Double Black Diamond (Mercy Watts Mysteries) (23 page)

“Time for the crab,” said Aaron.
 

I can’t catch a break.
 

Nancy went to the fridge and got out a plate of little bitty soft shell crabs. Aaron dumped the whole plate in because the only thing worse than eating crab meat is eating an intact crab with its beady eyes looking at you. Gag.
 

“Ready in ten,” said Aaron.
 

He and Nancy looked at me expectantly.
 

“Great,” I said, trying to think of an escape route.

A cheer went up in the living room and Nancy started fussing over the pot, peppering Aaron with questions about seasoning. He explained all his choices patiently with a lot of emphasis on proper seafood preparation. He snuck lox in there, but I don’t think Nancy heard the don’t burn lox part.
 

How was I going to get out of there? Think. Think. Aha!

“Nancy, where’s Wallace?”
 

“Wallace?”
 

“Your dog.”
 

She started as if she’d been asleep. “I forgot poor little Wallace, my baby.” She ran out of the kitchen still holding a ladle.
 

Poor Wallace. Puhlease.

“What is with Calvin and Nancy?” I asked Aaron.
 

“They like Coronas.”

“I guess that explains it.”
 

He nodded like that was true. Weirdo.
 

Aaron gazed at me from behind his thick, extremely smudged glasses. “I made your soup.”
 

My soup?

“I didn’t tell her,” he said.
 

“I don’t think that was exactly the deal. You were supposed to be gone before she saw you.”
 

“Nope.”
 

“Nope?” I asked.

“Nope. I made your soup.”

I’m going to have to eat that soup. There is no escape. No more deals. Ever.
 

“I look forward to it.”
 

Like a pelvic exam.
 

Uncle Morty charged in, holding a handful of Aaron’s chips. “Where the hell is that Fergus?”
 

“How should I know?” I asked.

“He’s your guy.”
 

“He’s my stalker. Why’d you invite him anyway? You spit on the last stalker.”
 

“That guy was a creep. This is Fergus. He likes gaming.” His eyes darted around like Fergus was hiding from him. I hid from Morty plenty of times, but Fergus didn’t know him that well yet.
 

“So that’s the standard. You’ll let any guy in as long as he likes gaming.”
 

“Nah, just Fergus.”
 

“Why’s he so special?” I asked.
 

“Cause I say,” bellowed Uncle Morty. “Go find the boy. We’re gonna start the tournament.” He stomped back in the living room. Weird even for him. Uncle Morty didn’t like anyone, especially kids. I should know. He couldn’t stand me.
 

“He likes Fergus?” I asked Aaron.
 

He shrugged. I wasn’t getting anything out of him, unless it was a recipe. Not helpful. Nancy came back, weaving so bad she bumped into the wall and the counter. Wallace was under her arm and did not appreciate the jostling.
 

“Here’s my girl,” she said, leaning over.
 

“Don’t put her— ”

She dropped Wallace on the tile and I swear her legs were already running before her claws made contact. In a flash, she was biting my ankle. I’d learned my lesson though. Stupid dog.
 

“I wore two pairs of socks, Wallace,” I said. “Bite away.”
 

“She’s not biting. She’s playing,” said Nancy. “She loves you.”
 

Even with two pairs of socks my ankle was totally feeling the love.
 

“Well…I’ve been loved enough,” I said. “I’m going to find Fergus.”
 

“Oh good. You can take my little poopy for a walk.” Nancy went to the fridge to get another Corona. She really didn’t need one.
 

Wallace was snarling and shaking her head like I was a prey animal. That dog had no sense of proportion.
 

“Fine. It’s you and me, poopy.”
 

Growl.
 

“Poopy. Poopy.”
 

Growl. Growl.
 

I cackled while I clipped her leash on and opened the door. Kera was standing there with her hand raised to knock. Her eyes were swollen and her formerly silky hair was ratted up in a ponytail on top of her head.
 

