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Besides, she owed Max for having scared the life out of her when he’d broken into John Price’s house. “I’ll follow you in my car,” she said.

They left the lounge. Jamie climbed into her car and followed Larry from the parking lot, wondering if Max could see her from his vantage point at the other end of the lot. She grabbed her cell phone and punched in Max’s number. He answered on the first ring.

“Okay, Max, I know you’re not going to like this, but I’m following Larry Johnson to his place so he can change shirts.” She explained about the spilled drink.

“Bad idea,” he said. “I specifically told you—”

“I know what you told me, but I think I’m on to something here. This guy looks suspicious.”

“All the more reason to turn your car around and head in the opposite direction. I don’t want you alone with him.”

“Listen, Max, I can’t see him intentionally killing Luanne Ritter, but he has serious problems. I think he feels he can talk to me.”

“Oh, so you think you’re going to get a full confession out of him?”

“Not exactly, but—”

“Turn your car around, Jamie,” he ordered. “It’s not worth the risk. I’ll follow you to Frankie and Dee Dee’s.”

“No way, Max. Not when I’m this close. Trust me on this one, okay? And call Frankie and Dee Dee and tell them we can’t make it for dinner. I’ll be dining with Larry.”

She hung up the phone in order to avoid arguing with him. The cell phone rang. She knew it was Max. She ignored it, knowing he would never agree to let her enter Larry’s apartment. But she was determined to find out what she could. Besides, something told her she had nothing to fear with Larry Johnson. As long as she played along, she reminded herself.

Finally, the cell phone stopped ringing.

Five minutes later, Jamie followed Larry into the parking lot of a generic-looking apartment complex. She parked beside his car and climbed out. He hit a button on his key chain, and his Corvette beeped. “I don’t trust the teenagers around here,” he said. “If I ever catch them messing with my car, I’m going to take a crowbar to them. Matter of fact, I keep one behind the seat of my car and another one beside the front door in my apartment.”

Jamie suppressed a shiver. Luanne Ritter had died from a blow to the head. She tried to make light of it. “A crowbar would certainly scare me away,” she said with a laugh. At the same time, she wondered what Larry’s wife had found appealing about him. “Yes, sir, a crowbar would definitely get my attention,” she added, causing him to grin.

She followed Larry to a door and paused beside him while he unlocked it. He opened it, stepped inside and flipped on a light switch, then motioned for Jamie to enter. “It’s not much, but it’s home.”

Jamie followed him into a sparsely furnished living room. Larry had obviously found a good deal on fake-leather furniture because the couch and chair matched those in his office. The apartment smelled of stale food and booze. Sure enough, there was a crowbar leaning against the wall beside the front door. “It’s not so bad,” she lied. “A few pictures on the wall, and the place would be really homey.”

“I’m not much of a decorator.”

No kidding, she thought.

“Hey, and I’m sorry about the mess, but I wasn’t expecting company.” He grabbed a pile of clothes from the sofa. “Have a seat.”

Jamie sat down. He went about turning on more lights, then headed into the kitchen and made himself another scotch. “My shirt is plastered to me,” he said. “Would you mind if I grabbed a quick shower and changed? Then I’ll take you to dinner.”

“No problem,” she said.

He hurried into the next room. Several minutes later, Jamie heard the sound of running water. She stood and tiptoed into the bedroom and immediately started searching through Larry’s dresser drawers. She was looking for jewelry. If Larry had indeed killed Luanne and tried to make it look like a robbery, he could very well have hidden his stash until he could dispose of it. A man with his financial problems would probably try to sell it when he felt it was safe.

If
he’d been the one, she reminded herself.
If
the murder was actually tied to her personals ads. There were a lot of ifs, but Jamie knew she wouldn’t have any answers unless she checked.

Nothing unusual in the drawers. Jamie glanced at the closet. She sometimes kept money tucked inside an old coat pocket. She heard a noise and turned.

Larry was standing in the doorway, a towel draped around his midsection.

She froze. Damn, damn, damn.

“Why are you in my bedroom?” he asked.

Jamie stared back at him for a full minute as she tried to find her tongue. She had been so engrossed in her search that she hadn’t heard the sound of the shower being turned off or the bathroom door opening. Finally, she smiled. “Why do you think?”

.  .  .

“I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN JAMIE WOULD PULL SOMEthing like this,” Max said, having followed her car to Larry’s apartment complex and watched her enter through one of the doors.

