The Devil's Dwelling (26 page)

THIRTY-TWO

I was watering the flowers in my yard when I heard the rumble of a motorcycle barreling down the street.  I took a second look it was Mona with her blonde hair blowing in the wind, on the back of a Harley holding on to Brad Bradford.

She climbed off the bike trying to balance herself. “Tiffany, you wanna go for a ride? I was getting in my Explorer when Brad rode up on his Harley.”  Brad smiled and jumped off the bike.

“Hi Tiffany, hope you don’t mind me picking up your friend.” He looked a little sheepish.

“Of course not.”  I didn’t have any claims to Brad and for that matter didn’t want any. He’s a nice guy but two men in my life is enough. 

“I have a lot of yard work to get done today. You guys enjoy this nice day on the bike.”  I told them as I continued to water the flowers.

“I wanted to make sure you didn’t mind. I don‘t want you to think I would steal your boyfriend.”  Mona said as she hopped on the Harley.

“Not a problem.“ 

Brad was back on the bike and Mona was holding around his waist with her double ‘D‘s snuggled up to him. “See you girlfriend.” Mona yelled, Wheee,“  Brad popped the clutch and lifted the front wheel off the ground.  

I turned off the hose and went inside. My mind was on solving the murders even though it isn’t my job I almost feel responsible for the murdered women.  I took a loaf of wheat bread from the bread box and a jar of Cheez Whiz from the cupboard. I took a knife from the drawer and stuck it in the jar and brought out a big hunk of Cheez Whiz. Smeared it on the bread and poured myself a glass of mike. I ate the sandwich and swigged the milk. All the time thinking about the dead women.  I emptied the glass, licked the knife rinsed and put both in the dishwasher.  Wiped my hands on the dish towel and threw it down on the cupboard. Okay, Tiffany now pick up the dish towel and hang it on the hook. A little voice said to me. I’m trying to keep this place in order.  I wouldn’t want Hayden to come by and catch it in a mess. Another reason it might have been a bad idea to move in.  I feel like I have to be perfect living here.

Bailey was ready for a jog to the park.  I took my Glock and holster from the night stand and attached it to my waist case.  I hooked Bailey up and out the door we went.  We got to the park just before dusk.  I noticed the families were gathering up their kids.  Bailey hiked and pooped and I picked it up with my plastic bag and tossed his gift in the garbage.  I hooked him up and we jogged home. 

I heard a loud rig come up behind me. It revved it’s motor. Sheesh, who could that be?  I heard a loud voice yell out.

“Tiffany, it’s me Mona.  Can you take me home later. I’d like to visit with you a while.”

I looked over my shoulder. “Sure Mona, I can take you home.”

She hopped off the bike put her arms around Brad’s neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist.  “See you tomorrow.”  I heard Brad say. 

“My place at seven.”  Mona stood back from the bike and waved as Brad popped the clutch and raised the front wheel off the pavement.

“I want to talk to you about Brad.”  Mona said as we started walking toward my house.

“I really like him and he seems to like me. I don’t want to take your man. I mean I don’t want to…”  Mona tried to tell me she wasn’t the type to take another woman’s man.

“Mona, I dated Brad a couple of time we don’t have any chemistry.  He seems to be a great guy and knows how to treat a lady if you like him go for it.  I have two men in my life and can’t commit to either. I think I’m meant to be alone.”

“Okay, you’re good with everything?”  Mona breathed a sigh of relief.

“Did you have dinner?  Mona asked.

“I had a sandwich earlier but I could eat again.”

“You want to go to Mia’s Pizza for pizza and a beer?”

“I can handle that.”

We took Bailey home. I freshened up with a little lipstick and a brush through my hair. Mona brushed her hair straight down and she looked sexy as usual. I gave Bailey a treat and set the alarm.

“Let’s go we have about sixty seconds to lock the door before the alarm goes off .”

We grabbed our bags and we were out the door.

The Saturday night crowd was at Mia’s.  I knew a few of the guys.  A couple guys dropped by our table and wanted to meet my new friend.  I introduced them and Mona didn’t seem interested in any of them.

“Gee, you aren’t your usual friendly self. What’s up with that?” I took a big bite of my pizza slice and looked up over my pizza at Mona for an answer.

“I think I’m in love.” She squirmed in her seat like a little girl hiding something.

I took a gulp of my beer and almost spewed it out of my mouth.  “What? Your in love.  One ride on a Harley and you’re in love? That’s insane.” I shook my head.  “But who am I to say anything?  I may not know what love feels like.”

Mona set forward on the edge of her seat. “It’s this feeling you get in the pit of your stomach and it crawls up to your heart. It’s a new feeling for me.”

“Do you think Brad feels the same?”

“No, but if it’s to be he will.”

“Is there a second date?”

“Yes,  tomorrow I’m going with him to repo a couple of cars.”

My mouth fell open and my pizza fell out. “You’re going into the repo business?”

“I’m just riding along in the tow truck. If the interrogation is over how about we hit Bill‘s Billiards?” 

“Is this something else I don’t know about you?”  I’m thinking Mona is probably a pool shark and she gonna hustle some guy.

“Pool, yeah I’ve play a few games.  That’s what you do when working in a bar and there aren’t any customers.” She closed the pizza box.  “You finished?”

“Am now.”  Mona was hyperactive tonight.  It must be the ‘in love’ bug biting her butt.

We drove over to Bill’s Billiards.  The place was buzzing with the Saturday night crowd. A few bikers with their ole’ ladies.  A few guys that probably should be home with their families.

