Weeding Out Trouble (4 page)

Before everyone started foaming at the mouth, I told them everything I knew, right down to the aromatherapy scents in Daisy's treatment room.

Well, okay, I didn't mention a thing about the drugs. Not the marijuana, not the pills. I wasn't sure who I was trying to protect: Kit or Daisy.

Satisfied, most cleared out. Jean-Claude, Shay, and Jeff left first, worried about the roads. Tam wasn't far behind, especially after Ian called, worried about her driving in the bad weather.

Could Ian possibly help on this case at all? He might have information about Daisy selling drugs on a major level. As a former FBI agent and current DEA agent, he'd have connections.

I was reluctant to ask for help, though, knowing how busy he was these days. Kevin had been working undercover for him in a top secret sting operation when he was shot, and the investigation was still going on, taking up most of Ian's time.

But those pills might be a possible lead . . . I decided to call him later. I'd do everything possible to help prove Kit's innocence.

The neighbors were still gathered around, so I had to ask. "Anyone know anything about a wild turkey running through the neighborhood?"

After they stopped laughing, I convinced them I was serious.

"Not a thing, Miz Quinn," Mr. Cabrera said, gathering up his coat. He looped a scarf around his neck. It was forest green with white polar bears printed on it. "Lucky fella that he got away, with Thanksgiving being next week and all. Especially since so many in the neighborhood can barely afford a frozen one."

Sadly, it was true. The majority of the Mill's residents lived on social security. It left little for the extras in life. Those who did have extra usually made up the difference by having large neighborhood feasts or preparing baskets and care packages. It was a great neighborhood, one I was proud to live in.

Mrs. Daasch slipped a shawl over her shoulders. "Think we should call animal control?"

Mr. Cabrera waved the notion away. "I'll wrangle the fella up."

I held in a laugh, imagining Mr. Cabrera with a lasso and a ten gallon hat.

Brickhouse gathered up her wrap and opened the front door. Anxiety filled her icy blue eyes. "If you hear anything, call."

It was an order, but I didn't take offense.

She added, "You want the schnitzel to come with us?"

I glanced at BeBe, aka the schnitzel. Brickhouse was the only person to call her that. Thank goodness. "Sure." BeBe could probably use the change of pace. "I'll get her later."

The house was nearly empty as Mr. Cabrera, Brickhouse, and BeBe stepped out into the blowing snow. Darkness fell quickly along with the temperatures, casting the street into eerie shadows.

Riley walked in the front door just as my father emerged from the kitchen. I hadn't even known he was there. Maria, I'd learned, had gone skiing with her husband Nate for the weekend, but still planned on being at Thanksgiving dinner for the Big Day.

Shaking the snow from his hair, Riley didn't bother with a hello. Hmmph. He'd just turned sixteen and knew how to work my last nerve.

My mother fussed over him, taking his sweatshirt (since he refused to wear a coat) and offering him cocoa, which he turned down.

My first thought was that it was times like these when I could tell he wasn't my biological child. Turning down cocoa? Insanity.

My second thought was that my mother hadn't offered me any.

Hmmph.

"Everyone gone?" my dad asked, kissing my cheek. He smelled of cinnamon and vanilla, as usual.

I looked around. My mother, my father, Riley, Kevin.

One of these things definitely didn't belong here.

"Almost." I glanced at Kevin.

My dad gave me a quick hug. "I'm going to head out. I

have classes tomorrow and need my beauty sleep." He'd recently foregone retirement in favor of teaching at a local community college. No doubt to get away from my mother, who tended to smother. All in the name of love, of course.

"Drive safely," I said.

"I will."

He opened the front door, and I waited for my mother to follow.

She didn't budge.

To me, my father said, "Good luck," and ducked out.

My gaze snapped to my mother. "Luck? Why would I need luck?" I asked. "And shouldn't you be going too?"

"It's like this, c
hérie
. . . "

It was never a good sign when sentences began that way.

Kevin grinned. "I'm moving in."

My head spun. "I need a drink, a snack, and a seat. It doesn't have to be in that order."

