Can't Keep a Brunette Down (33 page)

Her stomach lurched, and bile rose in her throat. "Mick? You here?"

"Yeah." Already dressed in his
gi
, he sat behind her desk with his head in both hands. His hair was disheveled like he hadn't slept all night.

"You okay?"

His bloodshot eyes answered her question. "No one else will be here. I should've told you not to come, but I wanted the company."

She frowned and set her duffel bag down. "Who else did you call?"

"Everyone. They all think I'm crazy and that this place is cursed. Even Razi wouldn't come. Too much bad karma." Mick sighed. "Maybe they're right. Maybe you should go home."

"Okay." Gilda picked up her bag and turned to leave. That notion suited her just fine. She desperately needed a pot of coffee and a lot more sleep. "See you later."

"Wait. I didn't mean it." Mick leaped to his feet and sent the chair flying backward into the wall, leaving a dent in the drywall. "You'd really leave just because no one else showed up?"

"You told me to."

He came around the desk and pulled her toward the dojo. All the tatami mats had been replaced by thin puzzle mats. "I suggested you leave. That doesn't mean I want you to go home."

Gilda removed her sunglasses. "When you said I should go home, I took that to mean I didn't have to stay."

"You look like hell." Mick pulled her against him.

She gave him a halfhearted push. "Too much wine with Marion. What's your excuse?"

"I got jumped by a bottle of scotch."

"Looks like the scotch won." She glanced around. The other students were right about the eerie, cursed feeling in the school. She shouldn't have come either. "I thought you didn't drink."

He bowed his head. "Yeah, well, recent events have made drinking a necessity."

"True."

"Just because no one else is here doesn't mean we can't train. Right?" Mick asked. "Give me one hour, and then we can get some breakfast. We'll both have an appetite by then. I promise I won't push you so hard you puke."

Gilda studied his rumpled hair and bloodshot eyes and took pity on him. "Only if you're buying me breakfast and all the coffee I can drink."

"That's my girl. You're a trooper." When Mick threw his arms around her, she fought the urge to push him away.

"Maybe, but I'm not
your
girl."

"You're also not Thayer's girl." He winked. "That's good enough for me."

She headed to the changing room, thinking Mick was right. Maybe training would shift her attitude, even though she'd prefer not to train where three men had been murdered.

"We should go train on the beach. Being in here so much isn't healthy." Actually, it was downright creepy, and she had no idea how he could live in the school and stay sane. Maybe that's what the scotch was for.

Mick knelt in the dojo, facing the birch wood shrine. "I don't want whoever is doing this to win. If I leave, he wins."

Gilda bowed in then stood behind him. "No one will judge you if you get out of this place now and then. You didn't kill anyone." When he didn't reply, she knelt beside him. "Did you?"

"No." His eyes were closed as if in meditation. "Did you?"

"You know I didn't."

Mick opened his eyes. "Good enough for me. Let's warm up then do some sparring and katas. If you work hard enough, I'll feed you."

"Sounds good."

He nudged her arm. "Does this mean we're friends again?"

"As long as you don't make me throw up."

"You're the one who came to train." Mick's grin was the largest Gilda had seen in weeks. "I can't make any promises."

"It's not too late to go train on the beach, you know." She jumped to her feet and ran slow circles around the dojo. Even that motion was enough to make her nauseous. Mick ran with her and dispensed with the ceremonial formalities. After half an hour of focus and exertion, the fine hairs on Gilda's arms rose, and she became conscious of a third person in the school.

Thayer stood in the doorway, his eyebrows low and his gaze on Mick while he corrected Gilda's stance. For the first time in weeks, Thayer wore his full uniform rather than a suit and tie.

"Are you here to sign up for classes or just snoop?" Mick asked.

"Neither." Thayer's jaw hardened like cinder blocks. "I'm here for Gilda."

She broke the stance she'd held so long that her thighs quivered. "I didn't do anything."

Thayer grimaced. "I'm not here to arrest you."

Mick placed his hands on his hips. "Then what do you want with her?"

The tense silence sent a shiver up her arms, and she looked to Mick and wished more people had join themed. A crowd would make Thayer seem less intimidating.