“What are you going to do?” Muffin asked.

Max stared at the door to the apartment. He noted Larry’s Corvette out front. “She thinks she’s so smart. Let her figure it out.” He sat there for about twenty seconds. “Dammit,” he muttered. He opened his car door and climbed out.

LARRY SMILED AT JAMIE AND STEPPED CLOSER. “Why am I surprised?” he said. “I knew we had chemistry the minute I laid eyes on you.”

Jamie wanted to tell him she felt about as much attraction for him as she did for an eel. “Yes,” she said in a husky tone meant to sound sexy. “I felt it, too.”

“We don’t have to go out,” Larry said. “Besides, I’m hungry for you.”

“Yes. I mean, no,” Jamie said hurriedly. “On second thought, I think we should still go out. Someplace romantic,” she added. “We shouldn’t rush things.”

“I could order pizza. Is that romantic enough?”

“Um, I was sort of hoping for soft music and candlelight. Maybe we could go dancing.”

“Baby, we don’t need all that.” He suddenly pulled her against him. “Why put off the inevitable? You want it as bad as I do.” He dropped his towel to the floor and pressed himself against her.

Jamie’s skin crawled. The last thing she wanted to see was a naked Larry Johnson. He pulled her face close, studied her with those beady eyes. Oh, hell, he was going to kiss her, she thought.

He lowered his head, and their lips touched. Jamie felt herself stiffen.

“Relax,” he whispered against her lips. “I’ll go slow.”

Jamie closed her eyes. It would be easier to let him kiss her if she didn’t have to look at him. She braced herself. Think; think. His kiss deepened, and she started bargaining with God.

Please don’t let him stick his tongue in my mouth. I’ll even start going to church with Vera if I have to
.

Larry pressed his tongue against her lips, trying to prod them open. “Come on, baby,” he crooned.

Jamie’s heart sank to her toes. She flattened her hand against his bare chest, hoping to push him away gently, when, all at once a loud siren split the night. They both jumped.

“Sonofabitch!” Larry yelled. “Someone is messing with my car.”

Jamie’s head spun. “What?”

“That’s my alarm system. Some asshole is trying to break into my car.” He searched the room frantically and grabbed a pair of pants. He danced about, trying to get his legs into his slacks. He didn’t bother zipping them as he raced from the room.

“Oh, thank you, God,” Jamie whispered as she heard the front door of the apartment being flung open. She hurried into the living room, grabbed her purse, and ran out. She stood there for a moment, disoriented. Finally, she bolted toward her car.

And bumped into Larry and his crowbar.

“My car’s okay,” he said, and then gave her a funny look. “Where are you going?”

“I just remembered I have to go home and feed my dog.”

“Feed your dog?” he said in disbelief. “Can’t that wait?”

“He’s hypoglycemic. If he doesn’t eat every four hours, his blood sugar level drops and—”

“Lady, what the hell are you talking about?” Larry scowled and began flexing his fists. “You get a man hard enough to break concrete blocks, and then you come up with this bullshit story about having to go home and feed your dog? What’s with that?”

Jamie suspected he was on the verge of erupting. “Larry, things were getting out of hand. It’s my fault. I haven’t, well, you know, it’s been
sooo
long since I’ve been with a man, and I’m really attracted to you, but I need more time. I don’t want to do something I might regret later, you know? Especially since—” She paused, hoping she sounded convincing. “We might want to keep on seeing each other.”

His facial muscles relaxed. “You’re worried I won’t respect you in the morning, is that it?”

“Something like that. You know how it is.”

He seemed to ponder it. Finally, he nodded. “Okay, then, I can wait. I’ll call you.”

“No. I’ll call you. Just give me a couple of days.”

He flexed a fist. “Well, okay.”

Jamie covered the short distance to her car, climbed in, and punched the lock.

MAX WAS WAITING NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO THE apartment complex. He drove forward slowly as Jamie approached in her Mustang. She followed him for several miles before he pulled into the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly supermarket. He slammed out of his car.

The look on his face told her she was in deep doo-doo. She rolled down her window. “Max, I—”

He jerked her car door open. “Get out.”

Jamie gave a huge sigh but did as he said. “Okay, go ahead and yell at me so we can get it over with.”

“Just what the hell were you thinking?”