Mona pointed out a pool table where there was no one playing. 

“You grabbed the table and I’ll get us a couple of pool sticks.”

I wasn’t sure how to grab a table but I thought setting on it might do the job.

A guy walked past chalking up his stick. “Your butt’s gonna be all blue.”

“What? I jumped off the table and turned to look at my butt.

“Works every time.” He laughed and racked up the balls on my table.

“This is my table.”  I said feeling a little stupid. I knew it wasn’t my table but I had dibs on it. I guess he was right I didn’t have my hands on it.

Mona walked over to the guy, pulled her shirt over to show her 38. “You messing with my friend?”

“”No, ma’am. Just getting the table ready for you ladies.”  He finished racking the balls.  “All yours ma’am.” He did the hands up palms out and backed away.

Mona broke the balls and not one went in the pocket. We played for about a half hour before I finally put the eight ball in the pocket. “All right I beat you.”

“Let’s play another game.”  Mona was taking the balls from the end of the table and letting them roll. I took the rack and proceeded to fill the rack with the balls.

“Okay, but I’m warmed up now.  You’ll never beat me.”  I stroked my stick, chalked the tip end and bounced my stick on the floor.

“Show your stuff girlfriend.” 

I laid my stick on the rail, stroked back and forth and gave it all I had hitting the balls.  I heard a thump and very few of the balls rolled.

Mona laughed.  “We gotta give you some lessons.”

“I don’t see anyone good enough to give lessons around here.” I looked from side to side. “Nope, no one.”

Mona smiled and took her shot. She put a couple of balls in the pocket. I chalked up and took my shot and missed. We play for about fifteen minutes before Mona chalked her stick, blew on the end and took a shot.  Dang ball hit one ball then the other and the second ball went in the pocket.  I noticed a couple guys watching Mona.

Mona missed and I took my turn. I turned around and the guys at the table next to us wanted to play us. 

“Hey Tiffany, these guys want to play teams. You think we can beat them?”

My truthful thought was, no but I grinned and said. “Of course we can.”  I almost choked on my words.

The guy with the big mouth racked the balls.

“Go ahead you ladies go first.” He said stepping back from the table.

“Sure, I’ll go first”  Mona stepped up to the table and gave it a good shot. The rack of balls was scattered around the table. She took a couple of shots making the first shot and missing on the second shot.

“It’s your turn”  Mona pointed at the guy chalking up his stick.

He ran about four balls off the table. Looked over at Mona and grinned.

I was nervous. I put my best face forward and took a shot and missed the dang cue ball. The other guy took his turn and put one in and then missed.  We played four games each winning two with the other guy putting the eight ball in causing himself to loose one of the two games..

“Mona, how about you and I playing off the tie. And to make it interesting lets play for money. 

“Play for money, you think I’m crazy?”  Mona turned and walked away.

“What’s a little twenty?”  He grinned at Mona and then at his friend.

Mona strutted over to the arrogant guy. “I think I can rattle you enough to beat you. I say fifty bucks.”

“Mona, you’re gonna lose your money. This guy’s good.”

“You don’t have any faith in me?” Mona flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“I’ve seen you play and I’ve seen this guy play. You don’t have a chance.”

I put my stick in the wall rack and set back to watch Mona loose her fifty bucks. 

They flipped for who was going to break the rack.  The guy won. He chalked up  his stick, leaned over the table and broke the rack of balls.  Balls flew all over the table with two balls falling in the pocket.

“Looks like I’ve got the little one.”  He proudly said as he walked around the table.

“I already had that figured out.”  Mona grinned and stepped back from the table.

He put two more balls in the pocket and missed on his third shot.

“So, that’s all you have?”  Mona chalked up walked around the table eyeing each ball.

She took her first shot off another ball and the ball dropped in the pocket.  She strutted around  the table a couple of times, stretched her double ’D’s’ over the table and sank another ball. She stood up, looked over at the guy.

“That was a lucky shot.”  He nudged his friend.

Mona took another shot and missed.  “It’s all yours. This will be your last turn do it now or never.”  Mona stepped back for the man to have plenty room.

He looked the table over well. Took his aim and missed.  “Dang! How’d  I miss that?”

Mona walked around the table, took aim on the first ball, it dropped in the pocket, took aim again and again.

“Well, lady you blocked your self with the seven ball.  Looks like you are going to eat your words.”

“Get my fifty bucks on the table.”  Mona called the corner pocket, aimed, jumped the seven ball and sank the eight ball in the corner pocket.

“Damn, lady you hustled me. Where’d you learn to play like that?” Mona picked up her fifty dollar bill, sashayed over to the wall rack hung up her stick and smiled back at the guy standing with his mouth open. 

“Mona, I didn’t know you could shoot pool. Well, I mean good. I can shoot pool but I’m not good at it.”  I followed Mona out of Bill’s Billiards.

“We should do this more often.  I enjoyed watching you hustle that guy.  He was such a smart ass challenging us girls.”

I stopped in front of Mona’s apartment.  Mona got out of the Honda and leaned her head through the passenger window.  “You wanna come in for a while?  I could make some cocoa.”

“I think I’ve had enough fun for tonight. I need to get some rest. Thanks for the invite and by the way I had a lot of fun tonight.  You’re fun to hang with.”  I dropped the Honda in gear and slowly drove toward home. I looked in my rear view and Mona was standing on the sidewalk waving me home. This time she wasn’t standing on the street homeless.