"She can't join you right now. She's busy." Mick moved between them, shielding her from the darkness in Thayer's eyes. "We're training."

"Is that what you call it?" Thayer asked. "How convenient. You teach karate classes, and women flock straight to you, hoping they can spend a night with you."

"You're wrong." Mick's back stiffened. "At least I don't have to handcuff my dates."

Thayer flinched. "You'd better watch your mouth. I know all about you from Fabio. You're nothing more than a muscle-head who couldn't make a go of it in the big city because of your reputation for messing around with students."

Gilda sighed. "Thayer, go home before you say something you'll regret."

"No. Let him say his piece," Mick said. "I'd kind of like to hear what he thinks he knows. I'm up for a good fight today."

Thayer's lip twitched. "You might not want Gilda to hear what I have to say. From what I've heard, you've played the bad boy role to the hilt. She's not into guys who play the field."

"Like you?" she asked.

Mick didn't bother to hide his smirk. "Sounds to me like the playing field's pretty level then. There's nothing I haven't done that you haven't equalled or bested. You're not the only one Fabio talks to. I've known him since we were toddlers."

"Maybe you and I should step outside," Thayer said.

Gilda groaned. "Oh, that's mature."

Mick placed his hand on her shoulder. "This isn't public, Thayer. This is personal. Since we're in a training hall, I see no reason why you and I can't settle things right here and now."

"On your turf?" Thayer didn't look convinced. "Do you think I'm stupid enough to take you on with all your weapons within your reach?"

"I have all the weapons I need right here." Mick held out his hands. "What are you so afraid of? You have a gun and a baton."

"And handcuffs." Gilda hoped—and prayed—the two weren't serious. She held her ground, uncertain what to do next. Should she lock them inside to beat each other senseless, or call Fabio? He'd probably just handcuff Mick and Thayer together and tell them to work things out.

Thayer took off his shoes and set his utility belt in the dojo against the wall.

Mick cleared his throat. "Out of respect, I'd rather you leave the gun outside."

"Right," he said. "With my luck, Gilda would shoot me in the back."

"Why would she do that?" Mick grinned. "Unless you're afraid she might want revenge."

Gilda held her hands up. "Oh no, do not drag me back into this."

"You're already involved. He's only beating his chest since he doesn't want you anywhere near me." Mick untied his black belt and folded it neatly. "This isn't about who killed our friends. This is Thayer's pride getting in the way of his investigation."

"I don't see you backing down," she said.

"And look like a wimp?" He set his belt on the floor near the shrine and took off his
gi
top. "Are you kidding?"

Gilda threw up her hands then headed for the changing room.

"Hey." Thayer paused. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Home. You're both being childish." She turned to bow at the door.

"He's the one trying to impress you," Mick said.

"And you're not?" Gilda rolled her eyes and closed the dojo door behind her so she didn't have to witness the battle. Why should she care if the two of them killed each other?

She winced. Bad choice of words. She should call Fabio to come settle things, but it sounded as though he'd already fed both men stories about the other to fuel the feud. He'd probably referee a fight before he'd ever mediate.

Mick and Thayer barked insults and accusations for several minutes before the school grew quiet. Gilda cringed, frozen in place to listen as their voices faded. Then the lights went out inside the dojo.

"Oh, no. What are they up to now?" She changed fast then rushed down the hall and around the corner.

The men's voices were a dull hum behind the closed office door. Wary, she knocked and stepped back when Thayer opened the door and gave a wry smile. At least he bore no bruises and no red strike marks.

"What happened?" Gilda looked from one to the other. "I thought you'd still be in there…"

Mick grinned. "You mean, why aren't we beating each other senseless?"

"Kind of," she said.

Thayer hitched up his utility belt. "I'm a cop. I'd have to arrest him for assault."

"Hey, buddy." Mick held up a finger in warning. "I told you the other night, once you sign the waiver and put on sparring gear, anything that happens in the dojo is perfectly legal. Including beating your sorry ass."

And including Yoshida trying to beat her senseless for no reason. Gilda shuddered and threw her bag over her shoulder and shook her head. "Whatever you say. I'm leaving."