“I was trying to get information.” She wasn’t about to tell him she’d ended up in Larry’s bedroom.

“You’re off the job.”

CHAPTER NINE

JAMIE BLINKED FURIOUSLY. “EXCUSE ME?”

“I’m calling in my own people. It’s too dangerous, and I can’t trust you to follow directions.”

“You
can’t
pull me off the job,” she almost shouted. “I’m the one who called you. Besides, who are you to talk about taking chances when you broke into John Price’s house today? At least I didn’t break any laws.”

“I knew what I was doing or I would never have gone in,” Max said. “You acted irrationally by entering Johnson’s apartment when we don’t know if he’s the killer or not. Jesus, Jamie, the man could have overpowered you. You’re not thinking straight because you’re emotionally involved in this.”

“You’re not taking me off the
job
, as you call it, but you’re right—I
am
emotionally involved. My personals section could be connected to Luanne Ritter’s murder.
That’s
why I took the chance I did. If Larry Johnson killed Luanne, I want to know.”

“At the risk of causing harm to yourself?” he asked.

“If I had felt threatened by him, I would never have gone in. Besides, I got out before anything happened, didn’t I?”

“I got you out by tripping the alarm system in his car.”

She wasn’t about to tell him how grateful she was for that or let him see how shaken she was over her ordeal. “It’s a moot point now,” she said, raising her voice. “I’m safe.”

“You need to settle down.”

“I
can’t
settle down. Nobody in this town seems to care that a human being died. They keep thinking of the Luanne Ritter who ran a loan company and wasn’t liked. Well, she may not have been the most popular person in town, but she didn’t deserve to die. I don’t know how I’ll live with myself if my newspaper is involved.”

“Well, you just might have to face that fact, so get over it.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“I’m being realistic. If you want to spend the rest of your life beating yourself up over something you had no control over, then do it.”

“I shouldn’t have called you. I should have let Lamar handle it.”

“Then why
did
you call me?”

She hesitated, and her voice broke when she answered. “Because I was afraid Lamar couldn’t handle the job. I knew you could. Satisfied?”

Without warning, Max pulled her against him. For a moment, he simply held her, waiting for Jamie to calm down. He sighed heavily. Finally, he pulled back so that he was looking into her eyes. “Look, I’m sorry I got angry with you, babe, but I was worried as hell. Promise me you won’t try anything like that again.”

“I have to know the truth, Max.”

“And we’re doing everything we can.” He released her. “Did you see anything in his place that looked suspicious?”

She told him about the crowbars. “He carries one in his car. If we could get our hands on it—”

“No way,” Max said. “If he looks like our man, I’ll have Lamar Tevis check him out and send the crowbar to the crime lab. Also, I’m going to have Muffin check his and Luanne’s telephone records.”

“Luanne’s picture was recently in the newspaper. We could take it to the Holiday Inn and show it around. See if anybody remembers her being there with Larry.”

“He might find out, and we’ll blow our cover. We just need to have him watched closely for the next couple of days until we can rule out the others. I suppose I could put Destiny on it.”

“That’s fine.” Jamie had no desire to lay eyes on the man again.

Max checked his wristwatch. “We still have time to make dinner at Frankie and Dee Dee’s.”

Jamie was glad he hadn’t canceled. She needed the diversion after what she’d been through. “I’ll follow you.”

VERA BANKHEAD STARED AT HERSELF IN THE MIRror as she tried on the new dress. On the bed behind her were two new pantsuits she’d purchased, as well.

Vera reached inside the little pocket of her purse and pulled out the ad she had cut out of the newspaper that day. “ ‘Open to New Experiences,’ ” she read aloud. She often talked to herself, a result of living alone most of her life. “ ‘Interested in discreet relationship with woman in fifties,’ ” she continued. “Okay, I’m a tad older, but I look pretty good, and I can be as discreet as the next person. Lord knows I wouldn’t want my preacher finding out that I was responding to a personals ad.”

She hurried into her living room where she kept her old Remington typewriter. She typed the address on a plain white envelope and chuckled. “Jamie will never suspect a thing,” she said.

.  .  .

MAX AND JAMIE ARRIVED AT FRANKIE AND DEE Dee’s house around eight P.M. to find Dee Dee in tears.