“Is it Rory?” I asked, my stomach twisting.
 

“No. He’s the same.” She glanced left and right, and then whispered, “Can I talk to you?”
 

I closed the door. “Sure. How’d you know I was here?”
 

“Aaron told us.”
 

“You know Aaron now?”
 

“Everybody knows Aaron,” she said.
 

True enough. I couldn’t take him anywhere. God help me, if I ever had to keep his location secret. It would be impossible with his obsessive friend-making.

“Did he feed you?” I asked.
 

“Burgers. They were amazing,” she said.
 

“You get burgers and I get menudo. Life is not fair. Don’t let anyone tell you it is.”
 

“What’s menudo?” asked Kera.
 

“You don’t want to know,” I said, heading for the elevator. “Walk with me. I’ve got to find Fergus and walk Wallace.”
 

“Your dog is biting you.”
 

“She does that.”
 

Wallace had a good hold of my jeans and I was dragging the stink dog along. When we stopped at the elevator, she started with the prey shake again. She reminded me of my dad actually. Never give up. Never surrender. That was Tommy Watts. You can imagine how hard it is to win an argument. It’s so hard. I’d never actually done it.
 

“Did you find Rory’s bag?” I asked because it was best if she thought I thought there was a possibility. Detective Carey was always in the back of my mind.
 

“No,” said Kera. “It’s gone.”
 

The elevator opened and there was Fergus, holding a six-pack of Coronas.
 

“There you are,” I said. “Uncle Morty’s been asking for you.”

“I went to get some more Coronas for Nancy and Calvin,” he said.
 

“Somebody sold you beer?” asked Kera. “I am twenty-one and I can hardly buy it.”
 

“I tipped the man behind the counter fifty of your dollars.”

“Well, that’ll do it.” I jerked my thumb in the direction of the condo. “Better hurry. They’re about to start a tournament on a game system that was made before I was born.”
 

Kera and I switched places with Fergus, but he didn’t leave. He held the door and glanced at Kera.
 

“Spill it,” I said. “What happened?”
 

He glanced at Kera again, but Fergus didn’t know anything I needed to keep from her. Kera knew more about what was going on, since she knew I was supposed to be getting a delivery from Rory.
 

“It’s fine,” I said. “You can say it.”
 

“Wade and Mickey were fighting. Mickey skelped him good,” said Fergus.
 

“Huh?” I asked.

“He was hitting him. Blood everywhere.”
 

Wallace started ramming her nose into my ankle and I plucked her off, holding her by the scruff of the neck. Kera took her and the stink dog went all sweet and did a panting smile, the little snot.
 

“Carey told me they were fighting,” I said. “I don’t think that’s unusual.”
 

“Maybe not, but they were yelling.”
 

“Fergus, I don’t know how much fighting you’ve done, but yelling is part of it.”
 

“Mickey was yelling about Wade screwing him over.”
 

“That was probably about me. Wade announced that I was working for the band the second Mickey was out of the way. I get the feeling that he’s a media hog.”

Fergus wrinkled his nose. “I don’t think so.”
 

“Why not?”

“Because Wade was yelling that Mickey was a selfish prick.”
 

“That fits,” I said.
 

Fergus’s young face remained clouded. “I can’t tell you why, but it wasn’t about you. It’s bigger than that.”
 

“Thanks. I’ll think about it.”
 

Fergus let go and the doors closed. Kera nuzzled the stink dog and Wallace did not bite her face, which I’m sure would’ve happened to me. I must’ve done something truly heinous to a small dog in a former life because in this lifetime I was the chew toy.
 

“I think Fergus is right,” said Kera through the folds of Wallace’s neck skin.
 

“Why’s that?”
 

“Cause that guy, Victor, is hanging around. He’s freaking me out.”
 

I hit the stop button and the elevator ground to a halt. “Did he do anything to you?”
 

“I think he was in the condo,” she said.
 