"Don't you even want to know what we've decided?" Mick asked.

She stopped and blew out a long breath then turned to study both men. "Nope."

"You should know, Mick and I have decided to team up." Thayer followed her. "The more I've talked to Mick and Razi and thought about your suspicions about Yoshida, the more I think you're right. He's got the most to lose if this place fails and the most to gain if it goes up in flames. We'll set a trap for him with Mick as bait."

"It won't work." Gilda hesitated. "If Yoshida really is the killer, do you honestly think he'll fall for such a blatant trick? He's a pretty smart man."

Mick joined them in the lobby. "A smart man who seems awfully desperate to be rid of this school and to get out of Sandstone Cove. I think he'll bite."

"Sure, he will," Gilda said. "Unless it's Razi he's after, not you."

Mick shook his head. "Not a chance. Yoshida and I have butted heads a lot lately. Razi keeps to himself and doesn't step out of line. He's a much bigger asset than I am."

Thayer shifted his weight. "But what if Razi's the murderer?"

"Then he wouldn't be dumb enough to kill me in front of a school full of cops," Mick said.

Gilda sat on a plastic chair. "Either way, things won't turn out well."

Thayer frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The killer has nothing left to lose." She stared into the dark dojo. "Mick's the last black belt, aside from Razi. Since Yoshida and Razi were trained to go down fighting, it could become a fight to the death."

"Then you're right." Mick sat next to her and took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. "Either way, things won't turn out well. You were right. I've been selfish. You should go home and type up your resume. I need to do this alone, and you need to be safe."

Thayer rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled his feet. "Um, I'm going to…" He headed off down the hall to the washrooms.

"There has to be another way." Gilda blinked back tears. "He had to leave evidence. Did they search the vent? Did they get the results back from the lab? Did they…?"

Mick touched his finger to her lips. "Those things take time, Gilda, which is one thing we're running out of. I don't want anyone else to die."

"Is this really the last resort?" she asked. "Isn't there some other way we can catch him?"

"If you've got a better idea, I'd love to hear it." He gave her hand a squeeze. "Razi and I don't have a Plan B. This is it. Are you in?"

 

Gilda walked away from the school without coffee or breakfast. Her hands shook, and her knees were weak. The shaking was partially from the workout and mostly from the mere thought of Mick and Thayer teaming up to catch a killer. At least Fabio would keep them focused on practical ideas for a trap, because if their ideas didn't work…

Lost behind a veil of tears, she wasn't even aware of the car next to her until Gary called out to her. "Gilda. Wait up. We need to talk."

She gulped, startled out of her reverie. "No. I just talked to Mick and Thayer. I'm done talking. I'm going home to eat, pack, and move in with my mother."

"You don't mean that," he said.

"Even more now than I did a minute ago." She swiped one arm across her face. "I'm done, Gary. I'd rather move in with her than live here with people dropping dead around me."

He got out and gave her a hug. "I'm sorry you feel that way, because I think I have something that would help. I think I have a motive for the murders."

"Yeah, I do too. Yoshida's greed."

"I've got a better one." He shook his head. "Come for a drive with me. I promise this will make your day."

Reluctantly, she got into the passenger seat and remained as close to the door as possible. "Where are we going?"

"Walter's house."

"Walter's dead." She pretended to wipe an eyelash from her eye, which brimmed with tears. "It's Jade's house now."

"Yeah, but his widow isn't dead, and she has a secret." He refused to say more until they pulled onto Walter's street and parked across from the mansion with the three-car garage. "I have friends in high places who tell me our prim-and-proper widow is expecting a small package. In about six months."

Gilda groaned. "Why do I care what Walter's widow is expecting? Just take me home." She paused then turned to Gary, wide-eyed. "Wait. Jade's pregnant? Who told you that?"

He lit a cigarette, drew in a lungful of smoke, then held the cigarette outside the window. "Let's just say we have a mutual friend in the medical profession who wants to see justice done."

"Doc?" Her mouth dropped open. "Doesn't that violate his doctor-patient confidentiality?"