“It’s because of the lobsters,” Frankie said miserably. “We had a tank installed in the kitchen. You may have noticed it when you were here for the party. Anyway, I had a bunch of lobsters flown in from Maine, and we were going to have them for dinner tonight, but Dee Dee—”

Dee Dee interrupted. “The chef was going to drop them live into a pot of boiling water, Max.” Her bottom lip trembled.

“Honey, how do you think they cook lobster?” Frankie asked.

“Well, there
are
more humane ways to prepare them,” Max said, “but I’m sure your chef knows that.”

“I don’t want to hear about it!” Dee Dee cried, palms pressed to her ears. “I want them sent back. Or find homes for them.”

Max and Jamie exchanged looks. Jamie tried to imagine where one would find a good home for a lobster. It wasn’t like they could drop them off at the local animal shelter and hope someone would adopt them.

Beenie had his arms crossed and was tapping his foot impatiently. “Well, I, for one, had my heart set on a nice lobster dinner, but Dee Dee said there will be no murders committed in this house so we’ll all probably end up eating bologna and cheese sandwiches.”

“I’d rather have a big old rare steak anyway,” Snakeman said. “Come on, Big John. You and me can run to the store and pick up a load of ’em.”

“I guess that will be okay,” Dee Dee said. “Since the cows are already dead.”

Jamie walked over to her friend. Dee Dee looked delicate in a cream-colored georgette dress that fell to her ankles. “Honey, I don’t care what we eat as long as it doesn’t distress you. You’re just feeling a little sensitive now that you’re pregnant, and you have every right.”

Dee Dee sniffed. “I told them I wouldn’t mind eating the lobsters once they grew old and died. I’m trying to cooperate.”

“Does anyone know the life span of a lobster?” Beenie asked sarcastically.

No one had heard the chef come into the room. “This is nonsense, waiting for a lobster to die before we can cook him,” the man said. “A lobster must be alive when you cook him or he’s no good. I can put them in the freezer to numb them before I drop them into boiling water.”

Dee Dee burst into tears.

“Scrap the lobster,” Frankie said. “Snakeman is going to buy steaks.”

“This is a crazy house,” the chef muttered under his breath and pushed through the swinging door leading to the kitchen.

“Would you like to go upstairs and lie down for a while before dinner?” Jamie asked Dee Dee.

Beenie softened at the sad look in Dee Dee’s eyes. “Of course she would. Come on, honey, you need to rest a bit, and then I’ll repair your makeup.”

“The rest of the guys are in the game room playing pool and darts,” Frankie said to Max. “Why don’t we join them?”

BEENIE VERY GENTLY PLACED A LAVENDER-scented satin eye mask over Dee Dee’s eyes as she half reclined on a settee, holding her Maltese, Choo-Choo, against her breasts. “I know everyone thinks I’m being foolish,” she said, “but the thought of killing those poor lobsters is more than I can bear.” She sniffed. “I was beginning to think of them as pets.”

Beenie caught Jamie’s eye and shook his head sadly. “Our Dee Dee has been feeling out of sorts all day,” he said. “Tired and weepy,” he added. “She was real upset over that woman’s murder.”

“That poor woman,” Dee Dee said, removing her eye mask. “It’s all I can think about.”

“We’re all very saddened by it,” Jamie told her, “but I’m sure the police are doing everything they can to find the killer.” She offered Dee Dee the closest thing she had to a smile and changed the subject. “You’ll be relieved to know that Muffin is already doing research on pregnancy and child care. She’s ordered a few books for you. By the time this baby comes into the world we’ll all be experts.”

Beenie did a quick repair job on Dee Dee’s eyes. “I just hope I don’t gain a lot of weight,” Dee Dee replied. “You know how I am about my weight.”

“Oh, pooh,” Beenie said. “For once in your life stop worrying about your waistline. Besides, that new fashion designer I selected assured me you’d be the best-looking pregnant woman in town. In the country, even,” he added. “You know what I think? I think a lot of celebrities out there will have their own designers trying to copy your style.”

Dee Dee seemed to perk up at the thought.

“And of course the baby’s nursery will look like something off a magazine cover,” Beenie said. “I’m talking to interior designers who have been commissioned by the biggest names in show business.”

“It sounds so exciting,” Jamie said. “I can’t wait.”

Dee Dee touched her still flat tummy. “Eeyeuuw, I’m going to look like I’m carrying a giant melon,” she said suddenly. “I won’t be able to let Frankie see me in the buff.”