“What makes you think that?”
 

“I went to the hospital to sit with Rory after my shift and when I got back stuff was moved.”
 

“Are you sure you’d know? It’s been a bad couple of days,” I said. “You’re very upset.”
 

“I’m sure. My duffel bag was on the bed. I put it in the closet after I got my stuff out of it. And the bed’s mattress was moved like someone had been looking under it. It wasn’t like that this morning. I know I locked the door when I left. I know I did, but somebody got in.”
 

“It’s not that difficult, if you know what you’re doing. Has Victor approached you?”
 

“He tried to talk to me at work, but I went in the back and my boss made him go away,” she said.
 

“Where do you work?”
 

“In tickets.”
 

“I think you need to go home and see if you can get a few days off. Victor won’t be here forever. I’ll ask Nina when they’re leaving.”
 

“Rory’s dad said I could stay and I want to be there. It seems like he might walk in at any moment.”
 

I let go of the button. “Where are Mark and the rest of them?”
 

“They went home to their parents. They made them.”
 

The look on Kera’s face told me that her parents didn’t give a care where she was or what was happening to her. I didn’t know what to do with her. I could invite her to stay with us. I doubted if Nancy or Calvin would object after I explained the situation, but I didn’t think she’d come.
 

The door opened. “Come with me. I have something that might make you feel better.”
 

I took her into the condo and found my Fox pepper spray and showed her how to use it.
 

“This type sprays in a cone shape,” I said, “like hairspray.”
 

“Okay.” Kera took the spray and immediately her shoulders relaxed.
 

“I’m going to call Detective Carey and tell him about the condo.”
 

“What will he do?”
 

“He may dust for fingerprints. I’m not sure, but he has to know. I want you to call Rory’s dad and ask permission to change the lock.”
 

She shook her head furiously. “I don’t want to bother him. He’s so upset. He hasn’t left Rory’s side since he got to the hospital.”
 

“How about the mother? How’s she doing?” I asked.
 

“I don’t know. She just sits there. Kind of like she’s in a coma, too. She never even cried.”
 

“That happens sometimes. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t care. She’s overwhelmed and in shock.”
 

Kera nodded and squeezed Wallace so tight, she yelped. “Sorry. Sorry.”
 

“I’ll ask Detective Carey about the lock. Okay?”
 

She nodded, but didn’t seem sure about it.
 

“What are you doing tonight?” I asked.
 

“Nothing.”
 

“Are you going to be alone?”
 

“I guess. I don’t want to go out.”
 

I put my arm around her. “Then you’ll come be with us. Aaron’s cooking. Do you like video games?”
 

“Sure.”
 

“Then you’re in luck. We’ve cornered the market.”
 

Kera
was
in luck. That was the best decision I’d made since I got on the plane and it was a lifesaver.

Chapter Fourteen

The sirens went off at two in the morning. I was asleep with Wallace on Uncle Morty’s bed, having long given up the tournament.
 

“Mercy!” Pete shook me and Wallace started yapping in my face. I pushed her smushed face away and sat up.
 

“What?”
 

“The building’s on fire. We have to get out.”
 

I grabbed my coat and stuck the still yapping Wallace under my arm. Uncle Morty and the rest of the gamers had to be dragged away from the TV. Kera was asleep in Rodney’s room. Pete got her up and we left the condo and entered the smoky hallway. Three firefighters were herding the residents of the floor down the emergency stairs. Kera grabbed my arm. “I have to get my purse.”
 

We turned and saw a firefighter going into Rory’s condo. Kera gasped and started in that direction. I grabbed her arm and kept her with us. The stairs were crowded with half drunk people and half hysterics. Uncle Morty plowed his way down the stairs. I was surprised no one got knocked down. There were quite a few shocked looks at his diatribe on leaving his game just when he got to the point of killing some guy with a battle ax. Obviously, a little thing like the building being on fire shouldn’t get in the way of that.