed put.