“I’ve heard that a lot of men find pregnant women very sexy,” Jamie said.

“But some women never totally regain their figures after having a baby,” Dee Dee pointed out.

“That’s not going to happen,” Beenie said. “Your plastic surgeon can perform liposuction as soon as you deliver the baby. We’ll have him on standby.”

Jamie suppressed a shudder. It sounded rather drastic.

“And what do I know about being a mother?” Dee Dee said. “I’ve never raised anything but a Maltese.” She sat up. “I have to speak to Muffin.”

“
Now?
” Jamie asked.

“Yes. She always has the answers to all my questions, and I have a lot of questions.”

“You want me to come with you?” Jamie asked.

“Yes. You can take notes.” She glanced at Beenie. “You want to come?”

“No, I’m going to join the guys. I get hot being around all that testosterone.”

“SO YOU’RE SAYING YOU’VE BEEN EXPERIENCING morning sickness for some weeks now?” Muffin said a short while later.

Dee Dee sniffed. “Yes. It isn’t very pleasant.”

“Your doctor has probably told you to keep soda crackers on your night table, right?” Muffin replied.

“I have trouble keeping them down.”

“The nausea should go away after the first couple of months,” Muffin told her. “There are medications to help you through it if you like.”

“I just hate taking anything while I’m pregnant,” Dee Dee said. “What bothers me even more is the fatigue. I get up in the morning and several hours later I’m ready for a nap.”

“It happens to a lot of women,” Muffin told her. “The first three months or trimester, as it’s called, is the worst. Odds are, once you get into your fourth and fifth month you’ll start feeling better. Of course, you’re going to be the size of a refrigerator.”

“Eeyeuuw!” Dee Dee cried.

Muffin chuckled. “Just kidding.”

“Hey, pregnant women are cool,” Jamie said. “Once you start getting big, everyone opens doors for you and waits on you like a princess.”

Dee Dee seemed to ponder it. “But people already do that.”

Muffin spoke up. “Hey, I’ll bet Frankie will start buying you more jewelry.”

Jamie looked up from her notes. “Muffin, what a materialistic thing to say.”

Dee Dee looked at her. “Maybe if I play my cards right I’ll get that new ten-karat solitaire from Tiffany’s I’ve been wanting.” She looked thoughtful. “This pregnancy thing might just end up being the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and when it’s all over, I’ll have a precious little baby boy or girl. It’s a win-win situation.”

“Do you plan on breast-feeding?” Muffin asked.

“Eeyeuuw, I hadn’t thought of that.” Dee Dee was quiet for a moment. Finally, she looked at Jamie. “What do you think?”

“Don’t ask me, I can’t even raise a bloodhound properly. Maybe you’re trying to make too many decisions at once. You’ve barely had time to get used to the thought of being pregnant, much less buying maternity clothes, decorating a nursery, and deciding whether you should breast-feed. You need to relax.”

“How come Frankie isn’t worried about these things?” Dee Dee asked. “I feel like I’m going through most of it alone.”

Jamie grinned. “He’s too happy to be worried. The woman he loves more than anything in the world is going to have his baby. He’s passing out cigars.”

“Are you happy for me, Jamie?” Dee Dee asked.

“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s silly, but I just wanted to make sure I had your support. And because I’m a little nervous. I want to be the best mother I can be. I never thought I’d feel like this about a baby. It’s a miracle that I got pregnant after all these years, and I don’t want to botch it.”

Jamie reached across the seat and hugged her. “Dee Dee, you are going to be a wonderful mother. And Frankie will be a great father. I think this is one lucky baby.”

“How far along are you?” Muffin asked.

“Six weeks.”

“Well, that’ll give us plenty of time to learn everything we can about babies,” Muffin said.

Dee Dee smiled almost dreamily at Jamie. “You know, I never thought I would be facing motherhood, but this would more fun if you were going through it with me. I mean, you’re my best friend. We’d have a blast if we were both pregnant at the same time. We could shop together.”

Jamie almost swallowed her own tongue. “Um, maybe I should just concentrate on raising Fleas right now.”

IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER ELEVEN P.M. WHEN MAX and Jamie arrived back at her house. Fleas was spread-eagled on the sofa. He didn’t move as they came into the house.

“That’s some watchdog you’ve got there,” Max said.

Jamie walked up to the animal, hands on hips. “Excuse me, but are you supposed to be on the sofa?” she asked.