My mother led me to a large comfy chair, sat me down.

"Is that my pillow?" I asked Kevin. It was propped behind his back. "And my throw?"

"Very comfy. Is this down?" His green eyes sparkled as he fluffed the pillow, obviously toying with me.

Okay, on one hand I was glad to see he was doing better. On the other, I wanted to kill him, to put my pillow over his face and suffocate the smile from his lips.

"Cocoa?" my mother asked me.

It made me feel slightly better to finally be offered. I nodded, and she hurried to the kitchen.

Riley sat on the edge of the couch, near his father's legs. "I can explain."

I looked between the two of them, amazed by their resemblance. Riley had the same shape face, the same hair, the same build. He had his mother's eyes, though, a bright blue. Leah Quinn had died years before I met Kevin, in a mysterious accident I knew nothing about. And recently I'd come to the conclusion that her death was none of my business, no matter how curious I was about it.

"Okay," I said to Riley. "Explain."

My mother brought me a hot chocolate. She must have had milk warming on the stove because she was back in a flash, sitting on the edge of the coffee table, smack dab in between Kevin and me.

I had a sudden flashback to my childhood, where she'd do the same when my brother Peter and I would go at it, or when I tried to shake some sense into my sister Maria.

"Now, Nina," she said, "this is temporary."

I sipped at the cocoa. No one made it like my mother. Just the right blend of chocolate, milk, and whipped cream. The mug warmed my hands, but the rest of me still felt cold. "Define temporary."

Riley shifted on the couch. His cheeks were still red from the cold. He'd probably been at Mrs. Greeble's. He'd been spending a lot of time there since starting work for her over the summer as a handyman. It warmed my heart, since as far as I knew, she had no other family in the area.

"A few days. Maybe a week," he mumbled.

"A week? Uh-uh. No way." Bobby's whole family was coming for Thanksgiving in six days. A week wasn't happening.

"He doesn't have anywhere else to go. I'm all he has left, and he needs my help," Riley said, his eyes wide, his voice cracking with emotion.

Jeez. The heavy guns right away? It wasn't fair. "Why not stay in the hospital another few days?" I asked Kevin.

"Because I was going crazy in there."

A small price to pay, in my opinion.

"Nina, please," Riley said softly.

I closed my eyes. Oh, Lord. I could deny Kevin in a heartbeat, but Riley? I felt myself caving, and latched onto my last hope. "Where's Ginger?"

Seemed to me Kevin and I were past the whole "in sickness and in health" vow. My turn was up. It was hers now. I didn't care if they were married or not—some things were just understood.

Like your lying, cheating ex-husband's postmedical care should be handled by his current bimbo.

Simple.

The microwave dinged, and my mother jumped up. Her lustrous blonde bob shimmered in the dim lighting, swaying in time with her footsteps. "Riley, come help me."

"But—" he protested.

"Come," she said sternly.

Once they were in the kitchen I looked at Kevin. "Ginger?" I prodded.

"Does it matter?" Kevin asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "Aren't you happy to have me here? Haven't you missed me?"

At my look, he laughed, then suddenly paled, grabbing at his chest. Fear pushed me from my seat to the edge of the couch.

"Are you okay?" My hand touched his leg and heat radiated into my palm. I yanked it back.

Pain contorted his grin into a grimace. "I knew you cared."

I thought about pouring my cocoa over his head, but didn't want to waste the chocolate on him.

Truth was, I did care.

"She's on her way to the airport, home to Wyoming. Her mother suddenly took ill this morning and wanted her to be there."

Of course, he couldn't go with her. He wasn't well enough to travel yet.

Great.

My mother reappeared a second later with a plate of mini pizza bagels. Pepperoni and sausage—mine and Riley's favorite. He had one in each hand.

Sighing, I forced myself to bite a bagel, though my appetite had suddenly vanished.

"I told Ginger to go," Kevin said. "She didn't want to leave me here."

That made two of us.

I looked at my mom. "How do you factor in?"

Riley sat on the arm of the couch. "I asked for Grandma Cel's help."

Ah, this made sense. My mother wouldn't have been able to say no to Riley either.

"Plus, you know me, c
hérie
, I cannot turn down a soul in need."

Despite the fact that she still hadn't forgiven Kevin for cheating on me. I halfheartedly wondered if she'd planned to inflict any additional pain on him while she was here.

A girl could hope.

My mother folded her hands on her lap. "I'm here to change his dressings, c
hérie
, and make sure he takes his medicine. You won't have to do a thing."

Outside, snow fell steadily. Across the street, Bobby's house was still dark.

I prayed Kit was warm.

"Well?" Riley asked, looking hopeful. "Can Dad stay?"

I looked at Riley, then Kevin. "All right. You can stay."

I hoped I wouldn't regret my decision.

I shivered. My down vest was no match against the freezing cold temps and blowing snow. But I'd had to get out of the house, and Mr. Cabrera's gazebo seemed the perfect place to hunker down for a few minutes to call Ana and fill her in on the latest happenings.

She reacted much the way I anticipated she would.

"I should come home. I'm coming home. I'm taking the next flight. Mom," Ana shouted, "call the airlines!"

"Stop!" I said. "There's nothing you can do here."

"I can help look. Oh my God. I can't believe this is happening. I just saw Kit last night when he drove me to the airport. Oh."

"Oh what?"

"After dropping me off, he said he was on his way to see Daisy."

"Do you know why?"

"No, he wouldn't say."

"The police are trying to paint him as a jealous boyfriend."

She scoffed. "Hardly. He was over Daisy."

My fingers were losing feeling. "And how do you know that?"

There was a long silence.

Too long.

"He told me," she said.

"Ana . . . "

"What? He told me. We had a nice talk in the car on the way to the airport."

Something was definitely up. Eventually, I'd get it out of her. She wasn't one to keep secrets.

I kept an eye on Bobby's house, ready to sprint over there the minute his garage door opened.

"This isn't good, Nina. A six-foot-five brick wall with a skull tattoo on his head? And let's not forget the eyeliner. Where's someone like that supposed to hide? He's easily the most recognizable fugitive in the state."

"You're not making me feel better."

"I'm coming home."

My cell phone felt like an ice cube under my knit hat. "There's nothing you can do here, Ana."

The blinds were open in the back of Mr. Cabrera's house. I could see him standing in his dining room, fussing with a cardboard box. No doubt he was plotting his great turkey capture.

"There's got to be something. We can't let the police track him down, just to shoot first and ask questions later. Who's leading the case?"

"Darren Zalewski and Joe Nickerson."

"Old
Dickerson
?" Ana gasped. "Isn't he dead yet?"

I laughed. "I've missed you."

"I've only been gone one day."

"It's long enough."

"I should come home!"

"There's no—"

She cut me off. "Yeah, yeah." Softly, she then said, "I'm worried, Nina. I don't have much faith in the Freedom PD. Not after all the department's been through lately."

Can't say I blamed her. The department had been having troubles since last spring, and had been investigated by In ternal Affairs, but nothing had come of it. The chief ended up looking like a fool, as did the prosecutor. The matter was dropped, but the department was still shaken and rumors persisted. Kevin laughed them off, and I thought if anyone had knowledge of what was going on, it would be him.

So I tried to have faith. Really, I did. But so far I hadn't been given much hope. I tried to reassure Ana, but she wasn't having any of it, so I decided to change the subject. "Oh," I said.

"What? What do I hear in that 'Oh'?"

"Kevin's staying with me for the next week."

"Oh!"

"Yeah. Recuperating." I filled her in.

"Now I've got to come home."

"Why?"

"Because I want to be there when you kill him."

My teeth chattered as I smiled. "I'll take pictures."

Abruptly, I straightened and pulled the phone away from my ear, listening closely. Something rustled the leaves. I covered the phone. "Is anyone there?" I asked loud enough to scare away any stalkers.

No one answered.

"Kit?" I whispered.

I crept out of the gazebo and toward the line of trees that bordered the back of the property.